Build a Smart Sunsetting Strategy

While associations worked quickly to meet new member needs during the pandemic, their expectations have evolved over the last three years. But have association programs and products changed along with them?

“The world changes around us all the time,” said Ankur Ponda, MBA, senior consultant at McKinley Advisors. “COVID taught us that we need to be agile and nimble and adapt to the market and what our members are telling us. Our portfolio needs to evolve with those changes.”

As part of her process, Jennifer Blenkle, senior director, strategic initiatives, at the American Physiological Society, conducts a postmortem with her team for each project to review what worked, what didn’t, and what they can to differently.

“That’s an easy entry point to evaluate programs,” she said. “These conversations can feel less threatening, and help you build a culture where you realistically talk about your programs.”

Part of that evaluation may mean letting go of programs, products, and services that no longer benefit members or an association’s bottom line. While sunsetting a product is never easy, having a smart strategy in place will make the decision easier for both staff and members and ultimately help associations curate a stronger portfolio.