--- title: "New Rules for Association Sales Staff" id: "61253" type: "post" slug: "new-rules-for-association-sales-staff" published_at: "2024-04-16T21:42:45+00:00" modified_at: "2026-07-11T18:06:33+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2024/04/16/new-rules-for-association-sales-staff/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2024/04/16/new-rules-for-association-sales-staff.md" excerpt: "Competition and partner expectations are higher than ever before. Discover the essential skills, tools, and approaches rewriting the playbook for today’s sales and sponsorship teams." taxonomy_category: - "Business Development" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Associations Now" - "Mid-Level Professional" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » New Rules for Association Sales Staff Part of the Deep Dive[Building Business Savvy](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/building-business-savvy-navigating-a-new-landscape/) A strategic mindset and creativity are essential traits for association sales and sponsorship teams in 2024. Potential partners have much higher ROI expectations when investing in associations these days—and demand a much bigger bang for their buck. That’s why Brittany Shoul and her sales team at MCI partner with associations to design innovative sponsorship opportunities. Shoul, who is senior vice president, revenue strategy and operations, in the company’s Sales Solutions for Associations Division, recently led the creation of unique sponsorships at a healthcare association client. After noticing that attendees of their annual conference exhibited particularly high energy and were looking for new ways to engage with each other, Shoul and her team created a “play space” in the exhibit hall, complete with interactive lawn games and a ball pit. Each game was “sponsored” by one of the association’s partners—and those sponsors appreciated the stand-out brand activations that allowed attendees to create a memorable experience. For sales-savvy associations, “the key component is an active outbound sales effort,” explains Shoul. Every customer “is weighing the value of the ROI of their sponsorship investments, advertisements, and partnerships,” so association sales teams must “connect the dots between the member experience and what sponsors, exhibitors, and advertisers bring to the table.” Associations must “be more intentional” when offering engagement opportunities to potential partners, agrees Lewis Flax, founder of association sponsorship consultancy Flax Associates. “Sales and marketing professionals must be attuned to what their top sponsors want, explain what’s available that matches their wish list, and be open to creating new opportunities.” Given this more competitive era of sales, association staff should consider a new set of rules to boost nondues revenue: **Be curious, attentive, and persistent.**Ask questions so you understand members’ needs as well as sponsors’ and advertisers’ perspectives, says Shoul. “Use that information to create a solution” that helps sponsors deliver their message to the appropriate audience. “Remember that in sales, you get a lot of ‘no’s,’ so you need to keep trying.” **Adopt a collaborative mindset.** Work closely with other staff members within your organization to tailor offerings to meet each company’s needs. It is important to gain the buy-in of leadership and staff when designing new sponsorship and partnership opportunities, says Flax. **Launch “partnership programs.”** Move beyond one-off transactions if you expect your association to significantly increase revenue, says Flax. Establishing broader and more comprehensive partnerships requires a deeper understanding of your prospective partner and a different business development approach, he says. [Christine Umbrell](https://associationsnow.com/author/christine-umbrell/) Christine Umbrell is a freelance writer based in Herndon, Virginia. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/christine-umbrell/) Tags: [#Associations Now](https://associationsnow.com/tag/associations-now/) [#Mid-Level Professional](https://associationsnow.com/tag/mid-level-professional/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## More in this Deep Dive - [New Paths to Profit](https://associationsnow.com/2024/04/16/new-paths-to-profit/) - [Products and Purpose](https://associationsnow.com/2024/04/16/products-and-purpose/) - [Business Development for Data-Driven Times](https://associationsnow.com/2024/04/16/business-development-for-data-driven-times/) - [How Larger, Tech-Forward Venues Create Revenue Opportunities for Associations](https://associationsnow.com/2024/04/16/how-larger-tech-forward-venues-create-revenue-opportunities-for-associations/) - [Three Ways to Use Meetings More Strategically](https://associationsnow.com/2024/07/31/three-ways-to-use-meetings-more-strategically/) - [Agile Budgeting Strategies and Approaches](https://associationsnow.com/2024/04/16/agile-budgeting-strategies-and-approaches/) [View the full Deep Dive →](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/building-business-savvy-navigating-a-new-landscape/) ## You Might Like - [VideoTerin Bates, MBA, CAE, CX-PRO, Shares Her Experience at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/terin-bates-mba-cae-cx-pro-shares-her-experience-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoThe Adaptive Leader: Integrating Values and Strategy to Thrive Under New LeadershipDecember 15, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/15/the-adaptive-leader-integrating-values-and-strategy-to-thrive-under-new-leadership/) - [ArticleA Meeting Expert’s Need-to-KnowsJune 12, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/06/12/a-meeting-experts-need-to-knows/) - [TemplateMembers onlyMember Onboarding ToolkitNovember 5, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/11/05/member-onboarding-toolkit/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2024%2F04%2F16%2Fnew-rules-for-association-sales-staff%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !