New Rules for Association Sales Staff

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.

Develop products that provide a proven ROI. Be able to explain the “engagement story,” and share data to demonstrate the value customers will receive, suggests Shoul. “Sponsors and advertisers want to understand performance metrics,” so create digital advertising options and sponsored emails that are supported by open rates, click-throughs, and conversion rates.

Reconsider sponsorship opportunities. “Think beyond the booth and deliver brand activations that help sponsors stand out and create a memorable experience,” rather than simply displaying logos at meetings, says Shoul. Both large and small meetings provide opportunities: Shoul’s team worked with one client organization to create an executive retreat targeting a core component of the membership. “We invited the top 25 [executives] from across the U.S., then invited sponsors to engage with them,” she explains, ultimately generating six-figure revenue.

Target messaging to industry leaders. Flax says most associations have four or five “top companies” that account for a significant market share of the industry—and they typically spend much more on association partnerships than smaller companies. Clever sales staff customize their outreach to these larger companies and nurture relationships. He advises sales teams, “Tailor your approach so they recognize you understand their needs,” and determine how to create opportunities that will generate additional revenue.

Leverage new technologies. Every sales team needs a CRM, but Shoul also suggests integrating advanced tools throughout the sales workflow. Consider LinkedIn Sales Navigator, SalesIntel, or Lead411 to identify and bring new customers into the fold; and check out Microsoft Bookings, Chili Piper, or Calendly to book meetings more efficiently. “We’ve also been exploring AI technologies that transcribe calls, help the sales team take notes faster, and identify action items,” as well as technologies that assist in writing marketing copy, Shoul adds.

Control what you can. “We cannot control if and when someone buys,” says Shoul. “We can control the value that we create; the conversations that we have; the time we spend with those companies understanding their needs, goals, and objectives; and the solutions we create that help them. This is where association sales teams can win: by presenting a solution that helps customers feel more part of the association and delivers a value-based sale.”