H G Staying Member Relevant What You Can Control and What You Can’t! CESSE July 2007 Wendy Cowan, CAE Carol Vargas, CAE American Society of Civil Engineers Susanne Connors Bowman The Haefer Group, Ltd.

H G Relevance (according to Wikipedia) Pertinent Applicable Germane Related Appropriate Connected Important Significant

H G Survey Said: What Keeps You Up At Night?

H G Survey Said: What’s the biggest obstacle to overcome to stay relevant?

H G Survey Said: Identify member segment you are most concerned about.

H G Factors Affecting Membership Recruitment & Retention Market segments Positioning Value Communication Awareness Member Non member Diversity (gender, cultural, lifestyle) Generational considerations

H G Positioning & Associations What Makes You Different?

H G The Art of Acquisition The Offer The Offer Can you answer the WIFM question? Benefits & features Intangible & tangible How’s your offer communicated? How’s your offer communicated? Value equation Value equation

H G The Art of Retention Retention’s relationship to acquisition Renewal process versus retention Root causes for a lack of retention: friction stress apathy value judgment

H G How do Associations Deliver Value? Charge a lower price Help the member reduce other costs Add features/benefits that make the offer more attractive Help the member be smarter H G

H G Eight Super Trends¹ ASAE & The Center Copyright © Used with permission

H G Super Trend¹Association Challenge DemassificationCraft increasingly focused & targeted appeals Unbundling Determine what member needs can be met through new, imaginative value packages Scrimping Help members rediscover personal & social payoffs of belonging Knowledge, not information, is the competitive advantage Move beyond information products offering enrichment & learning through the application of knowledge Super Trends

H G Super Trend¹Association Challenge Virtualization Continue to offer the “personal touch” while building & strengthening virtual communities. Cyber-Mobbing Harness the power of the web & integrate it with more traditional advocacy methods. Scrutiny Closely track legal & regulatory requirements. Develop a policy framework for ensuring compliance. Counter Americanism Partner with others to develop localized models for association culture, governance & operations. Develop diverse value packages for non-US members. Super Trends

H G Super Trend¹Association Challenge Demassification Craft increasingly focused & targeted appeals Unbundling Determine what member needs can be met through new, imaginative value packages Scrimping Help members rediscover personal & social payoffs of belonging Knowledge, not information, is the competitive advantage Move beyond information products offering enrichment & learning through the application of knowledge Impact Acquisition? Impact Renewal? X X X X X X X Super Trends

H G Super Trend¹Association Challenge Virtualization Continue to offer the “personal touch” while building & strengthening virtual communities. Cyber-Mobbing Harness the power of the web & integrate it with more traditional advocacy methods. Scrutiny Closely track legal & regulatory requirements. Develop a policy framework for ensuring compliance. Counter Americanism Partner with others to develop localized models for association culture, governance & operations. Develop diverse value packages for non-US members. Impact Acquisition? Impact Renewal? X X X X Super Trends

H G Super Trends & Value Proposition Current trends dictate changes in your offer Current trends dictate how members (potential & existing) view your value proposition

H G Today’s Environment Affects your…Targeting Existing offerings key features & benefits What does your target need/want? Group’s cultural tendencies

H G Today’s Environment Affects your… Messaging Speak the language of the generation you’re targeting! Applies to core messages Applies to specific offers

H G Today’s Environment Affects your… Media Think beyond “traditional” outlets Select appropriate communication channels Leveraging the web, blogs, etc. Peer networking Sponsoring

H G From Theory to Real Life

H G 2004 Bureau of Labor General Profile of Civil Engineering 2004-ASCE Membership, 133K Approximately 56% of the 237K total profession

H G A Timeline of Several Relevant ASCE Milestones Demassification—Increasingly focused & targeted appeals ASCE Institutes, collaborative marketing Knowledge—The competitive advantage New Database System, knowledge focused Unbundling— Value Packaging Partner Programs, customized service

H G Demassification Development of ASCE Institutes Coasts, Oceans, Ports and Rivers Institute (COPRI) Environmental & Water Resources Institute (EWRI) Architectural Engineering Institute (AEI) Engineering Mechanics Institutes (EMI) Transportation & Development Institute (T&DI) Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) Construction Institute (CI) GEO Institute (GEO)

H G Demassification Collaborative Marketing, A New Strategy Goals To develop a branding strategy for all ASCE To deliver targeted marketing efforts that reach across all facets of the society To build trust, understanding and support throughout ASCE

H G Knowledge The Competitive Advantage Government Relations launched first Pod cast Moving toward new data management system ASAE Peer review of Conferences and Publications ASAE Peer review of Continuing Ed., Membership and Gen. Mgt Collaborative Marketing Strategy New Division-ISS Start website study Data Mgt. Contract Signed ASCE's Partner Programs

H G Unbundling-creating imaginative value packages Retention New Database Partner Programs

H G Questions to consider…..  Does your organization need a change? How committed is your organization?  What does your association’s name convey? Is it relevant to the products and services your offer?  What product or service do you think is the best that your association offers? Will your members come up with the same answer?

H G And…  Can one person make a difference?

H G Questions?

H G Other Trends Counter Americanism

H G Other Trends Virtualization

H G Thank you!  For more information:  The Haefer Group, Ltd. Susanne Connors Bowman   (v), (cell)   ASCE Carol Anne Vargas, CAE   