by Chloe Menhinick, Director of Communications, International Currency Forum
As member communities become more digital, Associations face a growing imperative to re-design themselves to move faster, adapt more quickly, facilitate rapid learning, and embrace the dynamic demands of their member communities. At the heart of the digital transformation are opportunities therefore to transform the role of communications within ourorganisation.
With the global pandemic abruptly impacting our day-to-day operations, this imperative, which had for long been on the horizon, at last came into sharp focus. In response, we saw Associations across our membership and beyond overcome the challenges they faced by innovating business models, and by pivoting their plans to leverage the benefits of new communication technologies to enhance their connectedness with members, strengthen their engagement touchpoints, and raise their profile.
From explorations of how Association communication professionals can better leverage platforms such as LinkedIn, to discovering how the power of AI is not just a tool for the most resource-rich of associations but indeed, an opportunity for small staff associations to boost resources, ESAE's Communications & Membership committee showcased the opportunities that exist for the Association of the future to empower its members by using technological advances to unleash their potential, accelerate progress to achieve their visions, and ultimately positively impact society.
• Embrace the speed of change: Think carefully about the ways in which digital demands the
considerably slower, traditional operating model to be accelerated. Understand how strategy,
connectedness, events, sponsorship, and membership models are all changing as part of the digital transformation.
• Examine new communication tools: Keep abreast of communication tools and technological
developments. Explore technologies that encourage and support member communication,
interactivity and participation. Then standardize and implement them as a complement to your
Association’s membership communications & engagement strategy.
The article contributed by Chloe Menhinick to ESAE's 2020 white paper, "The Association of the Future".