Where do professionals in your industry go for education? If it’s your association, bravo! If your association is known for supporting excellence in education, take a bow!
The need for professional education is everywhere, in every industry. Center your association on efforts to provide it, and you can find opportunities for revenue growth.
Here are a few ideas for increasing your commitment to education:
1) Support early education and skills training in your profession.
Data shows that the construction industry has a labor problem. Not enough people are joining the skilled trades to meet the demand. More workers are retiring from the industry than are joining, even though careers are lucrative, advancement is possible and industry leaders are working to combat the economic boom-and-bust cycle in building.
Construction associations are working to reverse the trend by exposing middle- and high-school students to the construction trades. They are funding construction labs, skills challenges, internships, and summer jobs to reach students who might not ordinarily think about construction as a career. Member companies are adopting high-school programs and raising money to support them.
The advocacy teams at both national and state associations are working with legislators to lower barriers and make training possible in secondary schools. They also work to fund construction training in technical schools and help students pay for their education. Local economies where these programs exist are strengthened by the availability of good-paying jobs and the contributions of local residents who are trained to do them.
The association has a mission that appeals to almost everyone, making it possible to raise funds for their efforts. They can attract and increase the level of sponsorship dollars. They also demonstrate a commitment to the future of the industry, attracting new members.
2) Create training programs to prepare members for future leadership roles by partnering with colleges or universities.
Fortune 500 companies are well known for their excellent employee training programs. It’s one of the reasons employees leaving those companies are in high demand elsewhere.
Degrees, certifications, and credentials are designed to ensure that professionals have a minimum standard of competence in the industries they serve, but where can someone go to increase their knowledge and abilities?
If you don’t work for a Fortune 500 company, you might earn an advanced degree to increase your skills and knowledge. Educators, for example, have a ladder of undergraduate, graduate, specialist, and doctoral degrees they can earn to increase their salaries and advance in their careers. Medical professionals also often turn to higher education to get ahead.
Do you partner with colleges, universities, and technical colleges and give them sponsorship opportunities in your publications, at your events, and on your website? Could your members benefit from a management program co-sponsored by your association and a department at a prestigious university? Could an association, for example, leverage the expertise and reputation of a university construction management program to develop a program for mid-career members? Would a university program be interested in advertising to your members or sponsoring an event you host?
You may not have the expertise on staff to create specific, high-level education, but you can partner with recognized experts for this purpose. With the weight of the university’s reputation behind you, your ability to market the program and charge appropriately for it increases.
3) Create industry-specific programs or specific skills-building programs
Your association could also develop its own training programs. You’ll have to decide what the program goals are, but two areas to explore are those programs teaching industry-specific information or those teaching specific skills needed in the industry.
Developing this type of program is a natural way to enlist the help of volunteers. Their industry knowledge can help you determine the need for your program and what competition exists. Industry insiders can also give insight into the needs of employers and what information or skills are most in-demand.
You’ll have to weigh the expenses associated with expert help developing the courses and the revenue associated with course fees. This may be another area where sponsorship can be helpful.
Several years ago, a small association raised more than $10 million from its member companies to endow its educational program in teaching industry-specific skills. It was the largest single fundraising campaign in its history, and both the program and the association enjoyed an exceptional reputation because of it.
4) Do you have a market outside of your membership?
You have a built-in marketing list with your members and prospective members, but you might be missing a part of the market. Are there people willing to pay for the information you teach who aren’t eligible to be members? If your courses are normally geared towards professionals, do you have courses for a lay audience?
To reach potentially hidden markets, develop ways to collect information to enhance your marketing lists. Offer a special course or a free trial subscription to your newsletter or blog. You might develop e-books that would interest a new audience. And be sure to ask for their basic information as part of your offer.
5) Invest in technology that makes learning easy.
Effective technology doesn’t only include a learning management system. You’ll make life easier with technology that can help you communicate your offerings effectively, as well as manage your marketing efforts. Consider how you’ll be able to track participation, too. Consider if your AMS integrates effectively with the other tools you know and love – your AMS should act as the pillar (it’s where all your data lives, after all), so it’s crucial that it integrates seamlessly with the other systems.
Visit Rhythm's Partner Marketplace to see our current integration partners.
Finally, make sure your educational offerings actually address industry needs. If you’re a member of the industry your association serves, check with your colleagues about their needs. If you have regular conversations with members, ask for their opinions. Use your communication channels to solicit advice.
With an effective, well-marketed educational program, you can enhance your association’s reputation and increase your revenue with sponsorships, advertising, and student fees.
