How Do Professional Associations Benefit From External Support?

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Professional associations and other professional bodies play a critical role in representing the expertise and interests of their members, and in fostering excellence within their respective industries.

But despite the similarity of their missions and objectives, professional associations vary greatly in their capacity to carry out those roles and to meet the challenges they often face.

Specifically, associations sometimes have limited capacity or experience to confidently navigate change, engage with members on vital topics, or advocate on their behalf. This may be a temporary limitation due to staffing or perhaps because the organization is new or operating on a smaller scale.

In such cases, enlisting the support of an external partner on specific activities can be a game-changer.

This post sets out some critical areas where professional associations can benefit from the expertise of an external consultant or a freelance arrangement.

And naturally, these points will also be relevant to dozens of industries, so please read on if you’re not involved with a professional association.

1. Engaging with decision-makers.

Large, well-established professional associations are always skilled at communicating upward, which helps them achieve and maintain a strong profile. Meanwhile, smaller or newer associations don’t always have the experience or confidence to engage with policy or decision-making, which can mean that despite having a solid contribution to make, their voices aren’t always heard.

An experienced consultant / freelancer with a background in policy and decision-making can provide the association with valuable insights into those spaces, and help develop targeted strategies to engage with impact.

The consultant / freelancer can also help associations develop (or improve) their networks and partnerships and work with others to present connected, grounded and impactful representations to policymakers.

2. Analysis and positioning.

Opportunities, challenges and changes inevitably arise in all sectors, but those affecting an association’s interests will generally require some analysis. Analytical expertise may not always be available to smaller or newer associations.

An external provider skilled in responding to change can work with the association to assess the potential impacts and implications of such developments so that they can state an informed position on the topic. This helps the association make decisions which are grounded in evidence and reflect the interests of its members.

3. Member communications.

For smaller or newer organizations, member communications can sometimes be challenging. Communications teams excel at managing outgoing messages and the channels that they move through. But there are some specific, change-related communication tasks where even seasoned professionals seek advice and guidance on engaging with the audience, or where an independent perspective may be helpful.

The consultant / freelancer can offer that additional, informed perspective and recommend engagement strategies, approaches or processes, ensuring that vital information moves between members, leadership and stakeholders promptly and effectively.

4. Workshops and other facilitated events.

Many associations can plan good events. But delivering workshops, webinars or other events with specific goals and objectives requires additional design and facilitation skills. Large and well-established associations routinely bring in external help for such gatherings, and smaller associations can also benefit from the same support.

An external partner (experienced in creating interactive sessions or with a learning, training or coaching background) will bring key skills to the table. They can help the association design captivating and informative discussions, ultimately driving greater member engagement and shared learning to help achieve objectives.

5. Advocacy campaigns.

Advocacy campaigns are powerful tools for professional associations, but organizing them requires specific planning and execution. Smaller or newer organizations might not have the experience or resources to run the range of campaigns they need, or to step into the level of discussions they want to influence.

An external consultant / freelancer with a track record in advocacy can (in partnership with existing communications teams) guide the association in crafting compelling messaging, mobilizing members, and measuring campaign success. This external support can significantly enhance the association's influence and visibility in policy-making processes and other decision-making.

But why would an organization work with a consultant rather than hire someone to do all of this?

There are several tangible reasons to partner with an external supplier on these activities:

• Freelancers and consultants bring specialized knowledge and experience to their clients, not just in specific topics but also in the methods and strategies that help achieve their objectives. This means that organizations can tap into a wealth of non-topic skills and experience that may not be available in-house, resulting in more effective approaches and solutions.

• An independent and impartial viewpoint can provide valuable insights, helping associations identify blind spots, point out patterns and assumptions that may reduce effectiveness, and uncover new opportunities.

• Engaging an external freelancer provides the flexibility to access skilled support only when needed, without the long-term commitment of hiring full-time staff. This scalability ensures cost-effectiveness for smaller organizations.

• Consultants in particular, tailor their support to the unique needs and challenges of the association and the task at hand, ensuring that solutions are practical and actionable.

• Working closely with a consultant allows association staff to learn new skills and build internal capacity, enabling them to handle similar tasks and challenges more effectively in the future. We know this might eventually mean that some clients will no longer need us, but a great partner will accept that as a sign of a job well done.

• Finally, additional benefits can be gained from accessing the consultant's management experience in areas such as process development, quality improvement, risk management evaluation and many more.

So, professional associations, especially smaller or newer organizations, can significantly benefit from the support of an external partner. Consulting and freelance support provides invaluable expertise that can help position a new association, assess and analyze change, boost advocacy efforts, enhance communication with members, and drive overall success. By enlisting the support of an external partner, professional associations can navigate a whole range of policy and other changes with confidence.

The integration of external expertise with your existing skills can be a transformative step towards a thriving, supportive and impactful association.

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I’m pleased to say (and you won’t be surprised to hear) that I offer all of the support listed above in either a consulting or freelance capacity, and have done so for many and various organizations for several years in both the UK and Canada. Read more about what I do here.

If these points resonate with your association's needs and objectives, or if you want to know more about my own consulting and freelance offerings, get in touch to arrange a free initial consultation.