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focus
Featured organizations: 5GAA 4 | IACC 2 | MLA 6 | SILA 2 | SLA 1 | WLPGA 3
Shaping tomorrow’s
associations
Issue 29 · January 2021
Makeover
Is your association ready
for tomorrow?
2020 was a year According to a recent survey of 200 associations a membership does not exclude them from your
of disruption. around the world conducted by ICCA, 66% believe association community. You should adopt the mindset
that COVID-19 has fundamentally impacted how of building community and consider your association
Now what?
they operate. The global pandemic and digital revo- as an open professional community rather than a
lution have forced associations to rethink their value closed membership organization. Every customer
proposition, engagement strategies and ways has a role to play and contributions to make, and
of doing business. should be considered a valued ‘member’ of
And despite their reputation of being slow adopt- the community.
ers, associations, like every other organization, have “Projections for 2021 are changing as our world is
had no choice but to embrace the digital revolution changing so quickly. We’ve taken a customer-focused
and optimize the numerous advantages and oppor- approach, looking at the community and how we
tunities they offer to build sustainable engagement can provide connection with our member, build
models with their communities. relationships and share knowledge,” said Amy Burke,
MA, CAE, Executive Director of the Special
The community-building mindset Libraries Association (SLA).
How satisfied are your customers? Associations
tend to overlook the large number of customers Digital-first strategy
interested in their offerings, products or programmes. In a recent study of association members conducted
Just because they are not interested in paying for by Community Brands, (continued on page 2)
Focus is published by MCI, a global engagement and marketing agency.
Welcome 50 percent of respondents said they value their membership more than they did before the
from Robin Lokerman pandemic. Members see their associations as increasingly vital, and with more online and
President, MCI Group virtual options, they are engaging. In another survey, 75 percent of nonprofits reported an
increase in demand for their programmes, and a whopping 85 percent agreed that technology
is the key to future success. Do associations have a choice? Not really. The traditional one-size-
fits-all approach to membership is over. Today’s members and customers want customized and
personalized experiences — and digital solutions offer endless opportunities.
“It was a step into the unknown, but we were willing to explore another way of going about
our processes that may lead to more efficiency, time and money savings in the long run. It was
an opportunity to tap into digital technology to see how things can be done better,” Ronnie Tan,
President of the Singapore Institute of Landscape Architecture (SILA), said regarding the
organization’s move to a cloud-based digital platform.
Building trust
Like any other business, associations must listen to their members’ and customers’ needs,
Associations expectations and values. In our highly viral environment and interconnected world, perception
matters, and Gen Z, the next generation of customers, craves trust and transparency. Building
influence trust with stakeholders is key.
the world “We had to be very maintained in our communication. We had to be careful not to
over-promise, and always do what we say we are going to do. We knew we would build that
If associations don’t trust if we stick to our commitments,” said Mark Cooper, CEO of the International Associa-
transform, they will not tion of Conference Centres (IACC). “We provided interpretation and meaning behind every
action throughout that journey. That’s key! It is almost like we were prepared with every decision
be around in five years.
that we made and communicated about it to provoke excitement.”
One thing is very clear: Every aspect
of association engagement has been Traditionalist, transitioner or future-oriented?
altered by COVID-19, and any orga- There are different types of organizations. Depending on their size, maturity, sector or even
nization that has not embraced the geographic location, associations will approach the ongoing volatility and increased digitiza-
virtual world with a robust e-learning tion of the engagement experience differently.
platform, online community and other Those associations that have a more traditional approach to member engagement most
digital tools is in dire straits. likely will face difficulties in embracing their stakeholders’ changing needs. In this new normal,
What strategies have you imple- traditionalists will suffer from lack of agility and their financial status will suffer over the long
mented to ensure business continuity term. Those in the transition phase have begun to address some of the critical components
and community engagement? Do you related to member engagement, relevance, agility and financial management, but there is much
know how your association will oper- more to do. Future-oriented organizations have already addressed some of the critical factors to
ate and grow in the new normal? ensure relevance and value. However, the need for greater agility and digitization is challeng-
Transformation is key, and now is ing even the best of associations.
the time for associations to rethink
and transform. It is about designing a Making tomorrow possible
completely new engagement model What will help associations thrive in this new world? The first step is to understand what is
with virtual educational learning and is not working. More than 80 percent of associations have been forced to cancel one of
experiences, new revenue strategies, their flagship meetings due to the pandemic, according to a survey by Association Meetings
agile governance and relevance. International. The financial result of these cancellations has placed a significant burden on as-
The digital experience must be sociations — and also shows that they are relying too heavily on their event as the main source
convenient, valuable and relevant. of revenue, above subscriptions.
In this issue of Focus, read about Tradition isn’t good enough anymore. Today, associations need to have a real purpose.
associations that are in the process of Association leaders need to rethink their fundamentals and provide more meaningful engage-
transforming their business models, ment and value for their members, customers and stakeholders. They must ensure future-proof
including examples of new innovative and sustainable revenue growth and at the same time maintain relevance for their community.
engagement strategies.
Associations need to (re)act Is your association ready for tomorrow? F.A.S.T.© is designed to guide associations through a
now and FAST! b tailored roadmap for resilience and growth. To learn more, visit www.fastbymci.com. b
More from MCI: contact nikki.walker@mci-group.com
2 January 2021 Shaping tomorrow’s associations
Fueling
The world’s largest global LPG
event goes virtual
Gathering an entire industry for a new virtual event with a limited lead time.
The World LPG Association (WLPGA) is the au- also developed a 360-degree marketing campaign LPG week
thoritative voice of the global LPG (liquid petroleum with an emphasis on social media. in numbers
gas) industry, representing the full LPG value chain.
WLPGA’s primary aim is to support the sector by driv- Engaging the LPG community
ing premium demand for LPG while also promoting Under the theme “Bringing Energy to Life,” e-LPG 128
compliance with good business and safety practices. Week ran a series of high-end panel sessions that speakers
Organized by the WLPGA, LPG Week is the annu- dove into different aspects of the LPG industry. Indus-
al global event for the LPG industry. The event travels try leaders gathered during these interactive sessions
the globe and each year takes place on a different and tackled topics from various global viewpoints 1,516
continent. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WLPGA highlighting the future of LPG. participants
had to postpone LPG Week 2020 as an in-person One of the main features of e-LPG Week was
event in Dubai to 2021. But WLPGA also decided to flexibility regarding access and scheduling. Attendees
maintain LPG Week 2020 as a virtual event to give in- who missed any live or pre-recorded sessions could 15,000
dustry stakeholders an opportunity to meet, learn and still catch the recordings for several weeks as part programme clicks
do business, as well as generate revenue to finance of the overall redesigned experience. Throughout
and sustain the association’s activities. the event, 1,500 participants exchanged more than
5,500 messages on the platform, and the programme 5,500
Renew, rethink, reinvent received some 15,000 clicks. messages exchanged
WLPGA had to completely rethink its event model and “I attended a number of the sessions, and I was so
transform its annual programme into a virtual global ex- impressed with the platform,” said Brian Richesson, Ed-
perience — called e-LPG Week — while managing the itor in Chief of LP Gas magazine. “Hands down, it’s the 43
financial risks. Despite the short lead time, MCI France best I’ve seen. Having the ability to go back and view partner companies
was able to develop and manage a fully virtual expe- the sessions afterwards is so helpful for our needs, too.”
rience that included conference sessions, networking “This year, the MCI team who has been our event
and business opportunities, and a virtual exhibition. partner for the past decade has revealed its capacity to
successfully adjust to the current and quickly evolving
Educate and communicate event landscape,” said Esther Assous, Events Director
After sourcing technology platforms, MCI France for WLPGA. “They have been a real ally in organizing
had to pilot a panel of stakeholders to evaluate every the first virtual global event for WLPGA, which has
step of the development and adapt when needed. received outstanding feedback from the LPG communi-
Webinars and tutorials were organized to inform and ty. We look forward to continuing this partnership over
train the audience for the new format and to offer the coming years.” b
guidance for developing content with shorter sessions
presented by world-renowned speakers. With the sup- More from MCI: contact jeoffrey.roussey@mci-group.com
port of a marketing agency and WLPGA, MCI France
Connect with MCI: www.mci-group.com January 2021 3
Voice
e-Voting platform supports first
virtual general assembly
The 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) is a global, cross-industry organi-
zation of 130 companies from the automotive, technology and telecommuni-
cations industries, working together to develop end-to-end solutions for future
mobility and transportation services. Because of travel bans, MCI Germany and
Logos, MCI’s public affairs coalition and stakeholder management company,
were asked to organize the 5GAA’s mandatory General Assembly as a virtual
programme for members to vote on the latest board decisions.
After reviewing various voting platforms, MCI experts decided to develop
their own bespoke platform to meet all the legal and confidentiality require-
ments of the voting process. With 140 voting delegates spread over four
continents, MCI had to map the different steps and service providers required,
and evaluate the potential traps and obstacles and how to avoid them.
Confidentiality of the vote had to be ensured due to the sensitivity of the
topics addressed, such as elections of board members. Back-office allowed
staff to monitor who voted, providing transparency to members on the number
of for, against and abstentions. b
More from MCI: contact bettina.heidemann@mci-group.com
Activate
Tips for sponsorship revenues & engagement in virtual
How to make sure sponsors receive the right ROI with online platforms? How to maintain their long-term engagement in the virtual space?
Virtual event solutions bring new and innovative sponsorship opportunities. The audience’s virtual experience starts well before the event
itself and continues long after it ends. This leaves plenty of opportunities for sponsors to showcase their brand. By adopting a blended ap-
proach that is at the same time agile, strategic and human-centered, virtual sponsorships can be as effective as those for in-person events.
Here are five tried and tested value propositions to offer virtual sponsors maximum engagement and ROI:
1 2 3 4 5
Adaptable High-converting Extended brand Flexible and Hidden
and scalable leads visibility customized opportunities
packages Sponsors extend Exhibitors brand options Revenue may
Packages are their reach for a and product videos Sponsors strengthen hide in areas you
designed based longer timeframe and are accessible year- their brand didn’t think about,
on sponsors’ needs with access to unique round, with access to awareness and and opportunities to
and goals, not individual informa- measurable data. engagement with impress sponsors
the organization’s tion and habits. impactful data. are endless.
revenue objectives.
More from MCI: contact thomas.howden@mci-group.com
4 January 2021 Shaping tomorrow’s associations
Convert
Digital marketing generates 24.5K leads for first
virtual congress
A leading international congress expecting website layout and branding, and new Phase 3 — to promote extended learning
10,000 participants was scheduled to take marketing collateral for emails, digital adver- and engagement via the online AI-fueled
place in Cape Town, South Africa, in June tisements and social posts. The campaign platform.
2020. However, in April 2020 it became strategy consisted of three unique phases During the six-week campaign peri-
clear that the event could not move ahead as addressing multiple aspects: od, digital advertisements for the virtual
a physical meeting due to the pandemic. congress experience were seen 14 million
The association, which serves the health- Phase 1 — prior to the event focused times, generated 24,500 leads, and 19,000
care field, quickly transformed its strategy on launching the virtual experience of the website visits, which was double the traffic
to virtual with the support of MCI. This trans- transformed congress and associated online for the previous physical congress over sev-
formation enabled the association to meet learning platform through awareness eral months. The email campaign generated
its commitment to delivering educational and education. more than 46% of total website traffic, with
content and bring the world congress into the email announcing the launch of the virtu-
the homes of attendees. This process meant Phase 2 — during the virtual congress al event website generating an impressive
an entirely new digital marketing strategy experience to maximize engagement and 60% open rate. b
had to be developed and implemented interaction through daily emails, push
almost overnight, and involved creating an notifications and social media activities. More from MCI: contact
enhanced target audience strategy, new elluria.breytenbach@mci-group.com
Feed
How to build a powerful
online community
According to research by Inversoft, 77% of organizations believe that an online
community significantly improves brand exposure, awareness and credibility. But
building an online community can be hard work. The challenge is to keep people
engaged and coming back while stimulating and monitoring conversations in
a natural and personal way, feeding content through champions and offering
features that will make your digital community platform a powerful tool. Here are
some key features to consider:
Resource Library Discussion Forum
Body of knowledge The place to collaborate
to learn and inspire and exchange
Directory Widget Builder Mobile Friendly
Private social network Customized content Useful, relevant and
to connect with easy configuration smooth experience
Additional features may include mentor match, learning management system (LMS),
expert directory, reviews and much more.
More from MCI: contact therese.dolan@mci-group.com
Connect with MCI: www.mci-group.com January 2021 5
Interview: Kevin Baliozian, Executive Director, Medical Library Association (MLA)
The power of trust in the
transformation process
The Medical Library Association (MLA) is a professional association with a membership of more than
400 institutions and 3,000 professionals in the health information field. Together with its management part-
ner, MCI, the association was already in the process of redesigning and transforming its organization when
the COVID-19 crisis began, so it was just an opportunity to go faster. Kevin Baliozian, MBA, CAE, Executive
Director of MLA, shares key steps in the organization’s transformation journey.
What initiatives has MLA taken during the on Webex with Slack discussion channels.
COVID pandemic? We then looked at our governance and opera-
MLA has been redesigning and transforming for the tions. We organized a five-day pivot together with
last five years, so we were ready for what is happen- the executive committee and the executive director
ing now. In fact, when the crisis started, it was an to review the association’s policies on committee
opportunity to go faster. appointments and content strategy, which was finally
For example, we were already thinking of trans- moved aside. Small working groups were assembled,
forming our annual meeting, which represents half including three members and two staff members for
Kevin Baliozian of our revenues. Then COVID happens and we are vetting and coordination; and, finally, new roles were
Executive Director going straight to digital for meetings and exhibit. By created and staff reassigned to new roles. The budget
Medical Library going virtual, by lowering pricing, offering financial was reallocated with the support of the board and
Association (MLA) aid, and avoiding the issue of travel, suddenly we finance committee. As a result of these operational
are dramatically increasing the ability of people to changes, member engagement has increased sig-
participate and engage. nificantly with the involvement of new individuals not
MLA’s As a matter of fact, the organization has figured previously engaged. MLA’s relevance and perceived
transformation out a long list of projects that are way better to do value have also increased.
virtually than face-to-face. MLA is now looking at The third step was to rethink and redesign our
in numbers going hybrid for our event next year, with the physical event to move to a virtual experience. Our annual con-
conference as an add-on to the virtual event experi- ference and exhibits represent 50% of MLA’s revenues
6 ence when it was previously the opposite. The reverse and is our largest contributor of funding. Our May
new weekly online strategy is forcing us to think how we are going to physical event was cancelled and replaced by a virtual
“open forums” promote the physical conference over the virtual one. conference and exhibit in August. We initially decided
to take our content and exhibition and make it virtual,
What where the key steps in MLA’s transformation but we finally scraped away that approach and thought,
95% journey? if we were to start from scratch virtually, what would the
of exhibitors We focused on four key elements, including our conference experience be like? A conference crisis
confirmed interest communities, our governance and structure, our event team was assembled, including executive committee
and finally our financial model. members, conference co-chairs and key staff leaders.
Our first initial step was to unleash the power of They were empowered to make quick and high-level
4.0 our 45 member communities. These communities are decisions. At the same time, the staff was empowered
average conference organized by areas of practice of health information or to design a dramatically different experience.
satisfaction rating on special interest and affinity. The health information el- The launch of our first virtual conference was also
5.0 scale ement makes our members very connected to COVID. the occasion to launch six new weekly online “open
They have been reliable in providing trustworthy infor- forum” gatherings on MLA’s topics, instead of two
mation such as search strings and trusted websites to at the conference. The redesign of the conference
the health professionals and making them available to experience now includes a live launch, an exploration
the public. We also launched weekly topical 30-minute week with asynchronous viewing and discussions,
discussion sessions combining a presenter/facilitator as well as live social events and a live action week a
6 January 2021 Shaping tomorrow’s associations
month later with interactive sessions, meet-ups with MCI in the news
panelists and exhibitors, and social events. We are
proud to say that 98% of our presenters maintained
their presence and 95% of exhibitors expressed inter-
est in maintaining their presence and sponsorships.
And with this we were also offering a new experience
to our members.
The fourth and very important step was to rethink
financial forecasting and communication. The 2020
budget was no longer relevant, so we set up a series
of scenarios based on actual metrics or events with
daily cash management and safe strategies to ensure The MCI Middle East team receives the MALT Excellence Award
short-, medium- and long-term cash scenarios. By
doing this, we demonstrated trustworthiness that the Awards & recognitions
MLA leadership is fast and financially savvy to make Amy Lestition Burke, MA, CAE, Senior VP of Engagement at MCI USA, has
the right decisions. been recognized with the Leader of Distinction Class of 2020 Award by the
digitalNow conference.
How has your board responded and supported you
in this process? Karen Bhavnani, MCI Geneva, has been nominated as one of the Top 100
As I was starting to think how the organization would Digital Shapers in Switzerland by the publications HandelsZeitung, Bilanz,
go through this crisis, my president told me, “You’re and Le Temps.
not alone.” What I have found amazing is the team
and collaboration and spirit of our board and MCI Singapore won three awards from Marketing Interactive’s Marketing
executive committee. Events Awards, including Gold in the category Best Virtual Event (B2B) for
During that process, the decision was made to Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) Annual Meeting Virtual Event 2020. MCI
increase the number of communications in a massive Singapore also received the Pioneer Member Awards from the Singapore As-
way, including monthly informational board meet- sociation of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS) in
ings, status reports of what is going on, and weekly recognition of the role MCI has played in shaping Singapore’s MICE industry.
open forums with members that are run by volunteers
around various topics, so it all goes around building MCI USA and the National Cannabis Industry Association’s (NCIA) Cannabis
trust. The trust is essential, and building trust comes Business Summit & Expo were named to Trade Show Executive’s Fastest 50 in
through a lot of great communications with the differ- recognition of the event’s robust growth.
ent groups. At the end of the day, whether members
agree or not with the decisions the board is making, MCI Middle East took home the prestigious Exceptional Association Event of the
they know the board knows what it is doing. Year Award from the MALT Excellence Awards, which recognize exemplary
initiatives in the field of meetings, incentives, conferences, events, business and
Can you describe how the AMC model supported luxury travel from the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council).
MLA in its transformation?
Our transformation journey required a lean, agile and New leadership positions
quick decision-making process while working with the Per Anker, Director of Sales, MCI
leadership. Building trust with the various stakehold- Copenhagen, has joined the Meet-
ers was key in that process. The decision was made to ing Professionals International
transform the annual event, which consequently has (MPI) European Advisory Council
allowed us to transform the entire organization. 2020/2021, and Igor Tobias Director
By transitioning to an association management Per Anker
has been nominated President of
model, MLA benefits from constant pivot and quality MPI Brazil.
experimentation. We have earned a license to exper-
iment with experienced professionals, shared knowl- Barbara Calderwood, Director, Asso-
edge and quality systems. This model has allowed ciation Relations, MCI UK, has been
us to solve engagement issues and address diversity named co-chair of the Association
to become truly inclusive. I can focus on association of British Professional Conference
needs and strategy while operations are looked after Organisers (ABPCO). b
by MCI’s staff. We have a better spread of activities
during the year and we are now operating in a more
Barbara Calderwood
agile, flexible and creative way. b
Connect with MCI: www.mci-group.com January 2021 7
Future-proofed
8 association trends in 2021
While COVID-19 has been an accelerator for change
and a catalyst for associations and other not-for-profit
organizations to rethink their relevance, way of work-
1 4. Social distancing
Social distancing due to COVID-19 is changing the
way organizations and individuals behave, requiring
ing and business model, the pandemic is not the only Embrace new ways of working and offering new opportunities
reason for associations to consider their future-proof a digital for digitization. Virtual communications, events, and
strategy. Associations have no choice but to embrace and user learning experiences are here to stay, and hybrid
the digital revolution and adapt to thrive in the new experience events are the New Normal.
normal. At MCI, we have identified a number of mindset
drivers affecting associations as they grapple with this 5. Sustainability and environmental development
new era, including eight main trends:
1. Technology
2 Addressing global challenges such as poverty,
inequality, and climate change, the UN Sustainable
Development Goals provide a clear pathway toward a
Technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud Make better and more sustainable future by 2030. Associa-
computing, robotics, 3D printing and the Internet of innovation tions are ideally placed to help advance the goals.
Things are transforming every aspect of how we live and
and work. Associations must embrace these technol- investment 6. Ethics and values
ogies to offer their stakeholders a more personal, top priority Gen Z, the next generation of members and custom-
intuitive and engaging experience. ers, demands ethical and value-driven behaviors and
2. Financial impact 3 will choose to engage with those associations that are
behaving ethically and doing good for the community.
As associations review their financial status due to
the pandemic, they need to anticipate the potential Reach beyond 7. Online reputation management
knock-on effect, as members and sponsors are forced the converted Shaping public perception of an organization by
to protect their own interests. New products and influencing online information can be quite complex
programmes are critical to continuing to engage your in our universally connected world. Understand that
community and ensure value and relevance. while associations need to be hyper-transparent about
their actions, they do not fully control their reputation.
3. Privacy and data protection
While the monetization of data is the lifeblood of 8. Equality and diversity
many associations, the EU’s General Data Protection Organizations increasingly will be judged by their
Regulation (GDPR) has placed limits on certain activ- ability and actions to reduce discrepancies between
ities. Technological advances will continue to produce groups based on race, gender, sexuality, religion and
workarounds even as greater vigilance and demands other factors and to foster diversity, equity, and inclu-
for transparency grow. sion. In that, associations can play a key role. b
More from MCI: contact marc.claret@mci-group.com
8 January 2021 Shaping tomorrow’s associations
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