Panel: Building Your Digital-First Membership Organization in 2021

Reimagining your brand, budget, and business operations for growth in a digital world

A recent survey by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) found that, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a majority of association leaders don’t expect to see an increase in revenue until fiscal year 2022. The cascading cancellation of in-person events and the ongoing economic recession have caused membership organizations to reconsider their approach to recruitment, programming, employee operations, and more.

While we can assume that our pandemic reality will be temporary, associations have much to gain from a more permanent strategic response. The time to build a truly digital-first membership organization is now. 

Mindgrub’s SVP of Strategy and Design Ben Slavin met with three leading experts to break down the elements of a successful digital transformation and detail how this new approach can increase member engagement, improve operational efficiency, and mitigate risk in an uncertain economic environment.

Participants included:

• Carolyn Hillyard, Senior Marketing Manager, American Society of Association Executives (ASAE)
• Garth Moore, Senior Vice President, Digital Strategy, GMMB
• Mike Wassenaar, President & CEO, The Alliance for Community Media
• Ben Slavin, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Design, Mindgrub (moderator)

Watch the full recording or use the guide below to navigate through some of our favorite moments.

Highlights:

• 1:08 | Why we should be thinking digital primary not just digital first, and the need for new “digital superpowers”
  
  
• 1:12 | Adapting to changing constituent expectations
  
  
• 1:20 | Staying connected with coworkers and with members
  
  
• 1:27 | Balancing the need for revenue with the costs of investing in digital
  
  
• 1:33 | Adjusting the marketing roadmap
  
  
• 1:42 | Recognizing your brand for what it is - and then growing from there
  
  
• 1:49 | On meeting your users where they are
  
  
• 1:56 | Finding success with virtual events

Jump start your membership organization’s digital transformation with help from our team of strategists. Connect with us today.