The main priority of associations has always been on helping their members navigate and adapt to change within the sector they represent. At no time, have associations been more important than in these very challenging times during COVID-19. Associations not only offer education and certification, but they also offer community and engagement for a displaced workforce longing for meaningful connections.
Virtual events have become commonplace while the large, in-person annual meetings and tradeshows have all but disappeared. Engagement has transferred to digitally-driven experiences and many associations are understaffed, under-resourced and unfamiliar with the skill sets required to perform the outreach needed to create revenue, increase membership and roll out sponsorship campaigns in this arena. Quite often, associations also lack the most recent technological tools that would make these jobs easier and more affordable to execute.
In a recent article in Businesswire, Carol McGury, Executive Vice President, Event and Education Services at SmithBucklin said, “Association executives realize they cannot hire and employ every talent they need to deliver against the important work of their organization. By outsourcing solutions for specific needs, they can ensure that their organizations thrive while serving the best interests of their members.”
At The Sales Group – Global, we recognize the challenges associations face are very similar to the challenges all businesses face, specifically: accessing specialized talent, improving organizational performance, reducing costs and growing revenue. We see outsourcing as an effective way for associations to extend their teams and wisely allocate resources to increase attendance at events, attract corporate sponsors and drive attendee and member engagement.
In a 2020 global outsourcing survey by Deloitte, the key outsourcing trend is cost reduction. “In the past, many players … stated that cost reduction is an ancillary benefit to objectives like increasing agility or improving the quality of service. This year’s survey shows a sharp increase in the number of organizations giving priority to cost reduction, and in the face of a pandemic-induced global recession, this outsourcing trend will only gain traction.”
When you need to scale up fast and launch a campaign for sponsorship or new members, outsourcing can make a lot of sense for associations. For less than the cost of hiring one person, you can get an entire team working for you, reducing costs and getting you out there fast. Interviewing potential hires, training and mentoring your existing team to understand the culture of your new project can really slow you down and cause you to miss opportunities. Time is your most valuable asset and when you need to roll out a project fast, outsourcing can help to get your message out quickly and efficiently.
Donna Gliha, founder of The Sales Group – Global, has developed a Revenue Acquisition Management Process (RAMP) and proven over and over again that it works! RAMP is built on a keen understanding of who might benefit from what you have to offer, and then leveraging technology to ensure that your association is top of mind when potential members and sponsors realize they can benefit from your service.
It doesn’t matter whether an association is public, private, for-profit or not-for-profit, there is always pressure from members to perform more efficiently and offer more value. At The Sales Group – Global, we currently work with a number of associations, and we have proven experience in the sales functions needed to reach your goals. We use state-of-the-art processes and offer optimized reporting and analysis of the sales progress made for your association.
We can work with you to create a specific strategy and optimize lead generation because we’ve already invested in the people and the infrastructure needed to help your organization develop a successful campaign. When you utilize outsourced sales teams, you are investing only in the specialized resources you require, when you need them. This saves you time and resources and limits the financial obligations of hiring employees or stressing out your already limited staff when launching a new initiative.
The Sales Group – Global offers a variety of sales resources that you can employ based on your specific needs and objectives. Our team has dedicated people tasked with specific roles such as data research, messaging and outreach, determining qualifying leads and nurturing engaged leads through ongoing communication. We offer a full array of products and services to help associations get those members and corporate sponsors critical to your association’s success.
If you would like to discuss outsourced sales for your association further, please reach out to The Sales Group’s Chief Sales Officer and President, Donna Gliha.
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