Strategic Planning for Associations: Key Communication Tips

When was the last time you thought about your association’s future? Between planning conferences, marketing your membership program, and encouraging renewals to increase member retention, it can be easy to forget about all the opportunities that lie ahead. However, by developing a strategic plan, you can keep everyone aligned on a clear roadmap to long-term mission fulfillment and growth.

A strategic plan outlines your association’s goals, priorities, and initiatives over the next three to five years. Doing so allows you to align your team members on the best path forward and focus on the strengths that set your organization apart from the others.

That said, your association represents the interests and needs of a diverse community. That’s why communication is essential to creating and acting on a strategic plan that all of your stakeholders can get behind. In this guide, we’ll cover basic communication tips to streamline strategic planning at different stages.

Before Strategic Planning

The strategic planning process can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. To ensure that you get the most out of your team’s efforts, outline a clear communication plan by:

• Aligning on the purpose of your strategic plan: There are many reasons why your association might conduct strategic planning, from navigating a recent change in leadership or staffing to proactively adapting your membership acquisition strategies. Or, you might have simply reached the end of your last strategic plan’s scope. Clarify your purpose so all of your stakeholders know how to contribute to your strategic plan’s success.

• Determining your communication objectives: To lay the groundwork for how you’ll communicate with your team and stakeholders during your strategic planning process, come up with actionable objectives to work toward. For example, you might focus on securing buy-in from stakeholders by encouraging collaborative feedback during the planning process and providing regular updates while implementing your strategic plan.

• Clarifying team responsibilities and expectations: Who should be present during your strategic planning discussions? Who will be in charge of engaging key stakeholders and sharing updates with your community? Compile these details, along with a timeline, in a comprehensive document for your team to reference and update along the way.

• Gathering feedback from your stakeholders: Stay updated on what matters most to your members, staff, and corporate partners by sending online surveys, hosting town hall meetings, and having one-on-one conversations. Allow them to provide suggestions on your association’s membership benefits, event offerings, and other aspects of their experience to inform your strategic priorities and improve member retention.

To clarify the purpose and practices behind your strategic planning initiatives, develop resources that provide necessary background information. For instance, you might provide an overview of your mission, vision, values, and history so stakeholders have the context they need to envision your goals for the future.

Many associations partner with association management experts to develop a strategic plan that effectively reflects their goals and resources. These professionals have the in-depth experience to align your team, improve collaboration, and streamline communication among all stakeholders. Plus, they can provide the long-term support you need to carry out your strategic plan successfully.

During the Strategic Planning Process

To produce a strategic plan that energizes your staff and resonates with your members, you need to understand their expectations and relationship with your association. Refer to the data in your member management software to gain a better understanding of how they engage with your association—such as which member benefits they value most—and use these insights to guide your strategic planning.

Then, during the strategic planning process, assemble your board and leadership members for a retreat that provides a collaborative, distraction-free environment for thinking about your association’s future. While you’ll want to organize all the details before you begin strategic planning, during the retreat you’ll typically hold sessions like conducting a SWOT analysis to evaluate your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Remember that your association doesn’t have to navigate its strategic planning journey alone. An association management partner can facilitate activities such as engaging stakeholders and leading your retreat. In fact, your members and staff will likely feel more open and comfortable sharing their opinions with a third party rather than a direct representative of your association.

After Strategic Planning

Your association’s strategic plan will encapsulate your goals and specify the steps you’ll take to reach them. To accomplish everything you set out to accomplish and maintain momentum, prioritize communication by:

• Sharing your strategic plan: Ensure that everyone understands what’s in store for your association by presenting your strategic plan in team meetings, during events, and on your website. Reference your membership database to promote your strategic plan on the channels your members prefer — whether that’s social media, email, or your member portal.

• Providing opportunities for questions or feedback: As you implement the changes and projects you’ve outlined in your strategic plan, be open about your progress and any challenges you run into. Design online feedback forms, conduct surveys, and host regular feedback sessions so stakeholders can ask questions and provide their input on how you’re carrying out your strategic initiatives.

• Celebrating your strategic plan’s achievements: It takes a lot of effort to develop and execute a strategic plan, so it’s important to celebrate any milestones you reach and report on all of your successes to stakeholders. Create blog posts, social media posts, and special newsletters that illustrate how your association is actively working to improve its membership program and impact on its community.

No matter how you celebrate your accomplishments, don’t forget to recognize everyone who contributed to them. Whether you decide to host an appreciation event, send thank-you eCards, or offer small gifts of gratitude, keep your stakeholders committed to your association’s growth by highlighting them as key contributors to your success.

If you decide to acknowledge individual staff, members, or volunteers on your website or social media, be sure to obtain their permission before including their names or pictures. Some people may enjoy some public recognition, while others may prefer to receive your gratitude more subtly.

As member needs change and technology advances, your association must continually adapt its strategies to stay at the forefront of its sector. By crafting and communicating a strategic plan, you can clearly map out how you’ll move your mission forward in the coming years, whether that’s pursuing policy changes, building your community, or conducting research that establishes your association as an industry leader. If your association needs guidance or support as you plan for your future, please get in touch. We're happy to chat about how we can support you.