To make the leap to shared management or not?

That’s a question that many standalone associations, professional societies, and nonprofits consider at some point during their lifecycle.

So, why should an organization transition to a shared management and service model?

At first glance, there are a couple of immediate benefits:

• Subject Matter Expertise: Association management companies tend to have staff who are subject matter experts in key areas of running an association effectively.  
• Lower Overhead and Infrastructure Costs: Technology, facilities, utilities, and maintenance fees are just some of the overhead costs that are lower for organizations within a shared management model as they are shared among many organizations.

But, there are few surprising benefits as well.

If you’re considering transitioning to a shared management model, here are 5 additional benefits on why you should make the leap.

Access to an In-House Think Tank

An effective association management company is made up of layers of subject-matter experts who can easily tap into each other’s experiences to strategize, brainstorm, or explore new ideas. This can be especially effective when navigating challenging situations or looking to innovate.

Whereas a standalone association might have one marketing staff person tasked with promoting an upcoming conference, for instance, within an association management company that one marketer has a full network of other marketers who are promoting events for dozens of associations to strategize new promotional ideas with.

And if you’re a board confronted with a challenging situation, such as how to navigate financial difficulties, an association within a shared services model can draw on expertise from across disciplines—along with senior leaders from other organizations under the same roof who have faced a similar situation—to help identify the best path forward.

Mission-Focused Executive Leaders

Association executive leaders are often confronted with competing demands for their time and attention. The day-to-day management of the foundational aspects of keeping an association running efficiently can be just another to-do item on an overly long list of tasks for the executive leader and their staff to manage daily.  

But when the management of those foundational functions are redirected to specialized service teams within a management company, the association’s executive leader and staff are freed up to dedicate their time solely to furthering the organization’s mission and serving its members.

Continuity When Staff Turn Over

What do you do when you have a 1-person marketing, membership, or education team and that person decides to leave for a new opportunity? How do you keep programs and initiatives moving forward while you recruit to fill their position?

If you’re a standalone association, you can outsource and seek temporary support options or identify staff from other areas to pitch in, though neither option is an ideal solution in terms of time investment and cost.

But, in a shared management model, your management company likely has a pool of marketers and membership and education experts that can be tapped into to provide support until the position is filled. Even better, that pool of support is likely already familiar with your organization and the tools, programs, and processes you use as they work under the same company umbrella.

Stronger Negotiating Position

The voices of many typically have more bargaining power than an individual. The same holds true for the negotiating power of an organization.

Associations that partner with a management company that represent multiple organizations become part of a collective negotiating force that can open the door to volume discounts for software licenses, technology fees, and other offsite service providers that an individual organization wouldn’t be able to secure.

Scalable Service and Support

Need a little support in public policy, advocacy, or product development but don’t need a full-time staff person overseeing these areas? Planning a new product launch but don’t have enough  staff to execute it? You could spend your time researching outsourcing options.

Or, you could preserve your time and budget by tapping into the sliding service options offered in the shared management model. This can give you the exact amount of service and support your organization needs when and for how long you need it. And as your needs grow or even decrease, the level of service and support can adjust effortlessly to meet your changing needs.

Make the Leap

Transitioning to a shared management model can offer significant advantages for associations and professional societies. The ability to tap into in-house subject matter expertise and collective bargaining power can empower the organization and its executive leaders to focus on achieving its strategic goals and growth.

Ready to make the leap or want to learn more about how your organization can benefit from shared management? Let us know.

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