As a banker in my previous career before I became an association executive, I have learned the “5Cs” of the credit process: character, capacity, capital, collateral and conditions. These 5Cs are used to assess the creditworthiness of a borrower.
Recently, I have learned another set of “5Cs” after attending the webinar, “Creating a Sales-Focused Culture in your Association,” organized by the Answers for Associations, an Australian online community of associations headed by Angela Shelton. The speaker, Ingrid Maynard, founder and managing director of “The Sales Doctor,” has worked with organizations to transform the way they sell to achieve a new level of success.
While one could argue that associations are not exactly in the business of selling, there could be ideas and approaches they may learn from sales people. Here are the “5Cs” I picked up from the webinar and added my inputs based on my knowledge and experience with associations:
1. Clarity. This revolves around purpose and how clearly this is articulated to the sales team. Questions for the sales team like, “What do you want to achieve?”, “What resources are needed?”, “Who is your target market?”, and “How do you engage customers?” resonate as well to the membership team in the context of associations. A study of remarkable associations in the United States by the American Society of Association Executives showed that alignment of purpose with member services is an essential element for the associations’ success and sustainability.
2. Capability. This focuses on the questions: “What people skills are needed for the current market?”, “What is the right structure to make an impact?”, “What systems and procedures should be in place and what enabling technologies are required?”, “What other knowledge should be sourced?”. During this pandemic, associations have also asked the same questions, adapted, and became resilient by pivoting to virtual events and online courses to engage and help their members, as well as reskilled and upskilled their staff.
3. Communication. This encompasses meeting customers where they are, the consistency of messaging, and individual as well as team communication. Similarly, for associations working remotely, there are also challenges in communication. With the appropriate tools, talent and technologies, however, these issues have been manageable. Empathizing with and understanding the team’s respective situations through frequent communication in a WFH environment is key to cohesion and productivity.
4. Community. This deals with the dynamics of belongingness and togetherness, especially when meeting in person is limited or restricted. Building teams, peer-to-peer networks, social and support mechanisms, as well as buddy systems, are helpful in these trying times. Associations have taken the opportunity to create online member communities to share information, learn from each other, and celebrate their achievements together.
5. Coaching. This enables the team members to be present though remote, as well as being able to be heard and to shine on their own merits through individual, team and peer coaching and mentoring. In like manner, associations will serve their members well by providing advice and guidance to their members on their goals and helping them reach their full potential.
This article was published by the Business Mirror on August 26, 2021 and may not be reproduced without prior consent from the writer and Business Mirror.
The contributor, Octavio ‘Bobby’ Peralta, is Founder & CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE) and concurrently, President of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Association Organizations (APFAO). The purpose of PCAAE – the “association of associations” – is to advance the association management profession and to make associations well-governed and sustainable. PCAAE enjoys the support of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP), the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), and the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). Email the author at: obp@adfiap.org for more details on PCAAE and on association governance and management.
Association Man 