Easy Steps To Create Super Engaging Content For Your Association Members

There’s an easy way to produce engaging content for your association – ask domain experts to create it for you. [Hint – There are individuals out there that are passionate about what they do and would love to write about it and share it with your membership, and for free!]
 
If you love this idea, there are a few things to consider to really make this a successful strategy.

1. Remember that you know your association the best. You know what makes it tick. You know exactly what your members want, and what type of content will engage them. They tell you through a variety of avenues.
2. As an association, you are a conduit to your members. The truth is that you don't need to be the domain expert in the content your membership is craving. You just need to be the communication vehicle to find engaging content. You are the eyes and ears of your membership, and you are also their voice.
3. Associations are made up of people, and people like to work with other people. They like to form relationships, help one another, and be of service to a common cause. There are individuals out there that would love to support your association and share what they know with your members. If you tell them exactly what you are looking for, they will rise to the occasion. Trust me, they really will.

Below are the steps we recommend to create a win-win partnership with a domain expert.

1. Do your research and find a partner that is both a domain expert in their field and a cultural fit with your association. You want to find an organization or an individual that shares your values, produces relevant content and approaches the world with an abundance mindset. As part of your diligence, you may find a resource that has already worked with your members. Alternatively, you can experience the resource firsthand by reading their content, or attend one of their webinars.
2. Simply ask. Reach out via LinkedIn, through an email, or even through a website form and just ask. You'll be surprised how honored this will make the domain expert feel. Keep it short, and invite a conversation. For example: "I really enjoy your content. Would you be open to writing an article or post for our association membership?"
3. Be clear on the content that your membership really wants. The more details, the better. Get specific and share the concepts with the domain expert. Give them the parameters of what you are looking for. For example, is this a blog or an article? Is there a word count or a format you need followed? Let them come back to you with a recommended solution. Let them take their experience and align it to your membership.
4. Create win-win opportunities where you exchange value. Your membership will get access to thought-leadership content, and your partner gets a new channel to communicate the value of their services. Be supportive, collaborative and appreciative.
5. Keep it rolling. If your first experience was a success, repeat. There are many individuals that would be thrilled to provide a quarterly post or article using engaging content they already have created as the foundation.

As a real-world example, let me share with you how this works with our company.

• Our goal is to educate, enable, inspire and support you in developing and operating a high-performing sales & marketing organization based on intentionality, systems, process, and ongoing learning and development. We want to support associations in helping their members improve their lives and their businesses by understanding the foundations of The Revenue Equation Framework.
• Our expertise is focused on developing high performing sales and marketing organizations through: foundations (value proposition, key differentiators, customer experience promise, offerings, messaging and marketing assets), strategies and tactics (target audience, buyers journey, sellers journey, sales forecasting and campaigns), and infrastructure (collateral, sales team roles and responsibilities, sales process, sales and marketing technologies, team training and coaching, individual sales plans and KPIs, reports, and performance management).
• Our Revenue Equation Framework ties this together, and the framework is relevant to almost any B2B business. We can take any of these core concepts and evolve it to create content for almost any association that has businesses for their membership.
• If there are sales and marketing topics of interest to your association members, please contact us with a call, email or complete our contact form. We'd be happy to discuss how we could partner together to help you create engaging content.