The Art of Positioning your Association Well

Positioning is not communicating more or louder. It’s probably not even doing it better. But differently. Let's start applying Buddhas definition of happiness to positioning: "There is no road to positioning, positioning is the road." So being positioned well is not a goal, it's a daily mindset, self-definition and task internally. It is the central goal of your marketing since associations aren’t supposed to sell themselves mainly but attract members like magnets. But to think and act like a positioning professional, an association executive, leader or staff requires some basic competencies. - Words Siegfried Haider

Memorable

If your association wants to generate new members constantly, you should design the association memorable: Are prospects, members and partners easily "able" to remember what your association stands for and what not. What does your association do to make the world a better place and what are you "fighting" against? Standing for something that's relevant for your potential members is one of the strongest attractants. Consequently, it means making every offer and step of your organization recognizable. Only when people are easily able and ready to remember you and recognise your position then they are able and ready to recommend you. Then you are recommendable, allowing your association to grow.

Uniqueness attracts. Assertiveness and courage accelerate. If you think of WWF Worldwide Fund For Nature, you probably have a panda in mind. With the story and values of WWF combined. However, such an  association's brand is not created by asking the founder or CEO only since that is just an individual perspective. It is based on specific values and a story concept developed by the staff top down. So that every staff member knows and supports it. Creating this brand concept is a once in a lifetime investment – probably the most important one of all. Does your association have this kind of professional brand guide as a compass? Do you have a story easy to remember and symbols/visuals supporting it? And is this narrative in the head, heart and hand of every one of your association's staff?

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