Growing Your Association

Strategic Planning & Research

We help your leadership ensure that the association focuses its resources on the most beneficial products, programs and services for its members. We conduct environmental scanning, leading edge surveys, membership surveys and market research to identify critical industry trends and membership needs. Then we assess your ability to address those trends and needs and help you design an actionable process that consistently moves your association in the right direction.

Effective Association Member Components

Whether you call them chapters, sections, affiliates, SIGs, communities of practice, boards or subgroups, member communities are a lifeblood of associations. Too often associations are struggling with their member components – and may even consider them a drain rather than a contributor. We will help end the struggle, rebuild components or create components. Whether it’s working one-on-one with a component or with the national office, we will bring our experience building successful member components to help you achieve success.

Increasing Member Engagement

Association industry research highlights a simple formula: engaged members are more satisfied, renew at higher rates and lead to member acquisition. We’ll help you look differently at how members can engage with your association and create an engagement strategy that links to a vibrant volunteerism and developing effective leaders.

Crafting a Vibrant Volunteer Management Program

Whether its a redesigning your leadership guides and training materials, crafting a new leadership conference or building a rewards and recognition program, bring us in because you want new thinking and you’re ready to ask the tough questions.

Strategic Planning

It’s not just that we know how to conduct meaningful strategic planning and craft effective marketing plans but we also look at the path that’s not been taken, seeking new solutions to old problems. We assess your ability to address those needs and help you design an actionable process. Let us assist your association in growing.

Consulting Case Studies

These are fours associations that drew on Mariner’s thinking and experience for strategic and program services.

Merge State Chapters

When four independent California chapters took the bold step to merge and create a unified state association, they knew they needed to create a strategic plan and as importantly a sustainable operational plan. Tapping the energy of members across the state, the new organization mapped out a vision for a state entity that met member’s needs without losing local culture.

Chapter Models

Association staff knew the current structure wasn’t working; there were challenges in finding volunteers, in delivering member value locally and in preserving the organizational brand. Staff believed there had to be another model but couldn’t quite visualize it. Through a collaborative process with key stakeholders (members, leaders, staff), this association designed and implemented a model that today is advancing member value.

Leadership Path

Chapters and components are seen as leadership farm teams. How to activate that farm team system to create a volunteer leadership path was the question. Defining the levels of volunteer, mapping the skills, knowledge and abilities required and designing a education and resource portal brought the idea into reality. Adding a “person first, position second” philosophy made this strategy a member benefit.

Driving Success - Rewards Program

With a revamped chapter program, the association knew it needed a fresh approach to chapter rewards and recognition program. They sought to motivate and nurture success through a strategy that recognized effort and rewarded outcomes. Tapping leader input, bringing a cross-departmental staff team (yes we need the data and technology people!) together and focusing on driving change using the “carrot”, a new program was designed and launched.
“We are, we hope, a mentor, a friend and connection for association professionals and volunteers.”

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Mariner Management & Marketing is your partner in helping association volunteers and staff create the greatest possible value for your members and in ensuring the long term health and growth of your association.