1
NAW Association Executives Council (AEC)NAW Association Executives Council (AEC)Summer Meeting Summer Meeting July 14 -16, 2014July 14 -16, 2014Carlsbad, CACarlsbad, CA
Increasing Large Member Engagement
Mark S. Allen
International Foodservice Distributors Association
International Foodservice Distributors Assoc.
IFDA Members: 155 broadline and
systems distributors $127 billion in
collective annual revenue
800+ distribution centers
IFDA Members are: 25 of the top 25 42 of the top 50
3
IFDA Distributor Membership: Highly Concentrated
31%
31%
18%
10%10%
4
Protecting against costly government
legislation and regulation
Lobbying
Grassroots
Advocacy
Coalitions
IFDAPAC
Thomas Jefferson Awards
Guidance Documents
Creating events to both educate and strengthen relationships
Partners Executive Forum
Distribution Solutions Conf.
SMart Conference
Washington Insights Conf.
Presidents Conference
Truck Driving Champ.
Executive Education (UVA)
Providing information and
tools to help distributors run an exceptional
business
Benchmarking
Original Research
Online Seminars
White Papers
Industry Information
Actionable Insights
Peer-to-Peer Sharing: Leadership Committees; Planning Councils; Functional Share Groups
Industry Leadership: GS1 Standards; Data Accuracy and Integrity
Communications: Daily and Quarterly Updates; ifdaonline.org; Member Communications
IFDA…
How we Define a “Large Member”
6
Size is important, but we also base it on how the company manages its business
Centralized
Decentralized
Vision 2010
7
Created a culture of “Thought Leadership”
Thought Leaders influence others by creating, advancing and sharing ideas that help provide solutions and as a result are looked upon as a resource for insight and vision – they must “trust the brand”
Changed how our members view us - from within
Needed to change
Staff access to information and ideas
How our members viewed our capabilities and skills
How we identified and evaluated new opportunities
How our members viewed our contribution to their success
Member Intimacy
8
Member visits A day to a day and a half 90% is asking questions and listening – it’s about
them Set 45 minute meetings with
C-suite Key executives Functional heads
Have them review their strategy Probe their challenges and opportunities Review association activities where applicable –
don’t assume they know what we do Regular contact throughout the year
Changing How Large Companies Think About IFDA
9
Opportunities to lead
Military contracting
Congressional investigation
GPO’s – mitigating the risks of “price extendibility”
Customer demands – repeal of the RFS
Where we had to say NO
Vendor-specific issues
Competitive issues
Mark S. Allen
International Foodservice Distributors Association
Smart Practices. Sustainable Solutions.
Increasing Large Member Engagement
NAW AEC Summer MeetingJuly 2014
Challenges
• Association wants large member commitment and active participation.
• What can we provide that they can’t do for themselves?
Challenges
• Sometimes our advocacy goals don’t align.• Three manufacturers in each segment have 90%
of market share, so they aren’t interested in statistics.
Possible Solution:
VIP Member Category
• Greater exposure to a high level audience• Social responsibility platform
IA Membership Categories & Dues
New Platinum Membership Category
Manufacturer = $27,500; Distributor $20,000
New Platinum Membership Category
Other Unwritten Benefits
• High level staff liaison• Board consideration• First sponsorship options• Article opportunities• Webinar hosts• VIP events, e.g., breakfast the keynote• Other volunteer placement
Pros and Cons
+ New revenue for the association
+ Large members love the exposure and VIP treatment
– Only 10 companies are viable targets
– Potential perception by small members that we are elitist.
Deborah Hamlin, CAE, FASAEIrrigation Association
Chief Executive [email protected]
Electro-Federation Canada
Electrical Council
Manufacturers130
Distributors 51
Reps)
49
82% 15% 3%
Distributors
• Range – 1.5 Billion - Under 20 m.
• Top 5 – represent about 80% of business.
• Distributor fees– Over $30,000 to under $2000
Role of Association
• Association is a member numbers game… the size and structure of your association is based on the membership numbers not on $$.
Thousands of Members(nurses association) NewsletterConference Trade showEducationGRAffiliate programs (Insurance)Credit card programs Savings on items Web: Membership drive
Couple of Members(soft drink association)GRStatistics Outreach to member customersPublic PRConference – meetings
Web: No application for membership, no drive, just PR.
Large members • Conference – meeting opportunity - not part of a
buying group • Statistics – market share is huge with large players,
sales and growth can determine bonuses• Government relations – codes and standards,
sustainability, compliance• Research that tells them something they don’t know• Employee training system• Any industry initiatives that involve cooperation –
– E-commerce, one voice to manufacturers
Model
Lots of small members •CEO that knows associations •One person per company•Committees tend to be main contacts•Focus on association work
Few large members, •CEO that knows the industry•Go deep, rely on more than one person•Involve levels in project committees, larger database•Focus on industry issues