Association Insider News

Most events are designed to run smoothly. Few are designed to create real impact. This article explores why “liked” is no longer enough and introduces the FEEL, DO, CHANGE framework — a simple but powerful way to design events that people remember, act on, and carry forward long after they leave.

Rethinking sponsorship: from transactions to true partnerships

Most sponsorship models still focus on visibility — logos, booths, and set packages. But what if there’s a better way?

In this session with Dr. Michael Carr-Tatonetti, we explore how associations can move beyond transactional sponsorships and build partnerships that are more meaningful, strategic, and sustainable. It’s about shifting the conversation from “what can we sell?” to “what can we build together?”

People experience change differently.

Some are energised by the idea of what's possible. Others feel instantly overwhelmed, wary or just plain exhausted by the thought of “yet another initiative.” Our appetite for change and how we perceive it, shapes everything from how we show up at work to how we lead others through uncertainty. In the association and not-for-profit space, change isn’t just inevitable - it’s constant.

So, the question isn’t if we lead change, but how.

New goals. New strategies. New systems. New energy. Sometimes all before you’ve even finished your first cup of coffee.

In the association world, the start of a new year often arrives with a familiar question: What are we going to do differently this year? But perhaps the more powerful question is this:

Who are we going to do it with?

Because before the plans, the platforms, or the perfectly mapped roadmaps, there is community. And community is where momentum actually comes from.

If you've ever wished your inbox could magically manage itself or that AI could tackle your overflowing to-do list, you're not alone. In our recent webinar, we teamed up with Julian Moore, Chief AI Officer at Strategic Membership Solutions, to uncover practical, real-world ways association professionals can save time with AI. This wasn’t a high-level AI theory session. It was packed with immediately actionable tips and Julian showed us exactly how to set them up, with zero coding required. Here are some of the biggest takeaways:

Ever run a member survey… and then wonder what to actually do with the results? You're not alone. In our recent webinar, we sat down with Angela McDonald from Optimum Contact and Cristiano Lima from MemberBoat to dig into how associations can move from collecting feedback to making real, evidence-based decisions.

There is a quiet revolution happening across our sector. It is not about technology, disruption, or the next big membership trend. It is about doing less and doing it on purpose. The last five years have pushed our sector harder than ever before. We sprinted out of the pandemic, trying to make up for lost time, launching new programs, rebuilding communities, and rediscovering in-person connection. Somewhere in that rush, we also had an epiphany: perhaps we do not need to be everywhere, all the time, to be effective. The digital revolution proved we can deliver value from anywhere, but it also pushed many of us beyond healthy capacity.

Advocacy is essential to the mission of associations and not‑for‑profits — yet making your voice heard has never felt harder. Important work, real people, strong stories… all competing for attention in an environment that’s crowded, reactive, and noisy. This session explored how organisations can stop chasing headlines and start shaping them, moving from reaction to intention. The message was clear: influence isn’t about big budgets or PR teams. It’s about focus, clarity, and telling the right story, in the right way, at the right time. Done consistently, those small moves create momentum — even when no one’s watching.

Leadership today comes with a unique set of pressures. For association leaders, the balancing act between strategy, member needs and team wellbeing often leaves little space for personal care. Our recent wellbeing and stress management workshop with Liana Busoli highlighted not only the challenges leaders face but also some practical, everyday strategies to lighten the load.