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Business trade associations represent the majority of SmithBucklin clients. Today we provide full-service management to more than 40 volunteer-governed organizations operating within the business sectors of manufacturing, distribution, agriculture, education, financial, retail, and business to business and consumer services. Collectively, our full-service business trade client organizations represent $50 million in total annual budgets and nearly 50,000 members. SmithBucklin also provides function-/project-specific services to an additional 25 business trade organizations. See a complete list of our business trade client organizations.
The traditional role of a business trade association is to create value for the members of a given industry by providing service and thought leadership and becoming the trusted source for industry information, education, lobbying, promotion and standard setting.
However, today's business trade associations face industry consolidation, time pressure, economic downturn and globalization, affecting their ability to create unique new value for members and stakeholders in a competitive marketplace where resource options abound. As such, business trade associations encounter some or all of the following challenges:
- Severe cost-containment pressures and identifying viable non-dues income streams
- Shrinking pool of volunteer leaders
- Developing effective strategic partnerships with related industry organizations
- Growing anti-trust regulation sensitivity
- Increasing health care costs
- Increase in competitors vying for a share of member/attendee time, dollars and commitment, resulting in declining or flat membership base and conference attendance
- Unsettled mission, business plan, strategic direction
- Succession planning
- Supply chain management issues
- Uncertainty about the future
At SmithBucklin, we understand that in order to compete and grow, business trade organizations today must continue to provide service, leadership and value, but will have to find ways to do more with less money, time and volunteer support. We believe the successful business trade organization will:
- Move away from traditional revenue sources, aggressively and creatively developing new opportunities
- Leverage the intellectual capital of its volunteers by identifying compelling ways to engage time-pressed volunteers, bringing key skills and knowledge to the table
- Improve its ability to create and deliver new and unique member and stakeholder value, enhance corporate performance and/or individual professional growth
- Acquire strategic leadership, innovation, speed and change management as core organizational competencies
- Invest in strategic marketing and branding
- Pursue and develop alliances and coalitions with allied organizations, special interest groups, trade media, events and education in order to enhance competitiveness and stretch limited resources
- Commit to ongoing visioning and strategic planning
- Adopt a governance culture and structure that emphasizes speed, strategic thinking, accountability and flexibility
- Adopt new, more flexible financial management frameworks, continuously adjusting, investing and shedding, based on strategic direction
To meet the complex challenges and opportunities noted above, a business trade association must complement its own strengths by aligning itself with a management services partner capable of delivering and implementing solutions. SmithBucklin's knowledge, experience and resources for the success, sustained competitiveness and long-term growth of business trade associations cannot be matched. SmithBucklin has been developing its business trade industry practice since 1949, when The Popcorn Institute became our first client organization. Since that time, we have been honing and delivering services and solutions to address the unique requirements and challenges of business trade associations.
The professionals in our business trade industry practice work hard to stay ahead of the issues, trends, challenges and actions impacting the business world. From technical expertise and regulatory knowledge, to industry advocacy, management of educational meetings, and industry public relations, our team brings experience, leading practices, and a passion for their profession.
Some areas in which SmithBucklin offers expertise and resources particularly relevant and important to business trade organizations include:
- Industry relations, including between allied organizations sharing mutual interests
- Industry advocacy, including legislative, regulatory and monitoring activities
- Educational meetings and tools, including conferences, certification programs and online seminars and libraries
- Trade magazines, including writing, producing, securing advertising
- Trade shows
- Industry and market research studies
Please contact us to learn more about our Business Trade Industry Practice, and how it might serve your organization.
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