Managing the Associations’ Association

Stephanie Corbin -- Tradeshow Week, 10/7/2008 12:38:00 PM

Associations lobby on behalf of their members, but who looks out for the interests of the associations?

Enter the American Society for Assn. Executives & The Center for Assn. Leadership. John H. Graham IV, president and CEO of ASAE & The Center, heads the association for associations which, by the way, have some of the biggest and most lucrative tradeshows in North America.

Graham recently spoke with TSW Association Show Editor Stephanie Corbin about upcoming trends for association shows, show expansion, sustainability issues and diversity.

Question: What trends do you see for association shows?

Answer: The biggest trend I see coming up is the ability to make a show extend a show life almost year-round, and I think that is now made possible by technology. I think you have a face-to-face show, and you have a customer base that gets solidified by virtue of that. Then you can market to those customers year-round, making the tradeshow almost virtual.

Q: Virtual shows are gaining in popularity in the for-profit sector. Is the same thing happening with association shows?

A: I think that’s to my earlier comment, depending on the industry. Certainly in hospitality; there’s something in hospitality that is a face-to-face experience. It’s sort of the nature of the beast. But I think the opportunity for associations is, as I said, to extend their show beyond just the physical show. That, to me, is the virtual show. How you do that virtually, I think, is the trick.

Q: Some associations, such as the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, are taking versions of their U.S. shows overseas. Is that a way that associations are expanding, and do you see more associations taking that route?

A: I don’t know that it’s a fluke, but I don’t know that it’s a trend. I don’t see a lot of that going on. I think that for those international organizations that are doing tradeshows, it may very well be a thing of the future.

But if you think about it, a lot of the medical shows in particular already have international shows. … In particular in the tradeshow business, there are a lot of the European counterparts and Asian counterparts that are already established and having shows, so there may be … (in the case of HIMSS) an opportunity because there’s no international group that’s doing it.

There might be some opportunities for people to look at there, but I think it would be a mistake to compete with already existing shows that service the same audience.

Q: Because of the money it takes for greening, for-profit show organizers have been slow to get on the sustainability bandwagon. Are associations taking the trend seriously in regard to their shows?

A: Absolutely. People aren’t just jumping into it, saying, “Next year my show’s going to be green.” I think that people are planning for the fact that in the future their show is going to be green. There are associations that are looking at centers and arenas and asking the centers and arenas what are they doing to be more green, what are they doing to be more sustainable. … There is a whole culture of green in the meetings world that is growing and will continue to grow. … Over the next three years, I think you’re going see a continual trend to greening the meetings.

Q: Given that the United States is becoming more diverse and people are more aware of it, how are associations going to respond to that? And how will their shows change?

A: Diversity is a big issue for associations. It’s an issue on several fronts that transcend shows. … When we talk about diversity, … I would view it more broadly than just race or ethnicity. … When you start looking at those future demographics with people living longer – meaning multi-generations in the workforce and in attendance at shows – … you look at the diversity that a show could attract.

Are these shows as diverse as they could be? Are they as culturally friendly as they could be? I would say that they probably are not, if we’re honest about that. I think, as we look at the whole issue of diversity and culture and creating a culture of inclusion … associations, like a lot of places, have some work to do to create space.

Q: In some areas, longtime association shows are starting to see competition from for-profit show producers. Is that a trend? Is there a benefit to it?

A: I don’t know that I see any benefit to it. I think what associations have typically had is a client base that was attractive to whoever was advertising, to whoever was exhibiting. I don’t see that being a huge issue going forward, except to the degree that shows become consumer-based shows.

Let’s say if there weren’t educational programs and general sessions and things like that, I’m not sure how many people would show up just to go to a tradeshow. I think the tradeshow is added value, but I don’t think it is the meat, or the main course, maybe.