---
name: industry-association-plan
description: "Plans industry association involvement with membership selection, participation strategy, and leadership positioning."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# Industry Association Plan

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Plan strategic involvement in industry associations and professional organizations
- Select which associations to join based on business goals and ROI
- Design a participation strategy that builds authority and generates opportunities
- Create a roadmap for moving into leadership positions within associations

**DO NOT** use this skill for networking event planning, conference attendance, or general community building. This is specifically for leveraging industry associations as a business growth strategy.

---

## Core Principle

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP IS AN INVESTMENT, NOT A SUBSCRIPTION — JOIN WITH A CLEAR STRATEGY FOR VISIBILITY, AUTHORITY, AND RELATIONSHIPS, OR DO NOT JOIN AT ALL.

---

## Phase 1: Brief

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Industry** | "What industry or profession are you in?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Business goals** | "What do you want from association involvement? (clients, credibility, partnerships, knowledge)" | Credibility and client acquisition |
| **Current memberships** | "Are you already a member of any associations?" | None |
| **Time budget** | "How many hours per month can you dedicate to association activities?" | 5 hours/month |
| **Budget** | "What is your annual budget for memberships and events?" | $1,000/year |

**GATE: Confirm the brief before proceeding.**

---

## Phase 2: Select and Evaluate

### Association Evaluation Matrix

```
| Criteria | Weight | Assoc. A | Assoc. B | Assoc. C |
|----------|--------|----------|----------|----------|
| Target clients are members | 25% | | | |
| Credibility/reputation value | 20% | | | |
| Leadership opportunities | 15% | | | |
| Event and content quality | 15% | | | |
| Networking density | 15% | | | |
| Cost vs. value | 10% | | | |
| **Weighted Total** | 100% | /10 | /10 | /10 |
```

### Recommendation

Based on evaluation, recommend:
- **Primary association (1):** Highest ROI, deepest involvement
- **Secondary association (0-1):** Complementary value, lighter involvement
- **Skip list:** Associations that scored below 6/10 with reasons

**GATE: Present the evaluation and recommendations for approval.**

---

## Phase 3: Build Strategy

### Participation Roadmap

```
## Year 1: Establish Presence
**Months 1-3:** Join, attend first event, introduce yourself to 10 members
**Months 4-6:** Volunteer for a committee, contribute to discussions or forums
**Months 7-9:** Offer to speak at a local chapter event or write for the newsletter
**Months 10-12:** Apply for a committee leadership role or awards

## Year 2: Build Authority
- Chair a committee or working group
- Present at the annual conference
- Mentor new members
- Contribute thought leadership content

## Year 3: Lead
- Run for a board position
- Represent the association publicly
- Shape industry standards and conversations
```

### Activity Calendar

```
| Month | Activity | Time Investment | Expected Outcome |
|-------|----------|----------------|-----------------|
| Jan | Attend kickoff event | 4 hours | Meet 10 new contacts |
| Feb | Join [committee name] | 2 hours/month ongoing | Visibility with leaders |
| Mar | Submit speaker proposal for annual conference | 3 hours | Speaking opportunity |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |
```

### Content Strategy

Leverage association involvement for your brand:
- Share event takeaways on LinkedIn and email newsletter
- Reference association credentials in bios and marketing
- Write recap posts after conferences
- Tag the association and fellow members in social content

---

## Phase 4: Polish

### 1. ROI Tracking

```
## Track Quarterly
- New connections made through association (target: 5/quarter)
- Business opportunities generated (referrals, clients, partnerships)
- Speaking or content opportunities secured
- Leadership positions achieved
- Total time invested vs. value received
```

### 2. Engagement Checklist

```
## Monthly Association Checklist
- [ ] Attend at least one event or meeting
- [ ] Comment in the online forum or community
- [ ] Make one introduction between two members
- [ ] Share one piece of association content on your channels
- [ ] Update your membership profile if anything has changed
```

### 3. Exit Criteria

Not every membership deserves renewal. Evaluate annually:
- Did you gain measurable business value?
- Did you build relationships you could not build elsewhere?
- Is the time investment justified by outcomes?
- Would the money be better spent on a different association?

---

## Example 1: Marketing Consultant Association Strategy

```
Primary: American Marketing Association (local chapter)
Strategy: Join marketing technology committee, speak at quarterly events, write for chapter blog
Year 1 goal: 3 client referrals from fellow members
Time: 5 hours/month
```

## Example 2: SaaS Founder Industry Group

```
Primary: SaaStr community + local tech founders group
Strategy: Attend monthly meetups, volunteer for annual event, mentor early-stage founders
Year 1 goal: 2 partnership conversations, 1 advisor relationship
Time: 4 hours/month
```

---

## Anti-Patterns

- **Joining without a strategy** — paying dues and never showing up wastes money. Plan your involvement before you join.
- **Joining too many** — spreading yourself across 5 associations means you are invisible in all of them. Go deep in 1-2.
- **Selling at events** — treating association events as sales opportunities destroys your reputation. Build relationships first.
- **Skipping committee work** — committees are where real relationships and influence are built. Attendance alone is passive.
- **Ignoring online communities** — many associations have active online forums. Participating there multiplies your in-person efforts.

---

## Recovery

- **No relevant associations exist:** Look for online communities, Slack groups, or mastermind networks that serve the same function. Not every industry has a formal association.
- **User was burned by a previous membership:** Audit what went wrong — was it the wrong association, or lack of strategy? Usually it is the latter.
- **Budget is very limited:** Many associations offer volunteer-in-lieu-of-dues arrangements. Ask about reduced rates for solopreneurs.
- **User is introverted:** Focus on committee work and online community participation rather than large networking events. One-on-one coffee chats with specific members.
