Make your members the main character
When associations communicate their work, they often focus on their history, the number of events they have organised or the services they provide. However, this approach does not always resonate with the real needs of their members.
Storytelling offers a different perspective: the association should not be the main character of the story. Instead, it should be the guide that helps its members succeed.
This concept can be explained through a familiar storytelling structure. Every great story has a hero pursuing a goal, overcoming challenges and achieving success. Alongside the hero is a guide who provides knowledge, support, resources and direction. In the context of an association, the hero is the member company, while the association plays the role of the trusted guide.
Why Your Members Should Always Be the Heroes
This shift in perspective also changes the way associations communicate. Rather than highlighting activities, they should focus on the outcomes those activities create. For example, instead of saying that they organise networking events, they can explain how those events help members build strategic connections and create new business opportunities. Likewise, instead of emphasising the size of their network, they can demonstrate how that network opens doors, encourages collaboration and supports business growth.
When communication focuses on the value delivered to members, the message becomes more relevant, engaging and persuasive. Companies do not join an association because of its history; they join because of the opportunities, support and competitive advantage it can provide.
Ultimately, effective storytelling is about making member companies the true protagonists. The association remains essential, but its role is to create the conditions that enable its members to achieve their goals. When the focus shifts from what the association does to what its members accomplish, communication moves beyond describing services and starts telling stories that inspire and create impact.
