Harnessing the Power of Industry Associations

Joining the national association for your niche can provide you with a unique opportunity to connect with an audience that is eager for your digital marketing services.

As an industry partner, you’ll gain exclusive privileges such as access to their valuable contact lists, participation in their private Facebook groups, and the ability to engage with like-minded professionals at their events.

By understanding how to make the most of these associations, you’ll supercharge your agency’s growth and establish yourself as a trusted authority for your niche.

In this video, I unveil the power of drafting by affinity, a highly effective strategy that enables you to align with the association’s values and tap into its enthusiastic community.

Learn more by watching the video now below:

Outline of This Episode

• [1:05] How to tap into the power of industry associations
• [3:42] Step #1: Stock your own pond
• [5:30] Step #2: Get the list and affinity
• [6:29] Step #3: Make an aggressive introduction
• [7:55] Step #4: Participate in the events/trade shows
• [9:38] Step #5: Develop omnipresence in the association

How to tap into the power of industry associations

Many agencies make cold calls and send emails and get very few responses, if any. A much better approach to getting a list and building authority is to join the national industry association. They exist in just about any niche you can imagine. Your ideal prospects attend association events for continued education, mentoring, networking, and more.

When you join the association as an industry partner or affiliate, you’ll have to pay a membership fee—but it comes with benefits. One of those benefits is gaining access to the list of association members. You might get added to their Facebook group.

But the biggest benefit is being given the opportunity to draft on affinity. You are an active member of the association and can reach out and introduce yourself. Where do you start?

Step #1: Stock your own pond

If you go after all of the auto repair shops in America, you may end up with a list of 100,000 prospects. There’s no way to send enough messaging to that big of an audience to gain attention and authority.

By contrast, when you join associations, it’s a finite list. They’re all invested in their companies. You can prospect in a small pond. This is a game-changer. You can easily position yourself as an expert in that smaller group.

Step #2: Get the list and draft on affinity

Once you join the association, you’ll get a directory. You’ll likely need to do some research to get their contact information. When you reach out, you’re going to make it clear that you’re part of the association and will be sharing valuable content. That affinity with the association makes you more attractive than a random company that “claims” they’re working in that vertical.

Step #3: Make an aggressive introduction

If you have a book, send a welcome kit that includes it to every member. Share that you’re excited to get involved and get to know them. State that you’re excited to help them grow and look forward to connecting. Add them to an email sequence.

Secondly, connect with the people that run the association and find out how you can plug in and help. It might mean running an internet marketing webinar series, coordinating and promoting an event, or finding opportunities to speak. You need to become known in the association.

Step #4: Participate in the events/trade shows

Most national associations will host national and local events. Once or twice per year the entire group will come together to network and share information. You will likely have an opportunity to put up a booth. I would suggest being there live. Magic happens when you spend time with people face-to-face.

So find out when those events are and participate. Hand out your books, be in the sessions, and participate in networking events. You can build more authority and land more clients at one of these events than you can in a year of sending cold emails.

Step #5: Develop omnipresence in the association

Your goal with your niche and your pond is to be everywhere. When you do this right, you should be in their mailbox, inbox, on their social feed, and seeing them face-to-face. Over time, you’ll be seen as the go-to expert in that niche. That’s when opportunities start to come your way. And if you’re hosting monthly webinars, featuring case studies on your website, interviewing clients and experts, etc. you’re a high-value company in the niche.

Resources & People Mentioned

• Attract More Clients: Marketing Your Agency as the Expert in Your Niche
• Grow and scale your digital marketing agency with the SFA Roadmap

Connect With Josh Nelson

• Josh’s Coaching Page on Facebook
• The Agency Success Facebook Group
• www.SevenFigureAgency.com
• Seven Figure Agency on YouTube
• Josh on Twitter: @joshnelsonimc
• Josh on LinkedIn

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