Harnessing Thought Leadership for Member Engagement and Non-Dues Revenue Growth

Associations seeking to enhance member engagement and boost non-dues revenue are finding success through Lead Marvels’ interactive Resource Library platform. This digital hub hosts thought leadership materials contributed by third-party sponsors, creating a win-win situation for associations and sponsors.

The platform, offered for free to associations partnering with Lead Marvels, generates revenue by allowing sponsors to promote content through a contact form, receiving leads in return. The revenue generated is shared between the association and Lead Marvels, creating a recurring income stream.

Three associations—Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA), and Massachusetts Society of CPAs (MassCPAs)—shared their success stories at a Non-Dues-A-Palooza event. They identified key characteristics of quality content for such platforms:

• Content That Solves a Pain Point: Addressing specific challenges faced by associations and members.
• Content That Doesn’t Drain Internal Resources: Ensuring the content platform doesn’t overwhelm association teams.
• Content That Won’t Cannibalize Sponsor Dollars: Taking a holistic approach to lead-gen opportunities.
• Content That Brings True Value: Focusing on content that provides unique benefits to members.
• Content That Grows Non-Dues Revenue: Emphasizing the importance of alternative revenue streams.

These associations highlighted the success of their Resource Libraries in addressing pain points, saving internal resources, and fostering valuable sponsor relationships. The platform’s success is evidenced by increased member engagement, improved social media presence, and significant non-dues revenue growth.

The Resource Library model offers a low-risk, economical way for sponsors to engage with associations, creating a feeder system for increased sponsorship programs. The success stories demonstrate how associations can strategically leverage thought leadership content to meet the diverse needs of members, sponsors, and the association itself, creating a symbiotic ecosystem that goes beyond expectations.