Right From the Start

1. The program will begin in five minutes Right From the Start Best Practices for Launching a Successful Association or Consortium

2. The program will begin momentarily Right From the Start Best Practices for Launching a Successful Association or Consortium

3. Right From the Start Best Practices for Launching a Successful Association or Consortium

4. About us • Andy Freed, Virtual, Inc. • Andy Updegrove, Gesmer Updegrove, LLP • Between the two of us: • 120+ consortia and associations • 40 years of experience • From formation to merger or sunset

5. Why Start An Association or Consortia? • To tackle a unique business purpose - like launching a standard • Develop the standard • Promote it • Brand and certify it • To advocate for an unrepresented (or emerging) market segment • Raise its profile • Rally supporters and leverage resources

6. Why NOT to Start an Association or Consortia There isn’t a critical mass of members to garner sufficient financial and tactical support There is a dominant player in the same space that is already serving the needs of its constituents

7. Eight Fatal Flaws in Starting up Associations & Consortia Best Practice Tip: Remember what Lincoln said-- “He who represents himself has a fool for a client.” Find a law firm who has helped similar organizations get off the ground. • Legal missteps • Recreating the wheel – don’t be creative to no purpose • Don’t be too controlling – standards are about giving things away • Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policies can be a stumbling block

8. Eight Fatal Flaws in Starting up Associations & Consortia Best Practice Tip: Wait to make staffing commitments until the organizational structure is developed • Hiring too fast • Determine staffing structure and strategy before committing on people • Executive Directors wear many hats, you need to determine which is the most important: • Managing technical initiatives • Recruiting members • Driving advocacy agenda

9. Eight Fatal Flaws in Starting up Associations & Consortia Best Practice Tip: Use the “Amway” model to drive a growing sales force from early sign-ons. Consider regularly scheduled informational webinars to support the sale’s process. 3. Lacking a Sales Plan • Getting members in the door is always harder than you think • Getting them in the door takes longer than you think • Understand what motivates potential members

10. Eight Fatal Flaws in Starting up Associations & Consortia Best Practice Tip: Develop the first year expense budget and a reasonable list of potential members. Divide the expenses by the membership number to develop your first year average dues. • Setting dues before determining budget • Need to determine needs of the organization and the universe of members before setting dues amounts • Many organizations ensure their failure by setting their dues too low • Should budget for 1.5 times of first year cash flow to develop cash reserves

11. Eight Fatal Flaws in Starting up Associations & Consortia 5. Carelessness in designing the membership class structure Figure out what types of members you need (e.g., big, small, vendor, end user, government, etc.) Design the classes (rights, obligations and dues) to create “value propositions” Dues can scale by revenues, type of entity Best Practice Tip: Benchmark against other organizations. Use sources like ASAE and Guidestar to garner benchmarking data

12. Eight Fatal Flaws in Starting up Associations & Consortia Best Practice Tip: Don’t open the doors until you’re ready to sell. Look at software packages that help manage the membership process. 6. Not sweating the details • Responding to inquiries • Sending out P.O.s to those that need them • Bank account details • Deficient Web site at launch • Web site logins

13. Eight Fatal Flaws in Starting up Associations & Consortia Best Practice Tip: Don’t be afraid to hold some seats open to get the right mix. 7.Having the wrong Board • “Who is on the Board?” is the first question press and prospective members will ask • Geography, industry sectors represented, “marquee value” all send powerful messages • Board members are a critical set of volunteers. Are your Board members willing to put the time in? • Size Matters! (Neither too large nor too small)

14. Eight Fatal Flaws in Starting up Associations & Consortia Best Practice Tip: You control the launch date—don’t launch until you’re ready. It’s better to delay than make a bad first impression. 8. Launching before you’re ready • People are predisposed to think new organization’s will fail—don’t reinforce that impression • It will be years before you get as much attention as the day you go public, so don’t waste the opportunity • An impressive list of founding members is key!

15. Questions? • Andy Freed • afreed@virtualmgmt.com • +1 781-876-6205 • Andy Updegrove • Andrew.updegrove@gesmer.com • +1 617-350-6800