Whether an association retains an independent public relations or marketing agency or hires an experienced PR or marketing professional, it should have in place a strategic marketing plan that will be effective in producing positive results.

There are a number of tactics that can be executed in reaching the goals of such a plan. These include press releases about important issues that will result in positive news stories, staff bylined articles that explore topical issues and offer effective solutions to problems, and interviews with reporters that address public issues and provide explanations that are readily understood and advance the missions of associations.

Here’s a specific example based on my work for the Neighborhood Cleaners Association, which is now the National Cleaners Association. NCA, a trade group that was made up on 10,000 dry cleaners in eight states at the time, retained me a number of years ago to help them attract new members and sustain existing membership rolls. The executive director, Bill Seitz, not only wanted to attract new members to the organization, but he also wanted to publicize the good works of the organization so that existing members would continue to appreciate the benefits of membership.

Seitz employed representatives who would fan out across eight states, calling upon prospective members as well as visiting existing members. In each city that a representative visited, I would set up a newspaper interview. For example, if one were to visit Albany, New York, I would contact the consumer reporter or the city desk at the Albany Times Union and explain that an expert in dry cleaning would be able to provide readers with valuable information about how to maintain the quality of their garments. There would be tips on removing stains, tips on what to avoid when shopping for new garments, how to recognize well-made clothing, what items could be successfully dry cleaned, and what items would likely be ruined by dry cleaning.

The representatives were successful in registering new members, and existing members confirmed the value of NCA to those new members.

Representatives would also explain that NCA operated a dry cleaning laboratory where garments were tested to determine if those garments could be successfully dry cleaned. The lab regularly issued valuable consumer bulletins, each of which was publicized by press releases to all appropriate media. In addition, Seitz would explain that if a garment was allegedly ruined by a dry cleaner, the garment would be sent to the lab, where tests would determine why the garment had not withstood the dry cleaning process. The indisputable results were given to the customer, who would then contact the manufacturer and often be given a refund for the cost of the garment.

When the newspaper article with all that information was published, the representative would then share the article with local dry cleaners. Those who were already NCA members were delighted that their professionalism had been extolled to customers, while prospective members immediately saw value in joining NCA. The representatives were successful in registering new members, and existing members confirmed the value of NCA to those new members.

In addition to promoting the work of the field representatives, the special expertise of the organization was often the subject of prestigious news stories. For example, The New York Times did a major feature story about how the NCA laboratory cleaned and helped restore a Renaissance era tapestry that had hung in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Seitz, in addition to being interviewed for news stories like the one previously mentioned, was regularly called upon by local TV programs to provide valuable consumer advice about what to look for when buying a suit and sports jacket, how to determine the sustainability of pleats on women’s skirts and dresses, and the shortfalls of buying a garment with a surface print rather than one where the print appeared on both sides of the garment.

All of this helped to attract new members, while sustaining the rolls of existing members. When customers saw the NCA seal on a dry cleaner’s store window, they were assured that they were dealing with a knowledgeable professional who would provide outstanding service.

NCA also proved to consumers and dry cleaners that it was a progressive organization that could deliver value to members and their customers while helping consumers make smart buying decisions. It was accomplished, to a large extent, by an ongoing PR/marketing campaign.