In a survey of 30,000 consumers spawning 28 global markets, according to a HubSpot webinar on social media trends conducted earlier this year, consumer trust in authority is at historical lows. Additionally, traditional media is at an all time low in 17 countries according to a 2017 Trust Barometer. But we don’t need these global statistics to tell us declining trust is a major event; as it has been going on for some time. We do want to take away is what this means for brands and specifically for global, national, and regional associations trying to get their message across the divide.

Nothing is meant to last forever. Expect maybe the term “Move them down the funnel”, which is timeless.

Occupying a rustic city block in the promising Norfolk, Virginia area is a sprawling 35,000 square foot warehouse where O’Connor Brewing Company produces the number one six-pack sold in Virginia. There we meet Kevin and Penny O’Connor, the two founders: one a visionary and the other the marketing mastermind. Next to them sit their right- and left-hand men, Hannah Serrano, and a young and talented graphic designer (whose name escapes me, but art doesn’t).

All this talk about attracting millennials and yet we are missing the giant not-so-subtle-anymore elephant in the room - women. We’ve seen the Women’s March take place for the second straight year, chances are you or someone you know used the hashtag “#MeToo” in solidarity, and we’re all noticing the black attire in the room at celebrity and political events. While we’re not here to get political, we are going to touch on how organizations serving their members can better attract the female professional to grow and compete with emerging trends.

Every year associations set out to achieve a specified goal: digital transformation, growth, increased membership or personalization to name a few. But how do you achieve these goals successfully? There are countless factors that can contribute to a successful year, but at its core, I believe understanding your team, leading by example, creating a more granular outline and adopting agile marketing are the cornerstones to achieving goals in the arena of digital marketing. In other words to reach the goals you need to adopt effective project management skills!

“Associations are backing some of the hottest trends in tech, from the soaring popularity of apps to the strengthening market for robotics—and they’re also helping to raise a future workforce that’s more diverse” -Bratcher, 2017