Why Your Association Needs a Dating Profile...

Written by: Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE

I just returned from the ASAE Annual Meeting, an event that I've heard some of my colleagues refer to as the Super Bowl of the association industry.

And everyone looked good. People were dressed for the occasion. Exhibit booths were polished. Messaging was sharp. Organizations brought their best ideas, their best people, and their best stories.

It makes sense. When you're surrounded by thousands of association professionals, industry partners, vendors, and potential collaborators, you want to put your best foot forward.

But here's what I've been thinking about since I returned:

What happens when everyone goes home?

And that got me thinking about dating profiles.

Sponsors Are Checking You Out, Too

I've used dating analogies for years when talking about corporate sponsorship because, in many ways, sponsorship really is a courting process.

You identify someone who interests you.

You learn more about them.

You look for common interests and values.

You have a few conversations.

You determine whether there's chemistry.

And nobody should be proposing marriage after the first coffee.

Long term corporate sponsorship develops much the same way.

Yet associations sometimes spend enormous amounts of energy identifying and researching prospective sponsors without stopping to consider an important question:

What happens when the sponsor researches you?

Because they will. They'll visit your website. They'll look at your LinkedIn presence. They'll search for your leadership. They'll see how you talk about your members, your industry, and your impact. They may even ask colleagues what it's like to work with you.

In dating terms, they've found your profile.

Would they swipe right?

Here are five ways to make sure your association looks ready to get to know the kind of corporate sponsors you want to attract.

1. Use a Current Profile Picture

We've all heard the dating-app stories. Someone shows up for a first date and realizes the profile picture was taken 12 years ago.

Your association can unintentionally do the same thing. If your website looks dated, your sponsorship materials haven't changed in years, or your corporate sponsorship page still features programs and language that no longer reflect who you are, you're sending a message before a conversation ever begins.

Take a look at your organization through a sponsor's eyes. Does your digital presence reflect the association you are today? Your website doesn't need to be redesigned every year. But it should clearly communicate who you serve, what you're working on, the issues your members care about, and the impact you're making.

Dating takeaway: Make sure the organization that shows up for the meeting looks like the organization in the profile.

2. Explain Why You Think You're a Match

Imagine going on a first date and spending the entire evening explaining how wonderful you are without ever acknowledging why you thought the two of you might be compatible in the first place.

That happens in sponsorship conversations all the time.

Associations talk about their membership numbers, conference attendance, programs, history, reach, and impact.

All of that information can be valuable.

But the prospective sponsor is sitting on the other side of the table wondering:

Why me?

Why did you approach our company?

What did you learn about our priorities?

Where do you see a connection between what we're trying to accomplish and what your association can offer?

Too often, associations present all the reasons they're worthy of sponsorship and leave it to the company to connect the dots.

Don't make them do that work.

If you're approaching a company, you should be able to articulate why you believe there's a potential match. Maybe they're investing heavily into professional development and your association reaches the professionals they need to engage. Maybe they've made a commitment to innovation in your industry and your organization convenes the people shaping its future.

Whatever the connection is, show them you've done your homework. A prospective sponsor wants to know that you know why they're sitting across the table from you.

Dating takeaway: Don't just tell someone why you're a great catch. Tell them why you think the two of you might be great together.

3. Know What You're Looking For

Imagine a dating profile that says:

"I'm open to absolutely anyone. No preferences. Let's see what happens."

Probably not the strongest signal.

The same is true in sponsorship.

If every company with a sponsorship budget is considered a prospect, you probably haven't defined what a strong partner actually looks like. The best sponsorship relationships have alignment. That could be workforce development, access to a particular professional community, thought leadership, innovation, education, social impact, or another shared priority.

Before pursuing companies, understand the characteristics of the sponsors you actually want.

Dating takeaway: Being selective isn't limiting your options. It's improving the quality of your matches.

4. Show That You Have a Life

One of the most attractive things on a dating profile is evidence that someone already has an interesting, full life. The same is true for associations.

Sponsors aren't simply investing in an event or buying access to an audience. They're evaluating the community surrounding your organization.

Show them what's happening. Member accomplishments. Research. Advocacy wins. Professional development. Industry conversations. Volunteer leadership. Community impact. Innovation. An active association creates more ways for a corporate partner to imagine becoming part of the story.

It also signals something important: You're inviting sponsors into something meaningful that's already happening.

Dating takeaway: The strongest relationships add value to something that is already thriving.

5. Make It Easy to Start a Conversation

Imagine finding someone interesting on a dating app and discovering there is absolutely no way to message them. That's essentially what some associations do with potential sponsors.

A company visits the website and finds a generic "Support Us" page. Or a PDF with sponsorship levels. Or an email address that disappears into a general inbox.

If corporate sponsorship is important to your association, make it clear that you're interested in having conversations.

Identify the appropriate contact. Use language that welcomes discussion rather than immediately pushing a package. Show potential sponsors that you're interested in understanding their priorities before deciding what the relationship might look like.

Dating takeaway: You don't need to plan the wedding. You just need to make it easy to say hello.

Keep a Year Long Mindset

Here's where I think the ASAE Annual analogy matters.

For a few days every year, the association community collectively with intention puts its best foot forward.

Keep this enthusiasm consistently because corporate sponsors are looking at associations all year long. And just like a competitive dating app, you're not the only profile they're considering. They're evaluating other associations, nonprofits, conferences, media platforms, professional communities, and opportunities competing for the same corporate dollars.

So the question isn't only:

Which companies should we pursue?

It's also...

Are we presenting an organization the right companies would want to pursue back?

Because the best sponsorship relationships begin when two organizations see enough potential in each other to want a second date.

Book an Intro Call with Lori

Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE, is the founder of Growth Owl, LLC, Corporate Sponsorship Expert and Fractional CSO. With more than 25 years of experience, she helps purpose-driven organizations and entrepreneurs secure corporate sponsorship using language that resonates with decision makers and moves capital. Lori has a strong track record of connecting leaders to Fortune 1000 companies as well as building transformational sponsorship strategies and teams. She is an Amazon bestselling author, speaker, and trusted advisor.