Karen Wesloh With The Harrington Company

Intro: [00:00:02] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for Association Leadership Radio. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:18] Lee Kantor here another episode of Association Leadership Radio. And this is going to be a good one. Today on the show, we have Karen Wesloh, who’s a partner and senior account executive with the Harrington Company and also the executive director with Incentive Marketing Association. Welcome, Karen.

Karen Wesloh: [00:00:37] Thank you for having me. I appreciate.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:38] Well, I’m excited to learn what you got going on. But let’s start with the Incentive Marketing Association. How are you serving, folks?

Karen Wesloh: [00:00:47] I’m sorry. I have to ask you to repeat that.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:51] Tell us a little bit about Incentive Marketing Association.

Karen Wesloh: [00:00:54] Well, the Incentive Marketing Association is a trade association and referred to it as IMA. And the mission for the association is to advocate for and promote the use of recognition and incentives to improve business performance. And that’s a particularly important role right now. Where things stand with in society in terms of building loyalty with customers, but especially building loyalty with employees.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:21] So so their work is a lot has a lot to do with kind of employee retention and client retention and things like that.

Karen Wesloh: [00:01:30] Absolutely. And a lot of their efforts are are focused on outward communication and really promoting the use of incentives and recognition and also providing people with the tools and the resources so that they can have successful programs. It’s a very multifaceted, global organization, and they have a lot of subgroups or strategic industry groups, as they call them, within the association for the various verticals in the industry recognition, solution providers, gift cards, brand name merchandise, travel and events and activities and that kind of thing. So that it really is all encompassing for the organization and for the industry. And then we also have a very strong European chapter as well as some additional international regional groups.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:25] So how long have you been executive director?

Karen Wesloh: [00:02:27] Since January 1st, 2016. And it’s been it’s a it’s a great job and great members to work with.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:35] Now, what are some of the challenges? You know, we read about this great resignation. So obviously it’s top of mind for a lot of companies to keep their people. Has that impacted your business? I mean, the association’s work, obviously.

Karen Wesloh: [00:02:51] Yes, absolutely. Especially the recognition portion of the organization. And it’s really brought a lot of attention to the work that we’re doing. And as I said, one of our main goals is getting the information out there to help people successfully be able to build incentive and recognition programs and implement them.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:13] And is there, as part of your work at the association, kind of coming up with research that supports how important this is?

Karen Wesloh: [00:03:20] We did have some really great research working with other organizations and the industry that we presented at the conference we just had in Snowbird, Utah. And that was, I think, very valuable to the association members. We work with the Incentive Federation, which is a affiliated organization as well as the Incentive Research Foundation. And they both presented some, some really, really great research at our conference.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:49] So that must be pretty rewarding work, kind of plugging yourself into an association and leading them for all these years.

Karen Wesloh: [00:03:58] Absolutely. And I’ve been with the Harrington Company, the Association of Management Company that manages Incentive Marketing Association for 30 years. And I will say that part of the satisfaction with this position comes from the fact that many, many years ago, when there wasn’t a lot of available education and nonprofit management, I decided that that’s what I wanted to do and kind of built my own MBA program area of nonprofit management. And it’s it’s so rewarding and interesting because you’re working with leaders in the industry, and they’re the people that really are the most dedicated and passionate. And a lot of times they get involved because they want to give something back and they want to serve as mentors to people in the industry. And so that makes it a lot of fun.

Lee Kantor: [00:04:51] Now, as a partner at Harrington, how many other associations is Harrington serving?

Karen Wesloh: [00:04:57] Well, I only work with the Incentive Marketing Association. The Harrington Company manages 25 associations.

Lee Kantor: [00:05:04] Wow. So there’s never a dull moment in that office?

Karen Wesloh: [00:05:07] No, there isn’t. It’s. It’s so great. The reason I’ve enjoyed the job for 30 years is because even though. Our associations we work with. Stay with us for a long time and I’ll work with organizations for ten or more years. You have a lot of contact with other associations and other industries and you learn so much about so many industries. It’s wonderful.

Lee Kantor: [00:05:34] Now, is it a challenge to kind of wear those two hats, one where you’re so specifically involved in one association and immersed in that? But then this other hat where there’s, like you said, 20 plus other associations that are part of the organization, but you’re learning from them as well. So I guess there’s some cross-pollination of best practices and learnings.

Karen Wesloh: [00:05:55] Absolutely. One of the best advantages of working with an association management company, of course, the most important advantage of working with the association management company is that you have access to skills and experience and talents that for small and medium associations that you wouldn’t have if you were having a smaller staff on their own, and you have access to marketing and graphic design and that kind of thing. But one of the greatest values also is the fact that we share best practices, we share information. We have other leaders and other executive directors we can lean on and communicate with and brainstorm with. And that’s been especially helpful the last few years.

Lee Kantor: [00:06:44] And then I would imagine because of these associations, like you mentioned earlier, there are so many volunteers involved in an association, it’s hard for a person who has a full time job elsewhere to also take on the responsibility of leading their association as well. So to have an expert like your firm come in and do some of that heavy lifting for them, it allows them to kind of stay in their lane and be that subject matter expert and get the most out of the association.

Karen Wesloh: [00:07:10] Absolutely. It gives them the opportunity to really not have to worry about the implementation. They really can focus on the strategy and moving the association forward in the right direction. And that’s the critical thing that we can offer. As I said, it’s just the depth of the skill and the experience. And also, I think it is important, though, for the volunteers to to make sure that they have meaningful and valuable input and they feel like they are really making a contribution to bringing the association forward and not lose sight of that that that that their role and how important that is.

Lee Kantor: [00:07:57] Now, you mentioned, you know, some of the advantages for the smaller associations that don’t have the depth of staff that you have that Harrington would bring to the table. Is there a sweet spot that you work with? Like, are they a certain number of members? Like, those are some criteria that makes a good fit for Harrington.

Karen Wesloh: [00:08:18] You know, I would say not really. I think that it’s not just very, very small organizations. Organizations even with that could have a standalone staff of maybe four or five people. They’re still not going to have access to the professional accountants and the graphic designer. And as I said, social media, strategic marketing, all of the technology that you would have with a larger association management company.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:52] So is there any advice for maybe an association is at that. Maybe they have their growing pains where it’s time to make a decision, like maybe they started on their own and it’s time to now say, hey, are we going to continue on this path or should we team up with professionals like Harrington? What is some advice for them to, you know, the trade offs back and forth to make a decision that would help them kind of thrive and flourish in the future?

Karen Wesloh: [00:09:22] Actually, a number of the associations we work with did come from a standalone staff and I think more and more. As technology has become such a critical and important thing for an association to communicate with their members, that that was a big decision factor in coming to a management company. It’s it’s a lot of times it is that technology, it’s making sure you’re keeping up with. Again, the best practices, the social media and the marketing is a big part of what they gain. And that’s a big part of their decision making, is just, again, having access to some of that expertise members expect more now than they ever have before. And they really want that sophistication and professionalism in the association.

Lee Kantor: [00:10:16] Is there any kind of symptoms that they’re going through that maybe it’s member attrition or they’re not you know, they’re not resigning as as often as they did before? They’re kind of losing members or they’re having a hard time getting volunteers or they’re having a hard time getting engagement from the largest players in the niche. What are some symptoms that Harrington would be a good fit for them, or at least explore a conversation.

Karen Wesloh: [00:10:44] I think any of those that you mentioned would again, that’s especially where they’re looking for that marketing and that being able to refine the member value and to deliver that member value and what they’re looking for, understand what they’re looking for, deliver it and then communicate back to them what you’re delivering. That that is one of the critical points, as you said, if there’s an attrition of members. A lot of times it’s actually because their current staff is retiring. They’ll have an executive director for many years and they’re retiring. And they look at this as a as a good opportunity to really revive the association and get it, give it some new life and give it some new energy.

Lee Kantor: [00:11:30] Is there anything you could share? Maybe at the Incentive Marketing Association that was something that you implemented that was able to take that association to a new level.

Karen Wesloh: [00:11:43] I think it’s less about technology than maybe some of the experience and also having some really, really great leaders in place when we started working with them. But with them, the thing that has really turned them in a great direction is bringing all of those subgroups together and really having them all partner with each other, even though the verticals are sometimes competing with each other for the same customers. But really having them all move together with a good, forward, positive momentum and then added to that, again, reaching out to the members, understanding what was critical to them. Defining that member value. Implementing what they’re looking for and then communicating it back to them. And I think that has really we’re we’re in a really good trajectory and that is what has brought the organization there, those factors.

Lee Kantor: [00:12:47] Now, having been involved in associations for so many years. Can you share some maybe the characteristics of a well run association versus some of the red flags of a not so well run association?

Karen Wesloh: [00:13:02] Well, you hit on you hit on one of the main things in most good association management education. They will tell you how critical it is for the board to focus on strategy and on moving the association forward and not get down in the weeds and really focus more on the administrative. It’s really easy to focus on the administrative and strategy is a harder thing to really work on and define and and implement. And so really keeping an association focused on strategy, but as I said, also really offering those the the volunteer leaders and the members opportunities to feel like they’re part of a group and part of a solution and part of moving the industry and the association forward. And that’s what builds loyalty, is recognizing how important they are to the industry. And so I think those are the things that make a good, positive association. And again, just focusing on the wrong things or deciding what they think members want rather than doing a survey and really understanding what members want. Those are also some things that can get association’s into trouble.

Lee Kantor: [00:14:26] So it must be so much fun to be doing the work you’re doing. You’re you’re serving this group at the Incentive Marketing Association. You’re helping lead them through a somewhat chaotic time, that’s for sure. And then also, you’re part of an organization that’s helping dozens of other associations. So thank you for doing that. I mean, that’s a lot of work and a lot to balance, and it sounds like you’re doing a great job.

Karen Wesloh: [00:14:52] Excellent. Thank you. I enjoy it so much and I’ve had so many wonderful experiences and so I gain so much from all of the volunteers we work with. They should gain something out of it. But I do too. Every. Learning from some of these industry leaders has always a tremendous benefit.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:12] Yeah. And I think it’s important for folks to really appreciate the the people that are doing the work to lead these associations. There are a lot of volunteers involved, and these associations are critical for the industries that they serve, not only as role modeling, what could be and what you want to get out of it, but also as a place for young people to learn and giving them the opportunity to lead at that level as well. So I think they serve multiple purposes and they’re critical for any thriving industry.

Karen Wesloh: [00:15:45] I absolutely agree. I think that, again, a lot of times there’s there’s different phases of of people that get that get involved in associations. Oftentimes, that younger group are looking for not only mentorship, but connections and networking. But then you have people that are at a different phase in their career. And really what they’re looking for is to give back and to really build the next generation. And it’s, again, working with those leaders that really see the world from that perspective is that’s what’s so rewarding about.

Lee Kantor: [00:16:22] It, right? And that’s a critical element if you’re association doesn’t have a path for those people to give back and to have some sort of a legacy, then you’re really missing out.

Karen Wesloh: [00:16:31] Absolutely. Absolutely. And that’s what those by having the subgroups in this particular association where each of these subgroups has their own board, their own committees, their own activities, it has just so many layers and opportunity for people to get involved in meaningful ways. And that’s one of the things that I think helped us come through the Rocky last few years that the world has had in a in a very strong place.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:03] Well, if somebody wants to learn more about incentive marketing association, what are the coordinates for that.

Karen Wesloh: [00:17:09] That is ww w dot incentive marketing dot org.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:14] And then Harrington, if there’s an association out there that is looking for help or wants to take their association to a new level, what is the coordinates for harrington.

Karen Wesloh: [00:17:24] That is W WW dot Harrington company.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:29] Well, Karen, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing important work and we appreciate you.

Karen Wesloh: [00:17:33] Excellent. Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate the opportunity to share.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:38] All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on Association Leadership Radio.