Association Sales Mastery: Strategies and Tactics That Advance Business Development
1.0 Credit Hour for Live Attendance. Join today >
We’ll explore how associations can revolutionize their approach to business development by refining sales mastery in three interconnected domains:
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Continuous Learning and Professional Development: Continuous learning and coaching drive sales mastery by creating a dynamic training culture that provides consistent feedback, skill practice, and opportunities for professional growth.
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Strategic Business Development Framework: A comprehensive business development framework aligns strategic stewardship, product management, and organizational goals to create a structured approach to sustainable association growth.
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Technology-Enabled Operational Excellence: Strategic technology adoption, including CRM systems and professional networking platforms, enables associations to optimize operations, enhance relationship management, and accelerate revenue generation.
Sean Soth
Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair
Sean Soth is the founder and Leadership Advisory Board Chair of Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR), a member community designed to help association teams grow revenue and build stronger business development cultures. Based near Baltimore with his wife and two boys, Sean has spent his career leading association teams across healthcare, education, legal, tech, engineering, and consumer sectors, always focused on better relationships, smarter programs, and healthier bottom lines.
He launched PAR in 2019 to create a place where association professionals and strategic partners could learn, share, and grow together around revenue and business impact. In his work with PAR, Hi‑Fidelity Group, and Webvent, Sean champions practical business development thinking — helping teams turn strategy into real results.
John Bacon
VP, Sales & Partner Experience
John Bacon is a dynamic and business-focused management professional, offering more than 15 years of extensive experience and expertise in leading profit-generating operations for professional and trade associations. John has worked with hundreds of associations, helping them maximize the overall profitability of their member communications, while ensuring a high degree of customer satisfaction. He is currently the VP, Enterprise Sales at ASAE where he works with a team to expand, energize and optimize the performance of ASAE’s enterprise-wide sales portfolio, which includes the Alliance Partner Program, advertising and sponsored content, exhibits, digital products and sponsorships. John has an MBA as well as a BA in business administration and management.
Jay Ablondi
Director of Business Development | Sponsorships, Exhibits, & Advertising
Jay is an innovative and top-performing association executive, with an entrepreneurial mindset and extensive expertise in communications, content creation, marketing, data analysis, event management and global business development. As EVP of Global Products for the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), Jay oversaw the publishing, education, convention, trade show, online/mobile media, marketing, research and information technology departments. Jay is a founding board director for the IHRSA Foundation and a founding member of the leadership advisory board for Professionals for Association Revenue. Jay began his new role with the Massachusetts Medical Society in May 2022.
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Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR) is a CAE Approved Provider.
Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR) is a CAE Registered Provider. The program(s) linked below meet the requirements for fulfilling the professional development requirements to earn or maintain the Certified Association Executive credential. Every program that we offer that has been approved for CAE credit will clearly identify the number of CAE credits granted for full participation. We will maintain records of your participation in accordance with CAE policies. For more information about the CAE credential or Registered Provider program, please visit www.asaecenter.org/cae.