How Association Executives Can Discover Their Competitive Edge

Associations are facing more competition than ever before. But they are also on the brink of more opportunity, as long as association executives can clue into their association’s competitive advantage.

At the 2025 RevUP Summit, association executives will gather to focus on how to align business objectives with mission outcomes. And on the main stage on Thursday, November 6, five association executives will convene to help attendees uncover their association’s own competitive advantage.

Taking Care of Business: Find Your Association’s Competitive Advantage, brings together members of the Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR) Leadership Advisory Board for a conversation that cuts straight to the heart of what keeps associations moving forward: clarity, alignment and the courage to lead change.

Why Competitive Advantage Matters for Association Executives

Association executives increasingly know the pressure of operating in a crowded space as for-profit companies are entering traditional association markets with their own offerings.

In this environment, trying to be everything to everyone simply doesn’t work. The associations that thrive are the ones that focus in on their distinct strengths—their competitive advantage—and then intentionally leverage that advantage for growth and impact.

Ideally, associations are grounded in purpose and use their communities to drive meaningful change within their industries. But they don’t hold an exclusive claim on purpose—many for-profit companies are purpose-driven as well. That raises two critical questions: how can associations pinpoint what truly makes them unique, and how can they apply those strengths in a strategic way to fuel growth and impact?

The RevUP Main Stage panel will feature five association executives who’ve answered those questions for their respective organizations. John Bacon (ASAE), Dan Cole (AVIXA), Letty Klutz (APIC), Robb Lee (CASE) and Sean Soth (SCRS) will share real-world examples of how they’ve walked through the same challenges facing attendees.

Some of the big questions they’ll explore are:

* How do you identify and articulate your association’s true differentiators?

* What strategies can help turn those strengths into revenue growth?

* How do you bring staff, volunteers, and leadership into alignment around your advantage?

* And perhaps most importantly—how do you sustain momentum in a competitive environment where change is constant?

Step 1: Identify What Sets Your Association Apart

The first step in building competitive advantage is reflection. Many association executives are so focused on putting out fires and meeting short-term goals that they rarely pause to ask: What is our edge?

Panelist John Bacon of ASAE says in the age of information, data-driven decision making is non-negotiable. Key data points can be obtained from member surveys and allow associations to uncover not only what members want, but what they are willing to pay for. Bacon recalls when the association community was reminded of this lesson during the pandemic.

“There was no more assuming or no more saying, ‘We've always done it this way.’ [Leaders] wanted to really understand their members and stakeholders to really find out what they wanted and needed and how can we get that in front of them,” Bacon says.

At RevUP, Bacon and other panelists will share strategies for helping association executives identify their unique value propositions. One practical takeaway: look beyond what you do (programs, events, publications) and focus on the value those things create. That’s where your competitive advantage lives.

Step 2: Apply Your Strengths Strategically

Once you know what sets you apart, the real work begins. Competitive advantage is only useful when it’s applied to business objectives in a way that produces measurable outcomes.

That’s what happened for panelist Letty Klutz of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). Members were consistently asking for stronger, more modern association certification preparation materials. When new infection prevention certifications entered the market, APIC was able to create a three new certification programs with the contributions of their members.

“When somebody asks, ‘How do I study for this?’ we finally have an answer,” Kluttz says. “It is really exciting to see how well these have done in the marketplace.”

APIC found its competitive advantage by thinking strategically about what the market offered and what members needed. A strategic approach to your competitive advantage involves identifying a strength and then applying it.

* If your strength is mission alignment, how can you ensure your revenue strategies reinforce that mission instead of distracting from it?

* If your strength is community engagement, how can you translate that engagement into sustained member loyalty and retention?

* If your strength is business model agility, how can you build systems that allow for fast experimentation without burning out staff?

The panel will explore these questions with concrete examples, giving association executives the opportunity to think through how their own strengths can be better aligned with strategy.

Step 3: Align Teams and Resources

Even the best strategies fall flat without alignment. Association executives know how hard it can be to get staff, volunteers and boards all moving in the same direction. But alignment is non-negotiable if you want your competitive advantage to drive growth.

That means clarifying roles, setting priorities and creating communication channels that reinforce your strategy. It also means being intentional about where you allocate time, budget and talent.

Session moderator Sean Soth (SCRS) reminds associations that successfully implementing a new idea and delivering on a promise to your customers requires a team-wide effort.

 “Be certain everyone understands their role and how their contributions will enhance or hinder the business development efforts. Be agile in your program launches and set appropriate feedback points and deadlines so teams can adjust as needed. Did your team miss their goal? Spend time evaluating how you need to adjust so you are meeting the expectations of your customer.”

During the Main Stage session, panelists will share lessons on how to create this kind of alignment—so that every department and every leader is pulling toward the same goals.

Step 4: Build Momentum That Lasts

Competitive advantage isn’t a one-and-done exercise. The landscape will keep shifting. Member needs will evolve. Technology will disrupt. Competitors will adapt.

For association executives, the challenge is to build momentum that sustains through change. That often comes down to cultivating a network of leaders across the organization who understand the strategy and can champion it in their spheres of influence.

It also comes from staying connected to your members and market—continuously listening, testing, and refining. As the panelists will emphasize, maintaining your advantage requires ongoing discipline and adaptability.

Why Association Executives Shouldn’t Miss This Session

The RevUP Summit is designed around one central idea: that revenue growth and mission impact are inseparable. As an association executive, you don’t get to choose one or the other. You need both.

This Main Stage session is your chance to step back from the day-to-day, reflect on what makes your association unique, and walk away with practical strategies to leverage those strengths for sustainable success.

By attending, you’ll not only learn from some of the most experienced association executives in the field, but you’ll also join a community of peers who are navigating the same challenges and opportunities you are.