When you’re in charge of running an association, it might feel like there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Between planning events, researching software, and communicating with members, you have a wide range of responsibilities to cover.
To reduce stress, save costs, and ensure they can focus on the parts of their organizations that require unique expertise, many associations turn to association management companies.
Association management companies provide the management, engagement, and organizational services your association needs to run smoothly. To help you assess if hiring an association management company is the right choice, this guide will answer a few common questions about these businesses before exploring our top recommended agencies.
An association management company (AMC) is a business that handles key aspects of running an association, such as event planning, board governance, marketing, and government relations.
Essentially, if you need help managing a specific part of your association, chances are good that there’s an AMC with expertise in that aspect of association management.
Partnering with an AMC does mean taking on an additional cost. However, many trade and professional associations have weighed this concern and found the benefits are more than worth their initial investment.
For your association, assess your budget, organizational needs, and if you would like any of the following benefits:
When you need help developing new member acquisition strategies, want guidance on developing your educational programming, or are looking to build a new association from the ground up, an AMC can help every step of the way.
Every AMC has its own work model and specialized range of services. Keep your association’s needs top of mind when evaluating leading candidates. Assess AMCs by looking at their:
If you’ve decided working with an AMC is the right choice for your trade or professional association, these criteria can help you find top candidates. To start your search for your AMC partner, let’s get started with our top recommendations.
WJ Weiser & Associates, Inc. (Weiser) has been a leading association management company for almost 40 years, helping associations of all sizes, ranging from international to locally-based organizations. Weiser is a full-service association management company, and with its team’s years of experience, it has a wide network of connections it can leverage on your association’s behalf.
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Association and Society Management International, Inc. (ASMII) provides management services for trade and professional associations, political action committees, advocacy groups, and nonprofit organizations. ASMII is a full-service AMC, but it’s also ready to provide partial support as needed.
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Partners in Association Management (Partners) is a full-service AMC with a separate dedicated consulting wing known as Partners Strategic Solutions, which provides consulting and training services for nonprofits and businesses. Partners takes a business-minded approach to its consulting with a philosophy that associations should “be run like a business with the expectation of a return on investment, strength of the balance sheet and adherence to the budget as the guiding forces.”
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Association Management Solutions (AMS) is a 100% women-owned, boutique, full-service AMC. Additionally, AMS focuses on sustainability, both in terms of associations building sustainable funding plans and in using recycled and low-waste equipment. This means that when working with AMS, you can create a positive impact on your association and the environment.
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IMN Solutions is a full-service AMC that serves trade and professional associations, corporations, faith-based groups, and more. With their strategic insights, they promise to spot hidden opportunities and protect clients from risks they may not have even known they had. They work with associations to tackle the time-consuming and technical work needed to bring their clients’ ideas to life.
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The Association Resource Center provides comprehensive association management services to trade and professional associations, as well as membership-based nonprofit organizations. Their approach to association management is tailored to each client and involves assigning a dedicated staff contact who provides ongoing services.
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Bostrom is a full-service AMC but understands that associations often need just a few select services. As such, they provide a “Build Your Own Customized Support Solution” offering where associations can pick and choose what services they need. This provides customers with a flexible experience designed to meet their exact needs.
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Primarily serving associations in Vancouver, Toronto, and Winnipeg, Strauss declares itself as Canada’s most well-connected AMC. Strauss provides a range of association management services but specializes in event management. Specifically, Strauss helps associations plan signature events that energize members and inspire stakeholders.
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Smithbucklin aims to create long-term partnerships with its clients, delivering tailored solutions that evolve along with your association’s needs. For instance, their business model provides comprehensive association management services, event support, and specific additional solutions. This means that if you need dedicated help for one part of your association this year and another the next, Smithbucklin is ready to adapt.
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Raybourn Group International is, as its name implies, an international AMC that serves clients in more than 100 countries. Despite this wide scope, Raybourn takes a personalized approach to each client by becoming a part of their team, sharing their passions, and forging a stake in their success.
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Capitol Hill Management Services, Inc. (CHMS) is guided by three core principles: integrity, excellence, and commitment. In practice, this means that all CHMS staff strive to conduct themselves in a principled and honest manner while working diligently to provide associations with the highest quality services possible. With its professional staff, CHMS works as an extension of or even as stand-ins for your team.
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The Harrington Company provides association management services for associations of all sizes, including international, national, and regional organizations. Harrington prides itself on its transparency and flexibility, down to providing an hourly billing model so associations know exactly what they’re paying for and how their Harrington consultants are spending their time.
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The best association management companies for trade and professional associations have verifiable expertise and experience that they’ll bring to your association. When assessing AMCs, consider your association’s specific needs. Do you need a full-scale service, temporary staff, or help with a specific problem?
Once you know what you need, you can begin your research and create a list of top candidates to reach out to. Introduce your association and ask potential AMCs any lingering questions you have about their services.
While an AMC can do much to improve your operations, they are just one part of your association’s management strategy. For more resources, check out these guides related to association management and technology: