May 2025 - Rottman Creative

Compliance Came First—We Get It

Compliance challenges demanded your attention, urgently and repeatedly. You’ve worked hard adapting to regulations and supporting your members through the complexities.

Your existing members needed this effort, and you delivered. But amid all this, attracting new members likely fell down your priority list. Perhaps your campaigns are delayed or still in draft form.

That’s understandable, but it’s now a risk you can’t afford any longer.

You Already Have What You Need

Here’s the good news: You don’t have to start from scratch. The compliance webinars, resources, and content you’ve created can be turned into effective recruitment tools.

Right now, prospects facing those same compliance hurdles are actively searching for clear answers and actionable solutions—and your association already has them in hand.

Turn Complexity into Opportunity

Compliance complexities aren’t going away. Your prospective members urgently need practical solutions, and they’re currently evaluating organizations that can offer reliable help.

You’ve got exactly what these prospects are looking for. Instead of worrying about what’s been missed, your focus should shift to quickly leveraging existing compliance-focused content to attract, engage, and convert new members.

Now is your opportunity to quickly activate the resources you already have.

This example shows how to transform your compliance policy agenda into a full-funnel workflow—starting with introductory emails and social ads, moving through LinkedIn campaigns and web retargeting, then on to landing pages, follow-up nurtures, and story-driven content—demonstrating the complete journey from prospect to member, all powered by your compliance messaging.

It’s Not Too Late—But You Have to Act Now

At Rottman Creative, we’ve successfully helped associations transform complex compliance content into effective recruitment marketing—creating clear messaging that drives membership growth.

Let’s put your existing assets to work now, attracting prospects by demonstrating exactly why your association is their smartest choice. Let’s talk >

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Events should be your association’s best pathway for turning prospects into loyal members. One positive experience can demonstrate clear value and spark lasting connections.

Yet, despite heavy marketing investments, many associations struggle to attract non-member attendees.

Here’s what’s really happening—and how you can fix it.

Your SWOC Analysis is Outdated (or Doesn’t Exist)

If you’re not seeing new faces at your events, it may be time to revisit your SWOC (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Challenges) analysis. If it’s been more than two years since your last deep dive, you’re flying blind.

Today’s prospects aren’t automatically drawn to the biggest or longest-running events. They choose based on clear, immediate value—and they have plenty of options.

An updated SWOC analysis pinpoints exactly why prospects choose competitors and shows you what gaps need closing.

You’re Asking Non-Members to Take a Leap of Faith—Without Building Trust

Think about it: You’re asking busy professionals to invest significant time and money traveling to meet strangers. Attending is rarely casual; it can feel risky. Why should prospects trust your event over countless others?

The truth is that many associations miss the mark when it comes to understanding what prospects really want.

Your marketing should highlight personal, meaningful experiences over organization-focused messages or big promises.

Your Emails Aren’t Connecting (Especially with Younger Prospects)

Email may be familiar, but younger audiences increasingly view it as outdated and untrustworthy. Inboxes overflow, emails look impersonal or suspicious, and the content feels disconnected.

Blasting thousands of impersonal emails won’t inspire attendance—it’ll push prospects away.

Time to replace outdated mass emailing with genuine conversations.

Personal Outreach is Your New Best Friend

Today’s prospect outreach demands targeted, authentic connections. Replace generic emails with meaningful personal messages.

LinkedIn or direct messages from real people at your association go much further than mass emails. Someone who understands your prospect’s situation and can clearly explain the event’s value builds trust faster than an automated inbox message ever could.

Build Trust Quickly with Short-Form Videos

Thirty-second videos are powerful trust-builders. Short clips featuring real people from your team clearly answering prospects’ pressing questions quickly establish a human connection and prove value.

Consistently share multiple short videos on LinkedIn and other social platforms. Combine real faces with compelling event benefits.

Prospects quickly sense authenticity and relevance, reducing skepticism.

The Winning Combo: A Current SWOC, Personal Outreach, and Authentic Videos

If you want non-members at your events, let go of outdated practices that no longer work. Today’s prospective attendees need tangible proof.

They’re careful, skeptical, and selective. Connect with this audience by delivering human-centered outreach and trust-building videos that directly answer their needs, supported by a current SWOC assessment.

At Rottman Creative, we’re serious about solving your toughest engagement and membership challenges.

Let’s talk about building genuine connections with the attendees—and members—you want.