Advancements in associations industry
Organizations that don't adapt risk falling behind and losing members as more and more are undergoing digital transformation after the pandemic. Associations can use a variety of strategies to make expanding and keeping their membership simpler. The use of digital credentials to facilitate association membership is examined in this article.
Digital Credentials: Game Changer for Associations
Credentialing programs are a useful perk for members of any organization, whether it's a professional society or a trade association. In fact, credentials are among the top advantages that are important to professionals at every stage of their careers—from Millennials to Gen Xers to Boomers—and keep them engaged in the organization. Programs for obtaining credentials can also effectively attract non-members.
The opportunity to employ digital credentials to boost your association's learning and credentialing program is only one of the numerous advantages of credentialing for associations. Additionally, by selecting digital credentials that are supported by rich metadata, you'll be able to provide members proof of their learning and promote your brand. They may even assist your members in standing out on LinkedIn, enabling networking, another important engagement driver that fosters prospects for advancement, pay raises, and job options. Along with that, Digital Credentials can help Associations in following ways:
- Create the appropriate content for your members.
What kinds of inquiries are asked most frequently by your members regarding your industry? What areas or abilities will your association guarantee to help them develop?
All training and certification materials you provide should support the objectives of your association. Determine whether you can just offer instruction or whether you need to set up a system for members to demonstrate their skill through testing or another verifiable approach. The entire course, its material, and potential instructors are crucial components. Key components of a successful program are the course's overall structure, its material, and potential instructors. Don't forget to examine how learners are consuming learning information to determine what is effective and what needs to be adjusted.
- Determine the need for retraining and upskilling
It's critical to recognize the abilities your organization members depend on for advice on developing fruitful professional networks and overseeing professional growth if you want them to advance their professions. Fortunately, as an association, you'll have access to professionals with decades of experience in the field. As an association, you will fortunately have access to business titans with decades of experience, insight into upcoming trends and employment requirements, and possibilities to upskill and reskill. Identify these talents with the help of your members so that your credentialing program is informed.
- The need for promotion
Every time a member presents their credentials, it makes a significant brand impression that is seen by their colleagues on well-known networking sites like LinkedIn or in their email signature. You may represent your brand—and your members—however you like by using digital credentials, such as badges, to acknowledge members for certifications, training, and event attendance. Additionally, all of this viewing, searching, and sharing can foster a sense of community and draw in new participants.
The impact can be increased by providing a credentialing program online with digital credentials. For those who are paid, sharing digital credentials is simple via email signatures, professional networks, and online job boards. Participants in your program become more visible on social media when they earn digital credentials and share them online (for instance, by adding a digital credential to LinkedIn). An average of six times as many people view the profiles of LinkedIn individuals who have certifications.
Advantages of Digital Credentials for Associations:
A digital credentialing program for the association increases awareness of your company and its training offerings. The earning and sharing of digital credentials by members increases website traffic and builds brand recognition.
Digital Credentials offer associations a meaningful way to recognize their stakeholders’ certifications, awards and other continuing education experiences in a format that can be readily shared online. Participants in your event become more visible on social media when they earn digital credentials and share them online (for instance, by adding a digital credential to LinkedIn). An average of six times as many people view the profiles of LinkedIn individuals who have certifications.
These benefits offer a chance to use digital credentials. For instance, if the association sponsors activities that members are welcome to attend throughout the year, acknowledge their presence with a digital credential. Give members who participate in these events as speakers or sponsors an additional digital badge to recognize their involvement.
Cons of a Paper Based Credentials:
On the other hand, if an Association is still issuing Paper- Based Credentials, it is nearly drowning without knowing the disadvantages of using the method and the pros of using Digital Credentials by replacing the same since COVID-19 had a great impact in making nearly almost all the paperwork system digitally.
In an increasingly digitally connected world, people now expect the kind of convenience speed and efficiency that have been made possible by digital communications and paper based credentials comes with following issues that may affect the growth as well as membership experience:
- Decrease in productivity
- Can be easily faked.
- Can't shared (especially in the digital age)
- Damage to reputation
- Supports a limited amount of text and image content
- Gets lost in between your files or somewhere
- Expensive to produce and deliver.
- Can't be updated
- Completely under the control of the current holder
- Higher risks of noncompliance
Additional Points:
- Cost is the primary driver for field service organizations to switch from paper-based to digital management techniques. In the end, businesses can offer better services for less money.
- Modern paper certificates that are "high stakes" are frequently foil-stamped, embossed, and watermarked. These make the document difficult for most individuals to duplicate, but they depend on those doing the certificate verification understanding what the certificate should be like. It's difficult to simply verify that the certificate you're looking at was truly issued by the organization that it was purported to be since different organizations utilize different standards and patterns.
- Also, A paper-based approach means slower processes, more administrative resources and higher risk of inefficiency - documents lost, handwritten notes being misread and paperwork incomplete
- To access job information, employees will typically have to pick up paperwork from an office or depot. And once a job’s finished, they need to drop off any information that has been collected during the day. It’s an area where digital management methods have a major advantage - allowing checks and notifications to be automatically integrated into the everyday workflow.
- Paper certificates are difficult to embed into your digital life and distribute on social media and professional platforms. The best alternative is to snap a picture of your accomplishment and upload it online while entering any necessary information.
The benefits of switching away from paper-based management are experienced throughout a field service business - from management and workers to customers and clients.
How to start issuing Digital Credentials?
To start a successful digital credentialing program for your association, partner with the most comprehensive and connected digital credential provider in the industry. Leading associations use Certopus, an all-in-one platform where you can do anything related to certificates including, bulk generating, designing, verifying and even sharing. You can streamline your entire certificate issuance process with Certopus, to market and scale certification programs and grow membership. Our team will be delighted to help the association identify its goals, guide you through the implementation, and align your existing professional development program (whether it’s conferences, seminars, or online training courses) with digital badges.
Badges are another way to increase member participation and public awareness. Members can proudly show off their badges on social profiles with only one click of the mouse. Then, those social media shares and clicks on the badge direct visitors to your website and event calendars.
The level of membership turnover is significantly influenced by an association's popularity, which is closely related to the value it provides. A crucial aspect of promoting long-term membership is regular participation. Regular mailings, social networking sites, and the promise of rewards for participation are typically used to encourage participation. The chance to use digital credentials is provided by those rewards. For instance, if the association hosts activities all year long that members are welcome to attend, acknowledge their attendance with a digital badge. If members participate in these events as speakers or sponsors, recognize their involvement with a different digital badge that is only available to speakers and sponsors.
Professional Associations are leveraging the power of digital credentials to assert and retain their relevance and value as the ‘single source of professional truth’ in an increasingly open and networked world. They exist to represent, protect and develop members.
Certopus will be able to help you with digital credentials providing associations with greater control over professional development and membership status, while offering members a valuable new way to rapidly and widely communicate their professional standing that is easily verifiable and not ‘self-proclaimed’. Get Started for free.
Leading associations leverage our digital credentials to attract and retain members, boost their membership engagement, and grow their revenue streams.
Conclusion
There has never been a better moment to understand how to manage the digital credentialing process than right now, as the association industry uses digital tools to increase member engagement and online community growth. A field service company's management, employees, clients, and customers can all benefit from moving away from paper-based administration. Partner with the most complete and integrated provider of digital credentials in the market to launch a successful digital credentialing program for your group. Leading associations make use of Certopus, an all-in-one platform that allows you to handle any certificate-related task.
Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQ )
How does Digital Credentials support the Association's efforts?
By offering a platform that is affordable for the issuance of membership badges and certificates, simplifying the renewal procedure for members with automated emails, supporting associations' efforts to become environmentally friendly by providing an intuitive analytics dashboard for tracking referrals, clicks, and engagement and protecting the integrity of membership by making sure that digital credentials are simple to verify or revoke.
How can you reward engaged members and benefit it to yourself?
The level of membership turnover is significantly influenced by an association's popularity, which is closely related to the value it provides. A crucial aspect of promoting long-term membership is regular participation. Regular mailings, social networking sites, and the promise of rewards for participation are typically used to encourage participation. The chance to use digital credentials is provided by those rewards.
Badges are a way to increase awareness in addition to member participation. Members can proudly show off their badges on a social profile for all to see with one-click sharing. Following that, traffic from social media sharing and badge clicks returns to your website and event calendars.
How is Certopus helpful for Associations?
Utilizing the digital credential platform Certopus significantly lowers the cost of recognition and goes further. Certopus even makes member management simpler. With Certopus, administrators may save time, email particular member groups (such as the longest-serving members), and keep track of referrals from credential sites.
Need more information?
Book a demo to learn more about Certopus for your business use-case, or if you have any questions, please contact us. We would be delighted to assist you. Finally, if you're on social media, follow us to remain informed about our latest developments and to learn more about digital certificates.
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