12/19/2022

How One Association Cracked International Markets

It attracted global attention by promoting its position as a trusted broker

Finding a meaningful international value proposition can be a challenge for even the most well-established and -funded associations. The membership model is literally a foreign concept in many countries. Meetings and events can be attractive, but it can be hard, time-consuming work finding your audience. And even if you do, there are often analogous associations and governments to reckon and compete with.

The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) has wrestled with those frustrations as well. But it's arrived at a successful and growing international model by serving not as a membership leader but as a trusted broker for companies looking to understand and enter the U.S. market.

The program, Global Connect, came after NKBA had already spent time trying to introduce its U.S. standards to Europeans in the industry, said CEO Bill Darcy. That approach simply doesn’t translate—the standards and culture around the materials are too different.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Associations Now.