It was great to be back in Orlando at ACE last week for our first in-person meeting in quite some time. We reconnected with old friends, met some new friends, and learned a lot in between. We were able to celebrate our volunteers and our chapters’ achievements during the Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. We also had the opportunity to hear from a panel of chapter leaders and corporate partners that discussed best practices related to building industry partnerships. Sherri Conde of Performance Foodservice, and Kelley Vande Lune of Fieldstone Bakery, were our guest corporate sponsor panelists. John Hickson, CDM, CFPP, president of the LA ANFP Chapter and Jessica Weisbrich, RDN, LD, CDM CFPP, secretary of the MN ANFP chapter were also on the panel. Below are some of the key takeaways from the session that we hope you will apply to your own industry partnerships.
Communication is Key – Some chapters may only reach out to partners and vendors on an as-needed basis. However, maintaining communication throughout the year helps to keep vendors and partners engaged and aware of what is going on with the chapter. Communication is also key to building mutual trust and respect that will end up benefitting both parties. Include vendors in newsletter mailings, meeting/event invites, and ask them to like the chapter’s social media page to get the most up-to-date information. Also, don’t hesitate to check in with them occasionally to remain on one another’s radar, not just during meeting/event seasons.
Inform and Educate – Chapters and their members should not hesitate to let their vendors and partners know what they need. While this includes financial assistance or in-kind donations for chapter events, this also includes what you may need within your facilities or in your role as a CDM, CFPP. They cannot provide the right equipment, supplies, or services without getting a better understanding of what their customers need. Also, vendors and partners should do the same - let chapters know what some of the trends they are seeing in the industry are, or fresh ideas used in other facilities that may prove to be a positive outcome for both groups involved.
Data, Data, Data - Prior to approaching any industry partner, chapters should be ready to share their data, including chapter/member demographics. This helps your prospective partners understand the chapters make-up and how they will best be able to support your members, initiatives, and meetings/events. A chapter resume template is available on ANFPConnect in the Chapter Sponsorship Toolkit. This may take some time to develop but is worthwhile to help ‘paint the picture’ of your chapter for any prospective industry partnerships in order to help them make informed decisions.
Think Outside the Box – In addition to maintaining communication with your industry partners throughout the year, explore and consider other ways they can engage with members or be involved with your chapter. Many chapters participate or host charitable events or provide services to their community members in need. Invite your industry partners to attend these events with your chapter members. Offer them an opportunity to speak at your next event or sit down and have lunch with your members. The idea is to engage your industry partners as part of your chapter, not just in times of need.