National Association of Residential Property Managers

(NARPM®)

Strategic Planning Report

638 Independence Parkway

Chesapeake, VA 23320

September 15, 2014

Facilitated by: Mary Byers, CAE [email protected] 217-483-8836 2 | P a g e

The Strategic Planning Task Force of the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) met in Chesapeake, Virginia on September 15, 2014 for the purpose of developing a strategic plan for the NARPM. Mary Byers, an outside facilitator, was engaged to lead the planning process.

The following document is not intended to be a verbatim record of the strategic planning session. Instead, bullet points are used to represent the discussion, capture the ideas presented, and briefly communicate the work of strategic planning participants.

Strengths

 Integrity  Prestige  Discussion group  Ethics Growth Edges  Financially stable  Tradeshow/convention Participants were also asked to list weaknesses, referred to as “growth edges.”  Legislative Listed were:  Family feel  Education  Lack of consumer care  Website  Designation  Why change?  Members  Quality of classes  Broker/owner  Volunteerism  Lack of credibility  Reputation  Low percentage of designations  Openness to teach  Leadership  Some chapters/experience  Growth  Designations not recognized  Affordable  Fun  Some chapters leadership  Staff  Niche market  Been there done that  Low % of designations  Chapter centric  Knowledge  Vendors  Member at large

 Onboarding

 Why national?

 Comparison to other groups 3 | P a g e

 No advanced track  Competing education

 “Running a business” education  Institutionalized owners

 Emphasis on something that serves  Too chapter-centric low %  Stale meetings  Name  Age of members –> length of members

 Funds (fear of spending)

 Different needs of members

 Lack of strategic focus

 Travel

 Changes in market

Threats  Lack of perceived value

Participants were also asked to list potential  Change in management group threats to the association. Listed were:  Chapter leadership  Franchise property management  Asking chapters to do too much vendors  Lack of modernized and quality  Tenant resources and advocacy marketing  Dominant vendors  Bad SEO  Growth--challenge to current  NAR/IREM members Opportunities  Large chapters Participants were asked to brainstorm a list  Other associations of opportunities for NARPM. They were:  Government relations (FTC

overwhelming)  Saving $ for members from vendors  Lack of volunteers  Growth  Apathy in membership  Experienced leadership  Technology and automation  Legislative voice/PAC  Board decisions not favorable to all  Owner referral network 4 | P a g e

 Centralization of forms  Virtual convention

 Leadership training  Be the CNN of property managers

 HR support  NARPM IM – listserve on steroids

 International growth  Leverage member-to-member recruitment  PAC  Podcasts, videos, etc.  Online chat  Convention speakers  Advanced education classes  Member retention  Differentiate NARPM education from other sources  Leverage our investments

 Mentorship  Speakers, etc to benefit members

 Build consistent chapter experience  Define volunteer responsibilities

 Alliances with other organizations  Auto renewal

 Engaged members  Engage willing volunteers

 PM Get Started Kit

Potential Priorities

□ Revamp convention

□ Member engagement (communicate value)

□ Education (recording sessions, make online better, paid speakers)

□ Leadership training

□ Chapter leadership-restructuring? Meeting consistency with all leaders

□ Membership categories 5 | P a g e

□ Member value-save money with vendors

□ Other association affiliations

□ Legislative

□ Increase referral network

The following five areas were determined to be priorities:

 Leadership (chapters, training, restructuring)

 Member engagement (revamp convention, communicate value, increase referral network, other association affiliations)

 Education

 Legislative

 Membership categories 6 | P a g e

Priorities

With priorities identified, participants spent time clarifying each one, including identifying assumptions, addressing accountability and assigning a deadline. (Please note that the deadline reflects the time plans will be started, not necessarily completed or implemented.)

The priorities appear below. They were not ranked and are presented in random order.

Please note that these priorities will influence budgeting and how staff support is allocated.

1. EDUCATION

Goal: Redevelop classroom and online courses and pricing

Assumptions:

Courses need to be re-development

Videos are desired for online courses

Industry experts add to course content

NARPM Instructor base needs enhancement along with the vetting process

Members desire NEW courses for advanced education

Costs to take courses is not competitive (Online vs. classroom)

Members desire to obtain continuing education credits

Accountability:

Professional Development Committee, Staff

Timeframe:

Classroom December 2015

Online-prioritize designation/certification courses December 2015

Remaining online courses December 2016 7 | P a g e

2. MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES

Goal: Restructure of membership categories.

Assumptions:

There are too many categories

Understand why there are so many categories currently

Simplify categories

Need to review by-laws and Policies and Procedures Manual

Research economic impact of ethics course to NARPM

Accountability:

Membership Committee, Staff

Timeframe:

June 1, 2015

3. LEGISLATIVE

Goal: To engage the NARPM membership in the government affairs.

Assumptions:

NARPM members want NARPM involved in government affairs

Use of the “Engage” platform (called Action Center on website) is not being utilized

Government Affairs Committee is cumbersome in current structure

NARPM positions need to be articulated 8 | P a g e

Accountability:

Government Affairs Committee

Government Affairs Director

Timeline:

October 2016

Engage – October 2017

4. LEADERSHIP (chapters training, restructuring) Goal: Enhance NARPM Leadership training

Assumptions:

Organization needs for great leadership

Quality of training programs needs improvement

Chapter leaders give feedback on strengths and weaknesses

Current chapter structure is not successful

More members need to attend training and involved in chapter structure

Accountability:

Appoint Special Work Group, Executive Director

Timeframe:

Progress report by BOD meeting April 2015

Final recommendation by BOD meeting October 2015

Roll out recommendation January 2016 9 | P a g e 10 | P a g e

5. MEMBER ENGAGEMENT

Goals: Revamp convention (and B/O retreat); Communicate value proposition to current and future members; referral network needs revamp

Assumptions:

Already exists - can it be resurrected to be more user friendly?

Broker/owner is cannibalizing convention

Grow membership

Locations of events are to be standardized to increase member attendance

Make other associations want to partner with us

Members don’t realize full value of membership

Methods of communications are not working

Need to determine avenues to assist in growth of membership

Need to engage services of a PR firm

Predictable, diluted trying to meet many needs, less member teaching members.

Referral network needs revamp

Support growth

Accountability: Timeframe:

Special workgroup October 2015

Communications September 2015

Member services December 2015

Conclusion

This Strategic Planning document will be presented for approval. Upon approval, Task Forces will be appointed and committees will be asked to complete the work identified above.

Progress in implementing the plan will be reviewed at Board meetings.

A one-page summary of this document is provided on the following page for use in Board materials in order to keep projects and activities top-of-mind as priority items. 11 | P a g e 12 | P a g e

National Association of Residential Property Managers

Priorities

2014-2017

1. Redevelop classroom and online courses and pricing

Accountability Professional Development Committee, Staff

Timeframe Classroom December 2015 Online-prioritize designation/certification courses December 2015 Remaining online courses December 2016

2. Restructure membership categories

Accountability Membership Committee, staff

Timeframe June 1, 2015

3. Engage the NARPM membership in the government affairs and further define process

Accountability Government Affairs Chairperson/committee Government Affairs Director

Timeframe October 2016 Engage – October 2017 13 | P a g e

4. Enhance NARPM Leadership training

Accountability Appoint Work Group, Executive Director

Timeframe Progress report by BOD meeting April 2015 Final recommendation by BOD meeting October 2015 Roll out recommendation January 2016

5. MEMBER ENGAGEMENT

Revamp convention (and B/O retreat)

Communicate value – communicate a value proposition to current and future members

Increase referral network – referral platform needs revamp

Accountability Timeframe

Special workgroup October 2015

Communications September 2015

Member services December 2015