Nicole Araujo has been in the association community for over twenty years in a support operations role to help associations. The way associations develop community, from a vendor’s perspective, really depends on the specific association. The best solution, she says, is not having all your eggs in one basket in terms of creating community, and engaging members across multiple platforms. It’s important to stay in the forefront technologically. As an example, ASAE does a really good job of partner/vendor/supplier engagement and incorporating them into the association, listening to them, and helping them be successful. Having conversations with vendors or suppliers is critical to bringing them into the association community, as well as providing them with appropriate recognition. Nicole also says it’s important for vendors and suppliers to show up at events, hear the conversations that are going on, and be present and focused to make connections and develop relationships.