Growing an industry user group 15% to build authority in the airport market
The challenge
A small EAM consulting firm that sold and implemented IBM Maximo needed a way to compete for attention with much larger IBM partners. Airports were a key market, and the Airport Maximo User Group (AMUG) brought together Maximo users from airports across North America. The group needed someone to run it and make it worth members' time.
The approach
We took over leadership of AMUG and treated it as a community, not a mailing list.
Two annual in-person meetups: we planned events at IBM Pulse, IBM Maximo's flagship conference at the time, and at the Airports Council International (ACI) conference, the largest airport industry show
Targeted programming: we built sessions around the asset management challenges airport operators face, so every meeting gave members something they could use
A member newsletter: we managed regular communications that kept members engaged between events
Year-round community management: we handled outreach, member recruitment and the day-to-day work of keeping the group active
The results
15% growth in AMUG membership across North American airports
Two in-person meetups a year at the industry's most important events
A trusted seat at the table for a small consulting firm with the exact buyers it wanted to reach
Why it matters for consulting firms
Small consulting firms rarely win by outspending bigger competitors. Leading the community your buyers already belong to puts your expertise in front of them year after year, and makes your firm the name they know when they need help.
Want to become the go-to firm in your niche? Let's talk.
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