What is the role of a modern trade association?

Welcome to the latest PRmoment podcast. Today we’re chatting to the PRCA’s Interim CEO Sarah Waddington about her plans for the organisation.

 In January this year Sarah was appointed to the role, having been appointed to the board of the organisation in 2023..

Sarah is about a month into the role but in that time the PRCA has joined the CBI, launched a PR Pitch guide and Ketchum has rejoined, having left back a couple of years ago.

In a moment of gorgeous irony, thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.

Do check out the programme for our next webinar on “The World’s Greatest PR Research.” It's on 19th Mar 2025, starting at 3:30PM UK time.

In this exclusive webinar, PRmoment editorial team have picked the best PR research they have seen in the past 12 months.

Sarah welcome to the show

1 mins What is the role of a modern trade association? 

6 mins What is the business model of a trade body? What are the revenue streams?

7 mins What would you say are the priorities for the PRCA currently? 

“Member value is number one…we’re aware agencies and in-house teams have faced difficult times in the past few years…My priorities: the fee structure. We’re doing a piece of work at the moment to make sure that is fit for purpose and reflects the market.”

8 mins Which regions around the world does the PRCA operate in?

11 mins There is a huge diversity and variance of what PRCA members want from a trade body, does that mean it can try and do too much, and become too complex an organisation?

13 mins What do PRCA members tell you they want from the organisation?

15 mins How many people does the PRCA employ now? How many members does it have? Agencies? In-house? Individual?

16.30 mins Both UK PR trade bodies (The PRCA and the CIPR) made a loss in the last financial year. Why does Sarah think that is?

“The economy hasn’t really picked up…Anybody who is a member of an industry body right now, is looking at their subs and saying ‘what am i getting for this?’ It’s alright paying subs when life is good and margins are high. It is right when that is scrutinised."

21 mins It's obviously early days in Sarah’s leadership stint at the PRCA but what are her ambitions for the organisation? 

“Right now it’s (about) consolidation and financial stability.”

“If we’re looking at the fee structure, there is clear growth to be had from the regions.”

22 mins Sarah has been involved with the leadership of the PRCA and before that the CIPR. So she knows your way around PR professional associations. Broadly is she in favour of leaner organisation or an expansionist strategy? 

Sarah also updates us on PR’s forever question: The PRCA/CIPR merger.