Association networking events are critical to increasing member engagement and demonstrating value. Give your members the tools to maximize the time and energy they put into event attendance. Part two of our two-part series on successful member networking explores post-event tactics to maximize the opportunity. Share these post-event tactics with your members: Add each new contact to your LinkedIn network. Follow up with a quick email or phone call within 24-48 hours. Schedule this on your calendar. Seriously, set aside the […]

Member networking events. Some people look forward to them, others secretly groan when they show up on the schedule. The key to making your association’s events successful is to make them valuable to your members. The long and short of it is: if members are going to attend, give them the tools to make them count. Get free networking resources to share with members. Part one of our two-part series on successful member networking explores strategies for members to put together […]

An Annual Report isn’t just for your association’s Board of Directors.; it’s a valuable tool you can use to highlight your association’s successes and leverage to develop partnerships with sponsors. Here are six steps for writing an effective association annual report: Define the Audience As you create your annual report, keep in mind who will be reading the report: your board – make them feel appreciated; your members – show them the importance of belonging; prospective members – show them […]

 Part 5 of the 5-Part Series: Why Member Engagement No Longer Means Face-to-Face Tactic #5: Inbound Marketing That Captures Prospects’ Attention In the olden days of marketing, way back in the 20th century, marketing was comprised primarily of outbound – interruptive campaigns. Marketers created campaigns that were specifically designed to interrupt you from what you were doing so they could get you to listen to them. They would leverage direct mail or advertising to deliver their message to a targeted audience. […]

Sometimes it’s better to be losing. A study by Jonah Berger of 18,000 NBA games shows that teams losing by a point at halftime were actually more likely to win than teams ahead by one point. Statistically, LeBron James is 8% better when his team is down late in the game. Why? Because being behind can be motivating. Teams, and people, work harder when they’re losing by a little. The father of Human Performance Technology, Thomas Gilbert, believed that “it […]

Nearly two-thirds of survey respondents say it’s hard to find a cultural fit when hiring. And when there isn’t a good fit, we often end up losing people fairly quickly, and that’s expensive and inefficient. So, given what’s at stake here, why are we finding it so hard to align who we’re hiring with what our culture truly is? In short, because the hiring process is fundamentally dishonest. I don’t mean recruiters and candidates are lying outright (though that does […]

Frank Kenny Guest Blog: Frank explains how to reverse declining in-person event attendance.

January is the perfect time to hit the ground running with new community social media tactics. Plan ahead with these holiday and event ideas for your January posts: MONTHLY: Birth Defects Prevention Month Cervical Health Awareness Month Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month Self Defense Awareness Month Glaucoma Awareness Month Walk Your Pet Month Human Trafficking Awareness Month Oatmeal Month Blood Donor Month Read more. ↓ WEEKLY: Home Office Safety and Security Week – 1st full week Letter Writing Week – 2nd week Snowmobile Safety Week – […]

Many associations still rely on dated techniques to engage members. Does your association struggle with member engagement? You’re not alone. There are typically 3 main reasons why members disengage: No Time Less Participation More Competition Here’s the key: Your members don’t need to show up to events to be engaged. To be clear, face-to-face meetings still have great value, but they aren’t the only way to build commitment and a sense of belonging. There are many trends and tactics associations […]

“Millennials want a brand that motivates, guides, and connects them through experiences.” – Brent James of Concept 21, a footwear industry leader What business is designed, at its very core, to motivate, guide, and provide experiences? An association. The Perks of Association Membership for Young Professionals is an unbranded, free flyer for associations to use for member recruitment. It includes 12 benefits and their descriptions that are intrinsic to associations of all types and sizes. We’ve included 4 of them […]

Word-of-mouth is so powerful because “we trust each other so much more than we trust businesses.” – Jay Baer WHAT Word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM) is an unpaid form of promotion in which satisfied customers tell other people how much they like a business, product, or service. It is triggered when a customer (member) experiences something unexpected. WHY 83% of Americans have recommended a product or service to someone else. 55% of Americans make product or service recommendations to others at least […]

Uncomfortable situations with difficult co-workers, members, and board members are part of day-to-day challenges for association professionals. You can’t change people, but you can change the way you deal with them. Use techniques featured in the first of our 4-part blog series, How to Deal with Challenging Members, to handle whatever is thrown your way. Download a complimentary copy of The Art of Dealing with Difficult People BE A GOOD LISTENER Everyone wants to be treated with respect. It’s important […]