Growth

We are excited to share the announcement of Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE)’s 2024 Chamber of the Year winners. The winners were announced on Wednesday, July 17, during the awards show at ACCE’s Annual Convention in Dallas. GrowthZone is proud to have been there to be one of the first to congratulate the winners as the official 2024 Chamber of the Year sponsor. “Chambers of commerce play an increasingly vital role in promoting regional prosperity,” said ACCE President & […]

We are excited to share the announcement of Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE)’s 2024 Chamber of the Year finalists. As the official Chamber of the Year sponsor, GrowthZone is especially proud as nine of the 12 named use GrowthZone or ChamberMaster software. The Chamber of the Year award recognizes the leadership role chambers of commerce have in their communities. Those honored with the designation have demonstrated organizational strength and made an impact on key community priorities, such as […]

We are excited to announce that Paul Plaia III has joined GrowthZone as our new CEO. With an extensive technology and business leadership background, he is poised to guide GrowthZone into a new era of innovation and customer-focused growth. A Vision for Customer-Centric Growth In his new role, Plaia will lead the company’s strategic direction, drive innovation, and expand GrowthZone’s market presence. Paul will work closely with our customers and staff to ensure that the company’s vision aligns with the evolving needs […]

What Are Association Tools? Association tools help automate the day-to-day operations of membership-based organizations. These productivity tools are part of association management software (AMS) and help streamline database management, financial administration, event planning, member communications, and more. The primary goal of best-in-class AMS is to help business, trade, and professional associations and chambers of commerce grow revenue, productivity, and member value. Association Management Tools for Revenue Generation Patience is a virtue – except when it comes to increasing revenue. Today’s […]

A rundown of the best association management software options. Compare top AMS platforms like GrowthZone, Fonteva, and Wild Apricot.

Earlier this year, GrowthZone surveyed 332 associations and other member-based organizations across the U.S. and Canada for insight into the challenges and concerns of today’s association professionals. The results show several interesting trends impacting today’s associations, here are some key findings: Member growth and engagement are primary concerns for most associations, followed by issues related to time management and revenue generation. Lack of engagement is a key reason for members not renewing, along with factors like time constraints, perceived value, […]

GrowthZone surveyed 470 chamber of commerce professionals across the U.S. and Canada at the beginning of 2024. The results show several interesting trends impacting today’s chambers, highlighted below are some key findings: Despite engagement challenges, a majority of Chambers experienced a net increase in membership in 2023. Lack of engagement and time constraints are cited as primary reasons for members not renewing their memberships. Offering automatic credit card renewal could help mitigate these issues and improve retention rates. While many […]

Make sure you are getting mileage out of your association blog posts. While there are multiple techniques to maximize the benefits of blogging, using just a few can make a difference. Stay Within Categories Each post should fit into an established blog category and play a role in your overall content strategy. (Translation: Stay on topic and keep it relevant to your expertise.) Focus on Headlines The headline is the most crucial aspect of a blog post. Headlines are critical […]

Are you paying attention to the footer on your association’s website? If not, you’re missing an opportunity (and you’re not alone). A LOT more people see the footer than you might think (particularly on mobile). It’s an essential element of any website. A website footer, found at the bottom of a web page: helps boost conversions builds credibility reduce bounce rates improves SEO enhances user experience A footer signals that the user has reached the end of the association’s webpage. […]

Membership pro Frank Kenny explains content marketing through social media and why digital marketing is necessary to bridge the two. Imagine that you create fantastic content regularly – it shouldn’t be much of a stretch – you’re likely already doing that. You give a lot of thought to each piece you create. You keep your target audience in mind. You solve a problem or speak to a need. You post it on social media, remembering to add context, tag people, […]

Simple things to keep in mind can make all the difference in whether a blog post gains traction. Utilizing these three concepts as part of a larger strategy will help increase your association’s followers. When blogging: Be Helpful, Instructional, Compelling, Interesting, and Entertaining Find the answers to the questions your audience is asking Develop an angle by taking a boring topic and asking yourself the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, and why) Use facts, numbers, and data Address the […]

Each page on an association website has a unique address – commonly known as a URL (uniform resource locator). A URL is like anything else on the web: It can be good, bad, or ugly. It’s one of the most important aspects of ensuring that your association website appears in search engine results. So, what makes a “good” URL? Two things (which go hand-in-hand): a positive user experience and an SEO-friendly structure. Familiarizing yourself with URL components will smooth the […]