Productivity

A powerful AMS delivers a return on investment by empowering association staff to unlock their potential, work faster, and grow membership.

A powerful AMS delivers a return on investment by empowering associations to unlock their potential.

An in-depth comparison of chamber of commerce membership management software AMS systems.

A simple breakdown of the steps involved for association management professionals to earn CAE designation.

A collection of words of encouragement and wisdom for association staff by association staff. From the 2021 Association Survey Results.

The 2021 Association Industry Survey results revealed similarities in the challenges facing associations. The report includes detailed comments from respondents about their organization’s struggles. Regardless of association size or budget, the top 3 impediments were consistently time, money, and technology. We asked: “What would you say is the #1 impediment to doing your job?”   The top 15 responses were: Respondent comments included:   To see all of the association staff responses, download your copy of the report here: 2021 […]

It’s that time of year! GrowthZone recently released the 2021 Association Industry Survey results. This year’s report contains specific data on association value proposition recognition, COVID’s impact on organizations’ operating status, 2021 revenue trends predictions, etc. The report also highlights: Top non-dues revenue sources The shift to virtual events #1 job challenge COVID’s impact on member engagement and more A couple of interesting data points: The year-over-year change in net membership numbers shed light on the COVID’s impact on associations. In […]

Robust AMS (association management software) has far-reaching benefits to members, staff, the board of directors, and the organization. But justifying an AMS purchase can still be challenging. Most boards use a “big picture” approach to decision-making. To ensure your board is “seeing the forest for the trees,” prepare a presentation that outlines quantifiable vs. indirect benefits and defines the difference between ROI and VOI (value on investment). A convincing board presentation includes a summary of immediately recognizable benefits of Association […]

A compilation of strategic ideas to help organizations move forward. Over the past six weeks and after thousands of one-on-one conversations with chambers and associations, the GrowthZone team has learned a lot. Many organizations have risen to the occasion, reinventing themselves and are emerging better equipped to provide benefit to their members. Conversely, others have held on to a business-as-usual approach. As a result, demonstrating value has been a challenge. There are two paths forward: Return to business as usual […]

Membership Communications Expert, Melynn Sight recently shared her presentation “Crisis Communication Strategies to Strengthen Membership.” It proved to be one of our most popular webinars in recent years. The free, on-demand webinar is ideal for anyone interacting with members using the written word. While explaining the Top 6 Principles for Association Crisis Communications, Melynn discussed strategies for credible communication with members during periods of uncertainty. She also walked through the messaging basics and best practices for structuring association communications. A […]

Most people consider themselves good listeners, but genuinely listening to others is a rare skill. What is effective listening? Everyone wants to be heard and understood (especially your association’s members). To truly listen, one must actively absorb information, show interest, and provide feedback that reassures the speaker that you’re receiving their message. It sounds simple, but in reality, most of us haven’t mastered this art. Any number of things can interfere with our ability to listen actively – our thoughts […]

Editor’s note: This article was originally posted on August 13, 2019. It has been updated. Effective meetings need a disciplined approach to be efficient. The second installment of our three-part series about meetings focuses on streamlining the event itself. Check out the first article, Avoiding Meeting Misery, if you missed it. Next Steps: Be punctual: Respect the time and effort of those that show up on time. Don’t delay the meeting due to the tardiness of other attendees (and don’t waste […]