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We’re counting down to #ASAE2017 in amazing Toronto, Canada! The “What Inspires” theme is perfect for this gathering. Inspiration sparks in different ways for different people. One constant is that we all know when we feel it. The GrowthZone team is looking forward to the discovering inspiration in the engaging education sessions that have become a mainstay of ASAE events. The two keynotes promise to be engaging and enlightening, as does the opening event at the Royal Ontario Museum. Stop […]

As part of Facebook’s effort to stop the spread of misinformation and false news on their platform, they are removing the ability for Pages to edit how a link appears on Facebook. According to Facebook.com, by removing the ability to alter link metadata (i.e. headline, description, and image) from link sharing on Facebook, they are eliminating a channel that has been abused to post false news. The ability to customize the image, title, or description in link previews is no […]

Staff turnover is disruptive to associations. There’s even a direct relationship between staff morale and retention? Try keeping morale up with these free or low-cost ideas: Free coffee is the norm for offices these days. How about putting water, pop, and tea in the mix? Stock the kitchen with healthy snacks or at least subsidize the soda and snack vending machines. Provide lunch once a month or at least allow enough time for a regular monthly potluck. Lose the shoes. […]

Frank Kenny explains how to post to social media even when you’re too busy. Are you sometimes so crunched for time that you fail to post to social media when you meant to? Most membership professionals are that busy. But that doesn’t mean your social media content shouldn’t get posted. I would like to share a quick story with you of how I discovered a strategy (and a few helpful tools) that allowed me to make sure my social media […]

The GrowthZone team just returned from three packed days of professional development, networking, and leadership growth at The Associated General Contractors of America Executive Leadership Institute annual conference. From fantastic keynote speakers to intriguing breakout sessions, it was the premier gathering of chapter executives to exchange best practices and hone leadership skills. The GrowthZone booth was a whirlwind of activity. We were thrilled to meet and connect with chapter executives from every region of the country. Soaking up education and […]

Canada’s anti-spam legislation (CASL) came into effect July 1, 2014. Its purpose is to protect Canadians while ensuring that businesses can continue to compete in the global marketplace. The Government of Canada is suspending the implementation of certain provisions in Canada’s anti-spam legislation (CASL) in response to broad-based concerns raised by businesses, charities and the not-for-profit sector. The provisions were scheduled to come into force on July 1, 2017. The provisions, known as private right of action, would have allowed lawsuits to be filed against […]

Part 4 of the 5-Part Series: Why Member Engagement No Longer Means Face-to-Face Tactic #4: Driving Engagement Through Thought Leadership Thought leadership is simply positioning yourself, or your organization, as a voice of knowledge and expertise in the marketplace of ideas. This is critical in helping people connect your association with specific topics when looking for information, especially if they are trying to solve a problem. Your association has information and offers services. You are an expert. People want to […]

Whether you like it or not, people are judging you online. Do they think you are likable? Are you a business professional they could trust? It’s a whole lot easier to be successful in life if people know, like, and trust you. Your online brand must make it clear that you are indeed a trustworthy business professional. For better or worse, you are either helping your professional life or you are harming it with every online interaction.  Every day that […]

Part 3 of the 5-Part Series: Why Member Engagement No Longer Means Face-to-Face Tactic #3: Storytelling Drives Digital Engagement As outlined in our recent post, content is critical for your association to fully engage members and prospective members. With that in mind, it is important not to overlook the power of storytelling. A story can engage your audience like nothing else. Depending on your organization’s mission, this is a tool you can leverage in a very compelling way. The member […]

Using the internet to find images for your association’s website and social media channels? BE CAREFUL! It’s critical to avoid copyright infringements. Get 30 quick and easy ideas for association social media posts » There are companies out there that do nothing but search the web for copyright infringement. They’re known as copyright trolls. Wikipedia defines a copyright troll as a party (person or company) that enforces copyrights for purposes of making money through litigation, in a manner considered unduly aggressive or opportunistic. They use web […]

Increasing your association’s Facebook page followers is easier than you may think. Two free methods to drive page “likes” are to leverage your email contacts and your personal Facebook account. Read on to learn how. Get 30+ social media post ideas in the Social Media Survival Kit for associations. 1. Suggest your Facebook Page to the people on your association’s email list. While many people use multiple email accounts, a fair number use the same email address for work and […]

Five out of every six phone calls go straight to voice mail. If you‘re in sales, or business of any kind, you know how frustrating this can be. Increase the odds of getting a call back by mentally composing your message before each call. And remember, people hate it when callers state their name and phone number too quickly in voice mail messages – no one wants to listen to a message ten times to comprehend simple information. To improve your chances […]