Associations Now
NOVEMBER 16, 2015
A startup mentality can help an association generate new ideas. But success has less to do with “failing fast” than knowing how your organizational structure stands in your way. Silicon Valley is the last place you’d look for hard-core fans of challenging Irish playwrights, but in recent years a few lines by Samuel Beckett have become a cliché in the startup culture there : “Try again.
SCD Group
NOVEMBER 15, 2015
“To dream big or dream small takes the same amount of energy. So, why not stretch a little bit?” – Carlos Brito, CEO of Anheuser-Busch InBev A potential client called asking if I could facilitate a “deep dive session” on how to grow the association. As we talked, I shared with him the “strategic intent process” I use with organizations seeking to envision their future and create steps to help them get there.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Higher Logic
NOVEMBER 12, 2015
Generations expert (and my co-author and partner) Jamie Notter recently posted this extensive article detailing some numbers research he has been doing around exactly how many Millennials there are. It’s important stuff, so I’m going to interrupt my regular column to point you to it. Here’s an excerpt: When you look at the most recent population projections from the Census Bureau, it gets even more interesting.
Wild Apricot
NOVEMBER 20, 2015
In Part II of our Payment Processing Podcast Series, we speak with Tom Epplett, founder of iATS Payments, about the future of online payment systems: everything from Google Wallet, to KickStarter, to Bitcoin!
Advertisement
Customer education has become a key driver for growth, retention, and product adoption. Our latest 2024 State of Customer Education Report uncovers critical data and insights from a survey of over 200 industry leaders, offering a look at the evolving role of education in driving business success. Inside, you'll find data on key trends and strategies, including: Strategies for Scaling & Customization: Find out which investments in learning technology deliver the biggest ROI and scalability.
Spark Consulting
NOVEMBER 3, 2015
Guillermo Ortiz de Zarate and I recently had the chance to sit down with Rick Rutherford of Yourmembership.com to talk in a little more detail about some of the ideas raised in our new whitepaper, Innovate the Lean Way. Our conversation touched on issues like: What failure really is – and isn’t – and why it shouldn’t scare us so much.
Association Universe brings together the best content for association members and organizers from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Aaron Wolowiec
NOVEMBER 17, 2015
From left to right: Jenny Hill, Aaron Wolowiec and Cally Hill. As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s time for us at Event Garde to reflect on the many things for which we’re thankful. From education to content creation, we’ve had a successful year and have experienced tremendous growth. And we owe much of that to you. Thank you for trusting us to help you learn, network and transfer differently.
YourMembership
NOVEMBER 9, 2015
Quinn Brady, Vice President, Customer Success at YourMembership. Hello! Please allow me to introduce myself as the new Vice President of Customer Success at Yourmembership. It is my pleasure to make your virtual acquaintance. As this is a new role for me, our marketing team requested that I write a blog for you, which you will find below. Please enjoy.
Higher Logic
NOVEMBER 6, 2015
David Spinks, founder of CMX, has been building communities since he was 13 years old. He attributes shifts like organizing for the gaming industry, joining Twitter and following thought leaders like Seth Godin and Lisa Gansky to his community success. The common thread is using technology to bring people together. The original definition for a company was a group of people coming together to exchange goods.
Wild Apricot
NOVEMBER 10, 2015
Board Meeting Expert, Dr. Richard Lent shows how you can revitalize your board meetings to be perfectly productive, super structured, and extremely engaging.
Advertisement
Ever wonder why brands like Apple, LEGO, and Sephora are going all-in on branded communities? It’s because online community building is the secret sauce to connecting with audiences in ways that ads and emails simply can’t. But here's the best part—it’s not just for big corporations. Associations can create thriving online communities too. GrowthZone’s eBook, "The Power of Community," breaks down exactly why a branded online community can be a game-changer for your association.
Mariner
NOVEMBER 3, 2015
Running a successful chapter can be a daunting task and nothing makes it more so than the operational side of things. To help with this, we’ve compiled a list of available tools and resources that chapters can use to address many of these tasks.
Socious
NOVEMBER 19, 2015
Over the past decade technology has changed at lightning speed. Systems are more intuitive and user friendly than ever before, as sites like Slack and Twitter continue to garner mass use with simplicity. Innovative association professionals understand the importance of keeping an eye on technology because ultimately it is a cost-effective way to streamline daily operations and keep members engaged.
Aaron Wolowiec
NOVEMBER 3, 2015
When’s the last time your organization’s education committee was asked to identify the three to five greatest challenges currently inhibiting its industry speakers from reaching their fullest potential during the annual conference? I recently did this for a client and following were the responses that bubbled to the surface: Attendee engagement within presentations is often minimal or formulaic.
YourMembership
NOVEMBER 3, 2015
Checking our social media feeds has become a part of our everyday life, and it’s especially true for millennials. It is as habitual as brushing their teeth or buying a pumpkin spice latte. Yet in an age of ever-growing computing power, readers have more difficulty concentrating on content now than ever before. It’s unavoidable; we’re surrounded by technology!
Advertisement
Sales often gets a bad rep. Yet, if securing sponsors, advertisers, and exhibitors is part of your role, it’s essential. But what if it didn’t have to feel time-consuming, uncomfortable, or worse—icky? Join us for the 3-part virtual Sales Accelerator Labs , where customer experience and sales expert Carrie McIntyre will show you strategies to make sales easier, more effective, and dare we say, enjoyable!
Higher Logic
NOVEMBER 4, 2015
A winning community site – we all want it and we all can have it. It starts with strong design and a careful execution of the brand. I’ve put together eight tips that you can use right now to create a community site that is a winner in the eyes of your users, staff and prospective users. 1. Start with your logo. Your community site logo is the most essential element to the design of your community site.
Wild Apricot
NOVEMBER 3, 2015
Is your membership growth as stagnant as a pond? Wouldn't you love a proven recipe for successful? In an interactive case study, we reveal the strategies of how one organization grew over 300%.
Jamie Notter
NOVEMBER 4, 2015
Okay, I apologize for being one week late with Culture Chat --Maddie and I were with a client last Thursday so we couldn't pull it off. But we think this topic is worth waiting for, Culture and Technology: Technology doesn’t just impact productivity and efficiency--it can shape your culture. How you use intranets, internal online communities, and even basic information sharing tools will end up pushing your culture in one direction or another, so you’d better make it intentional.
Socious
NOVEMBER 17, 2015
In an ideal world, every online community would have a perfectly suited team of community managers working full-time to make the community awesome. Unfortunately, the reality of business needs and priorities often means that communities have to prove their value before upper management will commit to a full-time employee for them. This common situation, in turn, makes it difficult to really focus the time and effort that’s needed to get value out of a community.
Speaker: Radhika Samant and Todd Wuestenberg
Employee recognition has often been deemed a "feel-good" initiative, tied closely to rewards. While we understand its importance, we tend to associate recognition with intangible outcomes like engagement and sentiment, rather than direct impacts on retention and high performance. In today’s workplace, the true ROI of recognition lies in its ability to regenerate tangible, business-driven results.
Aaron Wolowiec
NOVEMBER 30, 2015
Aaron Wolowiec, founder and president, Event Garde. Q & A with Aaron Wolowiec, founder and president of Event Garde. Editor’s Note: In celebration of Event Garde’s four-year anniversary, this month’s Event Garde-ian of the Month is Aaron Wolowiec. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us. As we go into 2016, we’d like to know what you think…how are we doing?
Potomac Core
NOVEMBER 3, 2015
Anemic economic performance is unfortunately becoming a mainstay in the U.S. economy. The release of the 3 rd quarter GDP numbers where only 1.5% growth was reported is another reminder of how much the ground is shifting for associations. Companies will likely view membership through an even narrower prism of operating margins if economic conditions weaken further.
Higher Logic
NOVEMBER 9, 2015
This guest post is by Jill Andreu, Naylor’s vice president of content strategy and development. Jill is responsible for the overall strategy, direction, leadership and management of Naylor’s editorial department. A colleague recently told me a story about how his 15-year-old daughter carries out her content strategy on Instagram. She doesn’t call it content strategy.
Wild Apricot
NOVEMBER 10, 2015
Board Meeting Expert, Dr. Richard Lent shows how you can revitalize your board meetings to be perfectly productive, super structured, and extremely engaging.
Advertisement
Managing HR tasks like payroll, compliance, and employee data can overwhelm small businesses. That’s where a Human Capital Management (HCM) solution comes in. Our eBook, Why Every Small Business Needs an HCM Solution: A Comprehensive Guide , shows how an HCM system automates tedious processes, ensuring your business stays compliant and efficient. You’ll learn how to simplify payroll, eliminate costly errors, and empower your employees with self-service tools.
Mariner
NOVEMBER 24, 2015
Let us spread the word: thank-you. For when we do, we show appreciation, caring, empathy, love and kindness. And so Peter, Carol and I say. Thank-you!
Socious
NOVEMBER 12, 2015
Take a second and go out to the Google Play Store or iTunes, and search for free apps. How many came up? Some number this side of a google? (Sorry, bad pun.) But the answer is a lot, right?
Aaron Wolowiec
NOVEMBER 30, 2015
Last month, I had the opportunity to present a session on meeting management (e.g., a staff meeting, a committee meeting or a board meeting) to a group of volunteer leaders. We started by viewing the following (hilarious!) YouTube video depicting every meeting ever. After debriefing the video, which included a discussion of many of the personalities/bad habits represented (e.g., The Time Nazi, Get Here When You Can Guy and The Negator), we launched into my four steps for facilitating the most pr
Eric Lanke
NOVEMBER 16, 2015
Got into a friendly argument with a colleague about last week's post , where I revisited an idea that I've discussed before : that program committees should report to an association's Chief Staff Executive, or CEO, and not its Board of Directors. His take? Absolutely not. Never. Committees must always been created by and report directly to the Board.
Speaker: Joe Sharpe and James Carlson
Payroll optimization can be one of the most time-consuming and complex factors of small business management. Yet, organizations that crack the code on streamlining employee compensation often discover innovative avenues for growth. With the right strategies in place, outsourcing and streamlining payroll processes can result in substantial time and resource savings.
Higher Logic
NOVEMBER 18, 2015
Automation rules are crucial for community managers -they alleviate daily or repetitive tasks while encouraging member behavior you want to see. If you're lucky enough to have a community platform that supports automation rules - congrats! When you’re starting out, it can be difficult to know where to begin and scary to let go of the reins. There are so many different directions to take - what are the basic ones everyone should know?
Wild Apricot
NOVEMBER 24, 2015
Join us for a Free Expert Webinar, featuring Gail Perry on How to Get Your Board Members Engaged and Active in Fundraising.
Jamie Notter
NOVEMBER 9, 2015
One reason so many conflicts become "stuck" is that we think the conflict is only about the ideas involved. We forget that it's really about two (or more) human beings in a relationship. So as we get into it, we dive straight into the ideas. You make your point; I make my counterpoint. We go back and forth and usually end the conversation frustrated and without any significant agreements.
Expert insights. Personalized for you.
556 
Let's personalize your content