Wild Apricot

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Does your digital newsletter have low engagement? Here's how to write a newsletter your members actually want to read.

Newsletter 393

Newsletter How To 393

YourMembership

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Each day I read the news, and I prepare my mind with a “who’s-going-to-resign-today game,” while scanning the headlines. It’s a bit surreal at times, and troubling, to see future generations surrounded by these hurtful stories and the path of victims. And, I think—in this era of eroding trust—associations can, and must, step up. The. The post #Trust is yours: Will you take it on or drop the ball?

Industry 210

Industry 210

Higher Logic

JANUARY 30, 2018

There’s never enough time in the day, especially for association professionals. It’s common for association staff to wear multiple hats, consistently switching roles in order to get more done with fewer resources. A membership director also helps with event planning and updating the website, for instance. The benefit of this situation is that your staff is knows everything about every part of your association.

Event Planning 218

Event Planning Video Project Content 218

WBT Systems

JANUARY 30, 2018

Are you feeling restless at work? Itching to have a positive impact on your association and industry? Worried your online learning programs might be losing their edge? Maybe you look at entrepreneurs and think, “Now, that’s the life. The drive, the passion, why can’t I have that?” Here’s the thing: you can. You don’t have to leave your job for the wild risky ride of entrepreneurship.

Education 172

Education Team Innovation Case Study 172

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Jamie Notter

JANUARY 30, 2018

I’m not in the digital transformation business, though I know many consultants and client organizations who are in the middle of it. And Maddie, of course, is a digital strategist, so I’ve got an inside track to someone who knows the business and has done the work. Maybe that gives me just enough information to be dangerous, but I have to say, I get the feeling that the people who are deeply immersed in digital transformation seem to be missing something hugely important: The digital part will b

Project 129

Project Course Process Organization 129

Higher Logic

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

In recent years, digital marketing strategies like search engine optimization, paid advertising, social media marketing, and blogging, have replaced traditional marketing tactics as the preferred methods for promoting products and attracting potential customers. Inbound marketing encompasses these "new" strategies, with a focus on bringing interested potential buyers to your website and product.

Marketing 189

Marketing Strategy Social Media Content 189

Eric Lanke

JANUARY 29, 2018

A few weeks ago, in Letting the Future Guide the Present , I provided some background for a Scenario Planning exercise my Board chair and I decided to conduct at our upcoming Board meeting. In case you're not familiar with the term, Scenario Planning is based on the premise that the future does not yet exist. Many strategic planning techniques rely on the group being precisely right about the future they will face and, unfortunately, often result in exactly the opposite: being absolutely wrong.

Analysis 100

Analysis Survey Industry Process 100

YourMembership

JANUARY 31, 2018

With more than 700 learning management system (LMS) solutions in the marketplace, choosing the right one can be downright intimidating. How does one even begin to understand which LMS best meets the needs of your organization? What bells and whistles are critical to developing, maintaining and growing a successful learning program? While this undoubtedly varies.

LMS 105

LMS Learning Management System System Organization 105

Reid All About it

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

The weekly list of free educational events for the association community… Amanda Kaiser (aka Smooth The Path) and Dynamic Benchmarking just published the New Member Engagement Study. This report explains why every association should have a new member onboarding or orientation program, what you should expect from your program, how to launch the best program, and how to improve your existing program.

Chicago 93

Chicago Nashville DC eBook 93

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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.

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Smooth The Path

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

To be honest, giving leaders our compassion is not something I have thought much about. One look at today’s headlines makes it super easy to vilify big corporate CEOs and big government politicians. Some words, however, from digital thought-leader Kevin Kelly , made me pause. During a podcast he talked about how the web companies like Facebook and Google have recently become so big and powerful they sometimes function as a government entity.

Innovation 95

Innovation Technology Leadership 95

GrowthZone

JANUARY 30, 2018

GrowthZone recently surveyed 1,000 association professionals, asking about everything from renewal stats and member communication tactics to staff health insurance coverage and mobile payments… plus a whole lot more. Download the 2018 Association Industry Trends Survey Report. to see what your association peers said. But, there was one question that opened a Pandora’s box of responses: What do you wish your board realized?

Survey 90

Survey Report Industry Team 90

Velvet Chainsaw

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

We’re lonely. And not just a little lonely. We’re experiencing a global epidemic level of loneliness. Last week, the U.K. appointed Tracey Crouch as the Minister of Loneliness after the British parliament released a five year study on loneliness that found more than 9 million people in the country reported they often or always feel lonely. Across the globe, loneliness is fast becoming one of our most serious health epidemics and is a greater predictor of early death than obesity, smoking and exc

Conference 96

Conference Social Media System Communications 96

Association Adviser

JANUARY 30, 2018

For which of the following event security contingencies does your association have a plan? This poll is open till 01-03-2018 -. remaining only 1 month. Natural disaster. Active shooter. Bomb threat. Cyber attack. Attendee disruption. Disease outbreak. Vehicular attack. General injury or death. Natural disaster. -. 0. Active shooter. -. 0. Bomb threat. -. 0.

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84

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Association Success

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Moving AI beyond prediction and towards prescription. When we think of artificial intelligence, our first thoughts tend toward Hal in Stanley Kubrick’s classic 2001: A Space Odyssey. But we should probably think more along the lines of predictive algorithms that help us understand who will leave or stay with our association. Over the years, association management professionals have used a number of methods to understand why members stay or leave, but getting to the point where, out of 30,000 ind

Sample 82

Sample Survey Analysis Price 82

Effective Database

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Back in the day (I mean WAY back), the standard practice when switching from one database system to another was to run both systems in parallel. That is, you continue to run the legacy system even as the new system is brought online. Typically this meant double data entry (i.e., the same data had to be entered in both systems). Not only was it incredibly time consuming, but it was also rife with opportunity for error.

System 56

System Cost Technology 56

Membersuite

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Event email marketing is a special science that requires the perfect combination of organizing, saying, and doing.

Email Marketing 61

Email Marketing Marketing Tips Organization 61

Association Adviser

JANUARY 29, 2018

Part 3 of our 2017 Association Communications Benchmarking Study series. Our annual Association Communications Benchmarking Study revealed that nearly 50 percent of survey respondents say they have a single strategy for communicating with all members: Why is this bad? Chances are your members interact with your association in more than one way. They attend events, open your emails, visit your website, follow you on social media, watch your videos, and participate in meetings at a frequency and l

Communications 84

Communications Content Survey Social Media 84

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.

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Association Success

JANUARY 30, 2018

Talking to potential members shouldn’t be a sales conversation. Recently I attended a networking event for a national women’s organization. I enjoyed the people and inquired about membership. When I didn’t get a response I did something most people wouldn’t do: I called their headquarters and found myself speaking with a membership representative. A real horror story: The rep who took my call didn’t ask me any questions about what I was looking for.

How To 66

How To Discount Committee Recruitment 66

SilkStart

JANUARY 31, 2018

In the world of cloud computing, the possibilities for efficiency sometimes seem endless and web-based apps like Association Management Software (AMS) are evolving faster than ever. Need to jump on a voice/video call with a teammate halfway around the world? No problem. With applications like Slack , it’s only a click away. But there’s a catch. Without the proper implementation and will to use these tools effectively, your efforts can fall short.

Software 49

Software Tools Revenue Team 49

Beth Kanter

JANUARY 31, 2018

Image Source: 7able. On Feb. 13th, I’ll be doing a FREE Webinar for nonprofits hosted by Salesforce Foundation on “ Combatting Digital Distraction and Technology Wellness in the Nonprofit Workplace.” Come join me. . Ever hear of something called “ Nomophobia ? The word itself is an abbreviation for ‘no-mobile-phone-phobia’ and refers to the anxiety you feel when you don’t have your mobile phone handy or have a signal.

Products 51

Products Tips Social Media Technology 51

Association Adviser

JANUARY 31, 2018

Innovation has been a common buzzword for the past few years – and not just in the association world. There’s been a lot of talk about how organizations can create a culture that drives innovation, how great leaders can spur innovation and how associations need to innovate to survive. We all now know that innovation can come from anyone, anywhere. New ideas should absolutely be encouraged at all levels of your association, from staff to the board to new members.

Innovation 79

Innovation Committee Survey Process 79

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Association Success

JANUARY 29, 2018

At the Ohio Society of CPAs, we’ve embraced the educational revolution. In our careers, we are learning every day. The promise of new knowledge and challenges helps us get out of bed in the morning and make it to the office raring to go. No one wants a stagnant workplace, where their skills are taken for granted and each day feels the same as the last.

Ohio 62

Ohio Education Products Video 62

Slice-Works

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Content curation is your hi-impact social media task #4. Along with content strategy , engagement and content creation , it is an important step towards online success. Good content curation will develop your competitive edge, establish your authority, and get you more followers. But where do you look for content and how to you find the best stuff? How do you find the time to look for good content?

Social Media 28

Social Media Content Newsletter Strategy 28

Beth Kanter

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Earlier this week, I had the honor of kicking off the first day of a week of workshops for 50 women’s right leaders from the United States through a program called “ Tech2EmpowerUSA.” The goal of the program is to connect these leaders with technology experts to create a connected movement. All week, these women had the opportunity to visit a different technology company and get training on a variety of topics.

United States 47

United States Social Media Technology Strategy 47

Association Adviser

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

If you head up marketing for your association or organization’s programming, services or products, knowing who does what in any given marketing situation can be a balancing act as roles and people shift. If your organization is constantly expanding its offerings, team organization can be a juggling act to logically recalibrate your team so that all available skill sets are effectively covering your marketing activities.

Team 74

Team Marketing Analysis Social Media 74

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Smooth The Path

JANUARY 30, 2018

I would love to meet you. I really would! You have been hanging in there reading post after post after post so we must be similarly motivated. We want to provide an amazing member experience. We want to make our professions, our industries, our communities better places. We want to solve business problems for our associations. Right!? It would be so great to catch up in the real world!

Minneapolis 68

Minneapolis Minnesota Member Engagement California 68

Association Adviser

JANUARY 30, 2018

Last month, we asked readers in what area they plan to make the most innovative changes in 2018. The results are in: As in 2017 , membership remains the top priority for associations to evolve and improve. Fifty-seven percent of respondents named this their top area for planned innovations. Slightly less than one-third (29 percent) said they would focus on marketing and communication changes while 14 percent plan to focus most of their association’s changes on the technology it deploys.

Innovation 74

Innovation Georgia Newsletter Resources 74

Association Adviser

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

If you head up marketing for your association or organization’s programming, services or products, knowing who does what in any given marketing situation can be a balancing act as roles and people shift. If your organization is constantly expanding its offerings, team organization can be a juggling act to logically recalibrate your team so that all available skill sets are effectively covering your marketing activities.

Team 68

Team Marketing Analysis Social Media 68