Association Peeps In Cubicles Drinking Coffee!

Our latest outreach and education effort is a new video blog that addresses issues of importance and hot topics in the association and nonprofit communities. We encourage you to check it out and hope you enjoy it!  Association Peeps in Cubicles Drinking Coffee

 

4 Things Your Members Expect from Your Association

Posted by Callie Walker, MemberClicks

People join associations for a number of reasons – professional development, networking opportunities, certifications and ongoing education, etc. But regardless of why they join, there are a few underlying expectations people have of your association – things they expect you to adhere to, regardless of size or industry.

First 100 Days of Membership

By: Amy Bean Napier

All we hear and see right now on the news (print, online and social media) is about President Trump’s first 100 days in office.  We hear versions of what has been accomplished from both sides (pro and con) and see statistical comparisons of Trump’s first 100 days vs. past presidents.   This non-stop news blasting now has me thinking about our new members and their first 100 days with the association.

President Trump’s first 100 days equals only approximately 1/14^th of his presidency term.  For most associations, memberships are billed annually so when a new member joins, they get 365 days of membership.   A new member’s first 100 days is basically 1/3 of their first year (term) as a member. 

Movin’ On Up – Part 2

By: Will Ferguson

In the first part of this post, we discussed how to create a new membership structure. Now it’s time to market your new membership program!

Movin’ On Up – Part 1

By: Will Ferguson

Have you been considering whether or not to develop a tiered membership model for your association but you’re not sure where to start? Leaving the safety of the way we’ve always done things can be very intimidating and confusing. One of our clients is currently making the leap and we’d like to share their story with you.

Ignite That Spark in Your Members

Ignite That Spark in Your Members: Resources For Using Technology to Engage Association Members

By: John Ricco, CAE

The Pareto Principal. You may not know exactly what it is, but you experience it all the time.  Better known as the 80/20 rule, the Pareto Principal suggests that 20 percent of your members probably do 80 percent of the work.  So how do you lighten the burden for the overextended 20% and at the same time create meaningful involvement for others? 

A Rock and Roll Guide to Organizational Awareness

By: John Ricco, CAE

If your members were asked to look 20 years into the future and pick a song to describe your organization, what tune would they pick?  Another One Bites the Dust? We Are the Champions?

The song they choose largely depends on how well your organization’s staff helps your leadership identify opportunities to meet today’s and tomorrow’s needs of your members. So how do you ensure your organization doesn’t go the way of one-hit wonders like Vanilla Ice, The Knack or Gnarls Barkley?

Give Thanks (and Not Just Once a Year)

By: Maureen Turner and Christina Welty

 Now that Halloween has come and gone, it’s time to get ready for Thanksgiving!  Many of our Facebook friends use the month of November to post daily with something they are thankful for.  We encourage you to take it a step further.  Branch out and give thanks throughout the year.  You can do this in your personal life, but let’s focus on your work life.

Tis the Season – to Renew Your Membership!

By: William Ferguson

With the hustle towards the holidays already in full swing, you’ve probably already started to feel the squeeze of too much to do and not enough time. Did you notice they’re already playing Christmas carols on the radio? Pretty soon, if not already, your local stores will have all the Christmas decorations out and you’ll begin to feel the pressure to decorate your house long before Thanksgiving is here. We’re on the mad slide to a brand new year and you know what that means (for a lot of us)? Membership renewals!

Choosing your Main Sales Model… We Choose Customer Service

By: Lisa Kamper

One of the most frustrating things to me today as a customer/consumer is when I call a company and an automated operator tells me to select one of the following options. Then when you do, it is usually the wrong option. Then you’re instructed to push the star key to return to the main menu only to start the entire process over again. Your only goal at that point is to speak to someone who can listen to your needs, help find a resolution to an issue,  even for something as simple as just paying a bill. Many companies today appear to be moving towards automated response models; they are looking at these systems to provide information, solve problems and even diagnose issues. The drive towards these types of systems is in reaction to the demand to cut costs.