Member Orientation: A Personal Connection

If we are going to welcome our members, whether new or returning, that welcome has to be....well, welcoming.  This means that a form letter of greeting simply formatted with their name on top does not cut it.  Deirdre Reid posts on this (both part 1 and part 2 ) are right on target with how we should be approaching this important opportunity.

One of the main projects that I have on tap for 2012 is to start a monthly orientation webinar (one of the new approaches that Deirdre mentions).  After some dialogue on the topic on the ASAE Membership Listserve, I am sharing my outline below for what will be included, and hope that you will comment on what I am missing, anything that seems superfluous or boring, and if you are running one - what you have seen work.

Basic Premise: Members who are new to an association often are only aware of their subjective point of entry.  If they joined through certification, they may not be aware of conference opportunities.  If they joined through a chapter/component they may not be aware of virtual education opportunities.  If members are going to maximize the value inherent to their membership they do not need a listing of benefits as much as an orientation and welcome to all the aspects of the organization/community to which they now belong.

Once a month we are going to run a live webinar to give a tour of the landscape and opportunities that members have at any time.  While every new member will be directly invited to attend one of these webinars, it will also be offered to current members.  The broad appeal of this approach became apparent at the last annual conference when, upon hearing the premise of the webinars, a number of board members asked if they would be allowed to attend to refresh their knowledge on all the association has to offer.

General Welcome: Ideally, this would be an opportunity for interactive introductions.  While in a later phase 2 rollout I would love to integrate an optional video conferencing component to the webinar (think skype/google+ hangout), to start with there will be at least the following components:

        1.  All attendees will be encouraged to arrive a few minutes early for introductions.  While I am a strong believer that we need to deliver on the timing we promise and not run late, I have also found that many people are willing to come a little early with little negative impact.
      
        2. Anyone who will be presenting during the webinar will have their picture, name, title, contact info displayed on a rotating slide show before the webinar starts.  Being able to put a face with a name and more so a voice will hopefully encourage a personal connection between staff/board members and attendees
      
        3. Before they start each session of their great virtual learning sessions, attendees at the Higher Logic Learning Series use the open chat box to introduce themselves, adding a feeling of community between attendees rather than participating in isolation.  These introductions can encourage attendees to voice their questions along the way since they have already broken the silence barrier

Content Outline: Each department within the association (conferences, certification, education, publications, etc.) has been asked to construct a 3-5 minute orientation and tour of their subject area highlighting the value members can gain through greater interaction, portals for involvement, and simply how to navigate the website and private social media platform for maximum output.  These presentations are specifically NOT supposed to be sales pitches, or lists of discounts.  If at all possible departments have been asked to approach this project with a narrative framing - how can they tell the story of the vital nature of their work to the professional.

In addition, every month each department will have the option of having one of their team members lead their part of the tour.  Rotating around who is orienting members both ensures that all staff have the chance to share with members while allowing members to meet staff they may otherwise only see in a signature line.

Finally, this will be an opportunity for departments to also use lightening polls in a live context.  With a maximum of 2 or 3 integrated polls each month, during the webinar a department can ask a top question on their mind - What is the next webcast topic members would like to see?  What session should be at conference that would make it impossible to not attend?

Testimonials: Each month a different board member will be invited to attend the webinar and share, in brief, their own story of involvement and the value they have realized in their ongoing relationship with the association.  Q&A directly with a board member will also hopefully break down some of the hierarchy barriers  between new members and established leaders.  This is also a great chance for board members to be directly involved in a way that does not require a committee or budgetary decisions.

Community: Members may have joined, but if they do not feel like they belong they will never become part of the community.  A chunk of orientation will concentrate on how to join the conversation and meet colleagues through the micro-communities that make up the association family.  This includes how to navigate the private social media platform, where the association can be found on public social media platforms (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc), and an introduction and invitation to participate in any local chapter activities that may take place near the new member.  This is the perfect opportunity to encourage two immediate actions:

            1. If they see a local event that looks interesting, encourage the member to sign up right then and there.  After the webinar, check to see who signed up for the events and pass the information to the local chapter leader to make sure they personally greet them and help them feel welcome.
         
            2.  When reviewing the private social network platform take a minute break and encourage everyone to friend/connect someone else that is on the webinar.  They will make a new connection, have a chance to use the software and have a new colleague with whom they continue the conversation after the webinar.

Involvement: Perhaps the most important part - the call to action.  If the above sections are successful in sharing the value of membership, paths of activity and a welcoming community many participants will hopefully want to know how to get involved.  Minimally, this is where the association can share a top 5 next steps - free downloads of content, conversations to join, magazine articles to explore, etc.  Giving no-cost ways for members to immediately interact with the association will make it that much more likely that they will continue interacting going forward with both products and personal involvement.  Maximally, this is also where volunteer opportunities and sign-ups can be shared.  For this to ideally work there should be a range of possibilities, from content contribution to micro-volunteering options.

Q&A: What else do they want to know?  What questions did we answer that led to more questions?

Thank you and invitation to continue the conversation: At the conclusion it is important to acknowledge how vital their involvement is not only to the association but also to the profession.  For the main staff contacts, their pictures and information will be displayed once again with an invitation to connect with them immediately on social media, and at any time in the future.

And that's it for now - What is missing?  What else do you do?  Please comment below with feedback!

Associations Should Start Making Music Videos

(Disclaimer: Gloomy, rainy Mondays cause me to play spotify in the office all day.  This is post is a little tongue in cheek and serves as a chance to play some music that I like - most of the links are to songs.  So, if clicking, adjust volume as appropriate and enjoy the show)

Last week I was reading a great post by Jay Daughtry about what the association world can learn from Regis Philbin as he retired from television.  Jay's insights stuck in my mind throughout the weekend, along with Regis' voice.  I commented to Jay that one of the lessons we could learn from Regis was the power of voice recognition amongst our members - and as I continued to sound it out, I realize that is only the first of a number of goals associations could have for making an impression on their constituents...

1. The Voice - When associations talk about their members recognizing them, it is often a matter of having a unique and clear voice.  For Regis, it only takes hearing his distinctive voice to know who is behind whatever message is being expressed.  Regis is often impersonated because of this recognition - a recognition not tied to a brand or a product, but to the speaker.  Ultimately, this inherent connection is what associations are looking for when they talk about branding or becoming part of their members' vocabulary.  If upon reading a professional article or news item, attending a meeting or learning in a continuing education setting a professional automatically thinks in terms of their association, then innate branding, or 'the voice' has been established.

2. The Song - Of course, words and voice are just the beginning - they can lose meaning without context or a point of connection for a listener.  In our running metaphor, this would be taking the voice that is recognized, and letting it tell a story or sing a song to connect to listeners, who then become fans.  We all have songs that evoke memories and emotions.  From a good Monday morning wake up song (which for me lately has either been Foo Fighters or LMFAO ) to that song that tells a story that you want to know what happens (Tim McGraw excels at this) or a singer who can take another artist's song and give it a very different feeling (late great Johnny Cash stands out to me), each tune works because it elicits an emotional reaction.  If associations can not only be recognized for their voice, but with that voice produce a feeling of confidence and community in its members, that is an even greater success.  Perhaps this is done by focusing an association's messaging away from product sales and instead creating a narrative of the life of a professional.  Each member is a character in that story, intertwined with the offering/products/services/community that are discovered along the way.  What is more emotionally compelling than our own story?

3. The Video - And finally, what if we can provide a multi-sensory experience?  In a world of facebook, twitter, private social networks, google+ hangouts, skype and more - are we really still limiting our interactions to blast, one-way messaging?  What if we can tie the story we are telling to a member by including them as an active, and not passive character - essentially making them the author.  Engage in conversation with what they need, and what they would like to see.  Transform customer service from a general 1-800 number to a specific person assigned to each member, with a picture next to their contact information.  Change the narrative the association is singing into a music video - invoking sound, sight and thought can make a much deeper impression.  Some may do this for novelty, just to grab attention (OK GO is #1  at this whether on treadmills or being painted) while others use it to better engage you in their story (Lady Antebellum with a happy ending, Foo Fighters with a different one).  And then there are those that take on a life unto themselves and change paradigms (MJ - Thriller).  Whether trying to grab attention, create a compelling narrative or shift expectations, combining sight, sound and narrative is a recipe for maximizing communication involvement.

So should associations put marketing funds into a music video?  Probably not.  Should we start to shape our message to be memorable, personal and interactive?  Yes.  It's time to start being a little more fun.  It's time to be interesting.  It's time that associations start to rock out.  Maybe they won't win an astronaut trophy, but they can win over the commitment, enthusiasm and loyalty of their professionals.

The Annual Conference Time Warp

Those days XX'ed off in bright red on your calendar.  The furious writing in day boxes leading up to it in stark contrast to the empty slots following.  You can see it coming - your association's annual conference.  Other programs and initiatives come to a screeching halt as all hands come on deck to prepare for 3-5 days of sessions, shmoozing and seriously long hours of 5am-midnight.  And what happens to all those great annual plans we have been working to execute?  The local programming that needs assistance?  Volunteer guidance and diverse streams of marketing?  It goes into what I like to call the Annual Conference Time Warp.

Annual conferences are typically the star of an association's year.  For many they are a significant source of revenue, a hub of learning opportunities, and a group of professionals together in the same place who are looking for something that your association is offering.  In order to pull out all the stops to make these conferences as successful as they are each year, association staff know that in the weeks leading up to the gathering they will be pulling longer hours, take on responsibilities outside of their department and be in 'conference mode' 24/7 that last week.  Attendees get an amazing experience at their conference because of these efforts, and the positive reflections and participation help drive the association into the coming year.

But what about the 70--85% of members who do not attend the annual conference?  With the diverted staff priorities and efforts in the weeks leading up to (and recovery week after) the conference, are they really getting only 11 months of value for their annual membership? For many associations this is just fait accompli.

As we strive to become member-centric, part of our efforts have to focus on providing the same stellar experience all year long.  We can pre-set programs and messages to be in place before we get to conference crunch season.  We can avoid putting a moratorium on local chapter programs.  We can continue having dialogue and building relationships.  Not only can we, but we must.  Otherwise, every year we will have the same few weeks that just fall into the Annual Conference Time Warp.....

it's just a jump to the left -  

A Recipe for Association Success

I will admit it - watching Top Chef is a guilty pleasure of mine. I have been able to learn my amuse-bouche from my mise en place (at least enough to not embarrass myself too much). Living in the suburbs of Maryland, I have made it to Frederick to have brunch at Volt - Chef Bryan Voltaggio's restaurant that I could go back to again and again.

Relaxing at home, perusing the twitter stream I was stopped in my tracks by one of Chef Voltaggio's tweets:

"Interesting...Just served a table in my kitchen and overheard "foam is so in now" Menu changes coming VERY soon ;) "

First, I am impressed that as top chef of his kitchen, Chef Voltaggio makes it a point to not only read evaluation cards or surveys filled out after someone has eaten in his restaurant, but also interacts directly with his customers getting their thoughts and feedback. From my own experience, I believe it is just as important that we do the same in the association world. Yes, we need to survey to find out the needs and trends of our members - but we also need to take the next step and talk to them. Whether that is by visiting our components and conversing with program participants, running focus groups or providing a place for conversational feedback at our face to face meetings and conferences - we must be talking to our members if we want to hear what they need and want.

According to the diner, Chef Voltaggio is serving exactly what is popular right now (and I can attest that the foam is indeed delicious). Yet, upon hearing that he is providing what is 'in', Chef Voltaggio's immediate reaction was not a sense of satisfaction, but a sense of urgency. It is not enough to serve what is popular - for Chef Voltaggio if Volt is not ahead of the curve, it is behind the curve.

Reading Race for Relevance this summer, I believe our associations are in the same place. Yes, for a long time we have served what has been popular - and have really done it well. Are we looking at what's next? Not just in our offerings - but in our model. In order to provide the highest quality of service for our members, and to help them create the communities they need to succeed, we have to do more than become forward thinking - we have to become forward acting. Yes, not everything we try will work - but can we learn from our successes and setbacks to continue to grow and not stagnate? I think we can, and I think we must if we are going to best serve our members today and tomorrow.

When you look at your 2012 annuals plans - are your menu changes coming VERY soon?

[Sidenote: If you are in the DC area and have never been to Volt - put it on your to do list. Food is amazing, and the Sunday brunch deal is really reasonable!]