Association Volunteer: Maximum Potential

Our organizations thrive because of volunteers.  It is their vision that leads and their efforts that drive.

Despite playing such a pivotal role, often organizations do not consider the full scope of voice and intent their volunteers could bring to the table.  Can we easily identify the delta between what a volunteer does in their agreed upon position and the larger role they play in the organization's structure and culture?  Without a clear picture of the comprehensive potential an organization would like volunteers to fulfill there can never be an intentional path created to help guide them to maximizing their impact.  Here are some of those potential areas for consideration:

1. Doing the job - This is what they actually raised their hand to do.  It is the logistical, roll-up-your-sleeves work that has to get done and what is built into the organization's governance structure.  It is the foundation of any volunteer effort since, if they are not doing what they said they were going to do, the organization's primary focus is going to be ensuring that somehow the job actually still gets done.

2. Looking ahead - As volunteers fulfill their role, it would be ideal if they could simultaneously evaluate their work to map out future improvements.  Are they fulfilling the 'why' behind the the position's existence?  Is there a different set of resources that could help the volunteer who will succeed them?  Looking even further ahead, is there a place where the specific position would evolve for a greater impact (i.e. the same job done by 3 separate groups could eventually combine efforts)?  Or, potentially, could the purpose of the position actually reach completion so that the volunteer role itself is closed out?

3. Know thy organization - Volunteer leaders, by nature of their position, are inherent spokespeople for the organization.  If someone has a question, they are often the ones asked and while they can not be expected to know EVERYTHING there is some base level of information/awareness that should exist.  Organizations that are intentional in what that level should be best prepare their volunteers to be their spokespeople.  What are the primary areas of focus and effort of the organization?  Where are there opportunities for member involvement?  Is there a PAC?  a foundation?  How an organization works to impact its members and impact the field are two sides of the value coin where a volunteer should be knowledgeable.  Setting up paths to gain that knowledge, and hopefully the passion for the work of the association that comes with it, is the responsibility of the organization.

4. Give. - Our volunteers already give so much - of their time, as they attend meetings and work on projects and committees.  They give of their money as they are often some of the top-purchasers of products and programs.  They give of their personal capital as they vouch for and market the association to their colleagues.  There are also other areas where the association would want their volunteers to give, where the amount they donate is less important than being able to say that support for these arms of the organization is in action and not just words.  Two examples could be when there is a PAC that tries to drive the success of the profession forward through advocacy, or when there is a foundation that is working to improve the profession through research or investing in the next generation of professionals. A balance of explicit expectations of how a volunteer is a leader for the organization during the time they serve with recognition for those volunteers that truly step up to lead in the maximum capacity sets the stage for volunteer examples that others can learn from and emulate.  If we don't recognize the leaders that we need others to also be, how will their actions ever translate into leadership lessons for future volunteers?

If our volunteers not only did what they signed up to do, but were thoughtful in how it could be done better going forward, while representing the organization in knowledge, word and action we would see association evolution driven by the professional in whole new ways.  Not every volunteer will necessarily do all these things, but if we never establish a system where we paint the picture of a fully engaged volunteer, the path of learning to gain the knowledge necessary to play that role and the recognition of those that step up to fill the shoes, then maximum volunteer potential will only be reached by happenstance.

What is the maximum potential you want to see in your volunteers?

The Power of Why

(In a fun cross-blogger collaboration with MemberViews, there is an ongoing series of posts with thoughts for emerging association professionals.  This is my contribution - enjoy!)

            I believe that the further we get in our careers, the more we discover that the questions we ask have the potential for learning and growth much more than the answers we receive.  Honing focus on our assignments, gaining organizational vision, insight into industry direction and determining our own personal career paths are each potential adventures of discovery – fueled by the question why.  Depending on how we utilize this three letter word, we can paint a self-portrait of an up and coming organizational leader, or a stubborn employee who isn’t a team player.  Here are five perspectives on the question why:

       1.  “Why are our resources aligned with these priorities?”  You have read the mission and the vision, you have reviewed the strategic plan.  The true value that an organization is trying to produce is often a deeper narrative than what resides in these pieces – and how an organization assigns its staff and finances can tell the backstory to how it is trying to achieve its goals.  Asking for better understanding into the formula behind organizational success can demonstrate that you are looking to be a key contributor to that success.  In addition, these insights can show opportunities for cross-silo collaboration and cooperation, building bridges and help you produce stronger results.

“      2. Why do I have to do this?”  When we know how the work that we have on our plate impacts the success of our organization we often find greater feelings of achievement/accomplishment.  With that said, there are also times that we have to do what logistically needs to get done.  This question can be a double edged sword – asked in the right context it shows intent to be a key organizational contributor, asked in another light it can be taken as petulant.  Navigating the delicate balance is essential to demonstrating that you can get the job done with the right attitude.

        3. “Why do I have this job?”  A question for personal reflection, it is important to take stock and align how your current position reflects that career path you are pursuing.  What are you looking to learn at this job?  What successes will be milestones that will show future employers what you bring to the table?  How is your current position not just a job, but an intentional step in your successful career path?

        4. “Why are certain topics trending in industry discussions/publications/conferences/online forums?”  Knowing the path you want to take in your career means knowing where your industry is going.  What publications do you read?  What blogs make you think, question and push your own pre-conceived concepts?  Keeping abreast of industry issues, problems and opportunities coming down the line will never be part of a job description, but should be part of our personal resolution.  Discovering our personal professional paths in an intentional fashion means also exploring the professional universe where we will have our journey – so start drawing your map!

       5.  “Why do I rock?”  What are your strengths?  How do you keep those strengths in your mind as a toolbox and intentionally bring them to the table with every assignment you have?  What tools do you want to develop to add to your repertoire?  We each need to know what we bring to the table, both so we can use those strengths for awesome results and so we can build teams around us to help balance our areas for growth with others strengths. 

Welcoming New Members

Members often join for a single reason – perhaps it is a conference, or signing up for a course or certification, or wanting to join a local component.  Whatever the reason may be, this single point of entry is the typical ‘organization perspective’ they have when they come through the door.  Of course, our organizations offer much more than just one point of value – we strive to create many opportunities for further development, networking, growth and professional success all leading to the greater success of the field.  Yet, what do we do most of the time?  After the member joins they are automatically added into the marketing stream and receive email after email with further upsell, treating them as a customer first and a member second.  If we want to see a rise in membership engagement, in awareness of everything that is available to a member we must reverse this prioritization.  This starts with how we welcome members.

Negotiation:

For the welcome stream to be effective, it is important to prioritize what communications members receive shortly after joining.  This is a unique time when they haven’t yet start to receive the range of communications that the organization emails and when there is a higher likelihood of getting their attention.  It is often beneficial to have a strategic discussion with the marketing arm of the organization on the possibility of implementing a marketing ‘freeze’ for the first XX weeks after a member joins (XX determined by how long your introduction period is – probably at least 4 weeks, and not more than 8).  Exceptions should be factored in such as:

1.      Regular newsletters/e-journals/e-publications that are member benefits and not sales.

2.       Hubs of member activity – such as an annual conference.  Limited marketing for these events that are the not-to-miss programs of the year may still be worthwhile.

Lining Up the Players:

As you open your spreadsheet, or draw your welcome calendar with open slots, there are a number of questions to answer before you slot anything in:

1.        What are the key areas of value for your organization?

2.       How can you provide a taste/example of that value for someone who has never experienced it before – that is more than just descriptive copy?

3.       Are any of these pieces more foundational, and as such should come earlier in a welcome stream rather than later?

Once you have the answers to these questions, it then drives down to slotting them into a logical stream.  Here are some generic examples of what may be included:

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Welcome Letter w/ Membership Card – The first touch, identifying their new status upgrade from customer to an investor in your organization, and as such, in their career – a member. 

o   Call to Action: Login, fill out the rest of your demographic information so we can tailor the association opportunities to your path

o   +1 idea: Can they access their membership card at any time on your site, to print it out?  While the importance of having a ‘paper’ card continues to be debated, having this as a simple, .pdf option is no cost to the organization once it is initially created and allows the member to remember that they ‘belong’ at any time

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Personal Greeting from CEO/President – A letter in a personal tone from an organizational leader.  This is a good opportunity to do a brief history/vision/state of the union of the organization in a narrative form.

o   Call to Action: Have a strategy summary page where members can take a quick glance at current organization initiatives, linking to the full strategic plan for those that are interested.  This is a great chance to connect those that are interested to where the organization is going and why!

o   +1 idea: Feedback link/email.  If the leader who signs the greeting is willing, include a link or email where any questions or feedback can be sent from the new member.  While replies may not always come from the CEO/President, proactively seeking inquiries and thoughts from day 1 of membership can help with long term retention and overall process improvement.

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Journal/Publication – Is a key benefit of belonging exclusive access to a journal or publication?   If so create a directed invitation to experience this live.

o   Call to Action: Have a ‘highlights from the current issue’ communication that has an embedded link where the member can go read any of the articles.

o   +1 idea: Do your members also have access to past editions of the publication?  Why not prompt them to explore that valuable resource with some content-curation.   Share excerpts with your top 5 most-read articles from the previous year, with links where to find the full content.  This gives new members an easy taste of the best-of-the-best.

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Website Orientation - If you were a new member, would you be able to easily navigate your website to find the high value points?  Do you have 3-5 specific places which you would like to showcase to new members? Run a live tour of your website for new members.

o   Call to Action: Run a monthly ‘webinar’ where you can screen share and walk new members through your website with high impact points for them to remember.

o   +1 idea: Record a top run through of the presentation and offer it as recorded content for those who can not attend the live version

o   +2 idea: Invite a different member of your Board of Directors to participate on each monthly call and let them welcome new members and take a few questions.  This personal touch and connection to the organization’s leadership can quickly build relationship bridges with the new member.

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Learning Opportunities – Do you house your learning opportunities in an online learning platform?   This time of orientation is your opportunity to both demonstrate the wealth of value for members contained in that platform as well as some quick tips on how to navigate its inner workings.

o   Call to action: A summary of what is on your online learning platform with a link on how to get started.  Quick steps to getting started can be helpful here.

o   +1 idea: If you have free pieces of learning you can offer, whether as a .pdf or interactive module, this will invite the new member to experience a taste of your content, that type of learning you offer and the pathway to discover more learning opportunities

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Community Connection – If you have smaller communities that connect professionals by geography, specific industry affiliation, topical interest, etc (also known as components), then you are faced with the opportunity of more targeted value for your members and the challenge of getting them to ‘join’ additional mini-societies.

o   Call to action: Have a letter of welcome go out to new members from the Chair of one of your communities, keeping the introductory copy similar but rotating the ‘sender.’  Within the letter have a link to a piece of recorded content that a community has produced and/or a sample website for one of your geographic communities to show the ‘why’ of getting involved.

o   +1 idea: If segmentation is not too difficult, include a specific invitation to the next chapter/virtual event targeted specifically to where the new member resides/demographic information.

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  Conference/Meeting – For many organizations, their annual meeting is a central hub of learning, networking and member growth.  Often the value is in the live experience – something that is only gained by attending.  Therefore, an introduction to that meeting has to give an impression of that experience.

o   Call to action: Compile a brief ‘highlight video’ of what happens at the conference.  Send a testimonial from a first time attendee on the impression they had, and link to the video.

o   +1 idea: As a bonus, link to a piece of recorded content (i.e. a keynote, general session, etc.) so that the new member also gets a taste of the learning that they will find.

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  Career Resources - Whether your professional is currently in the job hunt or is simply looking to explore their personal career path, an introduction to how you can help them with the next step, and the steps after that too is key.

o   Call to action: What are the top visited resources your members view/use?  Connect your new member with that resource as an example of what they can find in the career section of your site. 

o   +1 idea: Has your job board directly helped your members get that next position?  Capture a few of those stories, and weave that narrative into the introduction to your career center.

There are of course other organization hubs that you can build out here – certification focus, research, volunteering, etc.  What you include in the welcome stream should reflect the engagement priorities of the organization, and ideally should be tied to those points of greatest value. 

While the decision to join is often made because of a single point of value entry (attending the conference, taking a class, a certification, etc), the decision to renew is usually based on the value the member finds in belonging in that first year.  A robust, vibrant welcome stream is one of the strongest investments an organization can make in keeping its members.

Defining "Membership Growth"

In the past few weeks I have had a number of conversations with some good friends and colleagues where they used the phrase “membership growth” but in each case their definition differed.  Essential for any association, and almost always a key factor in their strategic plan, a clear understanding of what you mean by “membership growth” is needed to truly measure if the efforts you are making match the results you seek – so here are a few definitions that may apply to what you are trying to do:

Traditional Definitions

      New Member Count Increase – You have succeeded in attracting new members to your organization – congratulations!  Key to this growth is an understanding of WHY they joined – a particular product?  A connection with a component?  A fellow professional encouraging them to do so?  Their employer requiring membership?  Tracking the reason for joining will let you hone your recruitment techniques to connect with the right professionals in the right way.

        Specific Segment Count Increase – In my world this has recently been that our count of global members has grown as opposed to domestic.  Depending on the focus of your organization, these could be segmented by geography, experience in industry (student, young professional, retired, etc), investment in organization (prospect, customer, custom member, full member), etc. 

       Increase in Renewal Numbers – Your organization is retaining a higher percentage of members, resulting in month over month/year over year longer affiliation with your organization.   Particularly when calculating the lifetime value of a member, the longer their affiliation the bigger bottom line return your association will see.

    

        Total Member Count Increase – Most often the addition of numbers 1+3 above – and also most often the bottom line the Board wants to see.  This is an increase in the total count of members affiliated with your organization.

Less Traditional Definitions

       Member Engagement – Are more members taking advantage of the value engagement opportunities that you present?  Are they getting more involved?  Is there an increase in conference attendance, resource utilization and feedback on your current offerings?  Perhaps an increase in member engagement means greater dialogue – members commenting of private and public social media platforms, participating in surveys and research or achieving your certifications.  Any of these factors could be considered membership growth.

     Volunteer Participation – Though I have only heard it used this way once or twice, an increase in the number of volunteers and/or growth in the tasks they accomplish may indicate a growth in membership as well.  Particularly for organizations where there is a strong reliance on volunteer efforts for membership drives and localized value and programming, this may be a key factor in the expansion of the association.

If your organization has a definition of membership growth I have missed, please add it to the comments below.

At different moments, with varying stakeholders, the definition you intend for my ‘membership growth’ may not be the same one that others are picturing.  While in general ‘membership growth’ is a yay factor, it is key to know what you are celebrating!

Satisfaction vs. Happiness

Surveys fill and often overfill our lives.  As we look to improve the services and resources that we offer our members, and in turn increase their engagement with our organizations, we too turn to these tools to evaluate how we are doing and what changes we need to make.  Of any of these, few are as uniform as our member satisfaction surveys.  They can include the basic “Is your membership fitting your needs” to a long listing of individual products that are touched by member pricing and benefits and evaluation therein.  Thinking about these surveys I wonder…

Is satisfaction the same as happiness?

When we ask our members and customers about our products, satisfaction seems to be the right gauge.  They made a purchase, used one of our products – did it meet their expectations?  Would they recommend it?   What modification would they like to see?  Next to tracking purchase/usage this can be one of the most effective tools we have to measure how effective each product is.

Membership is an animal of a different color.  Though sold on a website, membership is not a product as much as it is a relationship between the member, the organization and the community.  I find it hard to believe when a member is thinking about renewing that their ultimate decision is based on whether or not they were ‘satisfied’ with their membership.  To me, that sounds like – did you have enough line items in your list of benefits?

The value of membership comes down to relationships and engagement.  Did they participate?  Did they take action?  In short, did they feel like they ‘belonged’ and grew from that belonging? 

Following this philosophy, the question of membership renewal becomes less cerebral and more emotional.  While a satisfied member may renew, a happy member will.

Generating happiness is harder in some ways – we essentially have to say, how is what we are creating AWESOME?  How do we ensure that our tools and resources evolve from independent silos to connected experiences that leave our members smiling?  That they walk away on such a high that they can’t wait for their next taste, and with their happiness they want to pay it forward and get others involved? 

If we incorporate easy and logical into access, interweave community sharing and connection into usage and recognition and reward into completion, everything from conferences to certifications will become happiness generators.  And if our members find a place where their money buys them both the knowledge and network access they need combined with an emotional high, the question of membership renewal will be much easier to answer with a positive response.

Get Rid of the Volunteer Cliff

Associations need volunteers.  We rely on our volunteers for strategic insight, strategy and direction.  Our volunteers become our subject matter experts, serving as guides and gurus for one another under the association framework.  Through our volunteers we benefit from local or specialized groups and programming.  For every organization there is a path of growth and recognition, however formal, that a volunteer travels.  Their journey may start from handing out name badges, and in a number of years they may end up on the Board of Directors.   These paths are neither constant nor pre-established, but they exist and we rely on them to drive our organizations forward just as much as we look to the bottom line on the financial returns to be ever growing.

The primary focus for most associations is to feed the pool of volunteers.  As organizations expand there is an ever enlarging demand to fulfill the number of responsibilities to make everything run.  Recruiting new volunteers, avoiding volunteer burnout, creating a volunteer acceleration curve – these are all primary foci of associations.  Yet, instead of creating a volunteer path I believe too often we create a volunteer cliff.

A volunteer has given to you organization – they have climbed the proverbial volunteer ladder and reached the pinnacle – be it the association BOD or their own local chapter presidency – I ask, what next?  Too often we make the assumption that there are lifetime diehards who are so committed to the association that without a next step they will find their own next step of involvement.  I believe this is taking for granted one of our most valuable resources.

We all know volunteers basically work a part time job in the time they commit to our organizations – for no pay.  If we can not help them realize what options they have to continue that volunteer growth, then we risk losing their knowledge, passion and enthusiasm for the very things that make our associations great.  So they have been Chair of the BOD – even Past Chair – what next?  Do you have a suggested path they should follow?  Options for how they can continue to contribute that are portrayed in a manner that does not seem to be a step backwards?

I believe this is one of our neglected groups of volunteers – the PVIPS (Post VIP’s) – they have had the limelight, influenced the direction of the organization – locally or globally – and have been ‘put out to pasture.’  If you do not have specific ways they can stay involved, then the assumption that they will is false.   Here are just a few options:

1.       Mentorship: for next gen leaders, for those entering the profession, for forming ‘clubs’ of past presidents, vp’s, treasurers, etc – how can these leaders take their hands-on knowledge and serve as mentors to those that come next and beyond

2.      

      Advisorships: Rather than mentoring a person, what if these leaders still had the option to submit feedback on the strategic direction and initiatives of the organization?  The BOD would have a knowledgeable source to rely upon for perspective.

3.      

      Implementation:  Neither the BOD nor the staff can do everything – and we should not expect them to do so.  After identifying strategic initiatives and creating task forces, etc – what if these leaders stepped into roles of direction and implementation – something nature to their past leadership experience

Of course there are more options – but in whatever path(s) you establish, to forget about your FIBS (Former Important Big Shots as used in my org – yes, they have ribbons) is to let go of one of your most valuable resources.  Our long standing volunteers deserve thanks, recognition, and assistance in understanding how they can continue to contribute and lead.  That path divination is in many ways up to us.

Great Marketing is NOT More Email

I am amazed daily at the number of emails that find their way into my inbox - reminders for events I never said I would attend, mock-personalized messages telling me what products/services/education I need though the sender has no clue who I am, 4-5 pages of single-space copy with a call to action that is near impossible to find - and that is just before 9am.  In the age of twitter and pinterest, of free video calls and meetings, marketing has to shift from full-frontal blast to dialogue.  Focusing on three core-areas for most associations, here are a few ways we could really start to connect value in not only what we say to our customers, but in what they can share with one another - let's call them the three C's:

1. Conferences

A call for sessions, a brief description in the program-at-a-glance, evaluations after each class - gargle, rinse, repeat.  There is so much more we can do for our speakers, for our attendees, for the association:

- Once we know what sessions a conference will have, ask each speaker to write a paragraph or two sharing an insight of what they will teach with a few open ended questions
- Create a messaging calendar so that each week a different one of these messages appears on the association's blog/website/social media page.  Utilize a format when professionals can respond to the questions, and then to one another.  Ask the speaker to check this page periodically to respond to follow up questions that come from readers.
- In the online session guide/program-at-a-glance, hyperlink each session to its individual conversation as an expansion of a description of what the attendee will learn.

This approach gives the speaker a venue to hear what questions attendees have on their given topic, allows attendees to start forming a knowledge community that will be able to largely meet in person at your conference - and most importantly gives the association dynamic marketing that encourages those participating in the conversation to attend.  The best part?  Every part of this is professional-created - the association simply has to create the conversation structure and connections.

2. Certifications

Most association approved certifications follow a format of covering a number of core competencies/domains that summarize the foundation of the industry.  Most professionals who choose to become certified enter into the process with expertise in some domains, some familiarity with others, and perhaps only the most basic of understanding of the rest.  Review courses, education, study groups - associations and their components often find ways to help those that want to become certified learn the information that they need.  Many will pair certification-takers with study buddy's who will support each other through the test taking process until that happy day when the letter comes in the mail - you are certified!  Here is your certificate!  Here is your pin!  You get a new ribbon at conference!

And that is about it.  Just to be clear - you have a professional that has spent time, often months, bringing their own expertise to the forefront, closely tied to your organization, and becoming a better student and teacher all at once.  And once they pass - then what?  How are we leveraging these new knowledge experts to have them share that fresh-experience with those who will follow?   For their own journey, how do we ask them which were the areas where, in spite of passing, they could use more information and experience - and then connect them with those opportunities?

In those we are certifying for our profession, we are not only creating better professionals - but also potential knowledge-based advocates on the importance of getting certified, the journey to get there, and how the association invests in their journey before, during and after certification.  Empowering our members to be lifelong learners means reinforcing their achievements as a student, serving as a guide for their ongoing education, and most importantly providing opportunities for them to give back.  You want marketing for your certification, the prep-courses and everything that goes with it?  Get a professional to stand up to say, "I did this, I am better at what I do because of, and you should too.  Let me show you how."  

3. Component Leaders

Geographic chapters, industry specific councils, professional local sections - call them what you will but for many of your members the smaller, sub-set group that they belong to within your association is often where they get top value.  Our volunteer leaders in these communities can be our grass roots welcome wagon - a portal of entry for new professionals/members, a key connection point to the goals of the organization as a whole, and a scouting team for diamond-in-the-rough future leaders.  The potential is there for all of it - but it takes proactive positioning to maximize the power of local leadership.

- We want our component's strategy to be intertwined with that of the overall organization.  How are we sharing the vision of the association with our local leaders?  How are we facilitating the translation of that global vision to what part the local community contributes, and how that contribution is a win-win?  The association's strategy is usually written in consultation with association professionals who bring a background and expertise in association visioning that is a unique skill set.  Most of our components are solely volunteer led - meaning we expect professionals in the field of their unique industry to be able to create similar association-structured visions without having the skilled experts to assist.  Whether it is training sessions, guides and worksheets, webinars or consultations - we have to do more.

- Most members join your association with a single point of entry that defines their awareness - be it a conference, a chapter, the certification, etc.  How do you orient them to the rest of your value proposition, and the opportunities that await if they would only take the next step?  You local leader is a key answer to this question.  If they are knowledge keepers on the association as a whole - on what you provide and the value it holds, then in every conversation, in every program they can personally recommend further involvement for any member.  A passionate, association-aware volunteer is potentially our strongest marketing tool - but we have to invest in their understanding of what we do and what it can in turn do for their colleagues if we want them to tell the story.

- Marketing is not only messaging for today - but also is creating the thoughts of tomorrow.  There is no better way to do this than to nurture the skill and commitment of your future leaders as soon as possible.  Those that have a passion or skill for volunteering will find a place to fulfill that need - there is no shortage of opportunities.  How are you structuring your component connections so that they see the possible paths of volunteer leadership that exist for their visionaries?  By getting these volunteers in early, they will become lifelong marketing superstars for your organization - literally living the narrative of how your association helps a professional to be better at what they do.  Every time they tell that story, you will see membership rise, products sell, and new volunteers raise their hand.  It is a long term investment - but a worthwhile one.

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Emails are not going anywhere - neither are expectations that because we put it on our webpage or in a newsletter everyone should know about it.  That is where we were yesterday, and in some ways where we are today.  Tomorrow?  Marketing is about dialogue and relationship building.  It is less about choosing the right font and more about investing in the right spokespeople.  Our organizations are stronger because of those who vocally support and contribute to our mission and vision - if you have a professional screaming from the rooftops that your organization rocks - what better marketing could you desire?

What a Year Can Do

Though I did not realize it at the time, ASAE Annual Conference 2011 in St. Louis  was a turning point in my career.  I went in literally knowing no one.  One year later and life is very different.  I am a CAE.  I am an active volunteer.  I have found friends and colleagues in the association world.  And I can not wait for the conference in Dallas.

There have been some really great posts lately on how to get the most out of the ASAE Annual Conference – so I don’t really feel the need to repeat those key insights.  Instead, I found that Annual Conference was a beginning to a number of paths that I did not realize I was going to walk this year – and that is what I would like to share:

1.   Path to Learning – So I knew before I went to Annual last year that I wanted to get my CAE, and had been accepted to take the test.  I had NO idea how to exactly get there.  At conference I learned about review courses (I ended up taking the one with MSAE – never guessed I would be studying flashcards again!), study time lines, test taking strategies and met others also attempting the exam this past year.  It was at annual that I ended up meeting my eventual study buddy, and sure enough – 9 months later we both passed. 

2.     Path to Sharing – ASAE ’11 was where I first learned about the process of session proposals for additional conferences throughout the year.  With the encouragement of some new peers I submitted proposals that ended up with me in a Dr. Seuss hat at Great Ideas ’12.  Yes, my whole office has seen that ignite.  Yes, I am still referred to as ‘the rhyming association guy.’  And yes, it was SO much fun to do.   Annual definitely provides a chance to learn about presentation tips, techniques and opportunities during the year.

3.   Path to Volunteering – As association professionals, we know 6 words we can hear from members that can make a huge difference – “What can I do to help?”  Turning that around, and asking that of the ASAE staff has let me meet some amazing people, have thought provoking conversations, and most of all be able to give back to the profession that is my chosen career path and livelihood.  ASAE ’11 was where I first got the chance to start asking, and still do.

4.   Path to Giving – Having seen how much my professional life has been enriched by ASAE, it only felt right to start giving back to the organization that is giving me so much.  Over the past year I have become an ASAE Foundation donor, and though of course I would like to give more, I know that the contributions I have been able to make are going to great causes, research and initiatives.  If we don’t invest in our own profession, how can we hope to see more opportunities for professional recognition and success?

5.   Path to Community – Of everything I have gained, it is the colleagues – many of whom I am honored to call friends – that have made this past year amazing.  At events and meetings, or over meals and drinks, I have been able to learn so much from each of them, meet so many more from their connections – and feel like I have a community where if I have a question, I can ask and not only receive a dozen answers, but two dozen offers to help.  Starting these friendships at ASAE '11 truly was my biggest gain.

So I come back to ASAE Annual Conference this year from a different place.  This time I come feeling already part of the community.  I have times where I am going to be able to volunteer.  I know both what formal learning opportunities I want to engage in, and how to keep my eyes open for those moments of insight that can pass you by.  I get to walk the stage at an obscenely early hour to be recognized for my CAE.  Having gotten so much, I signed up this year to be a mentor/buddy/new friend to a first time attendee.  Though I am only going on my second year, I hope that I am able to share with them that, with an open mindset to learn, connect and get involved, ASAE Annual Conference can be a career and life changer.

 

Association Marketing: Do You Want to Get Rocked?

While I may not watch the Super Bowl each year for the commercials, I will admit it is hard to decide when to leave the tv to get more chili - during the game or the ads.  How is it that something that usually most of us find to be an annoyance in the middle of our shows, listening to music on the radio or waiting for a movie to start is something that we actually look forward to each year?  I think because we know that, for those few hours, the ads we are going to see are going to be awesome (and when they are not, you better believe we talk about that as well).

So we may not have a Super Bowl as a draw in the association world, but that doesn't mean we can't try to make our own marketing approaches memorable and something the customer comes back to again and again.  And for those who may say, associations do not have the budget of a large company producing a full blown commercial I would like to draw your attention to the ad for dollarshaveclub.com:

Simple, funny, engaging.  And the message is pretty clear.

In a world of best practices we often fall back to our most comfortable patterns - an email blast followed by a postcard followed by another email blast, maybe a 15-day online coupon, a scramble when the numbers aren't there, two more email blasts to compensate, etc.  It is hard to break away from common pattern, so I understand why this is the default where most associations turn - and for many they can bring about success, even if much of the time it is only incremental.  What if instead we did not think a 1-3% growth was good enough?  What kind of marketing would we need to do to really grab attention?  To speak openly to our members and professionals, and make our message less about us (whether us is the association or the product/service it is advertising) and more about them?

The ASAE Foundation announced a new innovation grant program at Great Ideas 2012 in Colorado Springs.  Though marketing is not my forte, I hope that a number of creative professionals in that area submit for one of the grants.  We need our best practices to turn from our usual practices into creative, ahead of the curve practices.  If we can continue to shift our marketing messages from sales and advertisement to personal product/opportunity connection, if our message become more about the individual professional and less about the association, if we can create ads that members HAVE to show their colleagues - I think we would not only see much higher returns, but expect them as well.

Who knows, maybe the interludes at ASAE Annual Conference one year soon will be amazing association ads that we will all tweet and buzz about....and though the goal may never be for an attendee to ever say "Oh, I can to the session to see the ads" it would still be pretty cool if they were that good.

You've Got to Know When to Hold 'Em

I was recently reading a great post on the Mizz Information blog (thanks Maggie!) on Why Having Staff be Facebook Emissaries is a Bad Idea when I came across this comment: "My advice?  Hold steady with your Facebook page."  Good advice - except do associations really excel at deciding to 'hold steady?'

Waiting May Not Easily Compute in the Association World

Evaluating the professional environment, assessing resources, opportunities and risks and deciding to wait for a period of time before making a change is an oft-found foundational business practice.  The real estate industry, the stock market - inaction has to be an acceptable action decision if profit and benefits are to be maximized.  For a number of reasons, I think this concept is harder for associations to digest.

1. Volunteer Leadership Position Terms - For many volunteers, especially board members, there is an inherent need to 'get something done' during their term in office.  While this drive is to be applauded and we certainly don't want leaders that take office solely for the title or line on their resume, the desire to 'do' can often conflict with logical arguments to pause and let plans in action run their course.

2. "Me too! Me too!" - Another association or two are piloting a program or approach shift.  Well, if they are doing it, don't we have to do it as well?  Maybe the association will also take a similar course, but to do so simply because someone else is without taking the time to evaluate if it is a good fit with your association is a mistake.

3. The ROI of Waiting - While choosing to hold back on an action should be a researched/informed decision, ultimately it is still difficult to prove the ROI of waiting.  Whether it comes to the explanation of financial statements at the end of the fiscal year or if it makes an annual review a more difficult conversation, the return on avoiding loss is a much more complicated discussion and explanation.

Inaction - a Calculated Decision 

When we are talking about choosing temporary inaction, there should be extra emphasis on the word 'choosing.'  Not taking action based on missed communication, ineffective time management or forgetting is not a calculated decision.  A decision to wait needs to be based on an action - a decision made after surveying the environment and resources at hand that leads to the conclusion that waiting will produce better results in the long term.  Here are just a few reasons why an association may decide to wait:

1. Prioritizing Resources - If there are only 2 million things that an association can do at a time, and do them all well, then there should be careful evaluation when project 2 million and one arises. Is it more important that any of the other agenda items, and if so what is going to be put on hold until there is more time?  Choosing to hold off on a lower-priority program rather than continually adding to-do's when resources are already maxxed out is a good decision.

2. Short Term Only Success - A new shiny model arises, and a number of other associations jump right into the mix.  There is a fine line with being behind the curve, and waiting to see how an experimental model is going to work out beyond the initial start period.  An example of this is the concept of free membership.  Could this be the way that the association world goes eventually?  Maybe.  Is it a viable choice now - yes, if you can demonstrate that the revenue loss from membership dues is found in non-dues income and a larger membership participation.  From what it sounds like at this moment, many organizations that have been trying this option have not found this success just yet - so while we may all need to look at alternate membership models, if an association chose to wait a little longer to implement this one, they would certainly have good reason to do so.

3. Lack of Volunteer Leadership Support - Ultimately, we are volunteer-led associations that exists for the professionals we serve.  If association staff move forward on major initiatives that are in conflict with what the majority of the volunteer leadership feels is the right way to go, that will damage the important relationship that exists between the two.  Hopefully, if staff feel that a certain program is to the benefit of the association and is needed for continual improvement and growth, they can work with those volunteer leaders to get a lay-leader voice and champion and eventual approval.  Choosing to wait to make sure that you have volunteer support for initiatives is one way to ensure an ongoing relationship of cooperation and respect.


Waiting may not be easy, but in the right situation it can be the best choice at hand.  We should not dismiss choosing to pause if it will benefit our associations in the long run - we should just be able to explain if and when we are going to hit play again.

Guest Appearances

Over the past few weeks I have played in the world of guest blogging, and thought I would share the post listings here:

1. The Beginning of Membership as We Dream It - On the Affiniscape Blog.  After reading The End of Membership as We Know It and discussing future membership model iterations, I think that there is a 'sweetspot' where associations have the chance to take a step back and explore what membership would be if there were no limitations.  Defining membership first from our imagination may help direct the paths we take to be ones we want and not just ones we need.

2. 5 Tips to Keep Your Association Website on the Curve in 2012 - On the AssociationTech Blog - As 2012 ramps up there are a number of articles that have come out describing steps to take to make sure that your website stays forward looking.  For many associations, our websites still struggle to be 2005 much less 2012 - here are 5 quick tips to use when evaluating if your association website is ready for today before moving to tomorrow.

3. Leader Tomorrow?  Work on these Skills Today - On the Millennial Chat Blog - Whether in your volunteer efforts or in the workplace, do you see expanding leadership positions in your future?  Here are just three suggestions of areas of concentration and development today that can help those future pursuits.

And though I have not yet posted, I am excited to participate with newly certified CAE Lauren Hefner on her new blog on the CAE experience - http://caeslambook.wordpress.com/ . With posts from those who have tried to become a CAE, those who have succeeded, and those who are in the process of studying/testing (that last one is me) - this blog has the potential to be a great resource for all association professionals who look to get their certification.

A new post will be back on association141 soon - see you then!

Don't Ask the Members, Talk to Them

In her latest blog post on Thanks for Playing, Elizabeth Engel asks how we have more interaction with our members - the best solution to the quandry of finding out how to better serve them.

First, let me be clear what I do NOT think the answer is - more surveys.  In an age when we can survey for free with a few clicks on the keyboard, we are asking for feedback way too often (you can see my previous post on that rant).  Surveys may give us a snapshot of a member opinions for that moment in time, but they become outdated the moment we receive the results.  What is worse is that we can not hear the tone, background, new ideas or suggestions that the member may use while taking the survey (as alluring as the 'anything else to add' box is).  Surveys serve their purpose - benchmarking and evaluating - but they are not what is going to let us know on an ongoing basis how to better serve our members.

Now that I got that off my chest - here is what I think we should be doing, and each of these suggestions fall under the same goal.  We have to stop asking our members what they want or need, and instead talk to them about it.  Through conversation and interaction, members will not only know that we are listening to them, but we will be able to build upon their ideas and even have them share with one another.  Here are three 'hows':

1. Use social media the way it was intended - to connect and not advertise.  Want to kill a LinkedIn discussion?  Post a marketing campaign to get people to register for your next conference.  Want people to stop following your association's twitter account?  Use it to promote educational products.  Seriously people, the point of social media is NOT marketing, and though that may be a happy by-product, we need to do a better job at respecting the medium where we are trying to connect with our professionals. 

What if months before our next conference, we crowd sourced sessions?  What if we did not stop at crowdsourcing for ranking, but let the session topics each be presented and discussed for their merits and pitfalls.  Before even putting their presentation together a speaker would have better feedback on what attendees are looking for, what they need to learn, and why they find the topic interesting.  Incorporate that into your next conference, and watch as each person who participated in one of the discussions feels part of the conference community months before showing up.

What if we showed some praise and virtual love to association volunteers - from board members to badge stuffers - giving them a social media shout out.  How much would we reenforce their commitment to the association?  How many new volunteers could we find through the discussions that would ensue about how awesome the member is and why? 

Private social networks, twitter, facebook, etc - they are all meant for back and forth between people.  Not between members and an association - but between people.  Are we engaging with our members as a person, and not as a faceless organization?  Is it an acronym who is posting a query, or a real person who cares about the answer and will continue talking?  If we are going to be there for our members, then we have to be there. 

2. Phone calls are in, email is out - How many emails do we get a day?  100? 300? More?  Let's be clear - cutting through the email clutter that is our inbox becomes more and more difficult.  Taking the time to craft a thoughtful answer is often a luxury many professionals no longer feel that they have - after all, while they work 20 minutes on one email another 100 emails poured into their box.

But if we can talk to them on the phone, it is a wholly different story.  A conversation on the phone at this point is unique - a chance to be heard with emotion and not an emoticon.  Even if it is after a member has decided to leave our association, a conversation about their experience is much more valuable than any exit survey, and between the two it is the former that will increase the likelihood that they will return someday.

While we may not have the full staff time we need to make all these calls, there are companies out there that have this expertise in the association community.  It is worth the money.  You want dollars and cents? How many renewed memberships, conference registrations, or certification courses would it take to cover $40/hour?  You want real value?  How many stories of a member expressing that they felt the association truly cared about them because they got a personal phone call welcoming them back and asking if they need anything would be too many?  And for those of us on staff, the next time we can call a member with a question instead of shooting off an email - we should really try to do so.

3. Go to them, instead of expecting them to come to us - I know this is going to be the least popular suggestion of all, but we need MUCH bigger travel budgets, and staff need to go to where the members are.  That means more visits to chapter events.  That means being in person for council strategy meetings.  That means going to join members for tours or social events.  It means face-to-face, honest conversation.  It means listening.  It means showing up. 

Yes, we have a unique opportunity at our conferences to interact with members in this way - an opportunity that we should try to take advantage of, but in reality often due not since we are working from 5am-11pm every conference day.  Going to where our members are show they we care enough to make the time to be there for them.  It shows we are willing to make the investment in their profession, in their career, in them.

And best of all, these conversations will give us better knowledge of what our professionals do, how they use the knowledge we try to provide for them, and what their own measures of success are better than any survey monkey poll.

None of these answers are revolutionary, and all take effort,  Yet, if we are going to be good at answering the question of how we can better serve our members, it should take effort.  We should need to be out there, listening, reacting and working with and not just for our members. 

Seriously, the time to start the conversation is now.

Challenge Accepted: Make the World a Better Place

Though I have been playing blog catch-up lately, when I came across Maddie Grant's great post/challenge on what steps each of us plan to take in 2012 to make the world a better place I could not resist responding. 

1. For the association world: Collaborate.  No, I am not talking about the ASAE social network platform (though it is a great place to connect with colleagues and get involved).  I am talking about associations working together to work together.  There are so many of us out there, and each association has the things it is REALLY good at, and those areas where we are constantly struggling (and pouring resources) to just tread water.  In 2012 I am going to identify those models I have that are the top 10% of what I see out there, and find corresponding associations that excel in other areas for the potential of collaboration.  If my association can help them with our model of success, and they can help us with theirs perhaps neither would waste so much time or resources in reinventing the wheel.

2. For the world world: Be polite.  It may sound very kindergarten, but I really believe that the power of 'please' and 'thank you' can win against a rude imperative any day.  It may not always be easy to accomplish this one in a frustrating situation, but if it was easy I guess it would not be something that takes an extra effort to do.  We want the world to be a more peaceful place?  The answer starts with the words I choose to use. 

3. For me: Pick Up Trash.  Ok, so the back story to this one is that I grew up in NJ near Six Flags Great Adventure.  I worked there for a summer or two (take it from me - you never want to run the Guess Your Age/Weight Booth) and Six Flags would give the staff 'bugs bucks' to spend on food/merchandise if they saw you setting an example.  One of the primary ways to earn bugs bucks - pick up trash instead of walking by it.  It has stuck to this day, and if I am about to walk over a piece of trash an internal pull tries to get me to pick it up and throw it away.  I guess I am going to start carrying hand sanitizer wherever I go, because in 2012 I am going to do my part.  The Earth doesn't need to wait for someone else to pick up the litter I walk over - I will make this world better by making it cleaner.

Not sure if these are really the deep, insightful ways that others have pledged to help the world in 2012 - but I think they at least have the right intention.

Happy New Year to all!