Growth

“Leverage the strength that you have: that no one else can be you.” – Todd Wheatland When it comes to association marketing, differentiation is key. Identifying what makes your brand unique is critical to a successful strategy. The GrowthZone Marketing Toolkit is a collection of three critical resources developed specifically for association professionals. It includes: Marketing Plan Basics: A practical guide for writing your association’s marketing plan. Member Surveys: The 3-step process for gathering actionable data from your members. How to Conduct a […]

The next era of the association world is dependent on recruitment, engagement, and renewals of young professionals. This article covers two aspects of membership certain to appeal to this generation. Access to Exclusive Information The ability to quickly access exclusive content such as legislative policy updates, original research, and proprietary content is an excellent selling point. Training and Education Associations should plan to regularly host workshops, online training, and peer-to-peer learning designed to help members develop professionally. Young professionals are […]

For associations and chambers, goal setting isn’t always easy. And achieving goals is even trickier. In the current environment, knowing where to even begin goal-setting can be absolutely mind-boggling. By taking it one step at a time, the goal-setting process for member-based organizations can go from overwhelming to very manageable. There are broad goals and short-term goals. Often, a broad goal can be achieved with a series of short-term goals. The key to association success is to set a solid […]

By now your association should be up-to-speed on General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It applies organizations located in the European Union (EU) or organizations that collect data from members in the EU. Not only is this regulation poised to protect data, but it will set a new standard by challenging many companies to remove antiquated systems and upgrade business processes. The new law also dictates how to report data breaches and how to transfer data across borders safely. See how your […]

Association networking events are critical to increasing member engagement and demonstrating value. Give your members the tools to maximize the time and energy they put into event attendance. Part two of our two-part series on successful member networking explores post-event tactics to maximize the opportunity. Share these post-event tactics with your members: Add each new contact to your LinkedIn network. Follow up with a quick email or phone call within 24-48 hours. Schedule this on your calendar. Seriously, set aside the […]

Member networking events. Some people look forward to them, others secretly groan when they show up on the schedule. The key to making your association’s events successful is to make them valuable to your members. The long and short of it is: if members are going to attend, give them the tools to make them count. Get free networking resources to share with members. Part one of our two-part series on successful member networking explores strategies for members to put together […]

An Annual Report isn’t just for your association’s Board of Directors.; it’s a valuable tool you can use to highlight your association’s successes and leverage to develop partnerships with sponsors. Here are six steps for writing an effective association annual report: Define the Audience As you create your annual report, keep in mind who will be reading the report: your board – make them feel appreciated; your members – show them the importance of belonging; prospective members – show them […]

 Part 5 of the 5-Part Series: Why Member Engagement No Longer Means Face-to-Face Tactic #5: Inbound Marketing That Captures Prospects’ Attention In the olden days of marketing, way back in the 20th century, marketing was comprised primarily of outbound – interruptive campaigns. Marketers created campaigns that were specifically designed to interrupt you from what you were doing so they could get you to listen to them. They would leverage direct mail or advertising to deliver their message to a targeted audience. […]

Sometimes it’s better to be losing. A study by Jonah Berger of 18,000 NBA games shows that teams losing by a point at halftime were actually more likely to win than teams ahead by one point. Statistically, LeBron James is 8% better when his team is down late in the game. Why? Because being behind can be motivating. Teams, and people, work harder when they’re losing by a little. The father of Human Performance Technology, Thomas Gilbert, believed that “it […]

“Millennials want a brand that motivates, guides, and connects them through experiences.” – Brent James of Concept 21, a footwear industry leader What business is designed, at its very core, to motivate, guide, and provide experiences? An association. The Perks of Association Membership for Young Professionals is an unbranded, free flyer for associations to use for member recruitment. It includes 12 benefits and their descriptions that are intrinsic to associations of all types and sizes. We’ve included 4 of them […]

Word-of-mouth is so powerful because “we trust each other so much more than we trust businesses.” – Jay Baer WHAT Word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM) is an unpaid form of promotion in which satisfied customers tell other people how much they like a business, product, or service. It is triggered when a customer (member) experiences something unexpected. WHY 83% of Americans have recommended a product or service to someone else. 55% of Americans make product or service recommendations to others at least […]

A job description is like an employer’s sales pitch to candidates – you’ve got to make them descriptive enough to get a candidate’s attention, and interesting enough to keep it. The economy is steadily improving and it’s increasingly a candidate’s job market. The following tips will help you write compelling job descriptions that help your openings rise above the competition. Get more advice on staffing, read The Secret to Hiring for Culture Fit. Lose the Buzzwords Terms like “rock star” and […]