Association Management

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  Principled Innovation LLC

• Prepare your association for 2010!

  jeffpi1@gmail.com or @pinnovation on twitter (Jeff De Cagna of Principled Innovation LLC, the association community's leading voice for innovation!)

  1 Nov 2009 | 6:56 pm

  On January 6, 2010, from 2 pm-3:30 pm EST, I am holding a Principled Innovation Briefing webinar on “Top 2010 Trends for Associations.”  You will find the event detail from the registration site below. P.I. Blog readers are invited to register at a 10% discount (until December 1, 2009) by using the link above.  This is going to be a great webinar, so I hope you’ll join me on January 6 and help prepare your association for 2010! EVENT DETAIL FOR JANUARY 6, 2010 P.I. BRIEFING WEBINAR 2009 has been a very tough year for associations and their leaders. 2010 can be better, but…

• P.I. Podcast: Interview with Tim Brown of IDEO

  jeffpi1@gmail.com or @pinnovation on twitter (Jeff De Cagna of Principled Innovation LLC, the association community's leading voice for innovation!)

  17 Oct 2009 | 6:31 pm

  “We need new choices.” I’m thinking this is the perfect mantra for association leaders as we approach 2010.  Associations face complex challenges, and the current options for tackling them don’t really inspire too much confidence in our ultimate success.  Not only do we need to think about our problems in new ways, but we literally need different strategies for solving them.  In other words, we need new choices. Tim Brown’s excellent new book, Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation, is all about how mindset and…

• What relevance isn’t

  jeffpi1@gmail.com or @pinnovation on twitter (Jeff De Cagna of Principled Innovation LLC, the association community's leading voice for innovation!)

  16 Oct 2009 | 4:26 am

  Last month, my friend and fellow blogger Jamie Notter wrote an excellent post on why relevance is not enough for associations.  In his post, Jamie graciously mentions my continuing pushback against the relevance-oriented thinking (ROT) that is still framing the way most leaders in our community approach crucial decisions about the future of their organizations.  We need to cultivate a fundamentally different leadership point of view, and this is what I think it should be: +Relevance isn’t a purpose–How will your association’s pursuit of relevance nurture an authentic…

• My Top Ten Favorite Things About #BIF5 Day One

  jeffpi1@gmail.com or @pinnovation on twitter (Jeff De Cagna of Principled Innovation LLC, the association community's leading voice for innovation!)

  7 Oct 2009 | 8:54 pm

  Sitting in my hotel room in Providence, I’ve been thinking about the first day of the BIF-5 Summit.  Wow, what a day!  I missed BIF-4, and in my two-year absence, I think I forgot about the incredible richness of this experience.  I’m inspired, and I’m thinking about even more new possibilities for my work. I’d like to share some of the experience, so here is my quick top ten list of favorite things from BIF-5 (#BIF5) Day One, with some help from my fellow Twitterers. (FYI, I’m @pinnovation) Thank you all for being so terrific. 10.  We talked openly about…

• Live tweeting at #BIF5

  jeffpi1@gmail.com or @pinnovation on twitter (Jeff De Cagna of Principled Innovation LLC, the association community's leading voice for innovation!)

  7 Oct 2009 | 5:22 am

  I’ll be live tweeting for the next two days at BIF-5 in Providence.  You can follow the hashtag on Twitter at #bif5…there will be many other people tweeting, blogging etc. so be prepared for lots of great stuff!

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  Get Me Jamie Notter

• Trust, Advertising, and Search

  Jamie

  2 Nov 2009 | 6:11 am

  Here's a quick follow-up piece to last week's interesting conversation about trust (and if you haven't read the comments on that post, check them out). Scott Brinker, a marketing guy, did a small survey about people's attitudes related to the paid search results in Google.You know what I'm talking about: when you do a google search you get a long list of possible sites to visit, but the ones on the very top and along the right are paid advertisements. They've guessed what you're going to search for and paid to be at the top of the list. In this screenshot I searched for "remodeling industry"…

• Starting with Trust

  Jamie

  26 Oct 2009 | 6:50 am

  I have yet to come across anyone who argues that trust is a bad thing. There are certainly times where we don't trust people, and we wouldn't just blindly trust them because we think trust is generically a good thing, but we would never argue against the inherent value of trust.But the universal acclaim that trust receives actually has a downside. Because everyone agrees it is a good thing, we tend to move it into the realm of simple declarations. We declare that there will be trust in our organizations. We put cool "trust" posters on the wall to remind ourselves of how our culture is built…

• Succession Planning is About Engagement

  Jamie

  19 Oct 2009 | 6:48 am

  On Friday I was in St. Louis doing a pre-conference session for an association client that covered a wide range of topics for their chapter leaders, including succession planning. My pet peeve with succession planning is that too many associations define it as a problem of filling the slots. We have to find people willing to serve on subcommittees and task forces, because we'll need a subset of those people to actually fill the committee slots, and it's from that pool that we will draw our Board members and then eventually our leadership. It's association leadership, final-four style. …

• Behavior During Recession Can Bite You in the Boom

  Jamie

  15 Oct 2009 | 9:14 am

  I like this blog post on SmartBlog Insights that gives an HR perspective on how to manage things differently during the  recession. Sometimes we get so stressed out about declining revenue and shortage of staff, that we forget that our employees have had no reason to lower their own expectations about being treated well and working for an organization they really love. Just because there aren't jobs for your people to run off to, doesn't mean it's okay for them to NOT love working for you. The three tips from the blog post were interesting:First, operate with integrity. Are you sharing the…

• From Complaining to Commitment

  Jamie

  13 Oct 2009 | 6:10 am

  A few weeks ago I wrote about the "discourse of complaining." While I am no fan of whining, I like that phrase because it reminds us that complaints actually are serious things--it is a way to identify the things you need less of or more of in order to be more productive, happy, fulfilled, successful, etc. As I mentioned, these ideas came from Robert Kegan and one of his students who taught a class for me during my Georgetown Organization Development program.The discourse of complaining is not enough on its own, though. The next step is to identify the underlying commitments or values you…

• 
  Ben Martin, CAE

• I just got a handful of Google Wave invites

  bkmcae@gmail.com (Ben Martin)

  23 Oct 2009 | 6:50 pm

  [You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.] Been using Google Wave in a limited way over the past few days since a friend sent me an invite. I need more friends to play with. If you’d like one of the invites, just shoot me an e-mail: b (at) BenMartinCAE dot com and I’ll hook you up (while supplies last, some restrictions apply, please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery, offer not valid in Puerto Rico or Guam).

• Kinda sexy, in a Judy Jetson way

  bkmcae@gmail.com (Ben Martin)

  19 Oct 2009 | 1:55 pm

  [You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.] Because checking your watch during a meeting isn’t quite as rude as checking your BlackBerry, the fine folks at RIM bring you the BlackBerry InPulse Smartwatch. Now, your Pavlonian teeth-grinding response to BlackBerry buzzes can be accompanied by repeated pulls at your cuff to glance at your “watch.” Me? I’m waiting for the BlackBerry ImPlant. Here’s a prototype photo of the control console.

• Association humor, thanks to FailBlog

  bkmcae@gmail.com (Ben Martin)

  13 Oct 2009 | 6:19 pm

  [You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.]

• Tourism/meeting humor

  bkmcae@gmail.com (Ben Martin)

  29 Sep 2009 | 7:17 pm

  [You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.] The body charged with attracting more visitors to the midwestern state will now be known as the Tourism Federation of Wisconsin (TFW), in an attempt to put a stop to the jokes. It seems that the federation was unaware of – or unconcerned by – the modern meaning of WTF until its acronym featured on a blog that compiles unfortunate corporate logos earlier this year. [sic] Read more: WTF? Wisconsin Tourism Federation changes name after internet jokes. I wonder if the Official Meeting Facilities Guide is next to change its…

• The Xer Meme: Have I sold out?

  bkmcae@gmail.com (Ben Martin)

  28 Sep 2009 | 7:49 pm

  [You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.] Back in college I discovered this amazing acoustic guitar duo that toured regionally. My friends and I would drive all over the place following them into small music halls, bars, and college music festivals. The year before I graduated they put together a band and got even better. I followed them closer, was active on the fan listserve, and even started a Web site for the fan listserve. Then, shortly after I graduated, the band released an album on a major label, and, well you know how this story will end… Everyone’s…

• 
  Thanks for Playing

• Friday Top 5

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:57 am

  So if you saw my tweet stream and/or Facebook this week, you saw I was looking for "heroic" songs for a playlist for something for NACHRI. Here are my top 5 favorite "hero" tunes in the playlist:Theme from Rocky (gimme a break - I'm from Philly)Nothing Else Matters (James Hetfield may be an ass, but Metallica ROCKS)Lift Every Voice and Sing (Mahalia Jackson version)Redemption Song (Bob Marley version)The Harvest SongDon't know that last one?Our hands will work for peace and justiceOur hands will work to heal the landGather round the harvest tableLet us feast and bless the land

• @SMW09

  5 Nov 2009 | 5:32 am

  Hey! I'm at the ASAE social media workshop today and tomorrow presenting on Twitter with the fabulous Leslie White. Follow what's going on in real time via the #SMW09 hashtag!

• What I'm Reading

  4 Nov 2009 | 7:49 am

  Super quick, as I get ready for #SMW09 tomorrow:Acronym encourages us to keep pushing, even when we've crested the hill. Shelly Alcorn calls for more executive transvestites. Guess what? Adding "and sexual orientation" to your non-discrimination policy is NOT enough.More smartness from Shelly, on D-List employees. Who do you need to fire? Don't lie and say "no one."Sharing = loss of privacy, but not sharing = you don't exist (online). Maybe we should give up on the idea of online privacy all together.11 Mistakes New Twitter Users Make (and How To Avoid Them). This is good prep reading if…

• More Google Awesomeness

  3 Nov 2009 | 11:46 am

  Those smarties at Google are at it again! You can now export your docs, if you, say, want to send an attachment rather than inviting someone into your Google Docs area. 'bout time! (I wanted to include a cool screen shot, but it was coming up all fuzzy. Damn.)And they're testing social search, which uses your public social network profiles to help display more relevant search results, at Google Labs.

• The Future of the Workplace

  2 Nov 2009 | 4:56 am

  Jeremy Epstein (of Never Stop Marketing) interviews Adriana Lukacs (of much cool stuff) on social media, disruptive technologies, collaboration, co-working, innovation, and the future of the workplace. (The vid is a little jerky, but stick with it anyway.)

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  Association Jam

• Facebook Fail : Off Stage

  judithlindenau

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:54 am

  I am sure getting tired of being asked to join Facebook fan and cause pages . I actually refuse to do it anymore: for the most part it seems to be an5 Vote(s)

• Are Nonprofits Flunking Email Marketing�101? - frogloop Home~Care2's blog for nonprofits - frogloop

  jmoonah

  6 Nov 2009 | 6:47 am

  A new survey of 38 top nonprofits by Care2 reveals that many of these well known organizations are essentially flunking "Email Marketing 101." 3 Vote(s)

• The Stupidest Article About Social Media Ever « The SiliconANGLE

  rjleaman

  5 Nov 2009 | 1:26 pm

  Kevin Nalty takes a poke at "social media experts" in this satirical post that lays bare an all-too-familiar formula... 6 Vote(s)

• AEM � Giving members a voice

  cballiance

  5 Nov 2009 | 12:54 pm

  As long as members receive the services they pay for, should they care who governs the organization, what committees exist, or how Bylaws are adopted3 Vote(s)

• Ten steps for building an internal social media team — SocialFish

  rjleaman

  5 Nov 2009 | 6:40 am

  Here are Maddie Grant's 10 steps for building an internal social media team who will be responsible for the listening (monitoring and response) proc4 Vote(s)

• 
  Association, Inc.

• Ah, Associations … We Are Ancient

  Association Inc. (Kevin Holland)

  30 Oct 2009 | 6:20 pm

  Preparing for trip and skimming through “A Traveller’s History of Paris” I stumbled across this passage: “Two booksellers, Fust and Schoffer, brought printed books to Paris in 1463. Fearful of competition from this new art, the powerful scribes and booksellers guilds had the books confiscated.”

• That Thing You Do

  Association Inc. (Kevin Holland)

  29 Oct 2009 | 12:34 pm

  The November issue of Associations Now includes a “Horizons” column I wrote wondering why completely different markets all just happen to need the same kinds of things, according to the associations that serve them. I don’t see the November issue online quite yet but through creative URL typing I was able to locate the article here. Thanks to Lisa Junker for the opportunity and, especially, the help! Update: The November issue is now online with a nifty new homepage design.

• More Forecasts

  Association Inc. (Kevin Holland)

  16 Oct 2009 | 7:12 am

  Judith Lindenau riffs on the little “predictions” from my last post with an eye toward what they may mean specifically for Realtor associations, to her usual straightforward and thought-provoking result.

• Your Ability to Predict the Future Does Not Improve with Experience

  Association Inc. (Kevin Holland)

  14 Oct 2009 | 6:34 pm

  Last week, I blurted forth a small series of tweets that, when stitched together, read as follows: “Assumptions we make today about 5 years from now are as wrong as assumptions we made 5 years ago about today. Your ability to predict the future doesn’t improve with experience, unless it teaches you that you can’t predict anything. Therefore, flexibility is a far more valuable skill than forecasting.” Well, um … that said, Association Trends asked if I would provide a few “predictions” for associations, and they are now online along with several others…

• Who Do I Want to Hear From?

  Association Inc. (Kevin Holland)

  8 Oct 2009 | 8:05 pm

  ASAE, bless ‘em, has been pestering me like crazy with emails lately — well, not me specifically, I imagine many of you are getting the same ones. They want me to vote on who will keynote their Great Ideas Conference. I’m not going to vote because I’m not going to go to the Great Ideas Conference. That’s no swipe against the GIC, I’ve attended a few in the past and found them to be very worthwhile, it’s just not at a very convenient time for me. This attempt to “crowdsource” the keynote selection is an admirable experiment, though I…

• 
  EDM Blog

• Ask the Expert - My Online Event with NTEN

  Wes Trochlil

  3 Nov 2009 | 5:52 am

  I’ll be speaking for NTEN on Tuesday, December 8, from 2pm to 3pm eastern (11am Pacific), on NTEN’s Ask the Expert program. Details here. The program is free to NTEN members. I hope to “see you” online.

• Some Job Openings in the Association Market

  Wes Trochlil

  29 Oct 2009 | 7:09 am

  Given the current economic climate, I thought I’d take this opportunity to list three positions that are open at past clients of mine. The American Association of Museums is seeking a director of Information Technology. For more information contact Katherine McNamee at kmcnamee@aam-us.org. The American Dental Education Association is seeking a TEMPORARY Membership/Database coordinator. For more information, contact Sean Carter at carters@adea.org. The Visiting Nurses Association is seeking a Membership and Events Director. For more information on the position click here. Contact…

• Hard Work is Overrated

  Wes Trochlil

  27 Oct 2009 | 7:19 am

  This post on the Fast Company blog got me to thinking about managing databases (surprise, surprise!). The blog post discusses the idea that “lollygagging” may be the best way to find breakthrough ideas. That is, NOT working may help the creative process. A similar things happens when it comes to managing our database versus actually using the data. Simply put, when we spend all of our time working on getting data in and out of the database, we don’t spend any time thinking about how we might use the data in the database more effectively. For example, I frequently discuss…

• Aptify Users Conference 2009

  Wes Trochlil

  22 Oct 2009 | 1:19 pm

  I had the opportunity to attend part of Aptify’s Users Conference this year, held last week in Washington, DC. I attended last year’s event (which was Aptify’s first second) in Chicago, and my primary criticism at that time was that the presentations were far too “vendor heavy” and didn’t provide enough of the customer’s perspective. (See here for more on that.) I’m happy to report that this year’s event was far more balanced in that regard. One session that I sat in on was  presented by two of Aptify’s clients (American Bankers…

• Finally: An “Ombudsman” at an AMS Vendor

  Wes Trochlil

  20 Oct 2009 | 7:04 am

  I wrote about the concept of a “client ombudsman” a couple of years ago (you can read it in its entirety here). What I said at the time was this: “Every AMS vendor should have a client ombudsman. The ombudsman’s job is to reach out to every single client on a regular basis, to get a sense of what the client is doing, how happy or unhappy they are with the AMS product, and what kinds of issues the vendor should be focusing on.” I was pleased to learn the other day that in the past year, Aptify has created such a position. Aptify calls it the “Director of…

• 
  mizz Information

• The Recession Isn't What's Wrong With Blogging

  Maggie

  4 Nov 2009 | 7:12 am

  I read this post yesterday and feel like I'm living in some kind of parallel universe since them. There are scads of comments but not one person seems to be concerned with the following passage:"I still remember that in 2008, I got a really incredible contract via my ad service company (I have a company that takes care of selling ads on my blog) with a large pharmaceutical company to write six posts for them to try educating readers on the benefits of their product. The deal was to net me $8,000 for those six articles and the only thing I had to do was to get the copy reviewed by the…

• The Other Side of Social Media Policies--Employee's Rights

  Maggie

  3 Nov 2009 | 11:40 am

  I'm always reading about employees being fired for stuff they say online or how you have to watch what you say if you want to keep your job or find a new one. But until today I'd never realized that it's actually employers who may have to watch how they react to things their employees share online.According to the Human Resource Executive Online, employees are actually covered by a number of different statutes that protect their rights to say whatever they want online. For example, employers in New York cannot take any adverse action against an employee based on that employee's engagement in…

• Social Media Salary Report: Ladies, It's Not Pretty

  Maggie

  30 Oct 2009 | 3:23 pm

  Those of you who frequent this blog know I'm obsessed with social media salaries--I post about the lack of social media salary and title data quite frequently. So you know I jumped at the chance to participate in Forum One Network's Online Community & Social Media Compensation survey for 2009 because by doing so I would get a copy of the results. Well, those results are out now. If you want to see the whole thing you'll have to purchase a copy; however, I can share these facts: (most of these I've taken directly from the product description; hopefully that's ok by Forum One Networks.)The gap…

• Report Finds Most DC-based Associations Still Cautious Towards Social Media

  Maggie

  27 Oct 2009 | 11:44 am

  I just read about a new report called "Social Media and Advocacy Analysis 2009: Social media and advocacy tools employed by America's leading trade associations, pressure groups and cause organizations," prepared by Marc Ross, Christine Stineman, and Chris Lisi of 2ndSix, Tribe Effect and Chris Lisi Communications. The report is a little confusing to me; basically they looked at what seem to be a totally random selection of 102 of "America's leading trade associations, issue advocacy groups and cause organizations" to rate each on the extent to which they were each using 14 different social…

• Forget Twentysomethings; Let Carol Brady Teach You Social Media

  Maggie

  25 Oct 2009 | 5:26 pm

  I thought I'd gotten it out of my system--my weariness about constantly reading/hearing about how "young" people are the only ones who can inherently "get" social media because they've grown up with it....but like a pesky stomach bug that seems to go away only to return with a vengeance, I had to stumble on this post and now I'm back in rant mode. Most annoying quotes from this piece:"In formal programs or informal sit-downs, companies are assigning junior staff members to serve as social media guides for their senior ones.""Many organizations eager to strengthen their presence in the online…

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  Insights from a Future Association Executive

• Quoted on CNN.com - A great piece, but context is needed

  5 Nov 2009 | 9:19 am

  So a few weeks back I was contacted by a writer from CNN.com who had seen an old post on this blog about Defriending and whether it was generational. She was doing a piece on defriending using social media and the different ways people reacted to it, and wanted to know about my experiences with it.The story can be found by clicking here. I think it is a good piece that definitely gives a well rounded view of how a number of different people handle defriending on social media sites, how people feel, and it even has some science included in it with the research that was done.As you scroll about…

• The Rise of Webinars - Too Many, Too Fast?

  3 Nov 2009 | 2:27 pm

  Ok, I get it... Webinars are the new fad in education, both within specific associations and across industries. They seem to be a cost effective alternative to in person meetings, and provide an opportunity for more regular and frequent education for people who are often spread across many different time zones and areas of the country/world. They are really a positive when done correctly, but I have a question for all you association folks out there...Are you getting a little webinared-out (i.e. worn out by webinars)?In watching Twitter regularly and seeing the promotions, it seems as though…

• Interns - If You Use Them, PAY Them...

  23 Oct 2009 | 1:40 pm

  It's been nearly two months since I have posted something, and for some reason, I haven't been that upset about it. I've actually been enjoying sitting back and reading others' thoughts, just taking it all in.However, in reading something today at lunch, I felt compelled to write a post about a topic about which I have a lot of passion - internships. Specifically, paid vs. unpaid internships.I was reading a post by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban on his blog, and it almost made my blood boil... Cuban is frustrated that he can't hire a bunch of unpaid interns to produce videos, compile…

• Lesson Learned: Trust is Key in Volunteer Management

  26 Aug 2009 | 5:05 pm

  So I was lucky enough this past weekend to serve as a volunteer for the Solheim Cup, the women's golf equivalent to the Ryder Cup where the US takes on Europe to see who's best in women's golf. (US won 16-12!! GO USA!)Now, by no means was I a top level volunteer - I was on the Programs committee. In fact, I never saw a staff member during my entire volunteer experience. With 1,600 volunteers as a part of the event, I was not surprised by this. I was managed by another volunteer, who did an admirable job for someone who doesn't manage volunteers on a regular basis.As usual, I tried to pull…

• Still Think Social Media is a Fad?

  26 Aug 2009 | 11:18 am

  Watch this:Special thanks to co-workers Beau Hanger and Kyle Libra for turning me onto this. Very interesting!

• 
  High Context Consulting

• Some Opportunities to Hear Me Speak

  david@highcontext.com (C. David Gammel)

  3 Nov 2009 | 11:22 am

  I have a few public presentations coming up that might interest you. From soonest to latest, they are: Creating the Complete Social Media Experience for Your Event A free webinar in the Avectra Academy series. Noon to 1 p.m. on Nov 16. Register here. Two sessions at ASAE’s 2010 Technology Conference: Integrate Your AMS, CMS and Website to Improve the Member Experience on February 11th. Online and On Mission: Work with Your Board of Directors to Formulate Online Strategy on February 12th. I am a panelist in the first and the sole presenter in the second. Online Marketing Mastery: The…

• The Growth Trap

  david@highcontext.com (C. David Gammel)

  23 Oct 2009 | 5:43 am

  I’ve written and spoken much about how associations and non-profits in general tend to have a hard time ending programs and services. You can read more about this here: Slaying Sacred Zombie Cows. I’m going to take this same idea in a bit of a different direction today. Many organizations innovate through growth. As membership increases or non-dues revenue goes up, they now have more resources with which to start new initiatives. Innovating new value is much easier for leaders when you have a healthy growing organization. You can just put that new money to work and let the rest of…

• Fiber to Cuba Illuminates Future Opportunity

  david@highcontext.com (C. David Gammel)

  16 Oct 2009 | 8:26 am

  I wrote an article for Association’s Now earlier this year on the web strategy implications of a more open Cuba. One of the key factors I noted was that Cuba has no fiber optic lines, to the rest of the world, which drastically limits the available bandwidth in the island country. Looks like that may change in a couple years: Miami Firm Plans First U.S.-Cuba Fiber Optic Cable. If an open Cuba is an opportunity for your organization, then you have a window in which to prepare for making greater connections online with Cuban citizens.

• Social Media on the Job Search

  david@highcontext.com (C. David Gammel)

  15 Oct 2009 | 11:44 am

  I was quoted yesterday in an article on CareerBuilder about the role of social media in job searches: Social Media on the Job Search. Naturally, the visibility that could potentially ruin your career could also be what gives you one in the first place. David Gammel, author of “Online and On Mission: Practical Web Strategy for Breakthrough Results,” sees the value in social media’s prominence when used for good. “If you have posted lots of content under your identity that enhances your qualifications, it will show up high in search results and benefit how you are…

• Serving Current Users in a New Site

  david@highcontext.com (C. David Gammel)

  15 Oct 2009 | 5:10 am

  Last week I was asked about how to handle current users who may be confused or frustrated by a redesigned site that has a new layout, navigation, etc. Ideally the new site will be easier to use for all concerned but for people who learned the old site, there will still be a learning curve. From my perspective, the best path to resolve this issue really depends on what your current audiences come to the site for and if you will continue to support those same outcomes with the new one. If you have people who regularly come to your site to complete a specific task or get a piece of content, and…

• 
  Midcourse Corrections

• What’s Your Place [Association Or Conference] In The Brave New [Economy] World?

  Jeff Hurt

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:01 am

  Few industries are escaping the impact of the current cultural and economic forces. Web 2.0 technologies like social networks, blogging, 3-D worlds, live streaming, hybrid events with real-time virtual chat, and low-cost video cameras and production tools have created new ways for people to create experience, share and consume digital content. This shift is causing dramatic changes in many established business models and opening up new markets. Media like magazines and newspapers, the music industry and now conference producers and association leaders are feeling the heat. Many association…

• Since When Did Virtual Not Become A Live Experience?

  Jeff Hurt

  5 Nov 2009 | 9:37 am

  I’m tired of well-intentioned adults slamming adults, teens and kids that text. Especially those that text each other while in the same room. Is texting leading to the decline of relationships? I’m sick of association and organization leaders knocking online communities, social networks and live chats as inferior to face-to-face experiences. I’m also fed-up with event producers and face-to-face conference organizers bashing virtual experiences. You know, you’ve heard and read these comments too. Here are a few examples. “I can’t believe my teen was texting his friend who was…

• Eight Types Of Virtual Experiences

  Jeff Hurt

  28 Oct 2009 | 3:18 pm

  Are you thinking about adding a virtual experience for your customers or members?  Perhaps you are considering adding a virtual component to your next conference or event?  Ian McGonnigal, Executive Director, Program Strategy at George P Johnson defines a virtual event as “… a gathering of individuals who meet through a computer-generated environment at a prearranged time in order to acquire knowledge, share information, interact with each other and engage in activities of common interest.“ Are you considering intergrating a virtual experience in your current offerings? So whether…

• The Battle For Next Generation Conference And Membership Revenue Models Has Just Begun

  Jeff Hurt

  22 Oct 2009 | 3:01 pm

  Do you hear the thunder coming over the mountain? You know, the roar of uncertainty and the rumble of disruptive innovation marching towards the association and event world. What roar you ask? Or perhaps you say, “It’s just not true,” as you listen with deaf ears. Well, consider the following. Umair Haque, Director of the Havas Media Lab, has an interesting post, The New (New) Mediaconomy, on Harvard Business Publishing recently. He talks about the clash of traditional media and the Internet and says that asking, “Can media survive the www?” is the wrong question. Haque compares…

• Never Underestimate The Power Of A Great Story

  Jeff Hurt

  22 Oct 2009 | 8:58 am

  Stories are powerful. They can be more effective than rational arguments in convincing people and getting others to see things your way. Take a look at this video ad, using storytelling to connect. Did you smile or laugh at the end? I did. And I even forwarded it to others. Then we laughed together. Do you use stories to connect with your members, your customers, your event attendees? Here are four reasons you should use stories and storytelling to connect with others. Stories are universal, crossing age, culture and language barriers. Stories help people understand concepts, more than logic…

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  Membership Marketing Blog

• A Process to help Define Member Value

  Tony Rossell

  23 Oct 2009 | 11:12 am

  The last couple of weeks I have met with a number of organizations that are re-focusing on defining their membership value proposition.It is a smart thing to do because it is so easy in life to get lost in the trees of urgent matters and not see the forest. When we are selling membership, stepping back and seeing the big picture is essential. That’s because members want a clear and concrete reason to join and continue their membership.So I wanted to share a quick three step group or team exercise that I use to help get re-focused on the big picture and big value that you deliver to your…

• Upcoming Membership Marketing Benchmarking Presentations

  Tony Rossell

  13 Oct 2009 | 12:21 pm

  For readers who are located in the Washington DC metro area, I wanted to let you know that I will be doing three separate presentations on our Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report this month. The first session is at the Alexandria Brownbag lunch on Thursday, October 15, 2009. It begins at 11:30 and concludes at 1:30. The location is Marketing General Inc, 209 Madison Street, Third Floor, (corner of North Fairfax and Madison), Alexandria, VA. Admission is free.The second is at the Direct Marketing Association of Washington, Association Day Conference on Wednesday, October 28, 2009. The…

• The Growth of Loyalty Membership Programs

  Tony Rossell

  6 Oct 2009 | 12:51 pm

  The other day, I received a question from one of the readers of this blog about the number of members in loyalty programs. I was able to access some excellent data and wanted to share it with you.For background, membership loyalty programs are marketing initiatives to retain and reward customers. They can be offered by major retailers or financial service companies or by your local barber shop. The goal of these programs is to move customers from a transactional relationship to a continuity relationship. Loyalty memberships are cousins to association memberships, sharing many of the same…

• Integrating Channels and Content to Recruit Members

  Tony Rossell

  17 Sep 2009 | 6:15 am

  Testing is such a powerful tool in direct marketing. I would like to share today the outcomes of two tests that produced a substantial pop in results.The first has to do with channel integration – connecting with a prospective member through multiple media.We tested this recently using mail and email simultaneously to prospective members. We split our audience into two groups. One group only received a direct mail membership solicitation. The second group received the same direct mail package, but also received a follow up email. The mail only group produced a 1.23% response rate. The…

• A Response to Acronym Blog: Membership Recruitment and Retention are Alive and Well

  Tony Rossell

  10 Sep 2009 | 8:54 am

  Scott Briscoe wrote a post yesterday on the Acronym blog entitled, “RIP: Membership?” He writes, “I am firmly in the camp that this model is dying. I believe that the nature of the way people affiliate, and what they expect to get out of it, is changing.”I think everyone will agree that the world is changing, but I am not ready just yet to put association membership in the grave.Here are several of reasons. First, in our Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report, 45 percent of association executives reported that membership had increased over the past year. Only 35% saw a decrease.

• 
  Mission to Learn

• Two Brief Lessons from the Mile High Learning Club

  jtcobb

  5 Nov 2009 | 4:46 am

  I do some of my best learning when I am settled in at 35,000 feet. I read. I tap into the large store of iPod learning content I keep on hand. I think (although it may look like I’m sleeping). Sometimes I even manage to find a nugget of wisdom in the airline magazines. Here’s a couple from a recent flight from Raleigh to Baltimore, compliments of the Southwest Airlines Spirit magazine: Be Deliberate Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Everything is Illuminated and Eating Animals, says that his choice to be vegetarian is “one of my ways of being deliberate within my life.”  Safran Foer…

• 15 Online Resources for Book Lovers

  jtcobb

  26 Oct 2009 | 3:33 am

  Immersing yourself in a book or in the literary culture is a great way to get more out of the books you read. There are thousands of sites online created specifically for people who like to read. Many of these sites can be used to find, read, discuss, and share books online. Here is a list of 15 free online resources that any book lover will enjoy: AddAll – AddAll is a free book search and comparison site. It compares prices on books from more than 20,000 sellers so that book buyers can get the best deal possible when shopping online. aNobii – aNobii is a book community that…

• 35+ Delicious Learning Links – a new Monitor is out!

  jtcobb

  23 Oct 2009 | 6:27 am

  Last night I hit “Send” on a new edition of the Learning Monitor e-newsletter. As usual it is chock full of free and low-cost learning sources for lifelong learners. Subscribe and you’ll automatically receive the full issue once you confirm your subscription, but here are a few items from the Learning Smorgasbord to whet your appetite: from Collections & Teach-Learn-Share Sites Free Internet Libraries Free Internet Libraries provides free books, course notes, practice problems, test reviews, career advancement materials, teaching materials, and much more. from Science…

• 4 Simple Steps to Jump Start Your Learning Habit

  jtcobb

  20 Oct 2009 | 6:20 am

  Each of us is physically active, even if only in very small ways, throughout each and every day, and yet we all realize that true physical fitness usually only comes as a result of a conscious, consistent exercise habit. So it is with learning. Our learning never really stops, but once we reach the stage of life where there is no longer a teacher standing in front of us on a regular basis, it usually becomes a much more haphazard affair. I happen to be a fan of random, haphazard learning, but like most devoted lifelong learners, I also appreciate the sense of fulfillment that comes from…

• Collaborative Learning with Grockit – Podcast

  jtcobb

  19 Oct 2009 | 3:17 am

  It’s time for another edition of the Radio Free Learning podcast here on Mission to Learn. In this episode, I talk with Farb Nivi, co-founder and CEO of Grockit. I became intrigued with Grockit quite a while ago when the company was promoting itself as a collaborative, game-driven learning platform. Since that time, Grockit’s focus has turned towards the test preparation market and helping learners prepare, collaboratively, for big standardized tests like the SAT and the GMAT. In this podcast, I talk with Farb about how the Grockit platform works, his views on teaching and…

• 
  Reid All About It

• Sometimes You Know More Than You Think You Do

  deirdrereid

  28 Oct 2009 | 9:28 am

  A few months ago Scott Oser asked me if I’d like to be a presenter for a webinar series for association staff who want to learn how to implement social media tools at their organization. I don’t consider myself a social media “expert” but I do know that since immersing myself in social media over the last year and a half, I do have a lot to share with others in my profession. Since I have never presented via a webinar before, and never even presented on social media in any format, I was tempted (for just a second) to pass, but I wanted to stretch myself, so I accepted.

• Upcoming Social Media Webinars for Associations

  deirdrereid

  13 Oct 2009 | 8:31 pm

  I’ll be presenting a series of social media webinars for associations with Ted LaBarbera and Scott Oser for the College of Association Marketing. I’m leading two of them — Social Media 101 and LinkedIn 101 for Associations, and Ted will lead the ones on Facebook and Twitter. Here’s the schedule. They’re 50 minutes long, beginning at 12:00 pm Eastern. October 20 – Social Media 101 November 3 – Facebook 101 for Associations November 12 – Twitter 101 for Associations December 2 – LinkedIn 101 for Associations They’re not free but I…

• A Shift in Focus: Our Members’ Customers

  deirdrereid

  30 Sep 2009 | 7:46 am

  My latest guest post for the SmartBrief Insights blog was just published. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about providing real member value — “sticky” value, the kind that of value that a member couldn’t find elsewhere. And I’ve been thinking about revenue, how critical it is to have a diverse revenue stream — considering my recent experience, this is no surprise. This post touches on some ideas to ensure both member value and revenue. As I was studying for the Certified Associate Executive (CAE) exam, I came across some ideas by Bruce Butterfield in…

• Get Your Committees Off Life-Support

  deirdrereid

  26 Aug 2009 | 8:37 am

  SmartBlog Insights asked me to be a monthly contributor. Here is an excerpt from my latest post, Get Your Committees Off Life-Support. On my flights to ASAE09 I read Cynthia D’Amour’s book “Lazy Leader’s Guide to Outrageous Results.” If you know Cynthia’s blog, you’ll recognize her bullet point style. This easy-reading format makes her book a perfect read for traveling. She says that it’s not about you, the volunteer leader, it’s about others, so stop being a martyr and empower others to become leaders too. It’s a shift in attitude and behavior. Develop others rather than…

• My Bookmarks for the ASAE Annual Meeting

  deirdrereid

  12 Aug 2009 | 6:52 am

  In my preparation for attending the American Society of Association Executive’s conference in Toronto, I’ve discovered a lot of handy web sites. Main conference site Toronto Metro Convention Centre – 255 Front Street West (Union subway) The Hub browser version and The Hub mobile version – ASAE describes The Hub as “designed for any mobile device and can also be accessed by a computer’s web browser. The new platform aggregates our existing social web tools into one convenient place you can access anywhere. The Hub pulls content from Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, SlideShare,…

• 
  Acronym

• Quick Clicks: The quotable edition

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:18 am

  Welcome to your first November Quick Clicks post! Here's some quoteable and noteable posts from the past week or so: - The Digital Now blog reminds us that "the fish out of water has no other fish to contend with." - Shelly Alcorn tells it like it is: "You are not Stuart Smalley and darn it, some people are NOT going to like you." - "We followed the best advice we found and marched confidently forward … right into failure." Get the full story from Peggy Hoffman at the Idea Center blog. - Jamie Notter asks, "As a leader, do you know if you are truly willing to trust your people?" Elsewhere,…

• Oh, boy! Another blog post about social media!

  5 Nov 2009 | 6:57 am

  In case you missed it, November started this week, and a new month means a new themed series of posts here on Acronym. (No, we didn't do a theme in October. We know.) This month's theme: social media. I can hear you all groaning now. But wait! Before you stop reading, let me assure you: we here at Acronym are well aware that social media has been blogged about to infinity and back in the past 2-3 years, and we know that the last thing you need from us is just more "rah-rah social media" banter. So, we have planned the month's posts with one goal in mind: to go beyond what's already been said…

• Free attendance for first-year members?

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:40 am

  What would happen if your association allowed first-year members to attend any and all meetings and events during their first year of membership for free? "Bankruptcy," might come to mind, but I actually think this could be a good idea. Last week I pointed out an article about the positive effects on communities that result from citizen involvement in government, and I drew some rather obvious parallels to member engagement and volunteerism in associations. The bottom line: social interaction leads to increased engagement in a community. As association professionals, we all know this—feel…

• Gearing Up for the Season of (Mobile) Giving

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:00 pm

  The Halloween candy hasn’t even been eaten yet, and I’m already seeing what I think will be a tidal wave of holiday-season community service outreach and philanthropic activities by a wide range of associations and nonprofits. In the spirit of the upcoming season and because everyone likes to know what their colleagues are up to, I’m going to make an effort to post occasional short lists with links to more details of some of the most creative or highest impact projects and partnerships. For now, I’ll just share what one nonprofit is doing to address a fundraising issue that becomes…

• Building a better member

  29 Oct 2009 | 10:40 am

  The November/December 2009 issue of Miller-McCune magazine features a great article titled "Building a Better Citizen," which cites a slew of research showing that local governments that actively seek citizen involvement in the democratic process create healthier, happier communities. Essentially, the key to building a better citizen is get the citizen more involved in his or her local community and government. This really isn't earth shattering, but I see a lot of parallels in this idea to volunteerism and member engagement at associations. The article (which isn't available online, sadly…

• 
  Association Meetings

• 9 Ways to Find Association Member Twitter Users

  jkhewett

  22 Oct 2009 | 4:35 am

  What am I reading today? Cindy Butt of "AE on the Verge" blogpost on:  9 Ways to Find Association Member Twitter UsersI would like to add a 10th way!  When you see members follow you, look to see who they follow!  Often you will find names of those your recognize.  While this may be time consuming, in the end it is worth the connection.Other ideas?

• What Every Business Owner Ought to Know about .....

  jkhewett

  13 Oct 2009 | 4:43 am

  What am I reading today?Another great blog post by Anita Campbell - What Every Business Owner Ought to know About Website Security.October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month These are no longer issues for just the "Big" companies; everyone online needs to understand the risks and how to protect themselves.

• How Associations Use Social Media for Meetings

  jkhewett

  9 Oct 2009 | 4:24 am

  Some interesting statistics ... How do you compare?How Associations Use Social Media for Meetings

• 
  SocialFish

• Come join us at Tweetsgiving in DC, 11/24

  Maddie Grant

  6 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  You’re invited to join Social Media Club DC (SMC-DC), Young Association Professionals (YAP), NextGenWeb, and Thankfulfor.com at a happy hour to celebrate the DC metro technology and social media community and to support Tweetsgiving. Join the DC group for event updates and get tickets here: http://epicchange.org/groups/washington-dc/home/. If you can’t make it, please consider making a small monetary donation to support DC’s final tally! Tickets start at $5 each, with an option to donate more. ALL TICKET SALES GO TO EPIC CHANGE. WHY: Tweetsgiving is a global celebration that seeks to…

• The Power of a Corporate Blog

  Maddie Grant

  5 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  We conducted a great webinar (if I say so myself) this week for NADP, the National Association of Dental Plans, on The Power of a Corporate Blog. Blogging is, of course, a topic very dear to Lindy’s and my hearts, as we would be nowhere without the juju from having built up our personal reputations and got to know our community through our personal blogs; and of course that process eventually enabled us to start our consulting practice and aggregate our blogs into our very own corporate blog. A good blog is, in our opinion, the absolute best way to establish an organization’s…

• Exploring the social web as a research tool

  Maddie Grant

  4 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  Here are the slides from a recent presentation we did for the Mid-Atlantic chapter of the Market Research Association. Essentially, we talked about: - How social media provides several kinds of data: Passive – keyword monitoring, sentiment analysis (positive, negative or neutral brand mentions), website analytics, etc Active – collecting fans and followers and seeing who they are and who their connections are (social influence/social capital), A/B testing, focus groups/feedback loops, etc - Lots of tools available, free (Google Alerts, Twitter search) to expensive (Radian6);…

• Why Facebook continues to suck

  Maddie Grant

  3 Nov 2009 | 8:37 am

  “Nuff said. 

• Twitter Lists

  Maddie Grant

  2 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  So my Twitter Lists feature has just been enabled, and I spent a couple of days going through the people I follow on Twitter and organizing most of them into groups, in such a way that might be useful for YOU if you’re just starting out on Twitter, or just looking to expand the group of people you follow (which likely means some of these will follow you back!). Rohit Bhargava has a really good post on what Twitter Lists are all about from a marketing/business perspective. If you click on the links, you’ll see the actual stream from these lists. There’s an easy button to…

• 
  Association Marketing Springboard

• Clarity and your social media team

  Lindy Dreyer

  29 Oct 2009 | 5:00 am

  Following up on Maddie’s 10 steps for building an internal social media team, and my little clarity over control post, here’s a little something for all you visual people. On the top, you see what happens when an organization sets up their social media team as the gatekeepers of all online social interactions. Below that is a depiction of the social media team as a service to the organization, providing the framework, structure, training, and clarity for the rest of the organization to run with. When you remember that the more people you know, the more you can do, one of these…

• Test post: Ignore this. Sorry.

  Lindy Dreyer

  13 Oct 2009 | 2:29 pm

  96k83t4jig

• Rant Alert: Forget Perfect

  Lindy Dreyer

  13 Oct 2009 | 5:19 am

  My other half likes to say “don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” He picked the phrase up from a senior executive in his organization. So here’s my little rant for the week. Forget trying to find the perfect technology tool for your organization’s social media needs–you’re procrastinating. When the tool finally comes around, you’ll be so far behind it won’t help. Stop trying to force your old business processes onto social media tools–we’re not handcuffed by fax machines and mimeographs anymore, people. And yes, some…

• 5 Ways Clarity Can Replace Control

  Lindy Dreyer

  7 Oct 2009 | 5:00 am

  It’s one of the things Clay Shirky said at ASAE09–control is a thing of the past. Clarity should be the goal for today.  Clarity and control are not new topics among some of my favorite association blogs. Still, the way Clay Shirky framed the issue was, well, very clear. Scott Briscoe talks a little about what Clay said at ASAE09 on Acronym, and I wanted to think about the practical side of it here. Clarity takes courage. I just did what feels like my thousandth interview about the risks of social media. There is just so much fear out there. What if someone criticizes us? What if…

• Crowdsourcing ASAE Marketing Insights

  Lindy Dreyer

  30 Sep 2009 | 7:54 am

  Fresh on the heals of the latest Associations Now crowdsourcing experiment, the ASAE marketing section is trying it for their Marketing Insights eNewsletter. Be among the first to suggest and vote on topics you want to see covered in Marketing Insights. Volunteer five minutes for the marketing section right now. You know you want to. Not familiar with Marketing Insights? Allow me to change that. You might have picked up that it’s the eNewsletter for ASAE’s marketing section. If you’re in the marketing section, you’re probably already getting it. Right now, it’s…

• 
  Idea Center - Mariner Management

• Building Engagement: When Failure Begets Success

  Peggy Hoffman

  5 Nov 2009 | 5:18 pm

  About one year ago, the Maryland Recycling Network gingerly began its foray in social media. We followed the best advice we found and marched confidently forward … right into failure. Actually the failure was on the engagement front. The initiative succeeded in that it provided a valuable lesson. From the lesson is emerging a second – and we trust a more successful – launch. As we move forward here’s the lesson we learned from part 1.read more

• Social Media & The Search for Engagement

  Peggy Hoffman

  4 Nov 2009 | 5:39 pm

  Public Relations Society of America Maryland Chapter has tried it all – FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter, blogging. Success happened when they focused these on a specific event. International Special Events Society DC Chapter found success when it followed its members – rather than leading. Maryland Recycling Network is on Plan B. Plan A, a wiki, fizzled. That was probably good news because it led to a different path that wasn’t even in our minds. We’re all asking for the secret to building engagement in our social media initiatives.  The path to success is littered (quite literally…

• What James & His Ladder Tells Us

  Peggy Hoffman

  27 Oct 2009 | 5:30 am

  In a 155-word story, Cynthia D'Amour answers the question. What question you ask in return? The question of what's more important that our chapters follow our rules right down to the last detail or that they deliver great, meaningful results?read more

• Quick Links: Tools, Community & Policies

  Peggy Hoffman

  26 Oct 2009 | 7:42 am

  Three great posts for chapter administrators, chapter leaders and national staff: Leslie White's post on policies that sheds light on where we go wrong and how to go right - applicable whether we're talking about a policy for your education chair or an affiliation agreement - great Leslie! Beth Kanter's post on the last Blogpotomac that offers really two learnings: 1) a look at a great event format and why it works and 2) reflections on what it means to have great community.I joined Beth at Blogpotomac and she's right! Phoebe Owen's post on nonprofits in the cloud with great tools just…

• Truths About Volunteering #13

  Peggy Hoffman

  23 Oct 2009 | 5:52 am

  Volunteers rock ... consider that The Ark was built by volunteers, The Titanic by paid staff.read more

• 
  Google News: Association Management

• Somerset Association Management Community Manager Receives CMCA Designation ... - PR-AU.com... (press release)

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:24 pm

  Somerset Association Management Community Manager Receives CMCA Designation PR-AU.com... (press release)Somerset Association Management, an Associa Company, proudly announces Liz Jackson recently earned the credential Certified Manager of Community

• Advantech, Elma Bustronic, GoAhead Software, and Polycom Win AdvancedTCA ... - SYS-CON Media (press release)

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:21 am

  Advantech, Elma Bustronic, GoAhead Software, and Polycom Win AdvancedTCA SYS-CON Media (press release)Founded in 1994, Conference ConCepts is a full-service professional conference and association management company that provides extensive capabilities in and more »

• Somerset Association Management Community Manager Receives CMCA Designation ... - Reuters

  5 Nov 2009 | 10:02 am

  Somerset Association Management Community Manager Receives CMCA Designation Reuters5 /PRNewswire/ -- Somerset Association Management, an Associa Company, proudly announces Liz Jackson recently earned the credential Certified Manager of and more »

• Sugar Grove Homeowners Association Celebrates National Night Out - Reuters

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:08 am

  Sugar Grove Homeowners Association Celebrates National Night OutReutersPMGH is an Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC®), satisfying the criteria of the Community Associations Institute, the national trade Community Management Concepts in Clearwater, Florida Helps Clean Up With Reutersall 19 news articles »

• Vanguard Community Management Community Managers Receive CMCA Designation From ... - Reuters

  2 Nov 2009 | 2:03 pm

  Vanguard Community Management Community Managers Receive CMCA Designation From ReutersSince 1976, Vanguard Community Management has been providing community association management and developer consulting services to the greater Chicago area. and more »

• 
  Condo Association Management Blog

• Condo Association reserve study probably needed?

  5 Nov 2009 | 9:39 pm

  At our annual condo association meeting in August, the condo board presented the next year's association budget. We have 32 owners. The income was $23,000 more than the expenses. The board said this excess will be added to our "savings" to be available for "whatever may come up." All of our roofing needs to be replaced in 5-7 years. (In 2007 the estimate for that was $88,000.) No estimate was given for that future cost. I wanted a reserve account set up for this. This board said no. The condo board does not want to "tie up" our savings in any reserve accounts specified for any particular…

• Help! Condo association financial mis-management

  4 Nov 2009 | 2:22 pm

  I have been trying to get copies of my condo association financials including the condo association budget and monthly statements from our condo board and property management firm. They continue to ignore me. Please tell me where I can find my rights as a condo association member.  Some of us are holding back our condo fees. One of the board members is managing the place with his daughter controling the money. Now crazy spending on trees etc with nothing being done about the leaking roofs. Please tell me how I can get a copy or report these dishonest people.

• Condo association fears developer's bankruptcy

  3 Nov 2009 | 9:57 pm

  I am an owner of a condo unit but not on the condo association board. I am worried that our developer will never pay his back condo association dues from the units he owns and rents ( a considerable amount) extending to the condo association. The developer formed a shell corporation from which we bought our condo. (We assume that all owners in our condo building had the same experience.) The condo association board seems scared to take any action in the fear that the shell corporation will go bankrupt. With proxies, the shell corp. has control of the voting for condo board members. Any…

• Who owns the budget: HOA or Property Manager?

  2 Nov 2009 | 1:48 pm

  The HOA budget was published for new year by the property manager without the input of any of HOA board members. Please let me know if there are HOA rules and regulations as to what is the proper way for the condo board and not the Property management company to suggest how our money is spent?

• Condo association asks about contruction defect litigation

  1 Nov 2009 | 11:05 am

  Our condo association just had our developer transition after many unsucessful attempts to get quorum. Although most everything is ok with the condo units themselves, the developer cut corners on asphalt and concrete. Our asphalt drives are sinking and developing huge cracks and potholes, beginning at only 2-3 years old. In addition, concrete sidwalks and porches are severely pitted and/or laminating where large flat pieces are crumbling off the tops. Several have more missing concrete than remaining. One townhouse has had its entire front porch break away from the building and slowly sliding…

• 
  HOAleader.com

• HOA Legal Compliance: A Primer on the Fair Housing Act for Homeowners Associations

  The Fair Housing Act prevents many types of discrimination in housing. Here's a basic overview of how it affects your homeowners association.

• HOA Financial Matters: What's Receivership, and When Do Condo and Homeowner Associations Need It?

  Though it's still rare in community associations, receivership has become more common in today's economy. With any luck, your HOA will never experience receivership. But some unlucky associations will. So here are some basics on receivership, along with information about how it's arising in condo and homeowner associations today.

• HOA Elections: What's Cumulative Voting, and Should You Use It?

  Most people don't even know what cumulative voting is and probably couldn't tell you if it's allowed in their state or their association. Here, we explain the procedure, discuss its pros and cons, and offer insight as to whether to change your bylaws to include or exclude it.

• In the Trenches: How HOA Boards are Getting Volunteers to Serve

  You can beat the too-common problem at associations of a dearth of volunteers willing to step up to the plate and serve on your board. Here, HOA board members from across the country and an expert in associations reveal what they've learned about the best ways to convince owners that serving on the board will benefit both them and the community.

• HOA Contracts: Can One Board Member Contractually Bind Your Homeowners Association?

  Can one board member, without the board's knowledge, bind the association to a contract? The short answer is yes. However, our experts have suggested practices you can implement to prevent it from happening at your association.

• 
  Google Blog Search: Association Management

• Nearshore Journal » Advantech, Elma Bustronic, GoAhead Software ...

  Dana Gardner

  6 Nov 2009 | 10:25 am

  Founded in 1994, Conference ConCepts is a full-service professional conference and association management company that provides extensive capabilities in all aspects of technical conference management. Conference ConCepts develops and ...

• Report on Association Management System (AMS) formerly

  rossir24

  6 Nov 2009 | 4:21 am

  Report on Association Management System (AMS) – formerly,the “Membership System”Submitted by Terry Monroe March 2008Introduction This report provides a description of action since December related to the membership system initiative.

• Better Miami Beach Luxury Condo Association Management – Useful Tips

  unknown

  4 Nov 2009 | 2:41 pm

  Make sure that you keep everything organized to help you better monitor the association's activities. Mark Michael Ferrer Miami Beach Luxury Condos. Article Source: Better Miami Beach Luxury Condo Association Management – Useful Tips.

• Help! Condo association financial mis-management

  unknown

  4 Nov 2009 | 2:22 pm

  Condo Association Management Blog. Current Articles | RSS Feed. Help! Condo association financial mis-management. Email Article | Submit to Digg digg it | Submit to Reddit reddit | Add to delicious delicious | Submit to StumbleUpon ...

• Better Miami Beach Luxury Condo Association Management Useful Tips ...

  admin

  4 Nov 2009 | 1:10 pm

  If you happen to be managing a Miami Beach luxury condo association, you must know how to do it properly to avoid any scandal. Read this article: Better Miami Beach Luxury Condo Association Management Useful Tips (Turks.US)

• 
  Cynthia D'Amour on Leadership and Life

• Just Trust Me…

  Cynthia D'Amour

  5 Nov 2009 | 8:40 am

     Next! Got an email promotion for a webinar. Offered by an association I belong to. 90-minutes long. Almost $200 to attend. Hmmm… The headline grabbed me. The program description spoke my language. I was intrigued. The speaker was… Unknown. Not as in not famous. As in not listed. What am I supposed to do? Trust them to have someone fantastic? Competent? A canned program? Is this webinar is worth $200? A marketer wrote the description. Will the speaker deliver? It matters at this price. No speaker named was a deal breaker for me. I can’t trust I’ll be blown away.

• Has Election Day Gone the Dogs?

  Raindrop

  3 Nov 2009 | 8:15 am

     Raindrop here. It’s Election Day in America. Time to cast your vote. Do your American duty. Earn the right to complain later. Dad loves to vote. Used to be a congressional aide. Is a political junkie. Thinks C-Span is a sports channel. Mom not as much. She always votes. But grumbles about the effort. I got tired of it this year. Decided to turn voting into an adventure. It needed more fun. I got on my patriotic sweater. Convinced Mom and Dad to walk me to the poll. We stopped along the way. To enjoy the pretty colors. (And amazing smells!) Mom took pictures. This time Mom enjoyed…

• My Heart is Frozen with Excitement

  Cynthia D'Amour

  2 Nov 2009 | 6:04 am

     Am I sick? This weekend James and I bought a new freezer. It’s pretty and white. Stands upright. Will hold a lot of food. I’ve been smiling all weekend. Thinking about my new freezer. And all we’ll be able to do together. Then it hit me - I must be sick! An appliance is not a fun gift - I love… Things that sparkle. Smell good. And cashmere! What’s wrong with me? Am I losing my edge? Did I get older? Am I channeling my mother? When did buying a freezer become so sexy??? Makes me think of chapter leaders…how do you stay current with what’s…

• The Gift that Keeps Giving

  Cynthia D'Amour

  29 Oct 2009 | 11:01 am

     Love it. The Chapter Leaders Playground officially launched October 2007. Conceived in a brainstorm by a team of volunteers. Who saw the need for more leadership training. Deeper into chapters - not just president-elects. It’s been a great two years. We’ve done close to 100 webinars for chapter leaders. Interviewed interesting people. Heard fabulous success stories as a result. It’s time to go bigger! After many discussions. Pages of mathematical equations. And plans to find sponsors. To celebrate the Playground’s second birthday, we will start gifting individual…

• You Left My Heart on the Cutting Room Floor

  Cynthia D'Amour

  28 Oct 2009 | 7:24 am

     Bad move! Got an email from an organization I belong to. A fundraising appeal. Tells me all the things we are selling. And hopes they can count on my support. The email… Gives me deadlines. Urges me to sell to anyone with a pulse. Thanks me for my time and effort. Where is the appeal to my heart? Totally missing. This group does amazing work in the community. Funded in large part by the above efforts. There was not a word… Of the difference we’ll be making. The kids who will get a chance. The lives that will be changed. When I give money I want it to matter. I…

• 
  Drake & Company

• Twitter Part III -- So what's the ROI?

  Steve Drake

  31 Oct 2009 | 7:40 am

  This is Part III about Twitter and other forms of social media.In response to an association colleague who was "resigning Twitter," I've written two posts titled "Twitter is More than 140 Characters."My colleague has asked and others have posted same question: "How much time and what's the ROI for Twitter and other social media tools?"To be honest: that is a tough question. I can share anecdotal information but at this point, I have no personal ROI analysis to share.Nevertheless, here are some thoughts about return on investment for social media.The ROI QuestionIn my early career (public…

• Don't Judge an Industry on a Few Bad Examples

  Cindy Hackmann

  29 Oct 2009 | 8:03 am

  I’m switching gears for this blog. I’ve been writing primarily about association management, but I heard a news story on the radio this week that really hit home for me. It was about the increasing attacks on animal agriculture, and the struggles these farmers are facing thanks to the misinformation and untruths that the media continuously circulate.The news story was about a hog farmer that was being investigated for mistreatment of his animals, according to an ex-employee that happened to be let go from the farm this year. This ex-employee has no proof or documentation of the…

• Comic Strips & Volunteering ... Who knew?

  Nancy Soucek

  28 Oct 2009 | 6:49 am

  I cannot start my day without taking time to read the comic strips in the morning newspaper. In fact, I loudly lament that I am not sure what I will do when newspapers go the way of the dinosaur, but that’s a topic for another day.Last week, Oct. 19-25, I noticed that the majority of the comic strips had a common theme – promoting community service and volunteering. They offered suggestions in their story boards on ways anyone, from children to seniors, could help make a difference. To learn more about their efforts, visit www.handsonnetwork.org/comics.At Drake & Company…

• Twitter is More than 140 Characters – Part II

  Steve Drake

  26 Oct 2009 | 8:35 am

  Last week, I wrote a blog in response to an association management colleague who had written that he was resigning from Twitter because "Intuitively I couldn’t quite accept that much of anything could be communicated in 140 characters unless a deep context already existed between the communicating parties. If other means of online communications didn’t exist (e.g., email, group lists, blogs, SNSs, etc.), then there might be some value to it; but I couldn’t see the there, there."Start with StrategiesI wrote of the importance of social media fitting within your overall strategies.In…

• Show, Don't Tell

  Becky Rasmussen

  20 Oct 2009 | 7:01 am

  "Show, don't tell." -- I wish I had a nickel for every time this refrain was uttered in my journalism school classes, usually while my article was being ripped to shreds. But it's good advice for every writer. Instead of "telling" a reader what they should know or how they should feel, it is far more effective to provide the details, description and evidence that allow them to come to this conclusion on their own.It's also good advice for associations. How often do you find yourself talking AT your members rather than talking WITH them, engaging them in an ongoing dialogue?Working with…

• 
  Frank Kenny's Blog

• Fun new tools to promote what we are up to

  Frank Kenny

  18 Oct 2009 | 3:18 pm

  I have been busy lately creating videos from still shots. It really is amazing what a lay person can do with some good software and quality photos.Your organization may have the best networking events around but if only a relatively small amount people know about it then you have a problem. Same with a beautiful area that tourists would love but nobody knows about it.Some months ago we hired a professional photographer to attend all of our luncheons, after hours events, grand openings, etc....Steve Zugschwerdt is that photographer. We also hired him to take tourism photos.This first video is…

• Chairman of the Chamber Council of AWB

  Frank Kenny

  28 Sep 2009 | 12:21 am

  I have been blessed to be nominated to Chair the Chamber Council of the Association of Washington Business (AWB), our state's Chamber of Commerce. This is a big honor for me as I have only been in Chamber work for three years.It is a testament to several things.First, my heavy and early adoption of Internet social networking has allowed me to brand myself as a leader. I am highly visible on many sites, teach association management and ISN widely, and love to share what works. It has contributed to our 92% membership growth in the past 18 months.Second, I have a first rate board of directors.

• How we grew our membership by 85% in 18 months

  Frank Kenny

  6 Sep 2009 | 12:59 pm

  I was recently asked about our membership growth and our Internet social networking strategy. Seems many organizations still haven't jumped in for various reasons. This is how I answered that question.Concerning launching Internet social networking (ISN) for our Chamber, what we did first was to decide that this is where the puck is going (reference to the Wayne Gretzky quote). Clearly this is a big idea that is only getting bigger. It is not a question of "if" your organization will be using these tools, it is "when".Once I knew that we would be doing this eventually, I kindly informed our…

• "One of Us"

  Frank Kenny

  2 Sep 2009 | 8:23 pm

  Hat tip to Chris Brogan and Julien Smith for their book "Trust Agents" for this one.Our Chamber of Commerce has a member-only Internet social networking site at MyNorthMasonChamber.com. More than 25% of our members have signed up to use it. Not a bad adoption rate, in my humble opinion.One of the things I have noticed is that members need to become "One of Us" before they reap the benefits of belonging to the group. I think this is exactly what Chris and Julien were talking about in one of their chapters.For example, some of the new users jump right in with 50 friend requests, photos of…

• Measuring yours and your association's effectiveness in a web 2.0 world

  Frank Kenny

  29 Aug 2009 | 12:12 pm

  A few days ago I came across a chamber of commerce that still highlighted in their newsletter how many phone calls they handled and how many referrals they made to members in the last month (from those phone calls). It got me to thinking about how will chambers be measured in the web 2.0 age.It occurred to me that this chamber was setting itself up for an inevitable fall. With the Internet, and especially the Google search engine, people just don't have to call the chamber as much anymore. If the exec has board members, or the media, asking why the call volume is down, and partially judging…

• 
  Acronym

• Quick Clicks: The quotable edition

  Lisa Junker

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:46 am

  Welcome to your first November Quick Clicks post! Here's some quoteable and noteable posts from the past week or so: - The Digital Now blog reminds us that "the fish out of water has no other fish to contend with." - Shelly Alcorn tells it like it is: "You are not Stuart Smalley and darn it, some people are NOT going to like you." - "We followed the best advice we found and marched confidently forward … right into failure." Get the full story from Peggy Hoffman at the Idea Center blog. - Jamie Notter asks, "As a leader, do you know if you are truly willing to trust your people?" Elsewhere,…

• Oh, boy! Another blog post about social media!

  Joe Rominiecki

  5 Nov 2009 | 6:58 am

  In case you missed it, November started this week, and a new month means a new themed series of posts here on Acronym. (No, we didn't do a theme in October. We know.) This month's theme: social media. I can hear you all groaning now. But wait! Before you stop reading, let me assure you: we here at Acronym are well aware that social media has been blogged about to infinity and back in the past 2-3 years, and we know that the last thing you need from us is just more "rah-rah social media" banter. So, we have planned the month's posts with one goal in mind: to go beyond what's already been said…

• Free attendance for first-year members?

  Joe Rominiecki

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:40 am

  What would happen if your association allowed first-year members to attend any and all meetings and events during their first year of membership for free? "Bankruptcy," might come to mind, but I actually think this could be a good idea. Last week I pointed out an article about the positive effects on communities that result from citizen involvement in government, and I drew some rather obvious parallels to member engagement and volunteerism in associations. The bottom line: social interaction leads to increased engagement in a community. As association professionals, we all know this—feel…

• Gearing Up for the Season of (Mobile) Giving

  Kristin Clarke

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:05 pm

  The Halloween candy hasn’t even been eaten yet, and I’m already seeing what I think will be a tidal wave of holiday-season community service outreach and philanthropic activities by a wide range of associations and nonprofits. In the spirit of the upcoming season and because everyone likes to know what their colleagues are up to, I’m going to make an effort to post occasional short lists with links to more details of some of the most creative or highest impact projects and partnerships. For now, I’ll just share what one nonprofit is doing to address a fundraising issue that becomes…

• Tough economy prompts nonprofit to try weird-but-wow raffle

  Kristin Clarke

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:04 pm

  Whoa—just when you think you’ve heard of almost every type of fundraiser in the world, something comes along that gives you pause. This time it’s by a youth service nonprofit called World Youth Empowerment, which has created what it calls a “Mega House Raffle.” Winner of its grand prize can select “any property for sale within the state of California up to a value of $3 million.” Oh, and it includes $200,000 in furnishings and a new Bentley Continental GT car. “But what about gift taxes?” you might sigh. Nada. The prize is tax-free, resulting in a total prize package worth…

• 
  Splash: A Blog from MemberClicks

• Friday Top Five: It’s moving day at MemberClicks!

  Shannon Otto

  6 Nov 2009 | 8:56 am

  Happy Friday! The MemberClicks team is moving offices today! Although our new place is just a few miles away from our current home, it’s still been a big undertaking for several team members, and I can’t wait to start working from my new desk on Monday. Without further adieu, here are my top five favorite association management blog posts of the week! 1. Debra Helwig reminded us that just because a job is classified as “boring” (i.e. accountants or lawyers) doesn’t mean you can’t have fun! “It’s not a sin to show a little personality in your…

• How to better meet members’ needs

  Shannon Otto

  5 Nov 2009 | 11:24 am

  By Hannae Berhanu, MemberClicks solutions adviser If you ask most association professionals what their biggest goal is for 2010, most will tell you it is growing their membership base — and that sounds like the obvious answer. Most will do that by sending out a few more blast e-mails, maybe holding one more event that year or recruiting more student members. However, there is a trend that generally falls under the radar that has a pretty large affect on membership growth.  Demassification is one of the eight Super-Trends facing associations, and it has been written about in ASAE’s most…

• Employee Spotlight: Brandon Wycherley

  Shannon Otto

  4 Nov 2009 | 3:10 pm

  There are just a few people who can say they’ve been with MemberClicks since the beginning, and Brandon Wycherley, our director of operations, is one of them! He’s been working here since 2000, and his meticulous personality helps him keep track of everything going on in the office. Because he’s been with the company for so long, Brandon says it’s difficult for him to pin down just one favorite thing. “First and foremost,” though, “it’s always a fun place to work.” His own sense of humor contributes to our fun office culture, and he…

• Welcome aboard!

  Shannon Otto

  3 Nov 2009 | 2:25 pm

  To kick off what will become a semi-regular feature, we wanted to take today to welcome a few of our newest customers. We truly believe small-staff associations are the backbone of America (and Canada, too!) and we love being able to give them the most refreshing technology experience possible. With that said, we’d like to extend a big welcome to one of the newest members of the MemberClicks family, the Association for Long-Term Care Financial Managers. Made up of accountants, financial officers, bookkeepers, government officials, attorneys, consultants and bankers, ALTCFM is committed…

• Halloween: MemberClicks Style

  Shannon Otto

  2 Nov 2009 | 7:16 am

  Halloween might have been two days ago, but the MemberClicks crew celebrated in full force on Friday. Here’s a sampling of the costumes around the office: Product Expert Brandon Antone donned a mask and trenchcoat as Rorschach from Watchmen. Tony Montana from Scarface made an appearance (Kevin Patrick, director of product experience). Even the Pope (Joel Walton, product expert) was making the rounds in our halls. Bama grad and MemberClicks President Thomas Howard donned his houndstooth and got the playbook ready for the Crimson Tide. Our resident cupcake queen and implementation manager…

• 
  GrowGlobally.org

• US Health Care Association Builds Local Latin American Channel Sharing Latest Advances

  Peter Turner

  22 Oct 2009 | 11:33 pm

  Here is another story reflecting the value of cultivating strong local partners in the business of delivering value within a region.  In this case the region is Latin America. A US-based health care society cultivated a strong relationship with its Brazilian counterpart  focusing on science, education and development of its field.  This relationship offered a strong basis to form a partnership and embark on a joint effort to organize a showcase that would feature leading experts presenting unbiased analysis of the society’s annual meeting abstracts and sessions, evolving therapies,…

• So Long G8 Hello G20

  Peter Turner

  25 Sep 2009 | 5:56 am

  If you still needed proof of the power of the rising global economic impact of emerging markets, look no further than today’s announcement in Pittsburg, USA. The G20 has now become the global commerce coordinating body as we say good bye to the G8. Here is the Reuters story.

• MCI Launches E-Learning Services for Non-US Market

  Peter Turner

  10 Sep 2009 | 7:24 pm

  By now the vast majority of US-based associations have developed and deployed their own e-learning products with varying degrees of success.   Until recently the demand within other regional markets in Europe among EU-based associations has been far less bullish. In this interactive on-line course, Pol Van de Perre, MCI’s director of Education Services and Consulting outlines the various technology options EU based associations can leverage as a cost-effective medium to offer education programs. The seminar explains how e-learning fits into your overall education portfolio and how it…

• Emerging Market Strategy Seminars – Chicago and DC in August

  Peter Turner

  9 Jul 2009 | 2:36 pm

  For the first time in history more than half the world is middle-class-thanks to rapid growth in emerging countries. The Economist, February 14, 2009 Sometime last year, the world we inhabit went from Civilization 2.0 to 3.0.   And if you are an association with an eye to serving a wider, more diverse audience beyond the shores of the United States, then this news is very compelling.  Every product or membership manager needs a customer, and for those of us who are in the business of finding new markets and customers for our products, the emerging market countries are building a powerful…

• Final Stop ASAE Study Mission 09 – Abu Dhabi, UAE

  Peter Turner

  5 May 2009 | 6:48 am

  ASAE & The Center’s 2009 Study Mission ends with a visit to one of the most intriguing destinations in the Middle East – Abu Dhabi in the UAE. Abu Dhabi is a major global economic powerhouse and one of the world’s top oil producers. Its per capita GDP is the highest in the world. The emirate has entered a new era of economic liberalization and modernization that will transform it over the next decade into one of the world’s leading centers of excellence in tourism, culture, infrastructure development and across a wide spectrum of business and social activity. Abu Dhabi is…

• 
  Association Subculture

• That's Okay Cuz I Got No Self-Esteem - The D-list Employees

  Shelly Alcorn, CAE

  2 Nov 2009 | 2:19 pm

  I wrote her off for the tenth time todayAnd practiced all the things I would sayBut she came overI lost my nerveI took her back and made her dessertNow I know I'm being usedThat's okay man 'cause I like the abuseI know she's playing with meThat's okay 'cause I got no self esteem    Offspring, SmashThe Short of ItWhat's with that one employee?You know the one.The one that desperately needs to be fired.And escapes the hammer week after week.Get some self-esteem.And get it over with.The Long of ItIt is not a secret that I approach teamwork from a kind of radical point of…

• We Need More Executive Transvestites

  Shelly Alcorn, CAE

  23 Oct 2009 | 11:39 am

  “Cause if you're a transvestite, you're actually a male tomboy, that's where the sexuality is. Yeah, it's not drag queen, no; gay men have got that covered. This is male tomboy, and people do get that mixed up, they put transvestite there - no no no no! Little bit of a crowbar separation, thank you! And gay men, I think, would agree. It's male lesbian, that's really where it is, ok? Because… it's true! ‘Cause most transvestites fancy girls, fancy women. So that's where it is.” - Eddie Izzard, Dressed to KillThe Short of ItCongress just passed a bill to extend hate crimes protection to…

• Nothing You Can Do That Can't Be Done.....

  Shelly Alcorn, CAE

  14 Oct 2009 | 11:05 am

  There's nothing you can do that can't be doneNothing you can sing that can't be sungNothing you can say but you can learn how to play the gameIt's easyThere's nothing you can make that can't be madeNo one you can save that can't be savedNothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in timeIt's easy - Beatles, The Blue AlbumThe Short of ItMan, I had hit on it this time.Members only sections needed to come down.Free and Fast Company (among others) are showing the way.After my post, I got a shout out from a fellow blogger.Who had posted the exact same thing and maybe even said it better,…

• Information? Give it Away Now.....

  Shelly Alcorn, CAE

  7 Oct 2009 | 10:58 am

  Realize I don't want to be a miserConfide w/sly you'll be the wiserYoung blood is the lovin' upriserHow come everybody wanna keep it like the kaiser?Give it away, give it away, give it away now - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood, Sugar, Sex, MagikThe Short of ItAssociations as "information brokers?" Yeah, we figured that out.We could see all of the information we've gathered if we could get behind those "members only" walls.They are kind of like levees built around lakes - and they are leaking.The rising tides of information on the outside will eventually breach the top.Therefore, the…

• Association Management Gen Xer Meme - Right Here, Right Now

  Shelly Alcorn, CAE

  28 Sep 2009 | 5:18 pm

  A woman on the radio talks about revolution When it’s already passed her byBut Bob Dylan didn’t have this to sing about youKnow it feels good to be alive -      Jesus Jones, DoubtI was recently tagged in Maddie Grant's Social Fish Xer Meme and am happy to have been invited to play.  So I will digress for a moment from my "we wrote it 25 years ago" series and chase Alice down this rabbit hole.Here is the question:"So go on, tell me, my fellow Xers – Have YOU sold out?  Have YOU gone mainstream?  Or are we still the guerrilla army, changing the…