Association Management

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  • Things I heard at ASAE Tech Conference VII – Data you should NOT collect

    Effective Database Management » Blog
    Wes Trochlil
    12 Jan 2012 | 8:08 am
    At the session I presented at the ASAE Technology Conference last month, one of the points I made was that you should never collect data you’re not going to use. Seems obvious enough, but I still see many of my
  • Job Search Networking Tips For 2012

    anassociationcareer
    Career Coach / Resume Writer for Association Executives
    12 Jan 2012 | 11:39 am
    Edited article originally written by Laura Raines http://www.ajc.com/business/12-job-search-tips-1291030.html As we ring in the new year, executive job seekers will find new opportunities in the 2012′s job market as well. According to the December Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, employers anticipate a 9% increase in hiring during the first quarter of the new year, the most promising hiring Outlook survey since 2008. Here are a few networking tips from career coaches, recruiters and other experts to help you make the most of your job search in 2012. Professionalize your presence…
  • Humanize and the Millennial Generation

    Jamie Notter
    Jamie Notter
    24 Jan 2012 | 2:35 pm
    Two weeks ago I wrote a post about an inherent paradox in the conversation about generational differences. The differences we see among generations are both true at the big picture level AND irrelevant at the individual level. Every generation possesses significant diversity and significant “sameness” at the same time. That post was the setup to this one, based on the original question that was posed in one of our Humanize twitter chats, which was “Is the Millennial generation better poised to accept the ideas in Humanize than previous generations.” My answer in the…
  • What Is Your Brand?

    Thanks For Playing
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:59 am
    It's not your logo or your colors or your font. Those things are your brand IMAGE, but they aren't your brand.Your brand is an idea...a feeling...an experience.To quote David Ogilvy: brand is "the intangible sum of a product's attributes: its name, packaging, and price, its history, its reputation, and the way it's advertised."Think about that: intangible - attributes - reputation.What you think your brand is doesn't matter. What matters is what your audience thinks it is.And all of us good little marketers nod our heads in agreement with the above. Yet we consistently talk about brand and…
  • 17 ways to revive your organization’s Facebook Page

    Association Jam | Published News
    Lori
    20 Jan 2012 | 9:04 am
    If your organization's Facebook Page no longer has the growth and activity it did when you first launched it, you're not alone. Many nonprofits have experienced the similar flat-lining due to shifting priorities, turnover or ineffective strategies. The good news is that you can start fresh with a few proven strategies to revive your Page:http://associationjam.org/story.php?title=17-ways-to-revive-your-organizationrsquos-facebook-page
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    Jamie Notter

  • Humanize and the Millennial Generation

    Jamie Notter
    24 Jan 2012 | 2:35 pm
    Two weeks ago I wrote a post about an inherent paradox in the conversation about generational differences. The differences we see among generations are both true at the big picture level AND irrelevant at the individual level. Every generation possesses significant diversity and significant “sameness” at the same time. That post was the setup to this one, based on the original question that was posed in one of our Humanize twitter chats, which was “Is the Millennial generation better poised to accept the ideas in Humanize than previous generations.” My answer in the…
  • Conflict and Decision Making

    Jamie Notter
    17 Jan 2012 | 10:31 am
    There is an article in the Volunteer Leadership issue of Associations Now titled, “Balanced Conflict, Better Decisions.” The conclusions in the article concern me. I’m paraphrasing here, but the article says: “Cognitive” conflict is about contradictory perspectives, where “affective” conflict is personalized, emotional, and political. Association boards make better decisions by delegating cognitive conflict to task forces, but dealing with affective conflict at Board meetings. For-profit boards do this the other way around. In a “fair and…
  • Generations and Paradox

    Jamie Notter
    12 Jan 2012 | 8:50 am
    During  a Twitter chat last week, I had some back and forth with a couple of people on the topic of generational differences. The conversation was focused on the Humanize book, and the initial question was whether the Millennial generation is more likely to embrace more “human” organizations than previous generations. I do promise another post that talks about that issue specifically, but I wanted to start with an important point about generations (that was impossible to make in 140 characters on Twitter). Really understanding and acting on generational differences requires a…
  • Book Review: The Knowing-Doing Gap

    Jamie Notter
    10 Jan 2012 | 7:28 am
    As authors Pfeffer and Sutton point out, there are nearly 2,000 books published each year, just in the “Business” category. There is no shortage of knowledge out there at our fingertips: knowledge about the best management practices, the best strategies, the best structures, the best cultures. There is an abundance of knowledge out there to support leaders in creating powerful and effective organizations. The problem, however, is not what we know—we know enough. The problem is that we do not act based on our knowledge. Even when we know what we should do, we often do not do it. The…
  • Changing the World in 2012

    Jamie Notter
    4 Jan 2012 | 12:59 pm
    Maddie tagged me in a “how are you going to change the world in 2012″ meme in a blog post last week. She was inspired by this post by Craig Newmark, and now she’s asked a whole host of us to talk about what we’re going to do in 2012 and how we’re going to change the world. That’s a pretty big question. Maddie’s good at that. So here’s what I’m going to do. 1. I am going to change the world with Humanize. Maddie mentioned this in her post too, obviously, so this is something we are going to do together, but I am committed to elevating the…
 
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    Thanks For Playing

  • What Is Your Brand?

    26 Jan 2012 | 8:59 am
    It's not your logo or your colors or your font. Those things are your brand IMAGE, but they aren't your brand.Your brand is an idea...a feeling...an experience.To quote David Ogilvy: brand is "the intangible sum of a product's attributes: its name, packaging, and price, its history, its reputation, and the way it's advertised."Think about that: intangible - attributes - reputation.What you think your brand is doesn't matter. What matters is what your audience thinks it is.And all of us good little marketers nod our heads in agreement with the above. Yet we consistently talk about brand and…
  • What I'm Reading

    25 Jan 2012 | 12:57 pm
    Need fundraising tips? One of my organization's former corporate partners writes a great blog on this topic, Fundraising Fundamentals, you should check out. Facebook is changing big time, again - is your organization ready? Jamie Notter breaks down what generational differences can and can't tell us. Another great piece from Jamie Notter on how conflict affects decision making.Speaking of decision making, great advice (via Vinay Kumar): just do the next right thing. SEO myths debunked. Facebook: creating a home for the marginalized? Running out of ideas for your brand to post on FB? The…
  • So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

    24 Jan 2012 | 9:08 am
    The title of the fourth book in Douglas Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, "So long, and thanks for all the fish" is the message the intellectually-superior-to-humans dolphins leave as they depart Earth just before the Vogons show up to demolish it to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Don't worry - the dolphins save the day by constructing a duplicate Earth and transporting everything from the original Earth onto it before the Vogons destroy the original Earth, thus saving the human race.So what does this have to do with associations?What happens to your members when they retire…
  • Always the Last to Know: Tool Roundup

    23 Jan 2012 | 12:01 pm
    OK, sure, we're in mid-January, but this was too good not to share: Ray vanHilst's 2011 holiday best productivity and tech tools roundup. Bonus? Most are freemium tools. Thanks for sharing, Ray!
  • Friday Top 5

    20 Jan 2012 | 10:22 am
    One surprising (and good) unintended consequence of this year's New Year's resolution has been that, in an effort to find interesting and different things to photograph every day, I've gotten much more dedicated to taking a break to take a walk mid-day. If this isn't something you do on a regular basis, I highly recommend it. Top 5 great things about taking a stroll at lunch:Apparently, sitting all day is killing us. A lunchtime walk gets you up and out.Fresh air.Sunshine (especially important during the shortened days of winter).Chance to clear your head after the morning and plan the rest…
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    Association Jam | Published News

  • 17 ways to revive your organization’s Facebook Page

    Lori
    20 Jan 2012 | 9:04 am
    If your organization's Facebook Page no longer has the growth and activity it did when you first launched it, you're not alone. Many nonprofits have experienced the similar flat-lining due to shifting priorities, turnover or ineffective strategies. The good news is that you can start fresh with a few proven strategies to revive your Page:http://associationjam.org/story.php?title=17-ways-to-revive-your-organizationrsquos-facebook-page
  • Brief rant: YOU ARE NOT YOUR PERFECT DONOR!

    Lori
    20 Jan 2012 | 12:04 am
    [Warning: Rant in progress]In my book Ask Without Fear!, I encourage fundraisers to PYITS-put yourself in their shoes. Thinking like the donor or prospect can save you lots of embarrassment in the process of asking for money. But never forget: you are not your perfect donor Your major gift donor prospects are not on the same life trajectory as you. They have different life goals, work patterns, and values. This is good. This is why they are in a financial place for you to be talking to them.http://associationjam.org/story.php?title=brief-rant-you-are-not-your-perfect-donor
  • Google Changed the Search Engine Rules | Fundraising for Nonprofits

    Lori
    20 Jan 2012 | 12:04 am
    Online fundraising happens …when people come to your website and make a gift. While you can reach previous donors and prospects with email, the vast majority of online donors are not on your email list - yet. While you can pay for ads to bring traffic to your website, Google and other search engines will bring the best possible traffic to your site - people who care about your issues. That's why up about 50% of new visitors to a non-profit website come via a search engine, and the granddaddy of all search engines is Google … with more than 60% of the…
  • Decide How You Are Different, Be It, and Forget the Rest

    Lori
    20 Jan 2012 | 12:04 am
    Nancy Schwartz asked, "What are your dreams for nonprofits?" My dream for your nonprofit is that you decide what you are really all about - what makes you different - and that you be that organization, and forget the rest.http://associationjam.org/story.php?title=decide-how-you-are-different-be-it-and-forget-the-rest
  • Seven Steps for Selecting a New Association Management System | Effective Database Management

    Lori
    19 Jan 2012 | 12:27 am
    Although every system selection process has its nuances (over the past dozen years I've completed nearly a hundred with my clients), there are generally seven steps that I follow for helping associations select a new association management system (AMS).http://associationjam.org/story.php?title=seven-steps-for-selecting-a-new-association-management-system--effective-database-management
 
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    Mizz Information

  • Why Having Staff Be Facebook Emissaries Is a Bad Idea

    Maggie
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:24 am
    Lately I've been seeing social media pros suggesting that, in light of recent changes to Facebook's algorithm, organizations start focusing less on Facebook Pages and more on having staff members use their own Facebook profiles to promote the organization's agenda. Call me cranky, but I think this is a terrible idea. The rationale behind this suggestion is that, as Facebook changed its news feed algorithm last fall, admins began to notice that posts from pages were appearing in fans news feeds less frequently than posts from individuals to whom people were subscribed. What does that mean,…
  • Community Manager Appreciation Day

    Maggie
    23 Jan 2012 | 10:56 am
    Photo by elkokoparrilla, on Flickr Unless you are a community manager (and maybe not even then) you probably don't know that today is Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD). Well, guess what? It is! Two years ago Jeremiah Owyang suggested that the fourth Monday of January be a day to "take the time to pause, recognize, and celebrate the efforts community managers around the world to improve customer experiences." Three and a half years into my career as a community/social media manager, I can attest to the fact that it's a demanding, exhilarating, exciting, and life-encompassing job. It's…
  • Movie Recap 2011

    Maggie
    15 Jan 2012 | 1:59 pm
    Photo by ToastyKen  (I originally posted this on my other blog but am reposting here) It's that time of year again...time for my movie recap. In case you don't know this about me, I'm obsessed with going to movies. Not watching movies at home--too many distractions. But going to the movie theater. In 2008 I saw 50 movies. In 2009, I saw 53. Last year I made it to 57. So my number to beat this year was 57. Did I make it? Of course I did! This year's total? 64 movies. Gulp. Next year is going to be a bitch having to top that. Let me just preface this by saying that if you didn't go to a…
  • I Will Stop the World From Ending in 2012

    Maggie
    7 Jan 2012 | 10:01 am
    Ok, sike, but I couldn't resist that headline, because the subject of the world ending in 2012 has been a hotly debated subject in my house for the past three or more years, ever since my daughter (now 15) saw the trailer for the movie 2012 on YouTube and became obsessed and freaked out. Did I mention she's a little OCD? All I know is that the world BETTER NOT end in December, or I'm going to have hell to pay for assuring her, time and time again, that she has nothing to worry about. So enough beating around the bush--I was really, really hoping to hide from this meme about what I'm going to…
  • If This is What Being an A-List Blogger is, I'm Happy to be on the D List

    Maggie
    2 Jan 2012 | 11:53 am
    I swore I wouldn't write about this and send traffic to her blog, because that's the last thing I want to do. But I can't stop thinking about it and feel stupid for being so affected by something written by a person I don't even know--or at least barely know (I did meet her once). I'm sure people will accuse me of linkbaiting, but honestly I don't care--the last thing I feel like is getting into a debate about whether or not it's ok to post pictures of practically your genitals (and I'm not kidding, so be forewarned before clicking that link) on what's supposed to be a business blog. Or…
 
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    Velvet Chainsaw | Midcourse Corrections

  • Why Adults Want To Learn

    Jeff Hurt
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:18 am
    As an adult, what drives you to learn? Enjoyment? Fun? Growth? Developing new skills? Seeking a new career? Job promotion? Professional certification requirements? New experiences? Supervisor mandates? All of the above? None of the above? The Motivations To Learn ASAE’s research, The Decision To Learn, states that the top two reasons people join nonprofit associations are: Education and Professional Development Receiving Cutting Edge Information According to ASAE’s The Decision To Learn, the driving extrinsic motivation for adults to learn is to increase their job status which…
  • The Conference Innovators DNA

    Jeff Hurt
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:43 am
    The Conference Innovators DNA View more presentations from Jeff Hurt Innovation. It’s the heartbeat of today’s economy. It’s also where meeting professionals need to focus their attention, time and resources to compete in the meetings marketplace. Average meetings are planned by average meeting professionals. Yet, most conference attendees don’t want to pay for an average conference. They want a unique experience. Innovative conferences are planned by innovative meeting professionals. Innovators think and act differently. Here is the PowerPoint from my recent presentation at…
  • Do Not Let Your Legacy AMS Kill Your Conference

    Dave Lutz
    25 Jan 2012 | 7:54 am
    Here’s a newsflash for your IT department: Technology that is built for purpose (registration, expo sales, speaker management, etc.) does not need to integrate with your legacy association management system (AMS) in order to be implemented. Read that again! It’s true and something you need to understand before your AMS kills your conference. Your Customer Versus The AMS Your association has invested a ton of capital in your AMS, the enterprise application for managing your business. When it was implemented, you customized the heck out of it. Making changes to that system and getting…
  • How To Influence Facebook Users

    Jeff Hurt
    24 Jan 2012 | 12:22 pm
    Facebook users just want to belong. With more than 800 million registered users, that’s a lot of us that want belong to something. Maybe, just maybe, your organization can help them belong to something of value, something cool and hip, something that promotes life-meaning and purpose, or something that helps them professionally. People Use Facebook For Two Primary Reasons Boston University Professors Ashwini Nadkarni and Stefan G. Hofmann published a study, Why Do People Use Facebook in November, 2011 in the Personality and Individual Differences Journal. Their findings show that…
  • How Conferences Can Find Their Future

    Jeff Hurt
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:32 am
    For most of us, the future is our past. So many people try to create a new future by modifying their past. We insist on doing more of the same that we’ve always done. We cross our fingers and hope it results in a new future. It won’t. Nostalgia Is Good For A Rose Tinted View Often we revel in nostalgic times. We cling to the good ole days when everything went better than planned and times were good. Frequently, our memories wear rose tinted glasses as we recall what worked. We quickly forget what didn’t work. Nostalgia is fluid and our memories are not fixed! Our memories…
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    Membership Marketing Blog

  • Please Participate in the 2012 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report

    26 Jan 2012 | 10:45 am
    The questionnaire is now live for the 2012 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report.  And if you membership professional, I want to invite you to participate in this year’s research. If you received an email invitation to participate, please use the link provided in the email to access the survey. This will prevent you from receiving follow up requests to complete the survey. However, if you are not on the Marketing General Incorporated email list, you can use this link to fill out the questionnaire.  Last year over 650 membership organizations took part in this research. Our hope…
  • Your Membership Value Equation

    19 Jan 2012 | 8:04 am
    Value = Benefits / Costs = (Functional benefits + Emotional benefits) / (Monetary costs + Time costs + Energy costs + Psychic costs)1. 1. Philip Kotler, Marketing Management, Prentice Hall; 11 edition (May 2002)The Membership Marketing Blog is written by Tony Rossell, Senior Vice President of Marketing General, Inc. For more information, contact Tony at Tony@MarketingGeneral.com.
  • A “Good” Response Rate in Membership Marketing

    18 Jan 2012 | 4:07 pm
    Many times I am asked what a good response rate in direct mail is. So I found it interesting when a client shared some data from the DMA Response Rate Trend Report. The report found that “Response rates for Direct Mail have held steady over the past four years. Letter-sized envelopes, for instance, had a response rate this year of 3.42 percent for a house list and 1.38 percent for a prospect list.” Benchmarking data from other organizations is a good starting point for any analysis. However, real data collected from actual market tests is always the best. That’s because response rates…
  • Must-Have Membership Marketing Tools

    30 Dec 2011 | 1:46 pm
    As we start a new year, I get a number of requests from clients for membership evaluation and reporting tools. So I thought that I would share some links that may be of help in reporting on and analyzing your membership program. I hope you find them of help. • Free download of the 2011 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report • Membership “Steady State” Calculation to determine where your membership is headed • Recommended Annual Membership Tracking Dashboard • Formulas to determine membership renewal rates, average tenure of a member, lifetime value, and maximum acquisition cost…
  • How to Recognize a Good Strategy?

    28 Dec 2011 | 2:58 pm
    In our hearts we know it when we see it. We are told that the organization is going to launch a bold new strategy. But in reality we see that what is being presented is just a new goal with a bow tied around it. That’s why I enjoyed an article I just read by Richard Rumelt titled, “The Perils of Bad Strategy”. He lays out the characteristics that point to a bad strategy and also what the ingredients are of a good strategy. In sports, we see the impact of strategy played out in game situatons right before our eyes.  “Like a quarterback whose only advice to his teammates is…
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    Mission to Learn - Lifelong Learning Blog

  • Don’t let the wrong mindset trap get you!

    Jeff Cobb
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:51 am
    I’ve mentioned Stanford Professor Carol Dweck before here on Mission to Learn. I think her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success is a must-read for every serious lifelong learner. Last week, Dweck was interviewed for an HBR Ideacast episode, and I was struck by a segment early in the interview when Dweck highlights a trap I think we can all fall into if we aren’t careful. In case you are not familiar with Mindset, the core point of the book is that consistently successful people embrace a growth mindset – a belief that they can always learn, grow, and become better at…
  • A Treasure Trove of Free Documentaries

    Jeff Cobb
    16 Jan 2012 | 8:24 am
    Ever wonder what it takes to make a samurai sword? Or what the heck the Salton Sea is? Or what it might take to end poverty? Check out Documentary.net for a wealth of documentary footage on these and a wide range of other topics. And for you audiophiles in the Mission to Learn readership, here’s a short documentary on how vinyl records are made (click through if you don’t see it): No related posts.
  • Top 10 Posts on Mission to Learn in 2011 – and Some Personal Favorites

    Jeff Cobb
    20 Dec 2011 | 8:19 am
    In 2011, more than a quarter million unique visitors landed here on Mission to Learn. I’d like to thank everyone of them, and also highlight some of the resources that were most popular among them. Here’s the top 10 for 2011 based on unique page visits: 10. 15 Language Learning Tools for Lifelong Learners (2,991 unique views) Ready to get started on that New Year’s resolution to learn another language? 9. 25 Free Online Resources and Web Apps for Lifelong Learners (3,181 unique views) Great stuff to support your lifelong learning habit in 2012 and beyond. 8. How to Improve…
  • The 1% Solution for Learning Growth

    Jeff Cobb
    12 Dec 2011 | 4:40 am
    One of my mentors is fond of pointing out that, just like money in a savings account, the “returns” from learning tend to compound over time. As a result, if we make the effort to improve by just one percent each day, in seventy days we will be twice as good.* As we turn the corner to a new year, this is a perspective that every dedicated lifelong learner would do well to adopt both for looking back and for looking forward. First, look back on your efforts in 2011. If you made some big leaps, congratulations. But also consider where you have made smaller, incremental progress. Have you…
  • Looking for Blurbs in All the Right Places

    Jeff Cobb
    7 Dec 2011 | 7:54 am
    Interested in getting a free book in exchange for your thoughts? I’ve been working on converting my “10 Ways to Be a Better Learner” series into a brief book. After a good bit of updating, rewriting, and editing, I now have what is very close to a final draft. Before I send it off to be converted into various formats, I am hoping to get a few kind folks to take a look at it and, if they like it, offer some words of praise that I can include on the back cover, etc. So, here’s the deal: You can either comment here or contact me using the Mission to Learn Web form.
 
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    Reid All About It

  • Changing My Little Worlds in 2012

    deirdrereid
    21 Jan 2012 | 8:47 am
    Here I am, running to catch up to the Change the World in 2012 meme that every other association blogger has jumped on already. Two weeks ago I was tagged by Aaron Wolowiec and Elizabeth Engel to give my take on Maddie Grant’s original post, a widely popular one. So where have I been? I’ve been thinking! I didn’t make resolutions this year. Instead, I took my own advice: I’m slowly changing my habits. I’m living the life that the better me would live: committing to daily exercise or yoga, eating more nutritious foods, using my time more effectively (meaning: be more focused),…
  • You’ve Got to Read This: December 6, 2011

    deirdrereid
    6 Dec 2011 | 12:06 pm
    Blogs are not dead! That was the verdict from DelCor Technology Solution’s unconference last month: Progress U. – Blogger Summit. I’m go glad I got up to Arlington VA to attend, it was a great day of conversation. DelCor’s publishing a series of follow-up posts from the Summit. The first talks about the state of blog reading and writing today and why blogs are a good idea for associations. DelCor’s second post discusses Six Barriers to Blogging – And How to Bust Them. Don’t let limited resources, organizational culture, staff’s full plates, fear, lack of confidence…
  • The Mark of Cain on Association Management

    deirdrereid
    4 Nov 2011 | 6:22 pm
    The last few nights I’ve watched news stories about Herman Cain and the National Restaurant Association (NRA). I can’t help thinking about the whole ugly situation through an association management lens. I’m not going to dive into the details or the political ramifications, and I certainly don’t intend to express any political opinions in this post. I’m assuming the best and the worst to get a complete picture for purely hypothetical reasons. Imagine, instead of the NRA, this is your association. A never-ending story about one of your past CEOs (or elected volunteer leader) ends…
  • You’ve Got to Read This: October 11, 2011

    deirdrereid
    11 Oct 2011 | 7:38 am
    I usually start off my selection of good reads with something to help you save time or be more productive, but nothing wowed me this week. So I wrote my own: Be Productive While Having a Beer (or Two). This is such a cool idea from Mike Brown at Brainzooming: assign extreme creativity makeover roles to everyone on your project team. You be the Outrageous Ideameister and I’ll be the Minister of Scare the S#!t Out of Us Possibilities! I never get tired of sharing this type of post because I know many people are stumped when it comes to blog content. Jackie Roy at TMG Media’s Engage blog…
  • Be Productive While Having a Beer (or Two)

    deirdrereid
    8 Oct 2011 | 12:44 pm
    Is it five o’clock already? It’s been a good day. Most of the items on your daily to-do list have been crossed out. However, you’re getting your usual late afternoon second (or third?) wind. Your brain is still clicking. You could still put in a few hours work. Then a thought rears up in your mind, or is it a little devil on the shoulder? Wouldn’t a beer or glass of wine taste good right now? Yes, it would. It would be especially good with that salmon cheese spread in the refrigerator. What to do, what to do… The beauty of a home office is that the refrigerator is just steps away.
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    SocialFish

  • More Changing the World in 2012

    Maddie Grant
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am
    Just in case you  missed them, here are some more truly thoughtful responses to my meme, How Are You Going to Change the World in 2012? (More posts are here.) Challenge Accepted: Make the World a Better Place (Lowell Aplebaum) 1. For the association world: Collaborate.  No, I am not talking about the ASAE social network platform (though it is a great place to connect with colleagues and get involved).  I am talking about associations working together to work together.  There are so many of us out there, and each association has the things it is REALLY good at, and those areas where we…
  • MUST READ: 2012 Edelman Barometer is out

    Maddie Grant
    25 Jan 2012 | 9:49 am
    Just saw this post from Edelman: Why Your Company Needs to Structure Properly for Social Media… Right Now. From the post (my bold): Yesterday morning in London, Richard Edelman unveiled the 2012 Edelman Trust Barometer. It’s the twelfth year that we’ve conducted the study, which tries to answer the seemingly simple question: “Who do you trust?” One thing is clear from this year’s research: It isn’t your CEO. Globally, only 38% of informed publics think CEOs are credible spokespeople. That’s down from 50% last year. On the other hand, trust in a ‘Regular employee’ showed a…
  • What’s New in Social Media for Associations

    Maggie McGary
    25 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am
    I have a confession: one of my least favorite things to do is public speaking. I had never done it at all until three years ago when Debra Stratton of Stratton Publishing & Marketing asked me if I’d present with her at ASAE’s Great Ideas conference, which just happened to be in Miami in February. So I said yes. I was terrified, and incredibly relieved when it was over. I figured that if I forced myself to do more of this dreaded public speaking it would get better in time, so over the past few years any time someone has asked me to speak or wanted to collaborate with me to…
  • How’s your social customer service?

    Maddie Grant
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am
    88% of consumers are less likely to buy from a company that ignores them on social media sites.  Check out the full Conversocial study here.  I know I notice – very strongly – when my tweets go unanswered.  If it’s a technology company of any kind? Even worse. Instant fail, and I’ll happily tweet my irritation and vow never to use them again.  Fair? Maybe not – but that’s the truth.  It’s not all bad, though – this unscientific but cool SBOSM poll says we’re doing a good job.  How’s your social customer service?
  • How do you prepare for unpredictability?

    Maddie Grant
    22 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am
    Anna Caraveli, our newest columnist, has a thought-provoking post over at the Demand Perspective called Engaging New Generations: Is it a Numbers and Data Game? An excerpt (my bold): Do we develop future members with formulas about how they behave with the only determinant being age? As a baby boomer I am supposed to feel all kinds of things that I do not actually feel.  I am supposed to be uncomfortable with technology; comfortable with volunteering for my community and joining membership organizations; motivated by climbing an orderly career ladder rather than by exploring, taking risks…
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    Association Marketing Springboard (Now SocialFishing)

  • SOPA, PIPA, and the Wikipedia blackout: what it means for associations.

    Lindy Dreyer
    18 Jan 2012 | 5:46 am
    I’m confused. I figured I’d start this post with that, just so you know that I don’t have any answers here. Only questions. At the risk of inadvertently raising political ire from every corner, I’d also like to start by saying that both sides have important points to make. I’m talking about the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), also known as House Bill 3261. The Senate version is PROTECT IP Act (PIPA), or Senate Bill 968. I won’t get into comparing the two bills–that’s not my thing. For the purpose of this post I’ll focus on SOPA.
  • Get your Gold Circle Award Submissions in by January 20

    Lindy Dreyer
    10 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am
    Hey SocialFish readers–you deserve to be recognized. Consider this a heads-up. Every year, the ASAE Communications Section’s Gold Circle Award (GCA) competition recognizes the extraordinary communications efforts undertaken by associations. This year’s awards ceremony will be held several months early to coincide with the Marketing, Membership, and Communications Conference, May 23-24. That means you need to get your submissions together now in order to get in under the January 20 deadline. There are several categories where outstanding social media work could potentially be…
  • New Infographic: Associations Going Mobile

    Lindy Dreyer
    6 Dec 2011 | 6:00 am
    I’m doing a session all about mobile with Jeff De Cagna and Paul Gannon at the ASAE Technology Conference on Wednesday morning. Mobile is something Maddie and I think and talk about a lot. And after posting that “mobile apps are a waste of time for associations” on this blog last year, I’ve gotten a number of requests to talk more about it. The post was meant to be provocative. A year later, a lot has changed in the mobile landscape. Still, I stand by a lot of the reasoning in the original post, even as I agree that completely ignoring native apps is also a mistake.
  • Deep dive on Social CRM at the ASAE Technology Conference

    Lindy Dreyer
    5 Dec 2011 | 6:00 am
    This was originally posted over on the Avectra blog. If you follow Avectra (and if you’re into SCRM, you should!) then you can skip ahead to the next post in your reader. The ASAE Technology Conference is next week in DC–where did November go? Every year, I look forward to a fun-filled, possibly snowy week of techie good times. And this year, I’m even more energized about #Tech11. I’ll be facilitating a deep dive on Social CRM for Associations on Thursday, 12/8, starting at 8:30am. Deep dive means that we will actually have a good chunk of time together as a group to…
  • Times are hard. Associations make the world better.

    Lindy Dreyer
    26 Oct 2011 | 7:00 am
    Maddie and I attended the ASAE Summit Awards Dinner a few days ago. It’s a beautiful event held annually in Washington, DC. We were at the National Building Museum, with it’s spectacular architecture highlighted with uplights, an understated stage set, and beautiful party decor. We had drinks, wine and a three-course dinner. There was a live performance of the national anthem by Northwestern High School’s talented choir, and later a performance by Nashville music star, Gabe Dixon. And a lot of money was raised for ASAE’s Power of A Fund. For the 1,100 people who…
 
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    Condo Association Management Blog

  • Condo association looking for do it your self CCRs to save money

    27 Jan 2012 | 7:43 am
    We are a small 12 unit association. Our original CCRs were badly written and need to be updated, according to a lawyer we have been working with. To save on legal fees,we'd like to do most of the rewriting. Are there any CC&R templates available that we could utilize?
  • Association board keeps charitable donations a secret from owners

    26 Jan 2012 | 6:53 am
    Our Florida HOA is a non-profit Association which makes profits and has given some of the profits to charities, gulf club, etc. without approval of the Board of Directors (BoD) or Association Members. The Officers of the Association keeps these profit secret and will not tell BoD or the Association Members the amount or how much is donated. Most Officers are on members of the BoD. I am certain the profits are not reported for tax reasons. Here is what one Officer sent by email. Please note that they hide behind the word funds and I do not question that funds are donated just profits. “Also,…
  • Condo association in financial ruin. Owners taking board to court.

    24 Jan 2012 | 7:47 am
    I belong to an association in New Jersey that has taken us into financial ruin. We owe 74K on our water bill, we have a lien against us of $130K from a contractor.  We got petitions together to call a special meeting to recall the Board. They won't set a date for the meeting. They are making us take them to court. Of course they have three attorneys we have one. Anyone ever come on this situation where you try to recall the board with enough petitions and they won't set a special meeting date?
  • Condo president gets owners to withdraw applications for board seat

    23 Jan 2012 | 8:01 am
    I own a condo in a 150 unit complex in Florida. The condo board of directors actively (and vigorously) tried to recruit applications for director positions because they were afraid we would fall below the required 5 members. After receiving 8 applications the president of the board personally contacted 3 of the 8 applicants and "encouraged" them to withdraw their applications, presumably because he wanted to avoid an election. I was one of the extraneous applicants. I'm relatively new in the complex, and I withdrew because I didn't want to make waves, but in retrospect I regret it, and I'm a…
  • How long should condo association keep assessment records?

    22 Jan 2012 | 6:09 am
    What are the obligations of an association to keep records of special assessments when an owner asks for them going back several years?
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    Cynthia D'Amour on Leadership and Life

  • Seeing Through New Eyes

    Cynthia D'Amour
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:58 pm
    Still blue. Yesterday we went to the Michigan Women’s Basketball game. For me, it was a whole new game. Even though we’ve attended for a few years. And I grew up loving basketball. My fitness quest gave me a different perspective. I no longer just watched the game. I also watched how the player’s moved. And compared to training with Mollie. Wow! Look at her throw that ball across the court! Mollie makes me do an overhead throw. With a weighted ball. Wonder how far I could throw a regular basketball? OMG! Look at how much those women are squatting. I sometimes do 100 squats…
  • I Just Sang the Blues

    Cynthia D'Amour
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:55 pm
    (Even though my blood runs green!) I am a proud Michigan State grad. My blood is green. I’m a huge Izzo fan. Have wonderful memories of school. Tonight I switched teams. We attended a Michigan’s Women’s Basketball game. Been going to games for a few years. Enjoy watching the women develop their skills. When I first moved to Ann Arbor, I was firmly green. Over time I realized the interesting opportunities the University of Michigan offers the community. More importantly, I wanted to support women in sports. The basketball players are amazing athletes - and the games are fun.
  • Early Morning Jump Start Paid Off

    Cynthia D'Amour
    25 Jan 2012 | 3:14 am
    Yeah! Today I got up early to cook. I made protein-packed, cherry-almond oatmeal. And pumpkin protein bars. All before 8 AM! Just came off three days on the road. My food stash was depleted. I had a date with Mollie, my trainer, at noon. Wanted to be able to eat properly to prepare. What a difference in my workout! I rowed with 70 pounds. Swung a 35-pound kettlebell all over. Held a plank position on a wobbly BOSU ball while doing jumping jacks with my feet! The biggest impact was after the workout. I wasn’t exhausted. Finished the afternoon at work strong. And smiled at all I…
  • Actions Speak Louder than Words

    Cynthia D'Amour
    23 Jan 2012 | 3:56 pm
    Well done! Just spent the weekend working at Disney World. Stayed at the Swan and Dolphin Resort. My first time there. They walk their talk when it comes to inclusion. There were several pools. Each had it’s own chairlift. Even the hot tub. (It’s the white machine on the left of the hot tub.) Way to go Swan and Dolphin Resort for investing in access! Makes me think of chapter leaders…what do your actions say about how much you really want different members involved?
  • Living Doesn’t Have to Hurt

    Cynthia D'Amour
    21 Jan 2012 | 7:09 am
    Anymore. I had a big ah-ha this week. Didn’t realize how much I used to hurt. Or what I was missing when out of shape. Surprised by the insight. I had to walk the entire length of the MSP airport - more than a mile. Used to leave me exhausted. Covered with sweat. This week it was just a walk. I decided to stop at Mall of America - America’s largest mall. Wanted to move a little between flying and the two-hour drive ahead of me. Used to count it as exercise. Now just stretching my legs. We’ve been selling a lot of books. I’ve been carrying the boxes to UPS. (James is…
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    Acronym

  • Quick clicks: Two-by-two edition

    Joe Rominiecki
    26 Jan 2012 | 3:46 pm
    After rounding up some of the best blog posts on association management from the past two weeks, I found I had several pairs of posts on matching topics. So, I paired them up on the list below. Enjoy. Community management Did you know that Monday was Community Manager Appreciation Day? Well, thanks to Maggie McGary, now you do. So go give your association's community manager(s) a belated "thanks." Colleen Dilenschneider explains why quality, not quantity, matters most in building your organization's online followers. Fixing problems Laura Otten writes that some struggling nonprofits won't…
  • Are We Suffering From Teamwork Fatigue?

    Mark Athitakis
    25 Jan 2012 | 8:13 am
    I've read so much contradictory information about whether it's better to work by oneself or in groups that I finally needed some alone time to think about it. Associations Now has done its bit to promote the virtues of introversion: We've run articles on the importance of finding time to think by oneself, on how introverts aren't the insecure souls the stereotype suggests, and on how social media helps introverts better engage with associations. Of course, we run plenty of articles about the virtues of collaboration too—our Volunteer Leadership Issue is, in essence, a handbook for how…
  • How connecting differs in person and on the web

    Joe Rominiecki
    20 Jan 2012 | 9:32 am
    In the space of a few hours earlier this week, I came upon two articles about human interaction that seemingly contradicted each other: "Opposites Don't Attract (And That's Bad News)," by Jonah Lehrer at Wired's Frontal Cortex blog "The End of the Echo Chamber," by Farhad Manjoo at Slate In the former, Lehrer explains a newly released study that found that college students at larger universities have less diverse social groups than those at smaller universities. The conclusion drawn is that a larger environment allows the natural tendency toward seeking relationships with similar people to…
  • The Fiction Fix

    Mark Athitakis
    13 Jan 2012 | 8:31 am
    Last week I wrote about the virtues of skepticism when it comes to storytelling—why it's important to be wary about organizations that use storytelling to burnish positive images about themselves, because there's a good chance they're covering up messes that don't neatly fit the narrative. Your comments to that post got me thinking more about when storytelling does and doesn't do its job. (And as an editor at Associations Now who's stared at plenty of blank screens trying to write, I think about this a fair bit.) So let's add one more complication here: At the Harvard Business Review…
  • Quick clicks: New year edition

    Joe Rominiecki
    12 Jan 2012 | 10:01 am
    Quick clicks took some time off over the holidays, so there's plenty to catch up on. We start, though, on a sad note. Long-time association executive Mark Bledsoe, CAE, passed away December 22. Mark blogged on association management via his AssociationOkie blog. Friend, colleague, and fellow blogger Cynthia D'Amour shared her memory of Mark. His voice in the association blogosphere will be missed. Looking back at some of the top posts from the past few weeks, many association bloggers turned their attention to predictions and resolutions for 2012: Words for 2012. Following a theme that she…
 
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    Splash: Refreshment For Your Small-Staff Organization

  • Friday Top Five: Teamwork, millennials and Skype

    Shannon Otto
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:51 am
    Good morning and happy Friday! Let’s get right to our favorite blog posts of the week; be sure to share your own faves in the comments! 1. Maddie Grant shares findings from a Conversocial study indicating that nearly 50% of consumers would be less likely to buy anything from a company with multiple unanswered questions on their Facebook page. I can speak from experience that although social customer service is annoying and difficult, it can speak positively about your brand in spades. 2. Got an interview via Skype coming up? Don’t miss Cindy Butts’ great tips – the…
  • Slideshows for small Staffs: Content Curation and Gamification

    Shannon Otto
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:30 am
    Good afternoon and happy Thursday! In anticipation of the weekend, we’d like to share a few new presentations and slideshows courtesy of Slideshare. Let us know what you think! Content Curation for Nonprofits View more presentations from Beth Kanter Gamification in nonprofits View more presentations from Jan Böhm Nonprofit Decision Making View more presentations from dallas bragg Nonprofit Boards and Effective Governance View more presentations from NonprofitWebinars.com
  • Ready or not, Facebook timeline is coming

    Shannon Otto
    25 Jan 2012 | 1:47 pm
    Remember a few months ago when we introduced you to some pretty crazy Facebook changes? Basically, everyone’s profile is going to look like the one below. Facebook is getting ready to roll Timeline out to everyone, whether you like it or not. Once you see the “Enable Timeline” button on your Facebook, you’ll have one week to get your profile in order before you have to switch over. Here’s some more info about Facebook’s new changes: In addition to Timeline, thanks to Facebook’s Open Graph, a slew of apps – such as Spotify, Foodspotting  and Nike+  –…
  • What does your AMS’ support system look like?

    Shannon Otto
    24 Jan 2012 | 12:15 pm
    One of the greatest things about using an Association Management System (AMS) is the built-in support system. Most vendors offer training webinars, videos, documentation and even on-site visits to help you become more familiar with their technology. Your organization’s staff  should make it a priority to be as knowledgeable about your chosen Web solution as possible. Devote a specific amount of time to initial training, and down the road, you may not need as much support. We think it’s vital to choose a Web solution that includes as much support and training as possible. We’ve got free…
  • Networking tips for Introverts

    Shannon Otto
    23 Jan 2012 | 11:30 am
    You’re probably familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality test, right? The one that determines if you’re an ESTJ or an INFP or another combination of those letters (each standing for a different dichotomy). The E and I stand for one very important dichotomy that can greatly affect your professional life: are you introvert or an extrovert? Introverts aren’t necessarily quiet and shy, and extroverts aren’t always raucous and crazily talkative. The terms derive from where you get your energy. Do you thrive off crowds and other people, or do you value “alone…
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    GrowGlobally.org

  • MCI to Host International Meeting Planners at IMEX’12 in Frankfurt

    Theresa
    17 Jan 2012 | 11:23 am
    The world’s leading international meetings marketplace is marking its 10th Anniversary and if you have not gone in the past, then this is really the year to come to Frankfurt.  In honor of the show’s 10th anniversary there is a series of special activities planned throughout the 3 days. IMEX  really is  the ever-changing face of the meetings industry.  Constantly evolving and with a firm finger on the pulse of all the breaking news and trends, this show really puts you at the center of the action and MCI is inviting you to attend as our guest. Every year record numbers of…
  • MCI Wins Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 Europe

    Peter Turner
    17 Nov 2011 | 11:21 am
    Normally this blog focuses its content on stories and ideas that help associations grow their business globally.  But as we enter the Thanksgiving Holiday period here in the US, we want to take a moment to give thanks to our clients here in the US and around the world who continue to make MCI what it is today. Our CEO Sébastien Tondeur was awarded the 2011 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Europe in the Trade Services category. As we move into 2012, we look forward to continuing our collaborations with many of you. Happy Thanksgiving.
  • A Modern Value Proposition for Today’s Association

    Peter Turner
    11 Oct 2011 | 9:03 am
    Corporate CEOs around the world are starting to see the shape of a new era in business where “sustainability” becomes crucial to the success of their business and shareholder value, according to the UN Global Compact and Accenture. In the face of rising global competition, technological change and the most serious economic downturn in nearly a century, corporate commitment to the principles of sustainability remains strong throughout the world.  CEOs see sustainability as important to their company’s future success, because: Customers and investors are demanding it New…
  • Customer Research Education Panel at CESSE 2011 Uses Virtual KOL Technology

    Peter Turner
    28 Jul 2011 | 1:51 pm
    Many CESSE members have asked for more information on how associations can use market and customer research to enhance member value and performance of their education product portfolio outside the US market.  Specifically, they asked: What is the role of market and customer research in a successful product strategy? What works best when performing face-to-face member and customer product assessments to help you identify gaps in perceived customer value that can impact design, production, distribution or promotion? Peter Turner from MCI organized a distinguished panel of researchers who…
  • Building Cross-Cultural Competence Key to Success Abroad

    Peter Turner
    27 Jul 2011 | 11:32 am
    MCI’s Group Director of Global Learning & Development Avinash Chandarana was the this year’s keynote speaker at the CESSE 2011 in Vancouver.   Over 500 people attended last Wednesday morning, and we are pleased to share with you a follow up interview with Avinash via videocast produced by KiKi L’Italien of DelCor.  Avinash’s CESSE keynote discussed the need for awareness of cultural differences and the development of cross cultural competence as a prerequisite for business success. How many associations have the cultural insights, competencies and capabilities…
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    Association Subculture

  • It Gets Better....Sometimes

    Shelly Alcorn, CAE
    16 Jan 2012 | 6:29 pm
    ALL YOU'LL EVER BE IS THE FADING MEMORY OF A BULLY...Shinedown - New Single "Bully" off their upcoming album Two rants in one week.  Not normal for the Subculture but hey, sometimes things must be said. Yesterday I read how another one of our Sacramento community's beautiful gay teenagers committed suicide over New Years.  He had been a victim of bullying during high school and apparently college was proving difficult as well. Today, I went downtown to have lunch with a colleague and discovered three things - 1) there was a huge MLK day rally downtown, 2) the police presence…
  • When Customer Service Isn't

    Shelly Alcorn, CAE
    12 Jan 2012 | 11:54 am
    "Help me help you!"..... Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire Sometimes great customer service isn't. A few days before Christmas, I suddenly remembered that on one of our many shopping trips to Barnes and Noble, one of our daughters had shown the other one a book about a particular TV show and mentioned she thought it was cool.  I wish I had remembered this a few weeks before Christmas, but at least I was still within the shopping red zone. I didn't remember exactly what it was called and I don't watch the show, but I ran over to my computer and found it on Amazon within 30 seconds.  I…
  • DIY - "Makes Me Think Of" Creativity Exercise

    Shelly Alcorn, CAE
    8 Jan 2012 | 2:56 pm
    Ok, you DIYers out there....One thing we know we need to do and we don't do enough are simple creativity exercises. Here's one I've picked up along the way and it's really simple.  I didn't invent it and I'm not sure who did. This can be used when you are stuck, when you feel like consciously daydreaming, or as an ice-breaker exercise with boards, committees or staff.... Pick a word.  Any word.  It could be something simple like any noun "cloud" or "car" or something like "membership" or "workshops."  Put three to five minutes on a timer.  I tend to like three minutes…
  • Times Like These - My 5 Terms for 2012

    Shelly Alcorn, CAE
    2 Jan 2012 | 12:36 pm
    it's times like these you learn to live again it's times like these you give and give again it's times like these you learn to love again it's times like these time and time again.....Foo Fighters, Times Like These So my year end ritual is complete.  Even though today is still technically a holiday, I feel like 2012 is officially underway and now it's time to reveal the 5 Terms for 2012 that will be front and center at Alcorn Associates Management Consulting this year. (By the way - I was so happy to see 5 Terms for 2012 posts from Lowell Aplebaum, Kiki L'Italien, Nikki Jeske and…
  • Five Terms for 2012

    Shelly Alcorn, CAE
    19 Dec 2011 | 7:27 pm
    I am Santa Claus!!!! Santa Iron Man Parody I am pretty sure this is the final post for this year.  (I'm leaving myself a little room to maneuver there. You never know when inspiration might strike.) I'd like to sincerely thank all of our clients, colleagues and friends who made this such a successful year for Alcorn Associates.  Mark and I are really so very appreciative for your business, referrals and support. As we close out this year, I 'd like to share an exercise with you that I did last year and am planning to do again because I found it really effective.  Maybe you…
 
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    vanguardtechnology.wordpress.com

  • 1-Minute Answers: What Is A Wireframe?

    Chris Bonney
    5 Jan 2012 | 11:31 am
  • Vanguard’s 2011 Holiday Productivity and Tech Tool Round Up

    Ray van Hilst
    21 Dec 2011 | 8:11 am
    Here are some free or cheap tech tools to increase your productivity (or just make things easier) The thing I enjoy the most about the holiday season is gift giving. But in today’s tightened economy, many of us are facing reduced budgets and looking for easy gifts to give family and colleagues. So in the spirit of the season, here is a roundup of some of the best, free or cheap online tools I have discovered in the past year and incorporated into my work and life. Each one has helped with productivity, collaboration or otherwise just getting stuff done.  Enjoy. Screen Sharing – join.me…
  • What Online Community Managers Want You To Know

    Chris Bonney
    8 Dec 2011 | 10:06 am
    First, thanks to all that attended my “The Biggest Challenges with Private Online Communities and the Secrets to Overcoming Them” session yesterday at ASAE with Paul Schneider. You can download the PPT here. In preparation for the session we created a quick one-question survey and sent it out to all online community managers that we know. Paul and I wanted to not just deliver the voice of us as vendors, but also that of our clients who are working with online communities in the trenches everyday. The question we asked was: If you could tell an association venturing into creating…
  • 5 Tips for a Successful Association Website Redesign and CMS Migration

    Ray van Hilst
    1 Dec 2011 | 11:33 am
    Next week is the ASAE 2011 Technology Conference and Expo.  On Wednesday, I will co-present a session on Web Redesign and CMS Migration Best Practices with Tobin Conley from Delcor and Kathryn Hamilton from NAIOP. We will cover a number of elements of web redesign PM best practices including managing expectations, timelines and project management tools. As a sneak peak of our session here are 5 CMS Tips co-speaker Kathryn Hamilton is sharing as one of our session handouts: It takes a village. Building your site is more than just one department’s task. What’s important to one department…
  • Countdown to Association Blog-Palooza

    Ray van Hilst
    9 Nov 2011 | 8:01 am
    Tomorrow is the Progress U Blogger Summit (PUBS) presented by Delcor Technology Solutions.  Considering I’ve been a (somewhat) active blogger for a few years, I’m quite excited. So it’s appropriate that I share that by…. blogging. I’ve heard how blogging is dead or that organizations just don’t get it.  Well, I’m here to tell you that they are wrong.  In a content driven world where “in bound marketing” drives new members and non-dues revenue, blogging is one of the most powerful tools an association can leverage to drive site traffic, share thought leadership and stand…
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    a blog & resource centre for NFP organizations

  • Seth Godin Says...

    Carol-Anne Moutinho
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am
    ...That 'average' won't cut it in our post-industrial working world. This is true at many levels. The idea also makes sense if you look at it from a nonprofit point-of-view: If your organization is just average, it's going to get lost in the shuffle in an environment that is becoming increasingly crowded with other groups offering a lot of what looks like the same thing. That's no secret. On the other hand, I can't tell you how many trade and industry associations we work with that are in a mad scramble to help their members recruit and retain skilled workers.
  • How to Find Out What Your Association's Members REALLY Need

    Carol-Anne Moutinho
    16 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am
    I came across this post over on Elizabeth Weaver Engel's blog (which you should follow, if you don't already). In it, she talked about a recent Twitter discussion on capturing and keeping track of what members really need. It's a good question and is one I know many association professionals face, so I have pulled from this post a few examples of how some of our clients have used processes that actively incorporate member feedback into the decision-making process - this is by no means a comprehensive list but hopefully gets the juices flowing.
  • What is Your Nonprofit's Blue Ocean?

    Carol-Anne Moutinho
    11 Jan 2012 | 10:00 am
    Blue Ocean Strategy is a framework that focuses on market differentiation and innovation - two things we don't see enough of in nonprofit circles. Here's the gist of it...
  • Nonprofit Treats (From Last Week): Good Stuff Happening On the Web

    Carol-Anne Moutinho
    9 Jan 2012 | 9:01 am
    Well, It's a new year and most of us are back to the grind. Despite the long and dark winter days many of us are enduring (daylight lasts from 8am - 4:30 where I am right now), I am seeing a lot of inspiration on the web these days. Here are a few goodies from last week. I hope you enjoy!
  • ARC Best OF: Don’t be the Boiled Frog: Complacency No Longer an Option for NFP’s

    Carol-Anne Moutinho
    22 Dec 2011 | 7:00 am
    Did you know that if you throw a frog into a pot of boiling water, it will try to jump out? But if you put that same frog into a pot of water at room-temperature and heat it up gradually, the frog will let itself be boiled to death? We all know the world is changing. Change is everywhere we look, from our physical environment, to the way we relate and communicate to one another. Many of these changes are paradigm-shifting.
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    Jeffrey Cufaude, Idea Architects

  • Facilitation Friday #4: Help Make Connections and Meaning

    Jeffrey Cufaude
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:01 am
    You get off your plane at the airport and the first thing you do is check your cellphone or the gate monitor for information about your connection.  You want to know one thing: where do I need to go next? Whether it be volunteers on a conference call, staff colleagues in a meeting, or learners participating in a workshop, they seek the same thing: connections.In a fast-paced environment overloaded with information, people need to connect on a variety of levels: with their colleagues, with the issues at hand, with internal information and external insights, and with the lessons from the…
  • Water Your Ideas Like a Garden

    Jeffrey Cufaude
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:10 pm
    I remember when I got my first house and I would dash outside in the evening and do a quick spray from the hose on all the plants and flowers, thinking I had sufficiently watered them to withstand the summer heat.  I hadn't.Garden enough and you quickly learn the value of slow, steady watering.  The moisture reaches deep to plants' roots as it slowly seeps through the soil.  Instead of spraying the water down on top of the plants, you use soaking hoses that lay right on top of the soil.  It takes longer, but it is more effective.Nurturing sustainable and genuine commitment…
  • The Cost of Not Being You

    Jeffrey Cufaude
    23 Jan 2012 | 6:03 am
    "We find it an awful thing to meet people, serious or not, who have turned into vacant effective people, so far lost that they won’t believe their own feelings enough to follow them out."William Stafford, "An Introduction to Some Poems"In his wonderful post, Joe Gerstandt asks if you've recently paid the cost of being you, of bringing your whole self into your relationships and making the contributions that only you can make.When we stand out from the crowd, when we do not conform to others' expectations, we often have to pay a cost.  I'd suggest that when we choose to do the opposite…
  • Facilitation Friday #3: Balancing Challenge and Support

    Jeffrey Cufaude
    20 Jan 2012 | 7:42 am
    Psychologist and scholar Nevitt Sanford introduced an influential construct related to cognitive development that is a valuable framework for facilitation: challenge and support (PDF link).Challenge provided by either internal or external stimuli, can lead to growth and development so long as the disequilibrium caused by the challenge does not overwhelm the individual, in which case the person retreats or shuts down.Support is an external influence that helps an individual successfully navigate the challenge being experienced without coddling the person so much that growth and development is…
  • The Power of Purpose

    Jeffrey Cufaude
    18 Jan 2012 | 4:25 am
    Perhaps more than ever before, we need purpose-driven organizations and leaders because they Seek contribution from people rather than try to control themNurture creativity rather than force complianceCoach members rather than command troopsUnleash commitment rather than settle for consent Build a sense of community instead of force confinement of individuals from one anotherAccept complexity instead of contrive certainties(these qualities taken verbatim from The Purpose-Driven Organization by Terry Pascarella. But all around us we find examples of fear-based leaders whose inflammatory…
 
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    KiKi L'Italien's Acronym Soup

  • Does Your Association Move Like Jagger?

    26 Jan 2012 | 6:44 am
    It has become apparent to certain persons who did not previously recognize it - critics and the like - that Mick Jagger has perhaps the single greatest talent for putting a song across of anyone in the history of the performing arts. In his movements he has somehow combined the most dramatic qualities of James Brown, Rudolf Nureyev, and Marcel Marceau. He makes all previous movers - Elvis, Sammy Davis, Janis Joplin, and even (saints protect me from sacrilege) the great James B. himself - appear to be waist deep in the grimpenmire. This tradition (of movin' and groovin') had its most modest…
  • Down with SOPA and PIPA - Do What You Can Today!

    18 Jan 2012 | 8:40 am
    http://sopastrike.com/strike/
  • Finally! A Year With Some Balls

    1 Jan 2012 | 11:49 am
    {EAV:d5be4453707ce396} There are some things about 2012 I already love. "2012" takes fewer syllables to say than "2011" I've been accidentally writing "2012" for most of 2011, so I'm ready for this Whether it's a crock or not, the whole "end of the world" transition predictions from all kinds of prophets and calendars makes 2012 take on an air of "now or never" and I can't wait to see what that looks like for people I have always looked forward to creating resolutions for a new year, but this year I have been hesitant. Even coming up with five words or terms for 2012 à la Shelly…
  • Why Most Would-Be Super Executives Will Never Witness Their Greatest Success

    19 Dec 2011 | 12:36 pm
    Because they get distracted by emotions and their daily tasks. [the following is reposted from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/20/jobs/to-avoid-distractions-at-work-hit-the-reset-button.html]   The part of the brain devoted to attention is connected to the brain’s emotional center, says Srini Pillay, author of “Your Brain and Business” and an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Any strong emotion — frustration with a colleague, problems at home — can disrupt your attention, he says. Refocusing is hard for many people…
  • Post Conference Depression

    9 Dec 2011 | 7:05 pm
    I never went to summer camp, but I can only imagine what it was like when it was time to go home. Saying goodbye to old and new friends and leaving an environment full of laughter, learning, and games... complete with mini-dramas and life transformative moments. In my mind, the end of a conference is like that...it's the end of adult camp and we all go back to our businesses and lives as different people. Maybe a little different - maybe a lot different. And then there's the crash. At least for me it's that way. Maybe it's a little extreme to say it, but I'd even call it a sort of Post…
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    aLearning Blog

  • How Time Flies…

    Ellen
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:01 am
    …when you’re having fun, right?!? And we have been having fun here at the aLearning Blog! Suddenly, it seems, we’re publishing our 250th post and celebrating five years. Yep, five years. And so much has changed! When aLearning published its first post back on January 27, 2007: no LMS systems (that we know of at the time) were designed especially to meet the needs of associations and nonprofits few (if any) research endeavors about online learning focused on associations and nonprofits few (if any) organizations bothered to survey association learning leaders to find out what…
  • January Quick Clicks

    Ellen
    23 Jan 2012 | 4:56 pm
    Whew! It’s been awhile since an aLearning post, but we’ve been working hard behind the scenes on a great new aLearning venture. More on that soon…   Meanwhile, we’ll make it up to you by providing this edition of Quick Clicks, some links to what we believe are valuable resources, articles, and tools, collected here to help save you the time of tracking them all down. As always, if you have suggestions for Quick Clicks links, send an e-mail. Struggling with Systems Integration? First, take a look at “Bringing Systems Together” from…
  • Cloudy About ‘The Cloud’?

    Ellen
    10 Jan 2012 | 12:58 pm
    Don’t be. Here’s the easy-sneezy version of what you need to know to help your association or nonprofit. First, “The Cloud” is just another way of referring to the Web, the Internet, cyberspace. Services “in the cloud” are available via the Web instead of systems having to be installed on your server(s) or applications or programs being installed on your desktop. It means they’re out there — in cyberspace — and you connect to them. What this means is that the responsibility for maintaining those systems rests on the company providing them,…
  • The Danger of Data (Even When It’s Accurate)

    Ellen
    6 Jan 2012 | 12:47 pm
    You know I love data. You know I believe in the power it has to convince TPTB (The Powers That Be) in the need for elearning, for improved instructional design in face-to-face training, and all other related matters. We worry a lot about getting our data wrong and about the dissemination of incorrect information. But when’s the last time you worried that accurate data could lead you — or your association leaders or your members or your other constituents — in the wrong direction? Yes, it’s possible. Here’s a perfect example, courtesy of Mark Twain: “In the…
  • Lessons Learned at the End of the Year

    Ellen
    31 Dec 2011 | 11:39 am
    Lesson One It’s been a hectic year — we traveled more than 11,000 miles, driving from the West Coast to the Atlantic and back again, straying northward during those scorching summer weeks. What we learned is that free Web access — despite the fact that we’re a dozen years into the new millenium — is still elusive. We knew when we sold our house in early 2009 and became “full-time RVers” that we’d need to watch our expenses, so we chose not to spend money on a satellite system or any of those plug-in cards for Internet access. When you’re…
 
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    anassociationcareer

  • Do You Ever Really Quit An Association?

    Career Coach / Resume Writer for Association Executives
    17 Jan 2012 | 7:24 pm
    Maybe it’s the shared “fighting for a cause” environment, but employees that move on from associations tend to feel like alumni. This isn’t unique to the association world, but I have noticed it seems to be more common than in other industries. In general, these professionals tend to stay strong supporters of the organizations with which they’ve worked. This is a good thing. Using the university analogy again, staying involved with past association employers can be a bit like participating in an alumni network. You have an automatic bond with a group of people in your industry,…
  • Job Search Networking Tips For 2012

    Career Coach / Resume Writer for Association Executives
    12 Jan 2012 | 11:39 am
    Edited article originally written by Laura Raines http://www.ajc.com/business/12-job-search-tips-1291030.html As we ring in the new year, executive job seekers will find new opportunities in the 2012′s job market as well. According to the December Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, employers anticipate a 9% increase in hiring during the first quarter of the new year, the most promising hiring Outlook survey since 2008. Here are a few networking tips from career coaches, recruiters and other experts to help you make the most of your job search in 2012. Professionalize your presence…
  • Guest Post: Popular Software that Companies Look for in a Resume

    Career Coach / Resume Writer for Association Executives
    27 Dec 2011 | 3:48 pm
    In today’s job market, it would be easy to assume that you don’t need to list computer skills on your resume. Doesn’t everyone know how to use Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint? The surprising answer is ‘no’. Many job applicants don’t know how to use these basic applications, or may not be proficient in them. In addition, many programs that employers use to automatically scan resumes will check for keywords related to software. Most especially, if a job listing has a software requirement, make sure you know the software and list it on your resume. So what software should you focus…
  • Should you send the boss a holiday card?

    Career Coach / Resume Writer for Association Executives
    15 Dec 2011 | 4:34 pm
    “Thinking about sending the boss a holiday card?” asks Allison & Taylor, a reference checking firm in Rochester, Michigan in their article Deciding Whether to Send the Boss a Holiday Card. You probably have a good idea: a 2008 survey quoted 50% of holiday card recipients as indicating they were more likely to do future business with a company (or individual) that sends holiday greeting cards. And with your co-workers vying with you for the boss’s favor, your holiday card might prove to be a small, but decisive, differentiator. Here are some reasons why your greeting card…
  • 8 Tips to find the Best Executive Jobs

    Career Coach / Resume Writer for Association Executives
    4 Dec 2011 | 7:12 pm
    While exploring the web for some job search tips to share with my readers, I ran across an article written by Meg Guiseppi based on a query by About.com’s job search expert Alison Doyle. Alison put together eight bits of advice on how to land your next great gig, that I’d thought you may be interested in reading. Read Meg’s original article by clicking here. Establish Goals and avoid burnout by creating a doable plan with concrete expectations. Stay Focused on Your Job Search by sticking with the resources and networking opportunities that focus on your target companies and…
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    Latest Buzz - The Membee Blog

  • Eliminate Multiple Member Logins on Your Site

    Anita Lask
    23 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am
    The Dilemma Our clients commonly use third party web applications to provide unique or specialized member or customer benefits. These unique applications / content often require separate logins in order for the member to access each application and this can result in the member needing to keep track of several different login IDs and passwords.  One user / many applications  =  Many login IDs and passwords The Solution Implement Membee’s Member Single Sign On (MSSO) service.  That way your member can use their Membee login for Membee features like the Profile as well to gain access to…
  • Use Membees Social Login to Tear Down the Login Barrier to Member Participation

    Dale Bennett, President & CEO
    17 Jan 2012 | 4:00 pm
    Member login has become a dilemma in professional membership management as more and more member benefits took the form of content and features on member organization websites. “We need to place content and features behind login to reserve the benefit for our members but the login prevents the consumption of these benefits by the very people it is intended for, our members.” That’s the problem with a locked door – it’s locked. There has got to be a better way! What is Social Login? It’s simple. It is the ability for the member to login to “members only” content (a content…
  • Make More and Save More in 2012

    Anita Lask
    9 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am
    At the beginning of the New Year, we like to take stock of our plans for new features and enhancements whether they are just around the corner or a little farther out into the year. We take time to look at the non-profit environment to examine the challenges our clients will be facing in the coming year and consider how we can best enhance and expand Membee to meet those challenges. Global predictions for economic activity in 2012 indicate that most economies will remain sluggish. Given such an environment, non-profit organizations must work hard to increase revenues and reduce expenditures.
  • Membee Reminder - Year End Reports

    Anita Lask
    28 Dec 2011 | 5:49 pm
    For many Membee clients the end of the calendar year is also the end of their business year.  We just wanted to remind all of you accounting gurus out there that it is wise to run a series of year end reports to give you a snapshot of the membership and financial activity for 2011. Historical Snapshot: Along with the usual financial reports like Accounts Receivable, Cash Receipts, and Account Balance reports you might want to consider some of the other useful reports in Membee’s repertoire.  Often overlooked is the Parameters Report which can give you a very quick number of records for…
  • Merry Holiday Wishes From Membee

    Anita Lask
    19 Dec 2011 | 7:00 am
    The holidays signal the end of one year and the beginning of a new one and they are a great time to take a breather and spend some well deserved quality time with family and friends.  This time of year is also a great time to take stock of the past year. We have been busy bees this year and when we stopped and looked back at some of the changes and enhancements added to Membee, we were pleased with the work that has been done.  Some changes were big and some were small but all were designed to make your work easier or better in some way. Here is our top 10 list of changes to Membee for…
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    Frank J. Kenny

  • Content Is The Key To Social Media Success

    Frank J. Kenny
    17 Jan 2012 | 11:24 am
    Content is the key to social media success. From the Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal By FRANK KENNY There is an old story, shared by personal development pioneer and radio legend Earl Nightingale, about a fellow that said to his woodstove, “Give me heat. Then I will put in some wood.” Of course, the fellow never did get [...]
  • Social Media For Tourism Case Study

    Frank J. Kenny
    16 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am
    Thank you for checking out this social media for tourism case study featuring Alderbrook Resort and Spa. Alderbrook is a beautiful destination resort and spa located on the Hood Canal in Washington State. Alderbrook’s Courtyard Details of this social media for tourism case study: When their general manager at the time, Michael Carnovale, brought our [...]
  • Social Proof Example. Don't Do This.

    Frank J. Kenny
    7 Jan 2012 | 4:36 pm
    Example of negative social proof through social media.   I keep my eyes open for businesses that are using social media in innovative and effective ways. One way to gauge the effectiveness of any human effort or endeavor is by looking for social proof. As I do most every morning, today I searched for and [...]
  • Social Media Survey

    Frank J. Kenny
    4 Jan 2012 | 10:00 am
    I hope you are as excited about 2012 as I am. It is going to be a great year. As a valued connection, and in order to serve you better, I would greatly appreciate your participation in this quick survey concerning social media, your organization, and your goals for 2012. Aggregate responses and insights gleaned [...]
  • Social Media Strategy For Groups

    Frank J. Kenny
    20 Dec 2011 | 12:05 pm
    I subscribe to the social media strategy of giving your potential customers access to things of value for free, such as content, if they have no cost to you. I recently saw a post where an executive was thinking about making her social media groups only available to paying members of her organization. As you [...]
 
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    Association Management Blog

  • Association’s “To Don’t” List

    Andy Freed
    24 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am
    Today marks 15 years since the publication of one of my favorite business books, Built to Last, by James Collins.  Given the title, it’s appropriate that its lessons have been “built to last” as well—having stuck with me for the 15 years since I first read the book. Collins writes of what it takes to [...]
  • We All Have Issues

    Mary McRae
    17 Jan 2012 | 12:00 pm
    Yes, it’s true. If you’re an association of any kind, chances are extremely high that at least one of your committees or working groups has a list of open items, or issues. It could be items that the group hasn’t yet reached consensus on, parking lot items that the group hasn’t yet had a chance [...]
  • Associations Year End Checklist

    Andy Freed
    15 Dec 2011 | 9:00 am
    With the calendar down to just one page, now’s a good time to think of all the “year end” activities for your association.   Here’s my list, I’ll leave it to the guy with the beard to check it twice. Environmental scan Every Board should spend some focused time looking outwardly at trends that are driving [...]
  • Help Your Board Avoid the Post-launch Blues

    Greg Kohn
    14 Nov 2011 | 8:00 am
    Recently the chairman of a newly launched association approached me, frustrated that his board was becoming ineffective. Where the same board had been highly focused moving toward launch, post-launch it suddenly seemed to lack engagement and focus. There are a few reasons why this happened. First, it’s natural for any group to experience a let-down [...]
  • Association Meetings, Sweat The Details

    Andy Freed
    26 Oct 2011 | 9:00 am
    It’s meeting season.  Over the past three weeks, our clients have held nearly a dozen meetings and conferences of all types—with over 2500 total attendees. We’ve had some great success with our meetings and events in recent weeks.  As I think about why, it struck me that there are a few general rules that associations [...]
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    Leonard Sipes.Com

  • Using social sites to accomplish your goals

    admin
    25 Jan 2012 | 7:37 pm
    Http://LeonardSipes.Com Question;  can you effectively engage multiple social sites with limited staff? I attended BlogWorld in Los Angeles and went to a website marketing session. There was general agreement in the room that the purpose of social media was to direct traffic to your website. If the conversation takes place on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn (the definition of social media for this article) and it didn’t happen on your site, it was a wasted experience. There was also general agreement that people don’t like to leave their social sites via  links to time-consuming…
  • Why do we mistrust the media?

    admin
    23 Jan 2012 | 11:15 am
    Http://LeonardSipes.Com I conversed with a reporter for well-known national news organization. The subject was media coverage of government (or at least my portion of it). The conversation was fun and honest but I asked if we within government were better at transparency and openness compared to past years. I expected a rather gratuitous answer of yes.  In this day and age of social media, openness and transparency I had assumed that we understood the value of a cooperative and honest relationship with the media.  Her answer was disturbing. She stated that openness and access had declined…
  • Business, fundraising, technology and social media

    admin
    18 Jan 2012 | 8:48 am
    Http://LeonardSipes.Com I just did an article (link below) titled “Want contributions? Reach out to the socially connected tech community.” In it I used data from Pew Internet suggesting that those technically and socially inclined are willing and able to respond quickly to calls for contributions. Now the Columbian (WA, link below) offers a short article about a local bank providing matching funds raised through social media with training provided throughWashington State University Vancouver’s Digital Media & Culture department. Banks providing matching funds, universities…
  • Want contributions? Reach out to the socially connected tech community.

    admin
    16 Jan 2012 | 8:16 am
    Http://LeonardSipes.Com This site is dedicated to government, associations and nonprofits and nothing stirs the soul of people in the latter two categories than fundraising; money moves public policy far more than ideology. The research below from Pew Internet is based on charitable giving during emergencies. Charitable donations from mobile phones have grown more common in recent years and 9% have used text messaging to send a charitable donation. The ability to react immediately via technology has relevancy for giving across the board. The findings are summarized below but to me, the most…
  • Yearning for a Quality Web Experience

    admin
    10 Jan 2012 | 8:50 am
      Http://LeonardSipes.Com Holly Finn from The Wall Street Journal writes about  Humanizing the Web where she addresses deeper meanings from the online experience. The Internet is blazingly fast with people who run madly from page to page; skimming and not reading. The pace is tiring and the online experience becomes less than satisfying. We yearn for a quality web experience. I thought of Ms. Finn’s article when I engaged in a series of debates with two people in two social forums regarding an article I wrote as to “Why Facebook Doesn’t Send Your Traffic to Your Website”…
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    Affinity Insights

  • Being Rewarded for Every Day Actions Can’t get Much Easier

    Champion of the Association Experience
    24 Jan 2012 | 10:53 am
    A 2010 Online Shopper Intelligence Study, completed by the Kantar Media company, Compete, showed that 83 percent of consumers are shopping online at least weekly.  The November 2011 article “Record Cyber Monday Online Spending Up Over 20 Percent to $1.25B” states that during this one shopping day, the average online buyer made almost two transactions with an average order amount of almost $200.00. Granted, Cyber Monday is probably the busiest single online purchasing day of the year, but think about how often you, your business or your spouse purchase something online.  Why are you…
  • My Mom and Loyalty: A Family Affair

    gheth
    19 Jan 2012 | 9:03 am
    My first experience with a loyalty program was not by choice. Back in the late sixties, my mother was a big coupon clipper, made necessary by having to feed a family of seven on a limited income. We did all right financially – partly because she was a master of sticking to her grocery budget. Her Saturday mornings involved driving to four or five different stores so she could take advantage of all the weekly discounts. One of my siblings or I went along to push the cart (and run into the back of her heels, apparently). Her shopping list was very detailed and she always estimated the total…
  • We’re Open! Association Members Can Now Buy from the AchieveLinksSM Website and Earn Rewards

    affinitycenter
    10 Jan 2012 | 9:02 am
    Associations who signed on to the AchieveLinks program are now giving an easy membership benefits with the live AchieveLinks beta website. We are excited to announce the loyalty program website recently launched as a pilot for associations, with a simple concept: you get rewarded for the things you already buy, every day. Once associations register, members can enroll in AchieveLinks to begin earning Links loyalty points by purchasing through our affinity and earn partners. The growing list of earning options can be found here. Links are earned by shopping through the AchieveLinks website.
  • Three ways to Build on Black Friday Success

    davidcarrithers
    29 Dec 2011 | 8:50 am
    The idea of Black Friday came long before the Internet, the iPhone and even the fax machine. It stems from the post World War II shopping mindset; as families moved out from urban centers to the suburbs there was a shift in shopping habits. During pre-war days, window displays and holiday decorations around the main streets would get urbanites shopping, but after the war, downtowns, cities and shopping centers needed to lure slumbering suburbanites from the counties and country lanes back to the urban centers to kick off the holiday shopping season. Black Friday 2011 had some interesting…
  • Top Three Customer Service Things I Learned By Being Santa

    davidcarrithers
    20 Dec 2011 | 11:37 am
    What a time in my life.We had been married all of 30 days and I had been looking for my “career in advertising” day in and day out, and it seemed no one in St. Louis wanted a college graduate who had experience in marketing, but grew up in New York. I received hundreds of rejection letters from interviews and resume submissions that always ended with “while you seem qualified we would be concerned that this would be a short-term job for you and you would want to move back to New York.” Out of the blue I received a call and an offer from a college friend. Robin had the perfect job for…
 
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