Blog
How Associations Collaborate with Companies Needs to Change
Here’s a cold, hard truth: companies no longer need associations to reach members. Now they can create and share their own content via blogs and e-newsletters, cultivate an audience via social media and other channels, and present educational information outside of...
More Of/Less Of
Have you heard of MOLO? It’s a concept I learned about from Tony Jeary through his book Leverage: A Leader’s Answer to Extraordinary Results. MOLO stands for “More of/Less of” and is a thought process that helps us quickly identify what is helping us move toward our...
“For Now” or “Forever”?
Fewer meeting attendees. Membership non-renews. Higher virtual attendance. A more global reach. Which of these trends are “for now” and which are “forever”? In January of this year, the Consumer Technology Association held its first in-person CES (previously known as...
More Turbulence Ahead
I’ve been watching social media posts about the state of the travel/hospitality industry. Here are some recent posts from this week (without attribution to protect privacy): Last summer, we checked into a major brand hotel we have used many times with no issues. Went...
Four Reasons You Shouldn’t Plan to “Go Back to Normal”
We have just been through (and depending on where you live, are still going through) a worldwide event that slowed society for two years and disrupted communities, education, work and health care. Many people lost their lives—or a loved one. Do we really think we can just “go back”? I’m certainly hearing this desire in association boardrooms and virtual strategy sessions. The bigger question is, “Why would we want to?”
What We Can Learn from Coca-Cola
James Quincey, CEO of Coca-Cola, has killed off nearly half of his company’s 400 brands, including Tab, Odwalla smoothies and Zico coconut water. Why? These 200 brands represented only 2% of sales. As interest in full-sugar soft drinks wanes, Quincey faces the...
Is It Time to Retire Generational Labels?
In the association arena, generational labels are helpful shorthand to acknowledge that members and their needs change—and that what we do and how we communicate should change as well. They are a way to combat the complacency behind “we’ve always done it this way.”
Houses of Worship Are in a Race for Relevance Too
A recent Gallup poll found that fewer than half of American adults belonged to a house of worship, compared with 70% in 1999. If you run a house of worship, this is obviously concerning. The “Nones” (those who describe their religious identification as “nothing” or...
Are You Tracking Market Changes?
Your members operate in markets and these environments are dynamic. Your association should be actively monitoring what’s going on and be able to articulate what’s happening—and identify the implications for your organization.