Blog
Back To Basics … Or Innovating?
"We forgot what the customer expects from us and got a wake-up call,” said Stephen Joyce, CEO of Dine Equity, the company that owns Applebee’s and IHOP, both of which have had sales declines. Further, he notes, “We lost a little relevance with our customers.” You know...
Video: Easy, Practical Ways to Get Started Repurposing Your Content
Capture and repurpose! Those two words sum up the backbone of a purposeful content creation strategy. You’ve gotten your speakers to your meeting. Why not take a minute to capture a quick interview with them? The resulting recording can be used in newsletters, on your...
Post-Race Analysis: The Changes We’re Seeing in Associations Today
The concepts in Race for Relevance emerged from our work with associations across a wide spectrum of industries and professions: dentistry, medicine, manufacturing, engineering, automotive, law, construction, accounting, real estate and banking, to name a few....
The Millennial Meeting Myth
“Millennials aren’t attending our meetings.” I hear this frequently. But maybe it’s because your meeting isn’t interesting? Research shows that millennials recognize the value of live events. Jeff Hurt, of Velvet Chainsaw Consulting, offers these tips to encourage...
Video: Collaboration as Strategy
I spoke with Leslie Wiernik, CSRP, executive director of the National Association of Subrogation Professionals about how NASP collaborates. From basic booth swaps and comp conference registrations, to more complex cross-marketing opportunities like joint memberships,...
Tiered Membership Model Results in Double-Digit Membership Growth
Ralph Johnson, CEO of the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), laughed when I said that every association should be actively experimenting. Why the laughter? It was a knowing response to the tiered membership model he helped develop for his association—and...
Does Your Research Create Momentum?
If you’re going to spend money on research (and for the record, I think you should) make sure the results provide specific, actionable data to inform your planning and help you gain leverage. Here’s how: Start from scratch. Too often I see associations use previous...
The Great Debate: Members vs. Customers
Membership is a cherished association model. But often, the market for your association’s products and services extends far beyond member boundaries, leaving an untapped market. Thus, the members vs. customers conversation. Matt Braun, Vice President, Client Services,...
Planned Association Leaps
Has your association stagnated? If so, it may be time for a “planned leap.” One of the truisms I’ve run across in my time as a consultant is this: what we focus on expands. Consequently, where we put our time, effort and money as association leaders matters. Some of...