Why do members join an association, and what makes them renew? It all comes down to value.

Of course, the main way your association provides value is through member benefits. But there are also less concrete ways to do so that aren’t outlined in your member handbook. For instance, connecting members who have similar interests, says Callie Walker on the MemberClicks blog.

“You should continue to offer the many networking opportunities that you do, but take it a step further by introducing your members to others when it makes sense,” she says. “For example, let’s say you’re in the midst of your annual conference, and you’re talking to someone who’s studying for a certification exam. If you know someone else who recently passed that exam, connect those two.”

Another idea: Drum up educational opportunities around soft skills to complement industry-specific learning programs.

“While most people are probably involved in your organization to sharpen their hard skills, it never hurts to help them sharpen those soft skills as well,” Walker says.

Keep Your Chin Up

Is your choice of mindset helping or hurting you? Association Chat guest columnist @rebeccajtiffany shares how a strength mindset is essential for anyone trying to do big things. #assnchat #associations #mindset #leadership #CEO https://t.co/GUzfsy6jgv

— Association Chat (@assnchat) October 9, 2019

Having a bad day? Your mindset could be to blame.

“There is usually a wide array of perspectives and truthful observations you can make about the things that happen to you,” says Rebecca Tiffany on Association Chat. “One version of the story you tell yourself about a situation can crush you with depression and immobilize you from productivity … But there is also a light and easy way to perceive the same exact event.”

When leaders cultivate this “strength mindset,” as Tiffany calls it, they boost morale not only for themselves but also for their staff.

“When your entire team looks at the problems you face with faith that they can handle it all and that they trust one another to do brilliant, impactful work, real magic begins to happen,” Tiffany says.

Other Links of Note

Instagram Threads has launched. The Hootsuite blog breaks down what you need to know about this new feature.

Sometimes meetings go wrong, so don’t forget event insurance, says the Eventsforce team.

Missing a trackpad on your iPad? This keyboard will make your tablet closer to a laptop, according to The Verge.

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