Eric Lanke

NOVEMBER 20, 2017

And a common theme I heard emerge from that conversation was the need to push partially developed products and services out to our members, and then to refine them based on the feedback received from the very users that the products and services are intended for. 80% is good enough, one of my staff members said.

Innovation 113

Innovation Products Conference Organization 113

Eric Lanke

APRIL 29, 2013

Do you deliver high quality services direct to the member at a value equal to or higher than what the member pays in dues or fees? Associations weighted too heavily towards the “transactional” side risk losing in the inevitable competition against more nimble for-profits providing the same services. Is it transactional? It isn''t easy.

Leadership 100

Leadership 100

Eric Lanke

JULY 22, 2013

There is a high level of commitment to exceeding the service expectations of members. But in my association, I had seen ample evidence that this was more than just lip-service. I am a strong proponent of the "always in beta" concept for program and service development. This is something everyone says.

Survey 100

Survey Leadership System Resources 100

Eric Lanke

NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Concerns about maintaining a focus on service to our members were still lurking beneath the surface. The importance of service, and more specifically, service to our members, had been a topic of conversation during our retreat, and it had made it into the initial draft as one of the nine core values. Stay tuned.

Innovation 100

Innovation Review Process Organization 100

Eric Lanke

JULY 30, 2018

And when I found myself across a conference room table from its president, listening to him describe his company, its products and services, the markets it served, and the workforce development challenges it faced, I felt even more confident in that assessment.

Recruiting 100

Recruiting Recruitment Leadership Report 100

Eric Lanke

JANUARY 11, 2014

Subtitled “5 Strategies for Competitive Associations,” it instructs association leaders in how to help their organizations by: (1) building on strengths, (2) concentrating resources, (3) integrating programs and services, (4) aligning people and processes for efficiency, and (5) abandoning services and activities when necessary.

Case Study 100

Case Study Strategy Resources Process 100

Eric Lanke

MARCH 24, 2014

Who is it that is out and about in my membership, modelling use of my new products and services and creating buzz and excitement about them? But using their enthusiasm more intentionally, leveraging their natural ambassador role for the dissemination of key ideas and services among the membership, is a strategy that has a lot of appeal to me.

Innovation 100

Innovation Products Communications Strategy 100

Eric Lanke

SEPTEMBER 4, 2017

a) Our Board candidates are selected based on their possession of competencies that are deemed valuable to effective Board service. (b) We, in fact, have a Governance Policy, which is reviewed and approved each year, and which includes, among other things, the competencies that we believe are valuable to effective Board service.

Committee 100

Committee Process Review Leadership 100

Eric Lanke

AUGUST 26, 2013

One of my past chairs has a habit of calling me on a semi-regular basis and offering me his feedback on our association''s programs and services. What if each took responsibility for being a "watchdog" over one of the association''s programs or services? In some situations, I can see how that kind of thing might be unwelcome.

Member Engagement 100

Member Engagement Committee Communications Conference 100

Eric Lanke

NOVEMBER 24, 2018

The way associations deliver products and services may have changed, but their organizational structures have not. Don’t underestimate customer service and personalization. Harness big data to continually improve and provide better service. Harness big data to continually improve and provide better service. Break it down.

Innovation 113

Innovation Technology Recruiting Recruitment 113

Eric Lanke

MAY 20, 2019

As someone whose job depends on connecting our members to the programs and services of my association, I can't get complacent about this. Those are the right pageviews to watch and pay attention to, because those are much more likely to be our members. I simply do not want more pageviews for the sake of having more pageviews.

Newsletter 145

Newsletter Content Technology Industry 145

Eric Lanke

JUNE 3, 2019

Frequently, even though the decision to join or renew membership in the association rests with one individual, it is seen as advantageous to have a number of other "champions" within the company who find value in the association's programs and services. In making her decision, the boss may very well ask around her organization. "Is

Course 113

Course Examples Resources Marketing 113

Eric Lanke

FEBRUARY 18, 2013

But sometimes it is taken to an unhealthy extreme, moving beyond a service mentality and into the territory of outright servitude. We can argue all day about where the line between service and servant is, but if you believe you're not permitted to speak unless spoken to, I would suggest that you've drawn the line in the wrong place.

Industry 100

Industry Organization Leadership 100

Eric Lanke

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

I contend that by placing responsibility on the individual staff person for solving their own technology issues, it encourages professional development, innovative thinking, and better customer service. Professional development, innovative thinking, and better customer service, all rolled into one. Yes, "bits and pieces of information.

Innovation 100

Innovation Tools Technology Content 100

Eric Lanke

MAY 27, 2013

Suppressing overhead suffocates organizations and leads to higher turnover, poorer leadership, and worse service." He writes about the non-profit sector, and usually social service organizations, but so many of his perspectives are directly applicable to the association world. This is a great example.

Leadership 100

Leadership Price Recruiting Recruitment 100

Eric Lanke

APRIL 30, 2012

A High-Stakes Turnaround Strategy " is about Bob Weidner, CEO of the Metals Service Center Institute, and the strategy he used to turn that association around. Everyone Is Responsible for Member Recruitment. image source. Theres a great article in the March 2012 issue of Associations Now. " I know Bob. Think about it.

Recruiting 100

Recruiting Recruitment Proposal Member Engagement 100

Eric Lanke

NOVEMBER 26, 2012

These are all transactions--an organization providing a valued service--and there isn't anything unique or special about your association when it provides these services. Your members may value these services, but if they find the same or better service offered by someone else for the same or lower price, they'll jump ship in a minute.

Member Engagement 100

Member Engagement Innovation Price Recruiting 100

Eric Lanke

JUNE 27, 2016

Reach out to account manager for VoIP service to follow up on a new phone order and inquire about headsets for some staff that share offices. It's fair to say that many associations dramatically benefit from the services of an AMC. Update membership and staff reports for upcoming client Board meeting.

Newsletter 100

Newsletter Association Management Strategy Report 100

Eric Lanke

FEBRUARY 4, 2013

There are many different kinds of associations with many different kinds of products and services, but first and foremost, they are all in the loyalty business. For one, it means they have to be much more selective about what kinds of products and services they're going to offer. This has many implications for associations.

Price 100

Price Products Revenue Strategy 100

Eric Lanke

OCTOBER 28, 2013

Cut Clarity, Poise and Service, redistributing some of their behaviors, but left Growth, Innovation, Integrity, Passion, Respect and Teamwork as our six core values. Combined Respect, Integrity and Poise into one new value--Professionalism--and left Clarity, Growth, Innovation, Passion, Teamwork and Service for a total of seven core values.

Innovation 100

Innovation Review System Leadership 100

Eric Lanke

APRIL 15, 2013

Many, if not most associations seem focused on accessibility--getting more prospects to join and getting more members to use more of its services. An association that focuses on providing the highest quality experience, even at the expense of more and more accessible services, is going to have a competitive advantage.

Industry 100

Industry Leadership Course Conference 100

Eric Lanke

NOVEMBER 25, 2013

We had started with nine values: Clarity, Growth, Innovation, Integrity, Passion, Poise, Respect, Teamwork and Service. TEAMWORK We work together to deliver exceptional service. And finally there was Teamwork--working together to deliver the Service we all knew was important but no one seemed sure where it should plug in.

Innovation 100

Innovation Leadership Review Process 100

Eric Lanke

FEBRUARY 23, 2015

This week, let me share what I told this person, new both to our organization and to the world of associations, about our final core value: Teamwork--where each individual must work with others to deliver exceptional service. This one may seem like it goes without saying. What do I mean by that? Sometimes they''re called departments.

Team 100

Team Resources Course Project 100

Eric Lanke

JUNE 3, 2013

They may demand higher levels of service for lower levels of investment, because that’s what people want from their vendors--the best possible product at the lowest possible price. The association, after all, is just a vendor--probably one of many providing the needed services--and the member’s loyalty to the association only runs so deep.

Newsletter 100

Newsletter Products Price Resources 100

Eric Lanke

JULY 1, 2019

Something he or she will appreciate just as much as we appreciated his or her service as chair. Unlike some other associations, who traditionally give a desk clock or a Mont Blanc pen in these circumstances, our tradition is to give something with unique value and importance to the person receiving the gift.

Leadership 113

Leadership Report Member Engagement Organization 113

Eric Lanke

JANUARY 26, 2015

The association in question was one with a social service mission, and such an answer may make more sense in that environment, but it immediately made me think about the possible applicability to trade associations and professional societies. I thought it was a remarkable answer.

Industry 100

Industry Innovation Products Price 100

Eric Lanke

DECEMBER 15, 2014

As desperate as our associations sometimes are to spur greater engagement with our members, we sometimes decide to start lowering the price of our products or services in order to get more people engaged with them. As a result, fewer members engage with the product or service. And as Seth describes, that can sometimes work.

Price 100

Price Member Engagement Products Revenue 100

Eric Lanke

NOVEMBER 26, 2018

Army service men and women who would soon be returning to civilian life. It happens so frequently that I knew it was something I had to address when I was recently given the chance to present on career opportunities in the fluid power industry to a group of U.S. How many of you know what fluid power is?"

System 113

System Industry Technology Examples 113

Eric Lanke

FEBRUARY 19, 2018

I firmly believe that one of the best services a staff person could perform in such a situation is to make an introduction that would otherwise be difficult for the member -- especially for a new member in the association. But not just greeting them. Engaging them.

Review 145

Review Member Experience Conference Member Engagement 145

Eric Lanke

MARCH 23, 2015

Last up is Teamwork, which we define with the statement, "We work together to deliver exceptional service." TEAMWORK We work together to deliver exceptional service. BEFORE AFTER 1 We understand and can describe how our work supports organizational objectives.

Team 100

Team Communications Leadership Products 100

Eric Lanke

DECEMBER 29, 2014

It tells the story about how my association ensures that our outgoing Board Chair receives a gift that recognizes not just his service to the association, but the fact that he is an individual who has made a personal sacrifice to serve in that capacity. We should stop pretending that they do.

Guidelines 100

Guidelines Team Examples Technology 100

Eric Lanke

NOVEMBER 5, 2018

They had fun putting it together and we all had fun answering the door whenever the guy from UPS or Aramark Refreshment Services came calling.

Course 113

Course Team Products 113

Eric Lanke

AUGUST 27, 2012

I read them all with interest, looking for tips from the for-profit sector that my association could leverage to increase our interaction with our members--especially with regard to developing innovative programs and services that better met their needs. Actively promotes the brand. In some cases, they consider themselves "brand protectors."

Innovation 100

Innovation Social Media Price Review 100

Eric Lanke

MAY 13, 2019

I want to know what it's like being a random guest in their property -- ordering room service, using the fitness center, sitting in the lounge and seeing how long it takes for someone to come and take my order. For most of this time, I am unsupervised by the sales managers that offer the obligatory tour.

System 113

System Examples Products Process 113

Eric Lanke

OCTOBER 13, 2014

It gives us a wealth of information about what responders think about our strategic direction and our programs and services. We do a fair number of small, ad hoc surveys, but we also put a lot of time and energy into a biennial satisfaction survey. I do this for a few reasons. They deserve it.

Survey 100

Survey Innovation 100

Eric Lanke

AUGUST 8, 2016

If you want organizational alignment, after all--everyone in your organization doing the right thing at the right time in service of your organizational mission--don't you pretty much have to tell them what to do and when to do it? This one might be the most counter-intuitive of them all.

Team 100

Team Association Management Organization Leadership 100

Eric Lanke

AUGUST 5, 2013

Last time I talked about the juxtaposition that emerged between a high level of commitment to exceeding the service expectations of members and the fact that not everyone was comfortable with experimentation and risk-taking, especially when those actions were perceived as putting the high member service commitment at risk.

Survey 100

Survey Leadership Process Communications 100