Spark Consulting

MAY 9, 2022

People’s expectations of our organizations are influenced by their consumer experiences – mass customization and personalization, paying only for what you want, on demand services, subscription models, free and freemium models, and the sharing economy. That may not be fair, but it is a fact.

Revenue 221

Revenue Industry Resources Conference 221

Spark Consulting

JULY 18, 2019

My annual membership starts when I pay, and I get 12 months of service for my dues. Why did I pay for 12 months, but get less than 12 months of service? In most cases, an anniversary renewal cycle – that is, I renew at same time as I joined (or renewed) last year – is going to make the most sense to your members.

Class 186

Class Team Price Process 186

Spark Consulting

FEBRUARY 12, 2014

Need some customer service advice? blog roundup innovation leadership management marketing social media Amanda Kaiser customer service Deirdre Reid Facebook Harvard Business Review Internet privacy Shelly Alcorn Twitter' How to gain confidence (as a freelancer, but I really think it applies to everyone). Get it here.

Social Media 150

Social Media Review Innovation Leadership 150

Spark Consulting

AUGUST 24, 2018

And advocacy often plays a far more significant role in the slate of benefits in trades than it does in individual membership societies – which can actually be a big problem, as companies elect to be free riders, trusting that the association will advocate for them regardless of whether they PAY for that service or not.

Maine 150

Maine Recruiting Recruitment Products 150

Spark Consulting

FEBRUARY 7, 2019

Now that’s not a service I offer, but there are a number of good association consultants and vendors who do. The most complicated answer is to do a full-on pricing study.

Revenue 150

Revenue Price Cost Project 150

Spark Consulting

JUNE 6, 2017

Data can tell you when is the right time to ask, and what you should emphasize in your slate of programs, products, and services when you do ask. Your association no doubt has a long list of member benefits, programs, products, and services you provide. Why does that matter? And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Certificate 199

Certificate Products Communications Marketing 199

Spark Consulting

MAY 6, 2021

As we move forward, continue to expand that human understanding, and seek to operate, in your programs, products, and especially services, from that place. Hopefully, in the pandemic year, you’ve had the opportunity to begin to get to know them as people (and vice versa), and to better understand their fears, hopes, goals, and problems.

Video 370

Video Survey Course Member Engagement 370

Spark Consulting

MAY 20, 2021

Some of those were “big” stories, organizations that had completely transformed themselves, or were built from the ground up, as member-centric: the National Grocers’ Association, the Society for Hospital Medicine, SERMO, and The Community Roundtable.

Connecticut 195

Connecticut Project Member Engagement Tools 195

Spark Consulting

MAY 15, 2019

Board service is likely to be a sticking point. Your suppliers will likely want to be involved in the volunteer leadership of your association, but board service may not be the best place for that to happen, as they may start pushing an agenda and interests that are peripheral to those of the core membership.

Certificate 265

Certificate Industry Committee Team 265

Spark Consulting

OCTOBER 21, 2020

In fact, $25 will pay for one family’s subscription to the extensive online library of diverse and inclusive children’s books Reading Partners staff has hand-selected for our young scholars, since we can’t provide physical books for them to take home as their own right now.

Library 195

Library How To 195

Spark Consulting

APRIL 8, 2015

And you can sell either existing programs, products, and services or new programs, products, and services. Growth can come about either through acquiring new customers/members or increasing sales to existing customers/members. In short, Ansoff’s matrix. The thing is, associations often struggle with this.

Revenue 150

Revenue Leadership Products Marketing 150

Spark Consulting

AUGUST 20, 2019

Don’t pitch your career services at her if she’s just landed her dream job. Instead of trying to steal that other association’s members out from under them (which likely will not work and which WILL make you an enemy), look for opportunities to partner with that association.

Discount 271

Discount Cost Analysis Certificate 271

Spark Consulting

DECEMBER 3, 2014

One of the best ways to promote your association and its programs, products, and services is to let your members, customers, audiences, and other stakeholders do it for you. Did somebody say something nice about your programs, services, or customer service, either verbally or in writing? In other words, to use testimonials.

Newsletter 150

Newsletter Communications Products Marketing 150

Spark Consulting

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

Because Reading Partners relies on a small paid staff, Americorps members (who are paid through the Corporation for National and Community Service), and an army of volunteers, small amounts of money – $10 or $20 – go a long way.

Library 170

Library DC Organization 170

Spark Consulting

MARCH 3, 2021

DM Babers told the story of the fictional “Little Johnny,” a boy who uses city services as he goes about his day. But she made two particular presentation choices that had a major impact. Story telling. Specific ask. Story Telling.

DC 195

DC Maine Education Team 195

Spark Consulting

SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

What message are you sending when you keep bombarding them with information about programs, products, or services they’ve told you they’re NOT interested in? What are you telling them when you fail to let them know about programs, products, and services they’ve told you they ARE interested in?

Social Media 150

Social Media Committee Tools Products 150

Spark Consulting

APRIL 25, 2018

Many (if not most) associations appear to lack programs, products, and services that can help mid-career members achieve their particular most important goals or solve their unique most pressing problems. Which makes sense. It’s not nearly as simple to to do that for people who already know the 101 and 201 level stuff.

Certificate 170

Certificate Content Industry Products 170

Spark Consulting

AUGUST 2, 2018

Reasons that would be under your control include things like: Your association’s programs, products, or services didn’t live up to that member’s expectations. Your association is missing programs, products, or services that member wants you to offer.

Survey 150

Survey Recruiting Recruitment Products 150

Spark Consulting

AUGUST 7, 2014

Trade a membership for ad space, or a service (like with your local Better Business Bureau to handle conflict mediation for your members). Customer Service! Engage students in your field – they might have a service they can provide in exchange for a free membership. Educate and train your staff. Show appreciation for them.

Marketing 150

Marketing Newsletter Discount Education 150

Spark Consulting

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

There is literally no time like the present to kill underperforming programs, products, or services. You have to pay attention to your data about people’s behavior and look for patterns so you can act instead of just reacting. How do you know? Learn it, know it, love it – USE IT. Membership is a lagging indicator.

Revenue 195

Revenue Course Industry Resources 195

Spark Consulting

APRIL 7, 2017

But in order to give that food away to direct service agencies, they need food to distribute. But it’s only the beginning of April. Hunger is a serious problem in the DMV, and CAFB distributes 45 MILLION pounds of food to over 500,000 people every year. The bad news is they don’t have what they need right now.

DC 150

DC How To 150

Spark Consulting

MARCH 20, 2020

That may mean suspending dues entirely for some significant period of time, drastically changing – or curtailing – the services you offer as a result, and almost definitely dipping into your reserves. You are going to have to take drastic steps to try to help keep your industry and association afloat.

Revenue 291

Revenue Industry Team Conference 291

Spark Consulting

JULY 21, 2017

In fundraising organizations, it’s common for board service to come with a financial obligation. Each board member is required to contribute a certain (usually significant) amount of money to the organization each year of her board service. Ask: Why do we have this obligation?

Cost 210

Cost Committee Project Course 210

Spark Consulting

JUNE 8, 2022

Audiences: Associations may not know much about their audience, other than that they’re the members who are currently due to renew, when it’s really useful to know how long they’ve been members (first time renewals generally need a little extra attention), what programs, products, and services they have – and haven’t (..)

Discount 195

Discount Examples System Resources 195

Spark Consulting

JANUARY 10, 2018

Participation in programs, products, and services – particularly white-label social networks, virtual and in-person event attendance, and credentialing programs – remains robust. Renewal rates are generally solid. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” right?

Marketing 150

Marketing Innovation Team Report 150

Spark Consulting

MARCH 3, 2014

This service is truly amazing and worth checking out. It’s a site that offers free open source virtual appliance servers you can get up and running in seconds. They offer: Web dev. Content management. Business apps like CRM. Email and chat. Project management servers. Among other options. cool technology open source'

Project 150

Project Technology Content Resources 150

Spark Consulting

APRIL 13, 2017

Nurture – this is when a lead turns into a prospect, which happens as you learn more about her and begin offering her programs, products, and services that can help her achieve key goals and solve problems, moving gradually from free to low cost to higher cost.

Cost 150

Cost Maine Content Process 150

Spark Consulting

MARCH 28, 2014

” Customer Service! It’s not really going to cost you very much, and it’s a HUGE service to attendees that removes a major objection to registering. Have a service level agreement for how long you have to return a call within business hours. Members should only ever have to make ONE CALL.

Tips 150

Tips Marketing Conference Cost 150

Spark Consulting

NOVEMBER 20, 2017

How do you “value” things like service on your board of directors or committees, speaking at your conference, writing an article for your magazine, presenting a webinar, mentoring young professionals, and encouraging colleagues to join your association for purposes of LTV calculation?

Recruiting 150

Recruiting Recruitment Certificate Social Media 150

Spark Consulting

JANUARY 22, 2019

So what makes something work – or not work? It really depends on your industry culture. Is your community more “suit-and-tie, here’s my card, all-business,” or more “let’s grab a beer”?

America 170

America Certificate Project Member Engagement 170

Spark Consulting

JUNE 21, 2018

One way they went about that is, rather than restricting definition of volunteer to committee or board service, ONS asked their members how they DO contribute and how they WANT TO contribute. We want our members to say “yes” to ONS and to personally connected with us.”.

Committee 186

Committee Case Study Proposal Certificate 186

Spark Consulting

MAY 13, 2013

Enter Verily , a service sponsored by the Masdar Institute of Technology and the Qatar Computing Research Institute, that’s due to launch this summer. Twitter is great for breaking news, except for when it’s totally, completely wrong. How do you know?

Social Media 150

Social Media Review Technology 150

Spark Consulting

JULY 1, 2013

Enter Relay Rides , a car sharing service that is yet another entry in the trust-based, social reputation driven sharing economy. You have the option of subways, light rail, and street cars, buses, and taxis, Uber, Zipcar, and, in some cities, bike sharing. Plus walking and traveling by your own bike. cool technology social media'

Social Media 150

Social Media Technology 150

Spark Consulting

JUNE 25, 2013

Grit, defined as the passion and stamina to persevere in the service of long-term goals. Turns out, being smart and talented and socially intelligent and healthy are all great…but they aren’t the key. The problem is, we don’t really know how to build it.

Video 150

Video How To 150

Spark Consulting

MARCH 21, 2014

You can find out more on the Spark Services | Training page. You can find out more about how to do that by downloading the free whitepaper at [link]. Additionally, Jamie, Leslie, and I offer training for senior teams to help you develop the skills to make better decisions faster. leadership management whitepaper Jamie Notter Leslie White'

Strategy 150

Strategy Leadership Tools Team 150

Spark Consulting

MARCH 7, 2013

Do they say they value customer service, but their default answer to everything is “that’s against policy”? Do they provide quality products and services at competitive prices…and don’t? If you really do value excellent customer service above all, live it, and tell people.

Omaha 150

Omaha Proposal Cost Price 150

Spark Consulting

OCTOBER 1, 2014

Make sure you’re clear about your program, product, or service and can describe it in benefits to your audience, not in features you offer. Who are they, who are the key decision makers, what and how and when do they buy, etc.? Capture EVERYTHING you know and always look to be adding.). What are you trying to market to them?

Marketing 150

Marketing Social Media Strategy Examples 150