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Peek Behind the Scenes of One Innovative Annual Conference for New Ideas to Use at Your Annual Conference

Smooth The Path

Your annual conference is even more important than you think! For many new members the annual conference is the first time they get to interact with the association and the community in a meaningful way. Many members also say the conference is the biggest value compared to the association’s other offerings.

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Making Virtual Exhibiting and Sponsorship Worthwhile

Smooth The Path

Most of the member research I do is core member research, but I have had the chance to conduct a good body of exhibitor/sponsor member research over the years. There is a common thread in the research across many associations, and that is exhibitors are tired of feeling like “the wallet.”

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Resources of the Association Community

Smooth The Path

I conduct member research all the time, so I get direct access to the bright spots in our industry. But I also frequently scan and read treasures from our knowledge leaders about membership, engagement, innovation, chapters, governance, trends and more. SURGE shows us how online conferences can really work. I am lucky.

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Association Brain Food Weekly: 7.9.21

Reid All About it

Charlene Li believes you need order to create change —not what you picture when thinking about innovative organizations. Another example of wishful thinking disguised as conventional wisdom: Claire Cain Miller at the New York Times says there’s no evidence that chance meetings at the office boost innovation. Order and change.

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Members Who Share Their Opinions Expect Action (here is what we are going to do!)

Smooth The Path

Implicit in our ask to take an online survey, respond to a member interview, attend a focus group or even when we ask off-handed informal questions like what did you think of the conference? They created a few formal channels for staff members to submit their great ideas (this is not so unusual).

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Industry Study Brings a New Way for Association Professionals to Think About Member Engagement

Smooth The Path

There was one theme running so strongly through each member research project I could not ignore it. It was that members who engaged very early in their membership were more excited about the association than members who reported that “the association just grew on them.”

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How to Exponentially Improve Member Engagement at Any Association

Smooth The Path

Have you ever noticed the Twitter flurry before the conference? ” “Can’t wait for today’s awesome keynote to kick off this conference.” A few attendees will start leaving tweets here and there. “I am packing for Orlando!” ” These attendees are excited!