Spark Consulting

DECEMBER 2, 2013

'One of the major problems survivors of natural disasters encounter is the inability to communicate when infrastructure like cell towers, routers, and switches have been damaged or destroyed. One solution to this is mesh networks , that is, allowing cell phones to link directly to each other through their still-operational WiFi capability. People can use their phones to call each other, send texts, and transfer files even without functioning cell towers.

Review 235

Review Video Technology Project 235

Wild Apricot

DECEMBER 2, 2013

'We''ve found more than 23 free non-profit webinars available in December - check out our webinar round-up.

251

251

YourMembership

DECEMBER 5, 2013

'I was looking at the statistics from this past weekend’s annual exercise into insanity we lovingly call Black Friday (and also Gray Thursday), and was interested in seeing if there were any lessons there for associations related to creating value for members. Don’t worry; I’m not suggesting associations should create Black Friday like events, full [.] ( Read more. ) The post Creating the Remarkable and Contagious for Your Association appeared first on YourMembership.com.

Social Media 195

Social Media Membership Management Member Engagement Leadership 195

Aaron Wolowiec

DECEMBER 3, 2013

'Two years ago, Aaron Wolowiec had a vision. Strategic planning. Instructional design. Meeting management. They were all in his wheelhouse. But it was time for something new. And so, on Dec. 8, 2011, Grand Rapids-based Event Garde was born. Wolowiec, a wordsmith at heart, chose the name carefully thanks to a little help from The Image Shoppe. Writers love the phrase “avant garde,” which is often used to describe trailblazers.

Michigan 192

Michigan Report Innovation Team 192

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Member Engagement

Spark Consulting

DECEMBER 3, 2013

'Online Community Results recently released an Online Community Software Selection Guide. I had the opportunity to sit down with the OCR team for a brief Q&A on the Guide. Spark: Why did you decide to write the Guide? And why now? Online Community Results: Association executives continue to express major interest in online communities, and we get asked for platform recommendations all the time.

Software 214

Software Social Media Review Process 214

Virtual

DECEMBER 4, 2013

'New York Yankees pitcher, Mariano Rivera, retired at the end of this baseball season. After all the years Rivera he’s spent in the league—he’s retiring at age 43—it’s easy to forget where he came from. But I won’t make you look it up. Rivera is a product of the New York Yankees farm system. (If you’re not a baseball fan, the farm system is a network of minor league teams that supports the major league teams—it’s where talent is developed).

New York 181

New York Committee millennials System 181

Association Leaders

DECEMBER 4, 2013

'One challenge for any leader is understanding the “pulse” of their organization. Often times people try to shelter leaders from concerns, issues and bad news. As a result, leaders can get a false sense of what’s going on in their business. I read a great post today about just this topic. The author of “Mindreading 101: The 10 Questions You Need to Ask Your Team Every Week” has excellent ideas for how leaders can keep their finger on the pulse of their organizat

Leadership 163

Leadership Team Association Management Organization 163

Spark Consulting

DECEMBER 6, 2013

'In case you missed the Twitter explosion, this week was ASAE’s annual Technology Conference. My Top 5 takeaways include: “Your data tells a story, and once you know what that story is, you can change the ending.” ( Debbie King ). “IT has to stop being Dr. No.” ( Dion Hinchcliffe ). ”People don’t care about your [online] community – they care what’s happening in your [online] community.” ( Ben Martin ). “Your membership data is a

Conference 200

Conference Technology Tools Team 200

Eric Lanke

DECEMBER 2, 2013

'image source You had me fooled for a while. You really did. I mean, you follow all the blogs, you read all the books and you go to all the conferences. And you talk about innovation all the time. You even have your own blog where you put up posts about innovation and the people you meet at those conferences tell you how great they are. But despite all that, you''re not really innovative.

Innovation 157

Innovation System Conference Cost 157

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Strategy

Jamie Notter

DECEMBER 3, 2013

'Conventional wisdom says it is. Heck, I kind of agree. This is why we pay people the big bucks, right? They have to make the tough strategic calls that make or break an organization. While that certainly makes sense, there seems to be a downside, given the research I just read done by Mike Tobias up at Mercanix, a very cool technology company in Toronto.

Strategy 137

Strategy Team Report Technology 137

Mariner

NOVEMBER 30, 2013

'Knowing the power of stories, ASAE''s EMSC launched a project last year to gather and share the stories of how association''s are rebuilding the volunteer spirit. We just wrapped up the project with the sixth and final webinar last week.

Project 118

Project 118

Spark Consulting

DECEMBER 5, 2013

'Speaking of Online Community Results, I also recently did an interview with Ben Martin on social media ROI, also known as “The Story of the $30,000 Tweet.” I think the key issue here is that, like with all marketing and communications efforts, ROI is cumulative. That is, a particular contact may be the precipitating event for a given action (potential corporate partner sees tweet and reaches out to ask about partnership), but it is rarely the sole cause of that action (that “p

Social Media 190

Social Media Analysis Video Communications 190

KiKi L'Italien's Acronym Soup

DECEMBER 3, 2013

'This week’s Association Chat was focused on the topic: networking. It''s an important topic for associations because people associate them with the ability to make connections to other specific types of people. What happens when you add social media to the mix? Does technology help or hinder an association''s role in connecting people? We talked about those types of things and more during the chat.

Social Media 116

Social Media Software Tips Communications 116

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Jamie Notter

DECEMBER 5, 2013

'Maddie and I had the great privilege of presenting today at ASAE’s Technology Conference with Tom Hood, the CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs. Tom’s a CEO who has fully embraced social media, and is super smart to boot. Here are the slides from our presentation: Lead Your Way to a Social Organization from SocialFish.

Maryland 129

Maryland Organization Social Media Leadership 129

Mariner

DECEMBER 6, 2013

'A group of volunteers hit it out of the park last night! This group put their minds, energy and creativity together to save an event and were successful.

109

109

Spark Consulting

DECEMBER 4, 2013

'Looking to hire a consultant? Here’s some good advice. Social media, IP, and the awesome that is Creative Commons. Re-doing your website? Here are some key design elements to keep in mind. Bursting your filter bubble. Everything you know about marketing may be wrong. Content marketing – chances are you’re doing it, but chances are also that you’re doing it with no underlying goals or strategy.

Social Media 174

Social Media Innovation Review Conference 174

Vanguard Tech

DECEMBER 2, 2013

'This week is one of my favorite weeks of the year as it is time for the 2013 ASAE Technology Conference and Expo. And this year is a bit more exciting for us at Vanguard Technology because we’ve put together an exciting booth and will be participating in the expo portion of the conference ( Hint: Stop by Booth 1132 to say “Hi!” or pick up a giveaway like a tee shirt with the cool design you see to the right ).

Project 101

Project Technology Conference Strategy 101

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Jamie Notter

DECEMBER 6, 2013

'I haven’t done a Friday Quote in a while, and today I’m drawing from an ebook that I wrote (gasp) six years ago, on Generational Diversity. I’ve been thinking a lot about generations lately. I’m wondering if it’s time to elevate our conversation about that topic. I think the book I wrote did a good job of breaking down the basics, but maybe now there’s even more at play.

eBook 119

eBook Analysis Team Process 119

Velvet Chainsaw

DECEMBER 3, 2013

'Usually our view of conference education is an expert at the front of the room doling out their knowledge through witty repartee. The speaker stands on a stage, behind a podium, towering above the audience as if dispensing expertise from on high. Conference organizers and speakers view the audience as those that need the expert’s help. The experts then hand their assistance down to the attendees through their spoken word.

Conference 86

Conference Education Process Strategy 86

Associations Now

DECEMBER 6, 2013

'Associations can get caught up in engaging first-time attendees, but long-time attendees are just as important and worthy of recognition. Engaging them and allowing them to share their knowledge may make their next meeting the best one yet. A few weeks back I blogged about how associations can go about perfecting the first-time-attendee experience at their meetings and events.

Conference 80

Conference Education Industry Leadership 80

SCD Group

DECEMBER 4, 2013

'As a young AP news reporter in Ohio, I loved CBS’s On the Road with Charles Kuralt. the quirky video stories that ended many of Walter Cronkite’s CBS Evening News shows. As a reporter, I envied Kuralt and his freedom to gather such stories. Later, as a public relations professional, I desperately wanted to “place” a story with Kuralt. I got close once.

Ohio 65

Ohio Video Report Marketing 65

Speaker: Andrew Olsen, CFRE - EVP, Fundraising Solutions at DickersonBakker | Kat Landa, CFRE, CSD - SVP, Talent Solutions at DickersonBakker

Across the nonprofit sector, organizations invest heavily in donor retention efforts, yet the struggle of cultivating lasting relationships remains. While attracting new donors is crucial, the lack of repeat donors poses significant financial risks. Through a comprehensive analysis of industry data, experts argue that there is a direct correlation between donor burnout, donor retention, and the talent retention crisis.

Analysis

Jamie Notter

DECEMBER 2, 2013

'Although I can’t say that culture change is easy, there is a certain simplicity to the basic structure of the process: Figure out what your ideal culture is. Honestly assess where your culture currently is. Close the gap. When it comes to that second step–assessing your culture–your options are practically limitless. Just ask google.

eBook 116

eBook Survey Process 116

Velvet Chainsaw

DECEMBER 6, 2013

'What are the most important and critical components of an event website? Julius Solaris of the Event Manager Blog highlights the important elements of a modern event website in the following infographic. Full image and description here-> Event Technology Infographic. Courtesy of Event Manager Blog. Related Stories Establishing A New Model To Select Conference Content And Programming Engaging Conference Attendees At Hello Results In Big Rewards A Behind The Scenes Look At Small Business Even

Conference 82

Conference Content Technology Marketing 82

Associations Now

DECEMBER 2, 2013

'New algorithms can help identify great potential hires. But executives will need to better understand their organizations’ needs to make use of it. What was your decision process for the last person you hired at your organization? Were the skill sets listed on the resume the most important thing, or was it how she aced the interview? Was the hire a product of rigorous thinking about broader strategic goals, or did you pretty much just like the cut of his jib?

New York 79

New York Report System Education 79

SCD Group

DECEMBER 5, 2013

'Can a card game increase member engagement? Well, it was euchre that engaged us with Pelican Preserve and gave us connection, fellowship and engagement with other snow birds here. And, I’m convinced that euchre and its friendships, represents the primary reason we moved here. We experienced the same connection with our church and its small groups. They became the key strategy in engaging members.

Leadership 59

Leadership Member Engagement Strategy Conference 59

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

💢 Do you find yourself stuck in never-ending review cycles? Are you wondering if your Subject Matter Expert actually got that last review request? Are you having trouble trying to decipher impractical or conflicting feedback? 💢 If any of these scenarios sounds familiar, you may benefit from a crash course on managing SME relationships!

Review