Sat.Sep 20, 2014 - Fri.Sep 26, 2014

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The Whats, Whys, and Hows of Brand Identity Guides

Spark Consulting

'A number of clients have been working on various branding related issues lately, so I’m so pleased to be able to share this guest post from my colleague Sharon Bending at Rx Creative Lab on the keys to putting together effective brand identity guidelines: A set of brand identity guidelines (also referred to as brand standards) is a part of every rebrand.

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“Hell no” Former Members, Boardroom Best and More

Wild Apricot

'This week''s link round-up offers fresh insight on marketing to former members; membership marketing benchmarking statistics; help in bringing the best to your boardroom; tips for taking your website from “good to great”; and more.

Tips 218
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The benefits of educating about benefits

Aaron Wolowiec

'As a follow up to my Aug. 19 post about associations offering voluntary benefits to their members , I thought it would be wise think about benefits for association employees. I’ll mention it again: With extensive media coverage of the Affordable Care Act, benefits are on everyone’s mind. In fact, just the other day while I was grocery shopping, two women were discussing their benefits while they compared the price of cheese.

Education 158
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Reimagining the Volunteer Model in Associations – Your Questions Answered

YourMembership

Last week we held our monthly thought leadership webinar where Peggy M. Hoffman, CAE, President and Association Manager for Mariner Management & Marketing presented. Peggy took us on a thought-provoking look at the challenging work of volunteer recruitment for associations with Reimagining the Volunteer Model in Association. The webinar was developed from a whitepaper Peggy and Elizabeth Engel, CAE, MA , of Spark Consulting published, titled The Mission Driven Volunteer.

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Ultimate Guide to Monetizing Association Member Education

Unlock More Profit and Smarter Packaging for Member Learning Every decision that goes into your learning monetization strategy matters for your association’s bottom line. Our research has shown a clear correlation between high program maturity (and ROI!) and choosing the right monetization strategy. This eBook contains clear, actionable ways to approach packaging and pricing models that will help your association grow revenue, improve profitability, and drive expansion into new markets.

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Are We Really Fooled by “Branding?”

Jamie Notter

'I’ve always had a problem with branding. All this talk of a “brand promise” and a “relationship” the company has with me never resonated with me as a consumer, which is then all tied into advertisements–you know, those things that get in the way of me watching what I want to watch. The whole thing just rubs me the wrong way.

Course 136

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Your Values Must Be Non-Negotiable

Eric Lanke

'image source This post is part of a series in which I''m analyzing the efforts of my organization to define and embrace core values through the six rules for doing so defined by Francois Nader, CEO of NPS Pharmaceuticals. For the series introduction, go here. For my comments on the first rule, go here. For my comments on the second rule, go here. For my comments on the third rule, go here.

Course 126
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Meet the Millennials: Young Professionals Are Pushing Associations Forward

Associations Now

'Want to get a glimpse into the minds of millennial employees and members? Hang out with them here for a few days. Each day this week, young professionals from around the association industry will share their perspectives in their own Associations Now guest blog series. If you were in Nashville for the 2014 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition and were tuned in on Twitter, you might have noticed a new hashtag— #YPImpact.

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If Reality Sucks, Then Change It

Jamie Notter

'As I typed in the title of this blog post, I asked myself, “Why would I have the need to say that out loud?!” But I do. Because in organizations, many of us are miserable with the way things are, and instead of changing it, we simply conclude that this is just “reality.” Last week when I posted about challenging a bullying Board Chair , a good friend emailed me to remind me that in “reality,” that’s not going to happen, certainly not from a staff member

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4 Ways Your Non-profit’s Social Media Habits Are Like A Carnival

Wild Apricot

'Here are some thoughts on non-profit or membership social media habits.

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2024 Association Survey Results Report

2024 Association Survey Results Report For the 10th year, association professionals across the U.S. and Canada provided a look at the inner workings of their organizations when they replied to GrowthZone’s annual survey. Read the 2024 survey results report to see how your association compares: Top Challenges Retention Rates Non-Renewal Reasons Automatic Renewals Reinstatement Strategies Member Engagement Changes & Strategies Why Members Join Non-Dues Revenue Sources Dues Increases, and more

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You Need To Invest In This Primary Career Insurance Policy: Your Network

Velvet Chainsaw

'When do you need a personal, social network the most? Think about that for a moment. When is your network of business professionals the most valuable to you? When you need a new job. Right?! That’s when most of us turn to our network of professional colleagues. The Dumped CEO Sitting across my desk was a newly dumped CEO who was on the wrong side of an acquisition.

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3 Myths About Millennial Members Get Busted

Associations Now

'Forget the studies you’ve read about the mindset of millennials. If you really want to know what we’re thinking about and what we look for in an association, just ask—and, please, don’t clump us all together. You’ve read a lot this week about the work that young professionals are doing throughout the association industry, the different perspectives we bring to the workplace, and what issues are important to us.

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When Is Fear a Good Thing? (Friday Quote)

Jamie Notter

'This week’s Friday quote comes from one of the participants in a session I did last week about organizational culture. It was an extended version of my “Organizational Culture in the 21st Century” keynote/workshop, and in this session I was able to talk about organizations that are embracing concepts that move away from traditional leadership (decentralization, transparency, experimentation, etc.), but I also had time to get people reflecting about their own cultures and how r

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Who, Why & Where before What & How

SCD Group

'When associations and nonprofits contact me regarding consulting about social media or content management, they often begin by asking, “Should we focus on Twitter or Facebook?” Wrong question! Why? Because you (associations, nonprofits, small businesses) should ask Who, Why and Where before you focus on What and How! Let’s briefly explore these four questions.

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The Retention Ripple Effect: Nonprofit Staff and Donor Dynamics

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.

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Your Conference Needs To Offer Transformational Learning Not Informational Learning

Velvet Chainsaw

'Which word describes the type of conference education sessions you prefer to attend? Pick one. Informed or transformed? The Best Learning At Conferences For me, I want to be more than just informed. I can be informed by reading information online. I don’t need to travel to a conference to become informed. I prefer a conference experience that is transformational!

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Skip the Sales Pitch: How Destinations Can Leverage Content Marketing

Associations Now

'Content marketing isn’t just a buzz-phrase. According to a new report, it’s a way for convention and visitor bureaus to reach meeting planners and convince them to hold meetings in their destinations. You’ve probably been living under a rock if you haven’t heard one of the latest buzz-phrases—content marketing—over the past year or so. What we found in our research is that today’s meeting planners don’t want a sales pitch.

Content 85
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2014 NAGDCA Annual Conference – Record-breaking!

AMR Management Services

'The National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators met September 14-17 in San Antonio, TX and celebrated its largest ever conference, with 896 members in attendance.

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Is SSL Essential for SEO?

Mizz Information

'With so much recent press about huge-scale data breaches ( Target , Home Depot , Healthcare.gov , etc), cybersecurity is--or should be--a priority for any online business. But what about people like me who host websites or blogs that don''t sell anything or capture any data? On the surface, it would seem like we don''t need to worry about stuff like securing websites.but it looks like Google is about to make you need to worry if SEO matters to you.

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SME Relationships: Proven Solutions for Seamless Collaboration and Success

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!

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Speakers: Covering Content Actually Obscures Understanding

Velvet Chainsaw

'Education is one way to improve ourselves personally and professionally. Whenever we find ourselves lacking knowledge, understanding or skills for a specific job task, we take a class. Or attend a conference. Or participate in a webinar. Or read a book. Sounds really simple. Right? Well, it’s not. The challenge with most education is our belief that learning something we don’t know requires an expert (the speaker) or another means (books, online, computers).

Content 80
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Study: Telecommuters May Work Harder to Prove They’re Not Gaming the System

Associations Now

'If you think all telecommuters are slacking off, think again. A new study form the University of Illinois found that people who work remotely are likely to show more dedication to their organizations and coworkers to prove they are working just as hard as they would in the office. A new study is adding fodder to the telecommuting debate. This time, research suggests that working remotely can increase teamwork and, in some cases, worker productivity.

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Association Leaders Struggle with the Duty of Loyalty

SCD Group

'Association board members often struggle with the Duty of Loyalty. Here’s a definition from our association attorney: The Duty of Loyalty dictates that officers and directors must act in good faith: A director shall avoid advancing their own personal interests in ways that may injure or take advantage of the Association. A director shall exercise honesty and must not allow his/her personal interests to prevail over the interests of the organization.

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2014 NAGDCA Annual Conference – Record-breaking!

AMR Management Services

The National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators met September 14-17 in San Antonio, TX and celebrated its largest ever conference, with 896 members in attendance.

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Measuring the ROI of Enterprise Learning for Customers, Partners, and Professionals

Prove the ROI of Learning Struggling to measure the business impact of learning initiatives? Try our three-pillar approach to show the true value of learning, backed by stories from real businesses like yours. Make 2024 the year of ROI!

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New CEO? Five Ideas To Help You Thrive.

Wired4Leadership

'Congratulations! You’re the new CEO. Ruh-roh! Now what? Every leader faces the inherent challenge of making their mark. None more so than a newly appointed CEO. When you are the new CEO, you face an emotional landscape that differs markedly from the otherwise already challenging task of just being a fresh face. As you take […]. You are reading New CEO?

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Study: CEO Gender Pay Gap Still Prevalent in Nonprofit Sector

Associations Now

'Collectively, the nonprofit sector appears to have a persistent gender problem in the area of CEO compensation. However, data for trade associations and professional societies, in particular, paints a slightly different picture. Nonprofit organizations might be rebounding from the last recession, but they still have a wide gender pay gap, according to the 2014 GuideStar Nonprofit Compensation Report.

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Shark vs Mosquitoes: Thoughts on Association Communications

SCD Group

'One of the quotes I’ve often used in sessions for association executives is: If you think you’re too small to make a difference. you haven’t been in bed with a mosquito! I meant it as a nuisance caused by such a little bug. Now, AARP the Magazine recently shared some startling facts: Number of people killed by sharks each year: 10 Number of people killed by mosquitoes each year: 725,000 Really?

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How To Make Sure Your End-of-Year Campaign Doesn’t Suck

Achieve

Admittedly, end-of-year campaigns can be daunting and start to feel repetitive year after year. Does it feel like your campaigns are stale and un-engaging? Are you donors bored with the same messages? How can you make this year’s end-of-year campaign better than last year? Why are your donors not donating online? It doesn’t have to be rocket science – here are a few tips that you can use to boost this year’s fundraising campaign.

How To 40
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Here’s a Powerful Marketing Tool Designed for Associations

Show the Benefits of Membership to Your Toughest Prospects. Download this FREE infographic from GrowthZone AMS, Why Join an Association, and start using it as your go-to recruitment and retention marketing tool. Post it on your website. Use it in sales presentations. Or use it as inspiration to create your own version. Infographics have power. They're a quick read.