Sat.Dec 06, 2014 - Fri.Dec 12, 2014

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Four Keys to Writing Good Marketing Copy

Spark Consulting

'How do you write good marketing copy? In a nutshell: Think about your audience. Who are they? What do you know about them? Use that information to craft a personalized message. Talk like a real person, and write like you speak. Shorter and simpler is better than longer and more complex. Don’t be excessively formal, don’t use jargon, and don’t use undefined acronyms.

Marketing 304
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5 Social Media Trends That Could Impact Nonprofits In 2015

Wild Apricot

'In this guest post, Alex Balan offers his take on 5 social media trends non-profits should pay attention to for 2015.

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So long, chicken

Aaron Wolowiec

'Just as we all start trying to lose those holiday pounds, it looks like 2015 is going to be a fun year for food and drinks. Drinks served in mason jars. Art installations created from donuts. DJ booths made from cookware. Out-of-the-box – and off-the-plate thinking – will define 2015, according to a new e-book by socialtables, which produces cloud-based software for the hospitality industry.

Sample 165
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Great News – America’s Hiring and Associations have a Reason to Celebrate

YourMembership

America’s hiring again and associations and their members have reason to celebrate. Last Friday the US Bureau of Labor Statistics announced a very strong jobs report that caught many economists by surprise. With more than 270,000 jobs added in September the unemployment rate fell below 6% for the first time since before the recession. That trend has continued through November.

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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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Leadership 101: Confront What Is

Jamie Notter

'There is a down side to this wonderful human brain that we all have in our heads, and that is that sometimes we can spend too much of our time living up there in our heads, and not down here in reality. This is particularly true when you face a challenge–a significant conflict with someone, a rough spot at work, an illness in you or a family member.

More Trending

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Opposing Views Are Allowed to Co-Exist

Eric Lanke

'I''ve been writing about a facilitation workshop I recently attended--a workshop to learn how to be a better facilitator and how to teach others to do the same. It was organized and led by Jeffrey Cufaude of Idea Architects. I got a lot of takeaways that are relevant to the work I and my staff do with our association''s Board, committees, and task forces.

Committee 126
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Tough Customers

Virtual

'A lot is made about bad customer service. But let me tell you, customers themselves are no picnic. Tom Peters once said “when your flight is messed up and you approach the counter, treat that person like she is the only person in the world that can help you. Because she is.” A lot of customers haven’t gotten that memo. So what does this mean? It means that no matter what you do, you and your staff may have to deal with a tough (sometimes irrational) customer.

Committee 122
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Speaking from Experience: How to Be a More Confident and Competent Presenter

Idea Architects

'18-year-old me getting a bit choked up as I deliver my final address as state president of the Illinois Association of Student Councils to about 1000 people at the convention closing banquet. What have you learned from your more than 30 years of speaking and facilitation workshops? That was the question a graduate student recently asked when interviewing me for one of his classes.

How To 115
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3 Ideas For “Dealing With Your Board”

Wild Apricot

'If you want some insight into "dealing with your board" here are three ideas shared by our Small Membership Advisory Community members.

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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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How a one-minute video brought the Foo Fighters back to Richmond

Association Adviser

'What can you do to persuade your favorite band to play your town? You could use a video campaign to sell tickets for show that’s not even on the calendar. What your association should be doing to. For more about this topic, click on the headline.

Video 99
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What’s Getting In the Way Of Your Productivity?

Associations Now

'A new study illustrates a common productivity killer for many employees. Find out if you’re affected as well as some methods for maximizing workplace efficiency. The answer to question of what’s killing your productivity might be work overload, at least according to a recent study that found nearly 70 percent of employees are suffering from an overabundance of work.

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Six Early Behavioral Warning Signs To Monitor Your Conference Sustainability

Velvet Chainsaw

'From https://www.flickr.com/photos/80497449@N04/7417419582. Understanding conference shatterpoints is critical to comprehending your conference’s financial sustainability. Essentially, conference shatterpoints are fault lines pointing to areas of vulnerability. They’re leading indicators that illustrate areas of weakness that usually don’t fully appear in your results until years later.

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Wild Apricot Goes Green: A Live Demo for USGBC Chapters

Wild Apricot

'On Thursday December 4th, 2014, we held an exclusive live demo for US Green Building Council Chapters. Below is the recording and transcript of this demo to show you how easy it can be to set up a website, create a directory and so much more. Wild.

Directory 174
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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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Mobile Apps and Cloud Had Biggest Impact on Associations in 2014

Association Adviser

'Is your travel budget still tight? Sure. But 2014 may go down in the books as the year that the majority of association folks officially unchained themselves from their desks. The post Mobile Apps. For more about this topic, click on the headline. Did You Know?

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Santa Associations: Yes, Virginia, They Exist, and They Aren’t Always Pretty

Associations Now

'$ 8K The amount that professional mall Santas can make during the holiday season in Southern California, according to comments FORBS President “Santa” Bob Callahan made to Insure.com. Though the pay is good, he notes that the work is stressful and can take hundreds of hours. Is there an association for professional Santa Clauses? You betcha—in fact, there are a bunch of them.

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The Traps And Transgressions Of Traditional Thinking

Velvet Chainsaw

'That won’t work for us because we are different than everyone else. We’ve always done it this way. We don’t need to change. We’ve tried that in the past and it failed. These are just a few of the traditional thinking excuses we face every day. Whether we are trying to create a new conference experience or consider a new association service, these excuses hold us back from improvements.

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A Live Demo of Wild Apricot for USGBC Chapters

Wild Apricot

'On Thursday December 4th, 2014, Wild Apricot held an exclusive live demo for US Green Building Council Chapters. Below is the recording and transcript of this demo to show you how easy it can be to set up a website, manage memberships, build a directory.

Directory 150
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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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Why Attend an Exchange Event?

Association Adviser

'These smaller trade events host 12-150 buyers and vendors who meet one-on-one over the course of a few days to discuss product offerings and establish working relationships. The post Why Attend an. For more about this topic, click on the headline.

Course 96
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Who’s Who? Networking Ideas for Meetings and Events

Associations Now

'People attend meetings for many reasons, but often at the top of their list is networking opportunities. Is your association doing everything it can to create connections and build relationships among attendees? But whether it’s an attendee’s first or tenth time, he or she wants to establish connections with others in the industry, and networking at meetings is the ideal way to do that.

Library 87
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Since We Are Already Doing What We Are Doing It Cannot Be Too Risky-NOT!

Velvet Chainsaw

'We frequently avoid change. We take comfort in doing the same thing over and over again. It feels safe. When it comes to making changes to a conference or association service, we opt to do what we’ve done in the past. It’s easier. We know the outcome. We believe it’s less risky than changing. Putting Risk In Context. I would argue that doing what you’ve always done in the past is one of the riskiest things you can do.

Library 75
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To hell with your Association’s “grass seed”.

SCD Group

'what will it do for my “lawn?” As I was watching a couple of recent television commercials, I recalled a comment my PR professor made more than 40 years ago: If you are in the lawn seed business, remember that your audience is saying, “To hell with your grass seed, what will it do for my lawn?” I’ve never forgotten this (and some other gems from Walt Seifert).

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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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Association Communication and Services Trends for 2015

Association Adviser

'As 2014 draws to a close, we took some time to reflect on lessons learned in 2014, and to look forward to some trends we think will rise in importance in 2015. The post Association Communication and. For more about this topic, click on the headline.

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How One Person Can Stop a Collective Mistake

Associations Now

'Groups make mistakes for a variety of reasons. Fixing the problem often starts with the person leading the group. Have you considered being quiet for once? I don’t mean the question rudely. It’s understandable that as somebody in a leadership role, you have a duty to speak—people are looking for guidance, and you’re in your job to provide it.

Team 86
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Unlocking The Potential of Your Association By Creating Evangelists and Rethinking Membership With Ed Rigsbee

Association Mavens

'[link]. Ed Rigsbee is an internationally recognized expert on strategic marketing alliance development and implementation. As a sub-specialty, Ed works with non-profit associations and societies helping them to develop member recruitment and retention campaigns. In this interview Ed discusses his member recruitment cycle, pricing structures, and tips to unlock the potential within your association.

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How does your association greet its members?

SCD Group

'Ken Williams, the singer greeter at The Home Depot in Fort Myers Walking in to Home Depot this weekend, we were welcomed by Ken Williams. a singing greeter! It shouldn’t surprise you that such a warm and friendly greeting lifts your spirits as you start your shopping experience. Nor that you leave this Home Depot with a really positive outlook on the store and company.

Survey 68
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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.