Have you ever finished writing for the association magazine and realized you used the same word 22 times in a 449-word article? It happens to the best of us. Using the same word more than once is not forbidden by the all-knowing writing gurus, but too much repetition can make writing awkward and distracting to readers.
One long-used way...
A survey found that 69% of association executives identified “network with others in their field” as the primary reason people join their associations. As organizations resume in-person educational sessions, conferences, and committee meetings, networking will become easier to promote to current and potential members as a benefit.
Effective association magazines balance the many goals that association leaders and members expect...
Earlier in 2022, a webinar featured speakers who looked at 22 association trends that event planners can expect and should consider when planning for 2022 and 2023. Ten of the trends identified were:
The Big “O” – COVID variants such as Omicron will continue to impact society, so planners must be ready to adjust plans quickly.Virtual Scars – Everyone is...
Association leaders with more than 1,000 members are significantly more inclined to indicate that their members join for the continuing education to maintain professional certification or advance their careers, according to a 2021 report based on surveys of associations. The same report says learning best practices in the profession is the most likely reason for joining associations with fewer...
People read online articles differently than they read printed articles, so it’s important to understand the difference between the two media to be sure the articles capture the audience’s attention.
In Understanding the Differences Between Writing for the Web and Writing for Print, author Sheri Keyser points out that online articles are generally more informal and straightforward. Because an online...
The years 2020 and 2021 demonstrated the value of innovation in the association world. Finding new ways to provide educational sessions, engage members, and communicate without the value of in-person events was the norm for association staff.
Although new ways of handling association business and services to members were valuable, it is not enough to look back on innovative solutions...
Ask association staff members if they are good at sales, and you’ll most likely be told that sales is not their job. The reality, however, is that developing sales skills, and imbedding sales in the culture of the association, is critical for an association’s long-term success.
The first step to incorporating a sales mentality into each job within the association...
The emergence of virtual meetings, remote work, and online learning in the past two years highlighted an association’s technological capabilities – or lack of resources in some cases. Nearly half of the organizations in one study report accelerating their timeline for purchase of technology to meet the changing needs of the organization and its members.
Each organization’s needs will be...
While leading an association through a global pandemic required enormous focus, flexibility, and quick thinking, 2022 will be a good time to step back and reflect on how leadership has changed – or stayed the same – as a result of what associations and members have experienced.
Most leaders admit that they learned a lot about themselves, their staff, and...
Association staff members are great at getting to know members. Working with members on committees, meeting them at events, and talking to them during the membership onboarding process provide valuable insights into what they want from the association – as individuals.
While these individual expectations and attributes are important, it is a dangerous strategy to base a membership campaign on...
