Top 10 Association Blogs of 2019

We have compiled our top blogs from 2019 into one collection. These cover topics from association finances, member communication, utilizing technology at events, and more.

1. Free E-Book: Avoiding Non-Profit Financial Pitfalls

If non-profits aren’t prepared to avoid financial pitfalls, they can find themselves facing a financial crisis. As a stakeholder of a non-profit organization, that’s not a phrase you want to hear. Luckily, you don’t have to be unprepared. In this free e-book, we give and explain five steps to avoid non-profit financial pitfalls. Read more.

2. 9 Strategies to Avoid Analysis Paralysis

Making effective decisions is a key skill for any non-profit leader. The average adult makes an astonishing 35,000 decisions. According to a Harvard Business Review study, people who were described as decisive were 12 times more likely to be high-performing CEOs. For an association leader, in addition to making decisions, your job is to help a group of people make decisions as well. Read more.

3. How to Motivate Your Volunteers

Volunteers are an essential piece to a successful association structure. A volunteer program provides a competitive advantage and becomes a membership benefit to those who want to be more involved. A common issue associations run into after they build up a solid volunteer base is keeping volunteers motivated. Read more.

4. How to Effectively Communicate With Members

There is a common marketing rule that says it takes seven touchpoints for a message to be effective and be remembered by the receiver. What does that mean for your communication strategy? It means you need to promote a message multiple times and use communication tools to meet your members where they are. This can be especially complicated because all associations and the members within those associations are different in their communication preferences. Read more.

5. Myth-Busting: What You Should Know About Association Management Companies

If your organization is considering making changes to its professional staff structure, an association management company (AMC) is a great solution. AMCs allow your organization to share staff, resources, office space and equipment with other non-profit organizations. By partnering with an AMC, organizations increase efficiencies and reduce operating costs.This can translate to happier members, a more financially sound organization, and a more productive board. Read more.

6. Free E-Book – Chapter Self Assessment: Is Your Chapter Healthy?

Is your chapter healthy? Do you know your chapter’s strengths and opportunities? This tool can find out just that. It’s important to take a chapter assessment because it dives into multiple categories of your chapter’s performance. It will make you think deeply about your chapter’s health by asking questions within each category. Read more.

7. Sacred or Strategic: Critically Reviewing What Your Organization Offers

How do you approach an event, program, or service that your organization has always done and may no longer need? Every organization has programs/services that have outlived their purpose or usefulness – the so-called “sacred cows.” As a board member, you must think and act strategically to best serve your organization. Read more.

8. Ask These Six Questions Before Partnering With Another Organization

On one hand, partnering with another organization is one of the most powerful ways to put collective energy and resources behind a project or cause. On the other hand, collaboration done improperly and too quickly can be a drain on your own organization’s staff, volunteers and resources, leading to unneeded stress and frustration on all sides of the partnership. Read more.

9. Utilizing Technology to Improve User Experience at Events

When you think about your annual conference or local networking events, things like sponsorships, programming, and logistics come to mind. All these things are important, but how much thought do you put into creating a positive user experience? With a little intentionality, you can utilize technology and create a positive user experience. Read more.

10. Which Comes First: The Budget or the Plan? 

It’s an old adage: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? I admit to not knowing that answer, but in this blog I will answer which comes first regarding an association budget and strategic plan. Read more.