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The national conversation about diversity, equity, and inclusion is a conversation that is also taking place throughout association board and staff meetings as well as among member organizations and individuals. The challenge for association communicators is finding a way to highlight the association’s, industry’s, and member’s efforts to be inclusive. Three associations that have addressed the issue from three different…
The switch from in-person to virtual events and a scramble to support members with financial challenges led to a re-vamping of event fees, membership fees, and even resource access that was previously limited to only members. These changes reflected associations’ efforts to both remain fiscally viable and to meet member needs, but one author cautions association leaders that it is…
One of the many “pivots” associations made in 2020 was a re-evaluation of membership models. With some industries seeing a significant loss of jobs, decrease in corporate budgets for membership fees, and reduction payment of membership fees by employers for individuals, association leaders offered members flexibility – delaying or reducing fees in some cases. The forced re-evaluation of an association’s…
The benefits of virtual events and the enhanced engagement with members means that even after in-person events return, virtual will have a place. Whether it will be hybrid events that offer attendees the option to attend in-person or virtually or some meetings that remain virtual, there are six best practices outlined in the article “6 Best Practices that will Shape…
The Texas lawyer who presented a case in virtual court as an adorable kitten because he and his assistant could not figure out how to remove the filter – probably left on by one of his children – provided a great deal of entertainment, but also served as a caution for everyone who attends virtual meetings. Not only should filter…
What have all of the changes made by associations in 2020 – virtual meetings and conferences, membership fee restructuring, guidance to pandemic- and recovery-related policies – meant to members? A study of association members and staff shows: Membership matters more than ever While 93% of survey respondents say membership is important, nearly half point out that membership may be more…
Leading any organization is difficult, but association leaders at all levels have faced challenges not previously experienced. Not only did the pandemic fundamentally change the way associations handled revenue-generating events such as conferences, but retention of members required extraordinary changes for some associations that delayed or discounted membership fees or offered “hold” status for some members. As associations looked for…
Employers have known for years that a company’s commitment to community service and volunteerism is an important factor when millennials consider career opportunities. A survey of more than 2,000 millennials found that almost 66% of those respondents were at least somewhat more likely to work for a company that supported charity than one that did not. The same sentiment was…
Do you have an article scheduled for an upcoming issue of your association magazine or a social media post that requires an interview with an industry expert, association board member, or high-profile member? Use a Q&A format to make the article stand out from typical feature articles. The key to a compelling Q&A article that catches readers’ attention and keeps…
Early 2020 saw cancellations of conferences and regional events and conversion of some events to virtual – with mixed success in the early stages. Fortunately, as association event and education professionals became more proficient with digital technology and found partners to provide expertise, virtual conferences were more easily executed mid- to late-2020. Key findings of a study show that 80%…