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Associations Trends Talk

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Engage First, Grow Further: Membership Strategies

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Seasoned association leader Avi Olitzky joined us on Oct. 15, 2024, to share how membership engagement can lead to improved member retention and attraction.

Focus on service

Avi’s first message is that the goal of associations should be to serve members, especially in a post-COVID world. This focus helps us stay true to our association’s mission. If you’re serving your mission, people will scream your praises from the rooftops. Think about a great restaurant: they may need to do a little marketing to begin with, but after that, word of mouth will build the business. You’re still recruiting, but others are doing the work for you. 

The minute you label yourself as a “nonprofit,” you put on an unfortunate blinder that you’re coming from of a position of scarcity. The difference between a nonprofit and a for-profit is that a nonprofit puts any excess money back into the mission. But nonprofits need to learn how to develop a mindset of abundance. 

Avi says that beginning in 2016, society entered an era of hyper-transition. Innovation is central to staying relevant in this environment. The benefit provided to your member will be out of date by the time they realize they’re getting it, and you need to focus on the next benefit that is coming. 

Connect regularly

Connect with members every quarter or every month to be sure they’re using the benefits you offer. If you engage members regularly and well, members will be your ambassadors. But this doesn’t mean sending multiple emails every week! Instead, find ways to go deeper. Perhaps each board member could call a few members and have a conversation about what they need right now.  

Measure Success

We also need to find new ways to measure our success. Net Promoter Scores don’t speak to the happiness factor. We must figure how happy and engaged members are now compared to the past. This will require quantitative and qualitative engagement measures. Quantitative measures show how many people are using the association’s services or how many people you’re connecting with regularly. Qualitative engagement is about measuring happiness, which is a more profound conversation.

Use AI

As many of our Associations Trends Talks presenters have stated throughout this year, Avi says that we all need to start using AI in some way. Use it to assist you in prediction and to help you move faster as you innovate. You’ll need to test the results with pilot projects and test cases, but AI will help you generate ideas. 

Additional resources: 

Watch webinar on-demand

NotebookLM.google (creates podcasts from PDFs) 

Great by Choice by Jim Collins

Master of Change by Brad Stulberg 

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The Board’s Duty of Foresight 

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Ewald Consulting welcomed Jeff De Cagna, AIMP, FRSA, FASAE to our Associations Trends Talk on July 17, 2024. Jeff is a long-time association community contributor and executive advisor for Foresight First LLC in Reston, Virginia. Here are some highlights from his presentation. 

What will our successors say about us as association leaders? 

  • They will evaluate our actions / judgments. 
  • We need to take our current focus away from legacy — as that is a narrative about what we did, not what we did for them in the future. 
  • Foresight lets us imagine how we can leave our associations better than we found them. 

Duty of foresight 

  • How do we avoid mistakes? As an example, Jeff told the story of how the board at Blackberry failed to anticipate competition, and ultimately became irrelevant. 
  • To avoid failure, boards of directors need to choose the duty foresight, which involves intentional learning, short-term sacrifice and long-term action. 

How does foresight work, and why is it essential? 

  • Intentional learning is a non-negotiable requirement (otherwise, how can we learn what we need?).
  • Foresight is not just about data—it’s also about imagination. 
  • We need to look at the far future (7-10 years from now) and imagine what the world will look like then — including a look at futures that are unfavorable and futures that are unthinkable. 
  • Making sacrifices today will let us act differently moving forward. 
  • We can practice foresight by repeating work to build performance and deepen impact (not just connected to strategy; it must be consistent, repeated work). 

Choosing the future 

  • Foresight is a choice that we must make. It will give our board a deeper sense of responsibility, and a mindset of long-term adaptation. 
  • Association boards are human systems responsible for stewarding human systems into the future. Think about how to move the system of the association into the future. 
  • The issues that are facing us and the choices boards must make won’t get easier; they will get more difficult. The sooner we can deal with the issues, the better we can prepare for a turbulent future. 

The BANI Framework 

Jeff recommended that rather than using a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) model of the world, boards should use the BANI Framework developed by futurist Jamais Cascio. 

  • Brittle: systems such as supply chains, food supply and health care are brittle, and we must look at how to shore them up and make them more resilient. 
  • Anxious: the depth, breadth and intensity of brittle systems are causing great anxiety, exemplified by increasing rates of drug use and suicide.
  • Non-linear: Seemingly small decisions can have massive consequences; for example, the spread of COVID was non-linear and linear thinking probably allowed it to spread even more rapidly. 
  • Incomprehensible: AI is a great example; even those who work with AI closely don’t understand exactly how those systems work. 

Why does the board’s duty of foresight remain a radical idea ten years later? 

  • We need to make this a radical idea so it never settles into a comfortable place of best practices. 
  • Foresight is the only construct that challenges boards to prioritize their successors. 
  • It demands unique board work. Rather than focusing on oversight or policy development, which can be assigned to other groups within the association, the board needs to focus on intentional learning, taking responsibility for stewarding for the future. 
  • Foresight moves with the larger world. It doesn’t simply involve the trade or profession served by a specific association or nonprofit. 

The big question: What will our successors say about us? 

There are fewer than 2,000 days left in this decade. How will we take action? We want our successors to think about us as people who cared about them. The duty of foresight is a moral choice, and an important choice to make.  

Additional resources 

Watch the video 

Jeff’s recent presentations and articles 

Fit-for-Purpose Association Board Director Learning Series, a collaboration between Association Forum of Chicagoland and Foresight First LLC 

Paul Hanscom, Anna Eaton and Rick Harris discussed AI at the Associations Trends Talk in April 2024

AI Unleashed: Elevating Association Performance and Engagement 

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If your association isn’t using artificial intelligence (AI) yet, these association management professionals say it’s time to start. Anna Eaton, Marketing Specialist at Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), and Rick Harris, CEO of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP), joined Ewald Consulting Chief Growth Officer Paul Hanscom for an Associations Trends Talk in April 2024. Here are some of the key takeaways from the conversation. 

The ROI of an AI tool can be high 
The cost for an AI tool can vary widely, based on the features required and the level of volunteer and staff involvement in setting it up. But both Anna and Rick say that the return on investment has been high for their associations. Both MRAA and APMP have seen significant growth in membership and in member engagement since implementing their AI systems. Anna says she has sent ideas to the MRAA education team for freshening existing content or creating new content based on trends in member queries that have been submitted. Rick says their system has been essential in creating personas to help with marketing and in discovering untapped areas for education where, “we know there’s an interest and an audience.” 

Use third-party partners
A third-party partner can help your organization launch a user-friendly, highly professional AI tool very quickly. The MRAA chose Betty Bot, while APMP chose Rohirrim AI. Dozens of other options are available; you can learn more about the companies and their capabilities through ASAE and other organizations, and through events like the Consumer Electronics Show. 

Closed AI models are trustworthy 
There’s a huge difference between open AI models like ChatGPT and closed AI models like those employed by MRAA and APMP. Closed models pull data only from within your association’s website and information you load into the system, and these models cite the information sources so members know where it came from and that it’s trustworthy. Open AI models pull information from sources across the internet that may or may not be trustworthy; they can be very useful in drafting copy for marketing or other uses, but you do need to verify that the material generated by open AI models is accurate. 

Protect your association’s expertise 
It’s important to protect the intellectual property (IP) of the association and of your subject matter experts (SMEs). Rick says APMP owns all of its own information; they pay writers and retain rights to the work. Anna also cites the importance of getting buy-in from SMEs who may have authored books, publication articles or conference presentations. 

Provide education to staff and members 
Anna says that when the MRAA staff saw the trial version of the AI assistant, they were immediately excited to move forward with the system. Rick says that webinars helped APMP members get used to the idea of using AI well in advance of launching the association’s AI system. He also highlighted that APMP has received feedback that the AI tool has become one of the top value drivers for members.

For a deeper dive on these and other takeaways from the Associations Trends Talk, watch the full video here.

 

Associations Trends Talk Recap: How to Run the World’s Best Board Meeting 

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Every board meeting is an opportunity for your association to achieve its mission. Your board can change the circumstances of your members — and even the greater profession — so we must strive to do our best every time. These were among the top messages of our Associations Trends Talk on January 17, 2024. 

Takeaway 1: Be mindful about building the meeting agenda 

It’s easy to get into the habit of planning a meeting on autopilot. Both Eric Hauth and Tip Tucker Kendall stressed the need to prepare for each meeting thoughtfully and purposefully. Eric has a weekly meeting with his president to stay in touch and on top of issues that emerge between board meetings. He also finds it crucial to incorporate times when each agenda item will be discussed to maintain a good pace for the meeting. 

Key for Tip has been simplifying the process for board members. Sending out a single PDF with all the documents the board will need for a meeting — and calling attention to priorities, such as the annual budget — makes it easier for board members to prepare. 

Moderator Paul Hanscom added that it’s great to get questions about agenda items from board members in advance of the meeting.  

Takeaway 2: Be clear about expectations for your board members 

Tip recommended that we keep in mind how much time we demand from our board members. Give them an approximation of the time needed to review the agenda and/or complete tasks in advance of the meeting. She says it’s also critical to prep the chair in advance of the meeting to help keep things on track. And knowing what your board president values makes a big difference in building your relationship. Tip went from a very extroverted person to someone who is very efficient but less focused on relationships. 

Eric gave an example of ICRI’s planning retreat, where board members are assigned to tackle individual domains and bring the homework to the planning session. The process created high engagement and high clarity about each domain.  

Participant Jalene Bowersmith noted in chat that she does a couple things to help board members better prepare: 1) provide a video recording of less than 5 minutes highlighting the board packet items; 2) include motions on the agenda for each item requiring them. 

Takeaway 3: Relationships are the cornerstone of an effective, engaged board 

Tip stressed that building your relationship with the board chair/president shapes every meeting you have. 

Eric shared that when his current board chair began his term, the chair called every board member individually to ask how the organization can support them, and what they want to get from the experience of serving on the board.  

Takeaway 4: Regular assessment will strengthen engagement and drive improvement 

Paul noted that feedback is important to the success of a board of directors. Assessments completed after each meeting can provide both quantitative and qualitative measures to help guide future meetings. 

Tip shared the importance of having conversations about whether meetings include adequate time for dialogue, resolving conflict, etc. She sends assessment surveys after every meeting, and it helps to keep all board members engaged. Measuring the responses makes a big difference. 

Takeaway 5: Volunteer orientation is vital to board member success 

Tip said that onboarding helps each board member get up to speed and be successful. Her board meets with their attorney annually to provide board members with knowledge of their legal obligations. Tip’s association also teaches everyone how to read the financial statements. She says meeting with board members individually helps the chief staff executive learn the strengths and opportunities for each board member. Especially when a board has controversial issues to address, it’s important to cover how the board needs to speak with one voice. 

Eric stated that his association starts with the basics during the orientation process and then gets into deeper knowledge. He stressed the importance of getting buy-in versus consensus among board members: it may be impossible to get consensus, especially from a large, diverse board — but everyone needs to accept the decision of the board as a whole.  

Watch the video replay 

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Associations Trends Talk: Energize to Mobilize

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The Association Trends Talk, “Energize to Mobilize: A Guide to Reviving Nonprofit Boards,” took place on November 15, 2023. Ewald Consulting welcomed Laura Orr, CEO of Forward Consulting, in discussion with Ewald Consulting’s CXO, Eric Ewald, on ways to keep board members engaged, ensure appropriate expectations for incoming board members, effective board leadership, and more.  

Some of the key takeaways include: 

  1. Some reasons for an increased lack of engagement with board members can be competing demands for time, a disconnect between a board member’s expectations and the reality of responsibilities, a strained board culture, and more.
  2. Opportunities for increasing engagement include regular board assessments, exit interviews, clear communication, effective board leadership, and clearly communicating the role responsibilities when recruiting new board members.
  3. Be sure to spend board meetings on action items, provide agenda information at least a week in advance, include questions to frame thinking, and allow time at the beginning of the meeting for socializing/getting to know each other. 
  4. Board leaders can schedule voluntary small group meetings for board members to get to know each other; this can help board members create relationships with each other, which can help down the road when tough decisions need to be made as a board. Recognize and celebrate wins, big and small. Encourage ongoing involvement including volunteering, delegating tasks were needed to increase involvement, and fostering a positive working environment. 

We look forward to seeing you on January 17, 2024, for our next Associations Trends Talk: How to Run the World’s Best Board Meeting. This discussion will feature Tip Tucker Kendall, Executive Director of the National Grants Management Association, and Eric Hauth, Executive Director of the International Concrete Repair Institute. 

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Where You Belong: The Importance of Associations

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In this episode, we are joined by Toma Kinville Ossian, Executive Director at Global Management Partners and Liz Anderson, Account Executive at Ewald Consulting to discuss the importance of associations as we near the end of 2023.

Takeaways:

1. Associations are important because the offer community. There is a group out there for just about every interest you could think of. Bringing these groups together increases that sense of community and improves industries.
Working within associations provides a feeling of service.

2. Service has shown to increase feelings of purpose, so it makes sense that Toma and liz both expressed feelings of fulfilment and joy working in this industry.

3. We should work towards increasing member value, ALWAYS. Toma explained that new technologies are always arising. Nowadays, it is very focused on AI. She said this will help the association management industry as it will free up space for us to be closer to our members.

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Associations Trends Talk: No Roadmap, No Problem

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Ewald Consulting hosted Associations Trends Talk on September 21, 2023. No Roadmap, No Problem: Navigating the Terrain of DEIA features Valerie Dosland, Government Affairs Director at Ewald, Brian Haney of the Haney Company, and Rhea Steele of the School Nutrition Association. In this discussion, they give real life examples of how to make associations more accessible and inclusive.

Here are some of our key takeaways:

  • Each of us will define DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility) in terms of our members and the field they work in. Different associations will have different areas of focus. Listening sessions with members can be a great way to get started on a DEIA journey.
  • It’s critical to have diversity of thought on an association’s board of directors; so much data reflects this reality. Board members need to hold each other accountable and to have the self-awareness to say that the right voices are not in the room when decisions are being made.
  • When we see something that could be uncomfortable for other members, we all need to become comfortable with speaking up; the burden should not always fall to marginalized people to say that a situation could be better.
  • You can’t avoid difficult conversations. If the person raising a challenge is still a member and they’re still engaged, that is good—even if they are bringing up a difficult issue. That shared connection of care can help to create an ally.
  • Both Brian and Rhea recognized the association community and ASAE as an excellent resource for help. We all represent different aspects of society — through different lenses. A sampling of useful DEIA resources: McKinsey, SHRM, Harvard Business Review, universities, Forbes, other state and national associations.

We will see you in November for our next installment of Associations Trends Talk featuring Laura Orr of Forward Governance Consulting.

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Associations Next: Ch-Ch-Changes

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In this episode, we are joined by Genae Young, member of the Board of Trustees for the Organization Development Network, and CEO of 1 Extraordinary Life. Genae sat down with us to discuss change management, particularly when it comes to the ever-changing landscape of volunteer organizations. 

Takeaways: 

  • Change management is for the organization, but it is all about the people involved. Make sure they are taken care of, listened to and supported. 
  • Make change management part of your annual plan. Have solid systems in place that help you thoughtfully navigate your change. 
  • Associations are particularly used to change. Anchor your organization in your mission, vision, and values in order. 

 

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Associations Trends Talk Blog – Avoiding Legal Pitfalls For Associations

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Ewald welcomed nonprofit attorney Heidi Christianson and Senior Financial Analyst Sarah Ruzek, from Nilan Johnston Lewis, in a conversation about legal trends and pitfalls to avoid as associations plan for 2023. The conversation covered the return of in-person events and expanded methods of creating and delivering member value.

Here are a few key takeaways:

  • 2022 is the year of the “current employee,” meaning that employers have faced unprecedented challenges in employee recruitment & retention. If you’re an association leader, and you haven’t updated your employee handbook in the last few years, prioritize a refresh. Organizations have added newer items like home office budgets, which are legally required in some states. Talk to your employees and work with them to determine what is necessary.

  • Although collaboration between associations was common prior to the pandemic, the trend toward mergers, joint ventures, and affiliations is increasing. Be sure to review any contracts around these collaborative efforts carefully. Heidi and Sarah emphasized that many small details can be looked over, so put the extra review effort in upfront.

  • Mental health and addiction issues have worsened for many during the pandemic. This can create challenging scenarios for associations whose priority is to care for their members while actioning their strategic plan. Events can be particularly difficult to navigate for associations that want to create an inclusive environment where people can safely connect. A”Sherpa” can be a helpful addition to an event team, to plan for and address any potentially challenging issues

Our next Associations Trends Talk will feature Suzanne Berry of Block & Reed Association Advisors and David Tabak Tabak of Nonprofit Strategies on the topic: Avoiding Conflicts with Your Board; What to Do When You Can’t Panel, streaming live on January 18. Be on the lookout for more information!

If you missed it, or want to relive the action, the webinar is available here for free.

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Associations Trends Talk Blog – Fine-tuning Your Membership Recruitment & Retention

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Our September 2022 Associations Trends Talk discussed recruiting and retaining members as the pandemic continues. Ewald Consulting Chief Growth Officer Paul Hanscom sat down with Tricia Smith, Jennifer Richards, & Kevin Jacobs for this conversation.

Member recruitment and retainment techniques are at the forefront of association leaders’ minds as the pandemic continues. Thoughts such as “how do we help our members in this trying time?” and “what resources can we provide for our members in this new world?” are likely on your mind, too.

 

You can watch the full Associations Trends Talk on-demand for free. Here are a few takeaways that stood out:

 

  1. Get the right tools: Resources like voicelogic.com (allowing for delivery of a voicemail from a trusted leader), Higher Logic and other online communities, and social media channels are becoming more popular. Consider making a shift to a new technology that encourages more interaction between you and your members — and among your members. 
  2. Think about retention: First-year association members can be the most challenging to retain. Kevin explained that after talking to lapsed members, many said that they simply weren’t aware that the membership wasn’t renewed. Several associations (including Tricia’s) use auto-renewals as a good member retention method. Others create teams to reach out to first-year members by phone during year one to ensure that new people take advantage of valuable member benefits. Find the strategy that is best for you and your members.
  3. Cater to your member community: Jennifer explained that in her association, the young professionals’ committee has a great amount of energy. Invest in opportunities that provide new, fresh ideas. Another way to do this is by changing your language. Kevin explained that in some cases, dropping association jargon may be more welcoming to new members, which could bring that new energy.
  4. Get personal: Having current demographic information about members helps an association know how to talk about itself. It also helps in creating segmented and targeted messages that will resonate with every audience from students and young professionals to retired members. One tool mentioned was PropFuel, a platform that allows for more direct messaging based on the needs of members.

Members are the center of your association. Take stock of how you’re communicating with members throughout the year and the membership life cycle, and consider how you can be better for your members.

To learn more about member recruitment and retainment, check out an episode of our podcast, Associations Next: Remember Your Members.

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