Posts Tagged ‘association leaders’

Golden Principles for Conference Marketing BONUS!

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

Our next newsletter is about to drop with solid guiding principles for conference marketing.

These essential truths will keep your organization on target for fulfilling your mission and goals – while navigating trends, social media, economic changes and cultural shifts. Here are two bonus principles to prep you for the others to follow:

We should adapt our marketing plan based on past history, current needs and future goals.

We value impact and success over tradition. We will develop new means to work within industry trends and cultural shifts to remain relevant and vision-focused.

Trends come and go, cultural shifts occur, communication methods evolve and the economy is in a delicate place. With so much change happening in our day-to-day life, how can the same marketing plan from last year (or five years ago!) be relevant and effective?

Yet, we know many associations that execute marketing plans that were developed in previous years. Some try to “keep up with the times” by slapping on a Facebook page or  a text messaging campaign to the plan.

That strategy will guarantee the only thing in the world that won’t change is the continual decline in conference attendance.

So, what do you do?

Will you expand beyond your current membership base by purchasing an email list, sending out an email and hoping for a 2% open rate? Or, launching a Facebook page that is updated once or twice a week?

No, that’s not going to cut it. You’re wrong to think that you are the only, or the first association to think of that. You have competition. You are challenged with wooing potential attendees, and that is only going to happen if you learn to adapt your marketing plan each year.

Tips:

  • Talk to potential attendees as people first (professionals/members second). People who change from year to year and have different needs over time.
  • Listen to your target audience before acting.

We will have a vision of growth for conference attendance and commit the energy to implement necessary changes.

We will not accept excuses or utter the word “can’t” when faced with a challenge. Instead we will be flexible towards change and open to learning for the sake of growth and success of every single conference.

Keep up motivation and energy throughout the entire marketing campaign. As soon as you get in a rut, the look and feel of your marketing pieces change and the members can sense that vibe.

So, what do you do?

Be positive about your event. It is the largest, in-person gathering of your members. It has the potential to be the living representation of your mission. You should express that at every chance you get.

Tips:

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Email and Your Brand

Friday, May 14th, 2010

Email is a essential to staying in touch with our clients and we know it’s key for how you keep up with your donors, members and sponsors. Because it is vital to communications today, we like to stay up-to-date on what people are saying online about  email marketing and communications.

Sometimes we run into some great blog posts with good tips about the frequency, design or purpose of email marketing – but just like many things online, we also run into some horrible, misguided information.

Recently we came across a blog post criticizing the efforts to make email, print and online communications consistent. The author claimed that consistent branding leads to readers ignoring the message because everything looks the same.

This is obviously someone who doesn’t understand how to develop a strong and effective brand.

“For example, a certain association holds a lot of webinars and classes, and they send out a lot of marketing messages about them — each of which follows the exact same template, with the exact same look, written in the exact same style. I get them and before I even read them, I know exactly what each email is about. And I delete every single one.”

He doesn’t realize it, but his example is a great sample of how consistent branding works. Yes, he may delete the emails now, but at some point he read them. Every single one of them, and we know this because he confesses to knowing the association’s brand. He knows the look, feel and tone of their emails. And, more importantly he knows they offer educational courses.

What he calls a failure in email marketing, is in fact, a great success.

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Conferences and Crowdsourcing

Monday, April 5th, 2010

Most associations we know are petrified of social media. We get it: change is scary and opening the floodgates could lead to some nasty comments that most of us would rather not see. But it’s 2010, and it’s time to get with the program or risk becoming obsolete. These days, one of the most effective and interactive ways to use social media is to crowdsource, soliciting ideas from outside your organization.

WIRED magazine contributing editor Jeff Howe coined the term “crowdsourcing” in the magazine in 2006, and the concept has been picking up steam ever since. “Unconferences,” where the conference agenda is driven entirely by attendees, are one example of crowdsourcing in action.

Even if your association isn’t ready to completely hand off the reins, you can still use crowdsourcing to collect suggestions and get members excited. The thing to remember is that crowdsourcing needs to tap into passion. If people are passionate about what they’re being asked to contribute, whether it’s a new product idea, a catchy slogan, or a user-generated video, then they’ll do it.

Healthy competition can help your association. When members see colleagues brainstorming or creating, they’ll want to get involved, too. However, prizes or incentives needn’t be expensive. Think about something of value you already have as an offer. Maybe it’s recognition at your conference or a cool new product from one of your sponsors.

Here are a few ways your conference can tap into crowdsourcing:

  • Create a virtual conference room where people can brainstorm. This could be a forum on the conference website that allows visitors to vote on topics for panels or suggest ways to improve the conference experience.
  • Set up a physical space at your conference where attendees can exchange ideas. It could be prototypes for new products, designs for a new logo, or something else entirely. However, remember that it’s not really about creating products, it’s about exchanging ideas.
  • Use Twitter to solicit questions for panelists. Audience Q & A’s are an old school form of crowdsourcing, but now users can contribute without even being in the room.

The great thing about crowdsourcing is that it allows you to create a better conference than you might otherwise have. And when members are engaged and excited, they’re more likely to attend your conference again and keep renewing their membership.

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The Evolution of a Brand

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

You’ve created a brand identity for your association that seems to be working. Members recognize your logo when they see it on tote bags or postcards. They’re happy to refer colleagues and renew their own memberships.

Think your job is done? Think again!
In a recent newsletter, we mentioned the need for brands to change and evolve as the marketplace changes.

The ultimate example of brand evolution is Madonna, whether or not your a fan. Over the last twenty-five years, she’s gone from “Material Girl” to Marilyn Monroe lookalike to children’s book author to pop icon. While many eighties rockers are relegated to the bottom of people’s CD collections, Madonna remains relevant and in the public eye decades later.

But you don’t need such an extreme makeover to keep your brand current.
Just look at Apple. Their logo is iconic, and it’s undergone several redesigns since the mid-seventies. Remember that rainbow-striped apple they used between 1976 and 1998? It made sense because its color graphics were one of Apple’s main selling points. Now the company is known for the slick, streamlined appeal of the MacBook and iPhone, so their new logo reflects this new identity.

Brand enhancements like tweaking or simplifying your logo can improve your brand, but they’re not a cure-all. Your association itself needs to evolve as well: for instance, getting involved in social media and facilitating two-way communication with members. With strategic changes over time, you ensure that your association continues to grow alongside its members and maintain relevancy.

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Social Media in Marketing Survey

Monday, March 29th, 2010

Getting sick of hearing about social media this and social media that?  If the results of the 2010 Social Media in Marketing Survey are any indication, you’ll be hearing more about it this year—and for years to come.  Corporate Event Magazine recently featured the survey, in which 8,000 exhibit and event marketers were queried by Exhibitor Media Group on their use of social media in their marketing efforts.  The results were a bit predictable in some areas, but they also offered some surprises.

The overall conclusion was that social media will continue to gain influence and play an integral role in marketing campaigns.  If you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon, time to do so; it can have a lasting, positive influence on your organization.  According to the survey, social media can help build brand awareness, enrich professional relationships, generate additional media coverage, boost event attendance, and increase sales. For companies concerned with generating a strong return on investment in their marketing efforts, that last bit is critical.  After all the goal of marketing is to increase sales, right?

It was a bit surprising to learn just how many people are using social media in marketing.  Of those surveyed, 66% use it, and almost half (49%) spend 1-5 hours on social media every week.  That figure sounds about right.  Those (18%) who spend less than an hour on it are probably not feeding and watering their social media efforts enough, while about a third of respondents who are spending more than 6 hours a week might be investing a little too much time.  Unfortunately, the survey did not compare time spent on social media with quantifiable results of those efforts.  However, if they are seeing the results, then their time is well-spent.

Of those who are not using social media in marketing, 22% said they lack the time and 20% said they lack the know-how.  These arguments are not surprising, but they are also disingenuous.  As stated above, one need not devote vast amounts of time on social media to integrate it into your marketing efforts.

The excuse of not knowing how to properly use social media is almost as bad as that old chestnut “the dog ate my homework”.  There are numerous resources for learning how to use social media: online webinars, books, workshops, and even private tutorials.  Find a way to learn how to use social media and then embrace it with open arms, because it is not going anywhere.  Those who continue to ignore social media do so at their own peril, because it will be the marketing tool within a couple of years, tops.   Survey respondents agree:  90% say it has moderate or limitless potential for exhibit or event marketing, while 76% say social media’s importance will increase strongly or somewhat in the coming year.

Another unexpected finding of the survey is that marketers continue to use the biggest social media sites.  Gravitating to the biggest and best known sites makes perfect sense, of course.  Go where the people are!  Most of those surveyed are using Facebook (between January and July 2009, the number of Facebook users grew by 70.8%!), LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and internal and external microsites and business blogs.  These sites are being used for general marketing (57%), exhibit marketing (31%), and event marketing (24%).

One aspect of social media in marketing that this survey did not cover is the importance of using social media as a two-way form of communication to build your brand.  The unique and powerful thing about social media in marketing is that it allows companies and organizations to actively and regularly engage with their clients and constituents.  You can start a conversation, respond to a question or comment, and get instant feedback on a new product or service.  The possibilities of using social media in all aspects of marketing are indeed limitless.

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Three Easy Steps to Energize Local Visibility

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

3 Steps

Many associations and nonprofits have service areas that stretch far beyond their “hometown”, but that doesn’t excuse them from striving to build a vibrant, healthy reputation among the local population. Regularly communicating who you are, what you do, why you do it, and how your association makes a difference, can make a strong impression on the local community – which is comprised of potential sponsors, partners, volunteers, members and other valuable connections.

Many organizations are familiar with traditional means of PR, but are still a little uncertain how to take advantage of social media. Reaching out to your community through local websites and blogs is an easy, powerful, and often free way to increase visibility. Here is a simple three step process to help your organization seize rich, local PR opportunities.

Step 1: Scope out local blogs and websites.

You’re probably already familiar with the local newspaper and other print publications, therefore step it up a notch and search for online news sources. The first step to starting a local PR campaign is to identify where your audience is already having online conversations and where they are going to get information.

Spend an hour or two browsing the websites of your local newspaper and TV stations. You may be lucky enough to find a guide to your area’s best blogs. If not, specifically look for news that is being pulled into their website from local blogs. It is becoming very common for traditional media companies to aggregate information from smaller, topical, local blogs that are run by citizen journalists.

The first place you should start is with local business-focused websites. Regardless of your organization’s mission and reach, the common factor between you and the community is that you employ members of the community and conduct business with other local businesses. Secondly, start looking at topical blogs and websites.

Make a list of the blogs and websites that you feel have the best chance for promoting your organization’s news. Be sure to single out the contact person for each website you identify as having potential for your organization’s message.

Step 2: Send 1-2 press releases a month to local news sites.

All the local news and information sites you’ve identified need new, regular content since they likely update daily, and they will gladly welcome any news-worthy information or story you pass along to them. Also, one of the great benefits of a press release is that you have control over what information is shared. You will find that some websites may simply post your information (or a shortened version of it), which is typical for many print publications as well. But many blogs prefer to make their posts more personal, and may offer the opportunity to have a key staff or board member be a guest blogger.

It’s imperative that you follow basic guidelines of telling a compelling story with a strong news angle in each of your press releases. To increase the chances of your information being published on the websites you contact, make sure it is relevant to your audience and answers the 5 Ws: who, what, where, when, and why. Remember to include plenty of contact information.

Step 3: Add a news section to your website.

News pages are a great way to manage content about events, sponsorships, and all forms of company news. It can become a place where local media outlets can depend on getting the latest information about your organization. In addition to being an invaluable communication tool, it is a great opportunity to boost credibility and return the favor of linking to the websites that post your information.

A sound local PR strategy can go a long way in boosting local recognition and enhancing credibility for any association or nonprofit, especially if you are intentional in seeking out online hotspots for your community. While it’s fresh on your mind, jot down a couple of topics for upcoming press releases and start your search for relevant websites.

Rottman Creative Group

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First Quarter Review for Associations

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

First Quarter Review

It’s hard to believe that we are already ending the first quarter of 2009. With all the hype from a new president to the worries over the economy, these first few months have gone by quickly. But, being aware of this and being mindful of how staying on track to achieve our annual goals is a great strength and opportunity for any organization or person to adopt.

It’s not uncommon for professionals or associations to set annual goals at the beginning of each year, but how often do they become like most other new year’s resolutions that are forgotten by Valentine’s Day? Even if you didn’t set annual goals for your association this year, you can still benefit from reviewing the first quarter. Use these prompts to help you reflect back on the first quarter of 2009 and identify successes and areas that need more attention in the coming months.

  • How many new members joined the association?
  • Are you on track to reach your annual goal?
  • How many renewed membership?
  • What is your retention rate thus far?
  • Are you on track to reach your annual goal?
  • Are you ahead or behind the game for accomplishing tasks that were scheduled to be accomplished in the first quarter?
  • What new connections with possible partners or sponsors has your association made?
  • Did you release any products/publications this quarter?
  • How much money has your association received through membership dues, donations and non-due revenues?
  • Are you on track to reach your annual goal?
  • Review the association’s spending, are you within budget?
  • What response did you receive from marketing efforts?
  • Did you receive positive feedback from communication with members?
  • What are areas that you’ve identified as successes for the first quarter of 2009?
  • What areas have you identified that need more attention, work and focus to help you reach your annual goals of 2009?
  • Are there areas of operation that you should consider outsourcing or getting assistance with?
  • How do you need to adjust your workflow, marketing, budget, plans, operation, etc. to get on track, or stay on track to achieve your annual goals?

Simply taking an hour or two to review how your association has preformed over the past few months can greatly increase your chances for having a successful 2009 as you can adjust your plan for the next 3 quarters.

Rottman Creative Group

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Fitting Social Media into Your Schedule

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

Who has the time?

The most common objection we get when encouraging people to learn more about social media is, “Who has the time for that!?” But for those of us who experience the benefits of social media and networking we wonder, who doesn’t have the time! This is especially true since a recent round of Nielsen research showed that online member communities such as Twitter and Facebook have moved ahead of personal e-mail to become the fourth most popular way people spend time on the Internet (after search, portals and software applications).

Could the time you put into social media and networking give you more ROI than how you currently spend your time? To help you figure that out, here’s a list of tips to help you get the most out of social media and networking even if all you can spare is 15 minutes a day.

Listen to what people are saying about your association.

  • Get familiar with the search options on LinkedIn, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Flickr, YouTube, Wikipedia and niche blogs to see what others are saying about your association. If you can’t find conversations about your association, look for ones about similar or competing organizations. What are members saying? What do they like? Dislike? What keeps them active? What needs do they have that your association could meet?

Identify which social media/networking sites have the greatest potential.

  • After some research you will identify which sites or networks are worth your time. You will see that some are already being used by your members, and may already have conversations in which you should be participating.

Give new sites a 30-day trial.

  • If you’ve created a Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook account, or started commenting on a new niche blog, give it 30 days before you make a decision whether or not the time you are investing is giving a good return.

Add or reach out to at least one connection.

  • Make contact with at least one current or new connection on whichever social media/networking site you decide to use.

Keep notes.

  • Along the way take notes of what sites you participate in, connections you make and what results you experience.

Set a time limit and stick to it.

  • Before you dive into learning more about how social media/networking can benefit your association, decide how much time you can devote each day or week to this endeavor. Stick to that time limit for at least 30 days.

Social media and networking is growing rapidly. Leaders of associations must at least attempt to find out if their organization can benefit and increase value to their members by using these tools. Lack of time can no longer be an excuse.

Rottman Creative Group

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How To Engage A New Member

Monday, March 23rd, 2009

Engage a New Member

Typically the first words a new member hears from their association are, “Thank you for joining; here is your new member kit.”

Most associations put a lot of thought and energy into creating their new member kits. They fill their kits with basic information about the membership, some educational pieces and a thank-you note. To most this seems like a well-rounded kit to welcome your newest member. And, sending an association welcome kit with a consistent message is very convenient for the member; however it does not allow for any feedback. Meaning, the first interaction with the new member is entirely one-way.

If you want to know what your members think about your association, and you’re serious about using the feedback they provide, then engaging them when they first join is an opportune time. Also, imagine how the association-to-member relationship could be enhanced, if right from the beginning the association made an effort to recognize they value member feedback?

How you survey your new members really depends on what works best for your organization. From printed surveys to an online survey posted on your website, there are several options for capturing and interpreting the data.

The association new-member survey should be brief including questions that emphasize the basic demographics of members, membership benefits and involvement, such as conference attendance. Here are a few examples:

• What is your primary reason for joining the association?

• Are you interested in volunteering on an association committee?

• Are you interested in volunteering for an association activity?

• What do you feel is the most important benefit you receive from being a member of the association?


Rank the value of the following association member benefits.

  1. Association Event
  2. Association Newsletters
  3. Association Publications
  4. Member Discount Benefits
  5. Networking
  6. Standards, codes of ethics, and certification
  7. A forum to discuss common problems and solutions
  8. Providing a community of interest

Which of the following association events do you think you might attend?

  1. Annual Conference
  2. Section Events
  3. Local Training Events
  4. National Training Events

Encourage input from your new members regarding your association’s community activities because they may have some fresh, exciting thoughts and asking for their input will show that you are interested in their opinions. Also, with proper follow up to this survey your association can effectively involve new members in activities immediately. Once you know what your members want and need, association leaders can be confident in their actions, which can increase member involvement and retention.

Rottman Creative Group

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