Posts Tagged ‘member feedback’

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Making Valuable Connections Through Twitter

Thursday, April 9th, 2009

Twitter

One of the things we love about working at RCG is that we get the opportunity to meet and connect with amazing nonprofits that are making a positive difference in the lives of others. Recently we had the pleasure of “meeting” another influential nonprofit over Twitter.

Cradles to Crayons (@C2CPhilly) provides low-income and homeless children the basic essentials they need to be safe, warm, ready to learn, and valued. They also set a foundation for lasting change through the meaningful, tangible volunteer opportunities that they provide to thousands of youth and adults each year. Cradles to Crayons is not a client of ours, but we greatly respect the hard work they are doing to enrich the lives of deserving children. What a great way to impact a community! Connecting with them over Twitter has taught us another valuable lesson about social networking.

We do, and receive, a lot of preaching about how social networking can increase your business opportunities and resources– but a benefit that is often overlooked is the power of social networking to encourage and inspire. Connecting with Cradles to Crayons over Twitter allowed us to learn about their mission, which inspired and encouraged us in the work that we do for our clients who are also nonprofits. It’s a connection that served as a great reminder of the good in the world today, and for a few moments inspired us as we connected with the world beyond our desks.

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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Social Media Going Corporate

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

SocialCorp

I recently read the book “SocialCorp: Social Media Goes Corporate” by Joel Postman. The book covered every aspect of incorporating social media into the corporate world. There was a SocialCorp Readiness Quiz that assisted in identifying leadership, innovation, industry, business objectives, engagement, and culture. The goal of this quiz was to identify strong and weak points in your company to determine your social media readiness. We scored a 90%. Take the quiz yourself to see where you stand.

There were six valuable attributes discussed:

  1. Authenticity
  2. Transparency
  3. Immediacy
  4. Participation
  5. Connectedness
  6. Accountability

I strongly agree with #4, participation. When I first started out using twitter, facebook, and linkedin, there was a lack of participation. I did a lot of reading and following with no participation. As I became more familiar with the structure of each platform and the benefits of each, I began to send @replies through twitter, started to respond to questions being posted on linkedin, and updated my status regularly on facebook. As a result of participation, I have received more followers, connections, and friends that are relevant to my interests, which in turn lead to 3 new business opportunities for our company.

How I use social media.

I am following a number of associations via twitter and the tweets are very diverse. Some tweets promote an upcoming event/conference while another tweet will discuss how to donate and will post the progress of the donations. The information is instant and brief. The great thing about it is that I do not have to search for it. If I am following the right associations/people, the information will be directed to me.

Tracking what is being said about your association or yourself is important. You need to respond to positive comments but most of all, you need to respond to negative comments. Responding to your negative comments will show that you are engaged with what your members/followers are saying, it shows you value the opinions of others, and it gives you a chance to be involved in the discussion to remedy the situation.

As with any new endeavour, you will need to develop a strategy. Take your time. Make sure you have the resources to implement your new social media strategy. Choose the right tools to use for your associations social media.

Be sure to follow me and Rottman Creative Group.

@Digirob316, @Rottmancreative

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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