But let’s face it, many members are shy about jumping into a well established organization. They feel like everyone already knows everyone else, so they hang back, don’t get involved, don’t see the value in the membership, and then don’t renew. So how do you turn this process around? How about with a more personalized member orientation.

One of our association, the Association of Language Companies clients recently started making personalized member welcome calls. Here’s how they work:

• Once a new member joins the association, we email the welcome committee with the person’s contact information.
• The committee then identifies a couple of people—a board member, a committee member, etc—to contact the new member through a conference call.
• Once on the phone, the new member is asked about why they joined, what they hope to get from their membership, and what industry concerns they have. While the member is answering the questions, they respond with what the association is doing to address those issues and point out benefits that can help get them the answers they need. They also invite them to join specific committees, attend the conference, etc.
  

The point is they make the member feel wanted in a very personal way. And, at the same time, give the new member everything they need to have a successful and beneficial relationship with the association—increasing the chance of them renewing when the time comes.

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Conference 2.0 (offered through Omnipress) is an online social networking community built around an event.  It’s where speakers, attendees, exhibitors and sponsors were able to engage with one another before, during and after the Convention.  They could tag one another as colleagues, find people with similar interests, set up appointments, select which sessions to attend, have conversations, and even download presentations.

The results were promising and we’re hoping to build on this in 2012.  We had a very successful usage rate (37%), especially for the first time using the technology, and members continue to use the site today.  For next year, we’re making plans to further improve on our success with greater usage and more engagement.  And, if it’s successful, we even hope to develop it into a persistent social community where members can connect not just around an event, but around shared interests or volunteer opportunities.  As association professionals it is our job to provide more opportunities for member satisfaction and engagement.

I will admit, though, that engaging in twitter chats has taken some getting used to. Part of it is obvious and easy. The host asks questions throughout the chat, and then the participants answer them and respond to each other. But when the chat gets large, the volume of tweets grows, and it becomes hard to follow along. Then on top of that, I’m trying to figure out how to respond to a complex conversation in a sentence or two that is less than 140 characters. Here’s how I manage it all to make the most of twitter chats:

Use TweetChat. This is a site where you can log into your twitter account and add the hashtag you’re following and then all you see on the screen is the stream of tweets on that hashtag. You could do the same with a twitter search, but the best part of tweetchat is that it automatically adds the hashtag when you post something. Remember, with each tweet you have to add the hashtag or others on the chat won’t see it.

Strategic RTs. With lots of people saying interesting things, you don’t have to say it all yourself. Re-Tweet (RT) the good ones right when you see them. I find it interesting to watch which tweets get re-tweeted the most. It helps define the flavor of the chat.

Embrace the Constraint. I know it’s hard to say intelligent things in only 140 characters sometimes, but I embrace that constraint rather than feel limited by it. I take more time to post my tweets, because I force myself to be clear using fewer words. I don’t stress out that the question I’m responding to  is no longer visible on the stream. I take the time to get clear. I’ve enjoyed developing this capacity.

Build relationships. Twitter can feel pretty random at times. People follow me every day, and I follow new people every day, and for many of them, I never really get to know them. But the real value of Twitter (learning) is enhanced when the relationships grow, and chats are a great way to get to know people a little better. The people I follow on these chats are often the people I engage with more on a regular basis.

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My annual “lose 10 pounds” goal is almost achieved at 8 pounds lost . . .  I still have 2 days to go so there’s a chance.  Then again, perhaps not, since I just had cheesecake as my dinner.

So with the idea of resolutions and goals I have a new plan of action for achieving my 2012 goals.  I recently listened to an audio book called The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone.  The guy is a bit wacky but I like his thinking.  (He reminds me of Jim Cramer, that guy on Mad Money that always seems to be yelling directly at me.)  The whole theory of “10X” is to supersize your goals to be so big that it sounds insanely crazy.  He doesn’t believe in setting realistic goals because it doesn’t keep us motivated long enough to achieve them.  In our minds they become not that exciting so we tend to give up. We don’t go into it with the intention to give up but our psyche just seems to go there and before we know it we’ve lost interest.

I’ll share an experience as to why I think there’s something to this idea.  I had a client that I needed to sell table top exhibits for last month.  I’ve been selling these table top exhibits for various events for them over the past 2 years.  I only needed to sell I think 7 or 8 to hit the budget number but because of a shortfall in previous month’s income, we decided to go for 12.  (I’m not sure who set 12 as the goal but since it’s my story I’ll say it was me.)  Twelve tables fit in the room comfortably so that was my new target.   So calling the same ‘usual suspects’ of potential exhibitors I was feeling discouraged as I was just trying to sell 1 at that point.  (I should point out that this client’s industry was particularly hard hit with the economic downfall.  I’m not that bad of a salesperson.)  Though I knew calling the same ‘usual suspects’ wasn’t the best way to sell the exhibit spaces I was stumped as to who I should be calling.

Then, I had an unexpected moment of rejuvenation.  One unexpected encounter sent my mind racing in a whole new direction of prospects and the sales pitch they needed to hear.  It worked.  With renewed energy and a fresh list of contacts I started making calls.  I also set my new “Awesome Goal” – yes, I called it my Awesome Goal - which was 18, the absolute maximum number of tables we could accommodate.  So where do you think I ended up?   I sold 15 and had 17 tables filled; one we gave to a non-profit and one we gave away in exchange for a free service the company provided at an earlier event.  We had several new companies participate, plus I left the client with at least 4 more companies interested in exhibiting at the next event.  They didn’t participate this time only because of scheduling conflicts or too short notice – not lack of interest.  Two companies were also seriously looking into becoming members.  All that because I set an ”Awesome Goal”.

So what changed?  While a fresh perspective on the marketing of prospective exhibitors got me going again I became almost obsessed, energized and refocused on that “Awesome Goal”.  I had the list of companies taped to my wall and checked off each one as they sold.  It was exhilarating as I got closer to that “Awesome Goal”.  I didn’t start out with the intention that I had to sell 18 tables but it seemed almost so unreachable that as it started happening something else took over and it just happened.

I heard this similar concept in an article by Martha Beck (she writes lots of things for Oprah’s website and O magazine) and she referred to it as a “WAG” or a Wild-Ass Goal.  So as we head into 2012 think about your Awesome Goal (or WAG if you prefer) and think about what you’re going to do.  Are you going to play it safe with the realistic goals or go for it with the Awesome Goal?  I already have my list ready and it’s AWESOME!!

Happy 2012!

I’ve been very lucky in that my Board sees the value in this program and commits the funds for three of us to attend this, or a similar program, each year.  What I value most is the time outside of the Boardroom or at an Association of Water Technologies (AWT) meeting, where I can bring up sometimes difficult conversations, be it a leadership issue or industry challenge.  Each year is different because at least one of the players change.  But it is exciting to watch a President-Elect the first year and then see the changes that happen the next year when that person is now President.  They tend to be more confident and more strategic-minded.

This is just one way to develop leaders.  Some other things my Board and I are doing are conducting an expanded and enhanced leadership program for all Committee Chairs, Subcommittee Chairs and Related Trade Organization Liaisons.  It’s a meeting of over 30 people where we get to talk about our priorities for the year ahead.  It also gives us time to do some training and development with these key people within AWT.

Something else we enhanced this past year was our New Board Member orientation.  And before we rolled out the new program to the actual new Board Members, we did the entire session with the Board, so they received a great refresher on their duties and responsibilities.

It’s important to remember that for many volunteer leaders this is a new role for them.  They may not be familiar with association practices and may not have the leadership skills required of their position.   As association professionals, it’s our job to give them as much help as we can in making them a success.

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You know you have opinions—from the latest business trends to what’s your favorite technology for your industry. Why not share those views in a white paper format.

You may view the concept of writing a white paper as a daunting task and be asking yourself: How do I write a white paper? What should the objective be? Am I qualified to write it?  This document is a white paper itself with the objective of guiding you through the process of developing effective white papers and persuasive business documents.

What is a white paper?
WHITE PAPER is defined as an authoritative report issued by any organization; or formal written work whose purpose is to educate the reader. Originally, white papers came from white books, which are official publications of national government. Now, any organization can create a white paper and it is a common tool to introduce technology innovations or products. White papers are also powerful tools used to help key decision-makers and influencers justify implementing solutions.

Tips for writing white papers
Define your audience—Properly understanding the disposition of your target market is essential to writing a well received white paper. A white paper should quickly identify problems or concerns faced by that group and lead them down the path to a solution. You want to grab the reader’s attention in the first paragraph, so that you will achieve your objectives.

Decide on a method –There are really only two ways to write white papers; self interest or interests of audience.  Both types are explained below, but keep in mind that the second method is generally preferred.

The first type of writing method would be to focus on a particular self interest. The self-interest method focuses exclusively on a product, service, or solution by expounding on its benefits, features, and implications. While effective in some circumstances, this method is best left for something other than a white paper, such as a data sheet or product brief.

The second and recommended method would be to concentrate on the interests of your audience. This can be effectively accomplished by leading with the problems your solution overcomes, rather than the actual solution itself. To many people, this seems counterintuitive, but it really is just the opposite. By focusing on the problem and the struggles experienced by the reader, you are establishing credibility with the reader and simultaneously filtering out unqualified clients.

White papers written in a self-interest style run the risk of sounding advertorial—which can turn readers off. Readers may feel more inclined to white papers written towards their interests as it will seem more educational to them. They have the chance to learn about a new technique that could solve their problem.

Possibilities—You can take it a step further by looking at issues such as historical precedents, describing new solutions that address the problem, and even identifying what to look for in a solution; while never once mentioning your name or company (at least not yet). This altruistic method will score major points with the reader and greatly increase the likelihood he or she will actually read the entire paper.

You’re white paper’s written. Now what?
So, you’ve decided on your topic and you’ve written you paper to address your audiences’ concerns—now what? How do you share it with the group you’re trying to reach? Here are just a few suggestions:

• Upload your white paper to your website under a tab of “Helpful Articles”. Then post a snippet of the article on your Facebook page, or Tweet about it, including a link to the full article on your website—now you’re building traffic!
• Submit your paper for possible publication in industry magazines and newsletters your intended audience reads.
• Propose your paper for consideration as a presentation for a conference your intended audience would attend.
• Include your paper in proposals/bids for clients who would be interested in the topic matter.

I actually lost track of the many different sources on the huge increase in accessing the internet via mobile devices, but I think we’re at the point where if you need the proof, your behind the curve. Use of smart phones is going through the roof. Use of PCs to access the internet in some cases is actually going down. The desktop use won’t go away, of course, but if you’re ignoring how your web presence interacts with mobile devices, you’re in trouble.

But the point about mobile internet use that really stuck out for me came from the opening keynote, delivered by Luke Wroblewski. He pointed out that the constraint of a smaller screen has required web designers to have some discipline in their design. They have to limit what they show, forcing them to focus on what matters. This is Southwest Airline’s home page on the web:

A little distracting and all over the place, don’t you think? And this is what their mobile version looks like:

Let me be honest. I like the mobile one. I like that it just gives me what I need. I like that it doesn’t give me a lot of choices. In fact, as a general theme, I’m growing tired of choices. The institutions that will gain my loyalty are the ones who are both smart enough and bold enough to offer me fewer choices.

That’s no easy task. Offering fewer choices requires some really brutal clarity. That’s something that many organizations simply don’t have the discipline to achieve. But given the explosion in mobile use, I think we all better get on the clarity bandwagon too.

Scribus provides a reasonably simple interface and can output print-ready PDFs! It is not a replacement to InDesign—it has limitations, but individuals and small businesses no longer have to pay thousands of dollars for layout software to create ads and brochures.

ASAE Listened

ASAE caught some flack after Los Angeles last year and they had an important choice. They could have written off the complaints as coming from people who “don’t get it,” and kept doing things exactly as they had done them, or they could have listened, owned up to the fact that some of their choices weren’t right, and try different things this year. Fortunately, they chose the latter path. There were more sessions. There were fewer General Sessions and they were more about content than association business. They added deep dive sessions. They added a room where anyone could sign up to do an unofficial session. Maddie and I did a conversation on the last day with about 15 people on the Humanize book there. Even little things, like moving the Online Engagement Lounge to nearly the very center of where the sessions were (last year it was way off in a corner) made a big difference. Some of these changes were subtle, but the fact that they listened-and showed us that–is very important. Thank you, ASAE.

Good Content

You never know what you’re going to get with content at an ASAE meeting. The same is true for all our meetings, I think. It’s hard to know which sessions are going to be great ahead of time. So maybe I just got lucky this year, but I had NO sessions that let me down content-wise. And judging by the tweets, the OTHER sessions I wanted to go to in each block looked pretty good too. Joe Gerstandt’s Freak Flag Session was phenomenal. His insight about the power of authenticity really hit home. When you make people leave parts of themselves at home before they come to work, you get, well, less of them at work. The “What Innovation Looks Like Here” panel with Chris Busky, Mark Anderson, Dave Zepponi and Mark Nelson was truly inspiring. It was great to hear of associations who were investing in new possibilities, creating new lines of business, and doing things most decidedly NOT the way they had always done them. Shelly and Mark Alcorn’s session on the power of language led to some very interesting table discussions about what our most basic association terms really mean to us–and some of the challenges of coming up with new ways to describe what we do. Honestly, I don’t usually have THAT many sessions that are that good.

YAP is Just an Acronym

I had several different experiences related to “Young” Association Professionals this year. As usual, the YAP party on Monday night was a big hit. We packed a lot of people into into Jive and Wail, a dueling pianos bar a couple of blocks from the Convention Center. I left “early” (about 1 am) and we all had a great time. Also as usual, it wasn’t only people who would count as “young,” necessarily. But what really blew me away this year was the generosity. One of the central figures in our YAP community is KiKi L’Italien, and her hometown is Joplin, Missouri, which as everyone knows was devastated by tornadoes this year. So we decided to add a fundraising twist to the YAP party this year. Not a huge campaign–just asking people to make small cash donations at the party. We made a few announcements and literaly passed a bucket around for people to drop a $5 or $10 bill in.

Except a couple of people (literally) dropped $100 bills in. And there was a fat stack of $20s too. And by the end of the night, we had raised…get this…$1,318 in cash. YAP had already committed to match $1,000 in donations, and now an anonymous donor has stepped in to match the other $318, so our total donation is going to be more than $2,600. Way to go, YAPstars. Thank you everyone for stepping up and helping out.

My other experience with young professionals was in facilitating a Young Association Executives “Town Hall” during one of the sessions. We probably had about 40 or 50 people there, and about one third self-identified as NOT young. They broke into table discussions on topics like, finance, getting involved in ASAE, career development, and generational differences. The conversations were fantastic, and it reinforced what I said prior to the session in the “Daily Now” publication on site: the qualifier of “young” in “young association executive” is more distracting than helpful. They are simply association executives, and when we put them in the “young” box, I think we tend to discount what they bring to the table. Their insight and understanding were impressive. And even better, they had lots of questions. They were curious. They didn’t assume they already knew the answer. It is amazing how questions and openness can fuel a fantastic conversation. But if everyone around the table already knows the answer (I’ve seen conversations like that at ASAE events), the conversation is usually less rich. So maybe we shouldn’t even mention that the Y in YAP and YAE stands for Young. Let’s just invite them into the conversation and see where it goes.

But as we started writing the book, we realized it’s not really even about social media. Social media just shines a light on the fact that we have been running our organizations like machines for at least a century, and that is no longer serving us. We argue that being human–being open, trustworthy, generative, and courageous–was one of the keys to the success of social media. More importantly, though, those elements also provide a set of organizing principles that can guide the way we run our organizations that is much more powerful than the status quo.

In the book we dig into each element in detail, discussing how human organizations address each issue at the levels of culture, process, and individual behavior. Once the book is out (in September), we will also have a set of worksheets that you can download–one for each of the four main chapters on open, trustworthy, generative, and courageous–to help you get started changing things, no matter where you are in the organization.

The book is available for pre-order now, and we do have the book website set up (though the worksheets won’t be there until September) at www.humanizebook.com. And I promise now that the book is done, I’ll have more time for blogging!