Customer Experience Lifts Service to the Stratosphere
These comments from McDonald’s CEO, Chris Kempczinski to New York Times journalist David Gelles describing how the pandemic would change the company’s business resonated with me on a couple of levels. “We had to pivot to basically being an entirely drive-through, delivery, and curbside pickup business, and I think that’s going to still be an enduring […]
Diversity Rules the Global Economy, Step Up to Success
We may have all come on different ships, but we are in the same boat now. Martin Luther King, Jr. The proof that we are citizens of the world, no matter how fiercely we choose to localize, was one of the pandemic’s profound lessons. Technology has created an interdependent global economy. What happens in a province […]
Labor Shortages Loom—Learn to Hire and Manage Freelancers
Anyone who has spent time here in Chicago knows that the weather can turn from sunshine to flurries in the time it takes to stroll a block down the Mag Mile. This fickle about-face seems to be happening everywhere. We spent the last year urging people to stay home. Now the focus has abruptly changed […]
Digital Transformation—Once an Option, Now a Necessity
When do you stop having a choice? In May 2019, when the panel discussion below was first published in the .orgSource newsletter, digital transformation probably wasn’t top of mind for most association leaders. Since 2020 taught us that only the digital survive, new strategies and approaches for IT are on every agenda. The question is […]
Normal Left the Party—Survey Reveals Associations Want Her Back
What should we call it—the New Normal, the Next Normal, Another Normal? Please let go of normal. When the DJ stopped playing oldies, Normal left the party. Since well before the pandemic, I’ve been urging my colleagues and clients to consider that stability in the digital marketplace is a dangerous illusion. Guiding our association clients […]
Improve the Online Learning Experience with a Train-the-Trainer Program
Moving your in-person conferences and courses to an online platform was like putting on a new pair of prescription glasses. What was once blurry in the background suddenly came into focus. When replicated online, your conference sessions and courses resembled the average webinar—a passive learning experience that prompted attendees to multitask since they didn’t have […]
Finding Stability in the ContinuousNext
Remember the good old days? Once every three years, you gathered the board and staff in a conference room with baked goods, a lot of caffeine, and a facilitator. They produced what was euphemistically called a strategic plan. Often this document had more in common with a laundry list than strategy. I hope that total […]
Virtual Conference Session Recordings: the Launchpad for Your Association’s Online Learning Programs
If your association is in the learning business, virtual conferences are a must. In the coming year, virtual conferences will be the most effective and safe way to provide the education and networking your members and market seek. Virtual conferences provide opportunities for member and customer engagement, non-dues revenue, and brand awareness. They attract more […]
A Red-Carpet Approach Grows Dynamic Industry Partnerships
You wouldn’t go to the bank for a loan without a fine-tuned business plan or approach a fundraising prospect for a major gift before learning everything you could about their interests. With so much riding on sponsorship revenue, it’s surprising that our industry partners don’t always get the special treatment this important relationship deserves. Rolling […]
How to Evaluate an LMS
With many live events on hold or postponed non-profit organizations and associations are evaluating the potential role of the Learning Management System or LMS. If you or your organization is ready to evaluate an LMS here are some important points to fast track your LMS evaluation.
.orgCommunity’s Solutions Day Honors Innovator in the Association Industry
News For Immediate Release Contact: Emily Hendershot, Managing Director 810.610.1512 emily@orgcommunity.com .orgCommunity’s Solutions Day Honors Innovator in the Association Industry Schaumburg, IL. September 19, 2019. Association professionals from across the country gathered at the American Society of Anesthesiologists in Schaumburg, Illinois for the 4th annual .orgCommunity Solutions Day. The program featured association […]
Building a Dream Team Starts at the Top
The board is the cream of the crop, and there is an A-list staff to match. Financial and volunteer resources are plentiful. All the elements for success are in place. But the association is not winning. Instead of accomplishing goals, the management team spends their time putting out fires, running interference and quelling frustration. What […]
To Invite Innovation, Make Friends With Risk and Change
Are you looking for heart-pumping thrills, bold challenges and a totally unforgettable experience? Pass on the skydiving. Skip ziplining the rainforest, and nix the heliskiing trip to Patagonia. Writing a book will give you all that excitement and more. My business partner Kevin and I never imagined what an incredible journey our work on Association […]
Making Your Content ‘Findable’
When asked about writing for digital platforms, three “Fs” always come to mind: fast, front-loaded and friendly content. “Fast” means making information quick to find and digestible; “front-loaded” refers to revealing up front what the topic is about and why it’s valuable to the reader; and “friendly” indicates writing in a conversational tone. But perhaps […]