Your alumni aren’t the same now as they were when they were students on campus. They’ve grown and changed since graduation, and your alumni communications should reflect that.
The best way to learn about who your alumni are now is through data. Data can provide insight into their latest interests, wealth indicators, and communication preferences.
As an association leader, you have firsthand experience of the rigorous demands of working at an association. Just as you’re busy trying to determine how to add value to your member experience, your team is hard at work growing your organization’s revenue, scheduling networking events, and searching for resources to offer your members.
However, a natural byproduct of their hard work and responsibilities is stress. Defined by the World Health Organization as a “state of worry or mental tension,” stress is a normal part of life as a working professional, but too much of it can lead to lower-quality work and burnout.
Whether you manage a social or professional fraternity or sorority, communicating with members should be one of your top priorities. With all your organization has to do on a daily basis, member engagement activities can unintentionally fall by the wayside.
Not to worry — these tactics will help you adopt great communication habits and enhance the member experience:
The idea that all or most of your association’s revenue should come from membership dues is an outdated, inaccurate assumption. According to ASAE, dues made up only 30% of total revenue for professional associations in 2016, a steep drop from 95.7% in 1953. But if your association isn’t experienced with managing multiple revenue streams (or has only just begun to experiment by selling merchandise or event tickets), diversifying your sources of revenue might seem like a large, complex undertaking.
Pursuing new sources of revenue doesn’t have to be complicated, and it’s key to the health of both your finances and membership base. Revenue diversification not only increases your total revenue but also ensures your association isn’t too reliant on a single income source. This means that if one source of income dwindles, you’ll have other, reliable revenue streams available to fill in the gaps.
Whether you run a small business that's just starting out or an established business looking to expand, working with a marketing agency can help unlock your growth potential. Not only can a team of professionals help you find weaknesses in your current strategy, but they can also use their resources and connections to boost a new plan. In this blog post, the Indiana Society of Association Executives will outline the benefits of working with a marketing agency as you strive to increase your customer base and grow your business.
Working with an agency gives you access to an entire team of professionals who specialize in different areas, such as graphic design, content creation, SEO–which drives organic traffic from search engines–and more. This means that all of your needs are taken care of by experienced professionals who know how to get results. You'll also be able to choose which areas you want to focus on with your strategy, which would be much more difficult with a limited in-house team.
By: Ira Horowitz
If you want attendees at your association’s events, a compelling Events page on your website is a must. Whether you’re planning a networking event, fundraising event, webinar, or other event, the Events page is one of the most important marketing assets in your toolbox and can make or break your event marketing strategy.
When we seek information in the modern age, we typically head straight for Google. And who can blame us for that? If we’re adept keyword searchers, we would get exactly what we seek within seconds.
The primary downfall of this seeking method is information overload. As a meeting planner, it’s likely you juggle a lot of information: event schedules, activities, catering, and piles of bid proposals with countless hotels and event spaces. For those looking for assistance sifting through the information overload, you can turn to the Convention and Visitors Bureau in the destination you’re considering. CVBs can assist your search for that perfect meeting venue.
