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Don’t Rough Up the Mic: Tips for Awesome Presentations
By Laura Spencer, Member Services Coordinator Speaking at association conferences can be daunting—especially for those of us who don’t do it every day. Beyond preparing the material, there are a number of audio, visual, and logistical considerations that can truly make or break a presentation.
Ben’s Video Tip of the Week: Gobble Gobble
As Thanksgiving approaches we think about how thankful we are for our customers and members. Ben Markens talks about the personal touch we put on sending our appreciation to them.
Meet Kate Smith, Member Services Coordinator
Kate Smith joined The Markens Group in May of 2017. Her Roll as Member Services Coordinator is to support all client activities, database management & collaborate with staff on different projects. 1. How long have you been working in your field? I’ve been in association management for 3 years, with a background in operations management.…
Ben’s Video Tip of the Week: Competitor’s Website
“The first place people go to learn about our organization is our website.” Ben Markens shares tips on making sure your website makes the best first impression.
What’s That Smell?
The opportunity to network with peers is one of the biggest values of association conferences, yet it can be incredibly difficult to start the conversation if you don’t know anyone. Even the most extroverted folks still struggle to break in. Fortunately, there are many ways to start and sustain meaningful conversations. Of course, there are…
Getting the Most From Association Conferences: an Attendee’s Perspective
By Stephen Brand, Executive Director of Global Learning and Development at Bay Path University During the past Spring, I attended six conferences back-to-back. What an experience! Those months were both exhilarating and exhausting—but extremely valuable. That’s because I went to each event with a plan. You’ve really got to think ahead, especially considering that the…
Personal Relationships Drive Membership Growth
By Jim Sotiropoulos, TMG Association Executive An association’s success, or lack thereof, can be largely measured by how effectively it grows and retains its membership. Those associations that fail either to attract new members or to provide value to existing members will ultimately cease to exist. Therefore, most association managers are in a perpetual struggle…
Happy Employees Move your Mission
By Ben Markens, TMG president Whether you’re a trade association, a mission-based nonprofit, or a for-profit, we are all in the business of providing service to others. Outside the walls of the organization, virtual or otherwise, the customer has been and always will be king. But turning our focus inside, there’s another stakeholder group we…
Harnessing Data: Benchmarking in your Association
By Brian Chaisson, TMG Director of Industry Benchmarking Members typically join associations to network, learn industry best practices, or identify trends coming down the pipeline. However, a lesser-known but equally valuable reason is benchmarking – the study of comparative data in the industry. Industry benchmarking programs collect and compile member data to produce aggregated results, thereby…
Know Your Members, Retain Your Members
Members are key to the success of any association. Without their support, associations simply can’t accomplish their goals. Though attracting new members is certainly important, engaging and retaining existing members is just as crucial, if not more so. In my years leading TMG’s member services team, I’ve found that a personal touch truly goes a…
Networking – A Real Value of Membership
At a recent association meeting, I met a first-time attendee whose goal was to bring one really good idea back to his company. Towards the end of the conference, after he had connected with other members, he told me he had five great ideas to bring back! This is the true value of networking,…
Thank Your Volunteers this Holiday Season
As you make your gift list this holiday season, don’t forget to spread some cheer to your association’s Board members and volunteers. Even the simplest token of gratitude will make them feel appreciated—and encourage them to continue their service into the new year.
Keep Tech Hiccups from Turning Into Showstopping Snafus With 3 Easy Tips
At one point or another, we’ve all lived through an unexpected technical snag that threatened to derail a conference: the sound system blows out, a screen suddenly goes blank, or a speaker’s mic mysteriously goes silent. Frustrating as it may be, the lesson here is that technology is fallible. Although there may be little you…
Effective Association Board Development: The 4th “W”
If you’re in association management, you’ve likely heard of the “Three Ws” of an effective Board. According to this popular view, your Board should include a balanced mix of wisdom (knowledge and expertise in the industry or field), wealth (access to capital resources), and work ethic (dedication and consistent ability to complete tasks). While these…
Association Insights from Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak
Although we are all fans of Apple products here at The Markens Group, none of us is more passionate about the brand than President Ben Markens himself. So given the opportunity to sponsor Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak to speak on May 1, we jumped on it. Although “Woz” didn’t disappoint with his candid and sometimes…
Harness Sponsor Expertise To Generate Member ROI
With the growing importance of non-dues revenue to an organization’s bottom line, association managers must work harder than ever before to maximize sponsorship dollars. Yet keeping sponsors satisfied can be a tall task when generating member value is a top priority. The solution? Harness your sponsors’ expertise by inviting them to provide valuable, noncommercial programming…
Drive Results by Recognizing your Employees
Although your employees likely come from a wide range of professional and personal backgrounds, perform varying duties, and have differing levels of authority, they all want to be recognized for the contributions they make to your organization. As a manager or executive, you should make an effort to recognize employees for their good work, not…
Ben’s Video Tip of the Week: Getting More Out of Q & A
At your meetings, do you have problems getting people to participate during the Q&A portion? Here’s a tip that we often use.