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Ben’s Video Tip of the Week: It’s Fun to Do the Impossible
What’s the most fun you have at work? For Ben, it’s doing the impossible! We’ve found that with the right combination of technology, #strategy, and optimism, you can surprise even yourself. Watch now: Like, comment, or share this week’s tip on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Ben’s Video Tip of the Week: Practice Patience — Immediately!
Is your “hair-on-fire” mentality driving you or your team nuts? In his most recent tip, Ben discusses the importance of practicing patience—immediately! Watch now: Like, comment, or share this week’s tip on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Ben’s Video Tip of the Week: Mathmachicken
Ben shares the legendary Mathmachicken in this week’s tip on the power of humor in virtual team-building! Watch now: Like, comment, or share this week’s tip on Facebook and LinkedIn.
How I Invented the Association Management Company (AMC) Model
By Ben Markens, President and CEO It was my 50th birthday. I was at the Greenbriar Resort in West Virginia, and my friend, Steve, asked me to meet him for a drink. I was attending an association meeting for the industry that I had worked and consulted in for almost 30 years. The association was…
Time to Embrace the Unconventional
By Kate Smith, Vice President of Operations Throughout my professional career, I’ve always enjoyed the unconventional. From theme parks and roller coasters to sharks and the Caribbean, my background has positively shaped my approach to association management. You may wonder, how does lifeguarding or running a theme park apply to membership development? How does tagging…
Ben’s Video Tip of the Week: Bourbon and BS
How do you stay in touch while socially distant? Ben used to meet with his friends for “Bourbon and BS,” but now they’ve moved the fun to Zoom! Just goes to show how we can stay close even when we have to be apart. Watch now: Like, comment, or share this week’s tip on…
A Note to the Community
Eight minutes, 46 seconds. According to prosecutors, that’s the amount of time that George Floyd was pinned by the neck under a white Minneapolis police officer’s knee. When I saw the video footage, like so many others across the United States, I was enraged, saddened, and deeply disturbed. Since then, the memory of George Floyd…
Remote Work Was Horribly Isolating. Then I Did This.
By Beth Reed, Office Administrator We are living in a time of isolation. While I’m thankful that TMG works with associations and nonprofits, allowing us to operate virtually, it only took a few days of remote work to realize how alone I was feeling. Yes, I had plenty of work to keep me busy: plenty…
6 Tips for a Killer Association Virtual Engagement Strategy
By Irene Costello, Marketing Manager Hello COVID-19, goodbye annual conference in Florida. The shift from in-person to digital engagement in the association world has been sudden, ubiquitous, and, for some organizations, difficult. Despite challenges at the start, online programs have the potential to reach even more members than before by removing physical limitations and costs.…
Ben’s Video Tip of the Week: Associations Matter
Now, more than ever, we see the importance of associations. They have the power to connect and support communities even when life doesn’t go as expected. Helping these great organizations keeps our team motivated no matter what the job brings. What inspires your team? Learn more: Like, comment, or share this week’s tip on…
How to End a Remote Workday – the Markens Way!
Associations and businesses fortunate enough to be working from home are facing new challenges: finding ways to communicate virtually, keeping active in an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and getting their minds to stop focusing on work once the day is done. This can be particularly tricky if your home office is steps away from your living…
The Ultimate Guide for Operating Your Organization Remotely
COVID-19 has forced associations, membership organizations, and businesses to quickly shift to remote work. For some, this is an unprecedented shift. Luckily many of us are going through the same transition together. Wherever you are in the process, from getting started to making the most of your team’s resources during this new time, we’ve compiled…
Ben’s Video Tip of the Week: Culture & Rituals
Ben shares how his team is promoting culture and maintaining rituals virtually. Learn more: Like, comment, or share this week’s tip on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Ben’s Video Tip of the Week: Virtual Connection
Social distance doesn’t have to mean emotional distance. Our President, Ben, reflects on fostering togetherness while working remotely. Learn more: Like, comment, or share this week’s tip on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Ben’s Video Tip of the Week: Collaboration Tools
How does your team collaborate to get work done? We recently found the right mix of tools and technology to help us communicate and boost productivity. Learn more: Video transcript available below: So our team has been working really hard to try to find collaboration tools and we’ve looked at a whole host of…
Ben’s Video Tip of the Week: Sub-Strategies Don’t Work
You can’t develop successful small-scale initiatives like marketing campaigns without first knowing your overarching goals. You know what your association needs; we’ll help you get there. Video transcript available below: So you know, self-diagnosis is really hard. We recently had a meeting with a local not-for-profit and they wanted to engage us to do…
Planning and Tracking Your Association’s Success
“If your association is as successful as you’d like it to be…then don’t change anything.” – Ben Markens Odds are, your association doesn’t fall into this category. Even the most successful companies and organizations across the globe consistently strive to improve. After all, what’s the worst enemy of progress? Complacency! Whether you want to grow…
Ben’s Video Tip of the Week: An Auditor’s Job
An auditor’s job is your job — a financial audit isn’t designed to fix your mistakes, just to ensure you haven’t made any. Watch now: Video transcript available below: Good morning. I’m thinking about audits today, financial audits, because I just had a meeting with our largest client’s independent accountant for their audit for…
