Association Strong

All value and engagement in associations point back to a strategic plan that aligns goals, action steps, metrics and execution that work together to create a vibrant association that is making a difference for their members.  Strategy doesn't just happen.  It happens through a methodical yet creative process that drives boards and state to innovate within the changes going on in your industry.  Li...

A great speaker said, "Information is power.  But the "feeling is the fuel."  Find the feeling of your members and they will buy.  Do you take the step to actually ask your members what they want... what their pain points are?  This is where the greatest value exist... in asking.  Or do you rely on your board to determine the value proposition with no member input. In this week's podcast, Tom and...

Wouldn't it be great if your association actually discovered that innovative piece of technology or service that transformed how your members get to do business?  Think about if the taxi association had discovered the Uber technology or if the hospitality association had discovered AirBnB.  Those industry associations would have sky rocketed in value to their members providing them new ways to do...

With members being bombarded by content and associations having an unlimited supply of avenues to connect with members, having the right balance can be a huge challenge.  To maximize your engagement, you need to clearly communicate your value proposition in a way that members hear it, feel it and act on it.  In this episode of Association Strong, Tom and Dave interview Beth Arritt, Social Evangeli...

In this week's episode of the Association Strong Podcast, Dave and Tom are joined by Jessica Levin, President of Seven Degrees and author of Perfect Pairings: The Art of Connecting People and Everyone Has Sh*t: Unsolicited Advice for Being Human. This week they're talking about getting back to in-person events and really taking networking from small talk to building true, meaningful connections.

On this week's episode of Association Strong, Dave and Tom are joined by Mark Dorsey, CEO of the Construction Specification Institute. From the ski slopes with the Professional Ski Instructors of American and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors to leading CSI in innovative new ways, Mark challenges association professionals to find your Uber, that thing that puts you ahead of the cur...

In this week's edition of the Association Strong Podcast, Dave and Tom discuss their greatest hits and favorite hot topics from the past 20 episodes as well as some exciting new topics coming up for the podcast. 

This week, Dave and Tom talk to Ron Hetrick, a published a renowned labor economist on the current (and future) labor shortages in the American workforce. With a growing number of Baby Boomers exiting the workforce, and a lack of adequate replacement from subsequent generations to follow in their footsteps, this is a can't miss conversation for associations and their members that will allow you to...

This week, Tom and Dave are joined by author of renowned book, Built to Sell; John Warrillow. He breaks down 8 helpful considerations in building your association just like an entrepreneur would build a business that they hope to sell and how the "build to sell" strategy can correlate to a stronger association as well. 

In this week's episode of the Association Strong podcast, Tom and Dave are joined by Amy Hemphill with ASAE to discuss how to help find that work-life balance especially in this post-COVID era where many people are still working remotely. While many people enjoy the flexibility that remote work brings, it also comes with it's own set of challenges such as defining the lines between your work life...

In this week's episode Dave and Tom sit down with Design Extension's Jay Owen to talk about building your association's brand to really tell a story to your prospective members. From sales strategies to the movies, the world is drawn in by stories, and Jay teaches you some of the fundamentals you need to showcase your association as a story brand rather than just a sales pitch. 

In this week's episode, Dave and Tom talk with David Coriale, President of DelCor Technology Solutions about how associations can use technology to help propel them into the future as well as what the difference really is between IT, CIO, and CTO. 

In this week's episode of Association Strong, Dave and Tom have a conversation with CE and credentialing gurus, Keith and Adrienne Segundo of Limitless ASR. They discuss the importance and value of offering credentialing and continued education through your association as a means to not only boost non-dues revenue, but to add another layer of value for members. 

On this week's episode of the Association Strong podcast, Tom and Dave sit down with Association Analytics CEO, Julie Sciullo to talk about data analytics and why they're crucial to the success of your organization. One of the key takeaways from this discussion is how to connect your streamlined data analytics with a human component to allow your organization to really discover trends and be able...

In this episode, Tom and Dave speak with Reggie Henry of ASAE on how to truly gauge and meet the needs of your membership both on the organizational and individual level. They will discuss how to marry the use of technology and the personal relationship to cultivate a member experience that helps an association create members-for-life through adapting and communicating to meet member needs at ever...

In this week’s episode, Tom and Dave dive into leadership in a time of chaos with industry maven, Michelle Mason of Association Forum. In this episode, she shares about navigating through the unpredictable, encouraging and engaging her team to rally through challenges, and what it means to pivot well. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic last March, we have all experienced changes and curve-ba...

What do you think of when someone says the words “Strategic Plan”? Do you get excited or do you think of that document sitting on a shelf that was never implemented? Effective strategy should be the source and guide to any association about who they want to be and how they intend to get there. Tom Morrison’s association formalized their strategic plan in 2006 and have revisited it every two years...

Did you know there are over 100 million people in the U.S. between the age of 9 and 34 as of 2021? This is exciting news because most people join associations in their early 30’s, so the future is bright for associations. Many people don’t recognize it, but demographics are one of the top influencers of the economy, and consumer buying habits as well as association membership. Demographics, or the...

For years associations required staff to work from the office, even thought technology has greatly improved the opportunity of the work-from-anywhere strategy. With COVID taking shape over the last year, everyone is now finally figuring out that remote work actually works. However, to have the right culture, tools and workspace requires some thinking to ensure your office and employees have an eff...

If there is one thing COVID magnified in every association, it was the need for them to move into the digital age. Like many companies, associations have been resistant to jumping fully into the digital arena. The element of COVID forced every association to fully commit, and moving into digital brings on many new challenges and opportunities. Dave and Tom unpack the key elements to moving your as...

We're predicting the future! What will the working world be like post-COVID-19?  Listen as Dave and Tom make their predictions on the future of work, outline what will determine an organization's success, consider new security solutions for associations, and share how to attract and retain customers in this new world. Tom also shares 6 changes to expect in the coming year to give you a leg up.  Ke...

What are the characteristics of an organization that thrives in innovation? Does your organization have a culture of innovation? Dave Will and Tom Morrison talk about culture, sailing, and terrible book names, spaghetti. You’ll learn about creating a deliberate culture, business strategies to drive innovation, and the questions you need to answer about your business. If you have a topic suggestion...

Our first guest episode on Association Strong! Dave and Tom are joined by software developer Sigmund VanDamme, the founder of Nimble User (now Nimble AMS) and GoJectory. In this episode, they discuss the differences between contextual, transactional, and behavioral data. Learn about which types of data are most valuable for growing your association and providing the right offerings to your current...

Let's get down to it: how are we actually getting members to do stuff? Dave and Tom discuss how to comprehensively identify what your members need, whether surveys really work, and which strategic engagement tools work best. Check out the Prop Fuel blog to learn more: https://www.propfuel.com If you have a topic suggestion or just want to connect, reach out to Tom Morrison (the Association Exec) a...

Engagement is such a broad topic that we needed two episodes to talk about it. In part one, you'll learn about the different types of members that exist within your organization, techniques to drive more engagement, and how to make your engagement come A.L.I.V.E.! Listen as Dave and Tom debate the best engagement tactics and where you can create the most value for your members.  If you have a topi...