Meeting Promotion Ideas

MSAE's Meeting Management & Education Networking Group met to discuss meeting promotions (i.e. discounts, scholarships, BOGO, etc.).  Here are the top takeaways:

1. Host a 5K to raise money for scholarships. Sole Motion is a company that can help you coordinate the event for a fee. Make it a family event and have on a Saturday.
2. Add a line to contribute to the scholarship fund with dues renewals
3. Consider a different pricing model for a conference – one price for an organization versus individual – goal is to build relationships with others in the organization, not just the top contact – don’t offer food or either you will lose money.  Download samples here.

MN Digital Sales Tax and Affordable Health Care Act

MSAE's Financial & Accounting Networking Group met last November to discuss the MN Digital Sales Tax and Affordable Health Care Act.  Here are the top takeaways from the meeting:

• Health care is a moving target, no firm plans to change.
• It was not legislative intent to tax on demand education, dealing with how to handle it now.
• Can't have tax that is discriminatory (some taxed) - in-state vs. out-state.
• To change the MN Digital Sales Tax, we need a coordinated effort - stay tuned for updates and contact your congressperson.

These issues are sure to come up again, we'll keep you posted as we learn more.  

Cold Calling

MSAE's Allied Networking Group met to discuss tips and best practices for cold calling.  Here are the top takeaways:

1. The definition of cold calling has changed throughout the years with the advancement of technology and new resources to research potential clients. The group's definition included making contact with a potential client who does not know who you are - may be a call, email or LinkedIn introduction and generally isn't cold as you've done some research on the prospect.  
2. When researching prospects, it's best to check more than one place for updated job/contact information - some people don't update their LinkedIn profile or online directory can be out of date.  
3. New resources to research potential clients include: 

• Data.com (formerly Jigsaw.com) - provides name, email and address at company
• My.InsideView.com - provides contact information from CEO to janitor
• LinkedIn - continues to be a good resource

 

Communications 2-for-1: Digital Strategy & Best Reads

MSAE's Communications Networking Group had a 2-for-1 meeting where we discussed Digital Strategy and Best Reads for communication professionals. Here are some highlights from our meeting.

Part 1: Digital Strategy
What is your digital strategy? How do you create one? 

Creating a digital strategy for non-profits is a four-step process:
1. Identify & Goal Set
2. Planning & Creation
3. Implement & Execute
4. Measure & Analysis

Here is a helpful document on creating a digital strategy for non-profits -
 http://mb.cision.com/Public/3847/9287562/b2d76349a4c04c81.pdf 

Components of digital strategy are: online ads, web, social media, mobile, email, sear and a possible seven and eight are online communities and mapping. Each item will hold a different weight in your organization. Its up to you to decided what is most important.

Part 2: Best Reads for Communication Professionals
Everyone has their favorite books, magazines, feeds and newsletters they subscribe to. Here is a list of some top resources:

1. inc.com
2. prdaily.com
3. Business Insider
4. Fast Co.
5. Twin Cities Business
6. Mashable
7. Yahoo
8. Google
9. Business Journal Daily
10. Other industry resources

Books to keep in mind:

1. The World is Flat
2. The Myth of Multi-Tasking

What resources do you use?  Do tell.

Association BarCamp

MSAE hosted our 3rd Annual Association BarCamp on 9/27, topics were selected that day so they were relevant to the attendee needs, here are the takeaways from each discussion:

Trade Shows

• Focus on education and the exhibitors will come (similar to Ladies Night at the bar)
• Invite exhibitor feedback - form an advisory board and/or gather exhibitors after the meeting to get their input, give them a comment card
• Add a "reverse trade show" component to facilitate further in-depth conversations between buyers and vendors

Finding Time for Follow Up

• Time management - know what time of day works best for you
• Manage your time each day to handle email traffic, come up with a plan for a time each day to respond that is scheduled (beware of others expectations)
• Schedule time each day for follow up

Future of Membership Associations

• What's the future? Adopting a retail mindset - "what do you need today?"
• Being where our members are; mobile devices, learn where they are by tracking their preferences via your website
• Associations will stay as long as they remain relevant; what is the "priceless" value you give to your members?

Collaborating with Other Associations

• Before entering into any collaborative effort, having all parties sign off on a "memo of understanding" that outlines expectations, responsibilities and a time life of milestones
• "Adapt or Die" in terms of staying relevant; collaboration may be necessary to stay relevant
• Communication transparency is key; politics may not be avoidable - know this

Webinars

• Hire a "good" company - reliable, trustworthy, reputable
• Be aware of sales tax issue - new MN legislation regarding "digital products"
• Be cautious of "webinar fatigue" - the word 'webinar' = boring; title your webinars "web conference" instead

Sponsorships

• Engage the sponsors - customize for them
• Unique locations - think outside the box (Extreme Sandbox, Drive a Tank, car dealership, WhirlyBall, Horse & Hunt Club, etc.)
• Sell every space - window clings, foot prints, escalator runners, etc.

Future of Meetings

• Face-to-face meetings vs. webinars - face-to-face meetings are back, format is even changing
• Meetings are more creative, interactive; focus on group participation over speaker, lecture format
• Content of the meeting is key as you need to grab members attention to get them there; getting feedback afterward is key

Apps for Meeting Planners

• Evernote
• Super Planner
• Giant Timer
• Corbin Ball & Jim Spellos' website - tech for meeting/trade show industry

Social Media

• Have a strategy and specific goals
• Find out what target audience is following and tailor content towards it
• Timing - before workday, before lunch, at end of work? Tuesday - Thursday?

Event Marketing

• Use catchy language in subject lines
• Provide incentives for those that respond
• Use creative videos or animated videos in marketing and emails

Online Communities

• Member generated content - discussing together, don't be afraid to ask members to post
• Utilizing as a research tool to prospect new members
• Boost brand value and integrity by strong presence

See photos from Association BarCamp online at Flickr.

Finding Good, Quality Speakers

MSAE's Meeting Management Networking Group met to discuss tips and best practices for selecting speakers for meetings and education programs.  Here are the top takeaways:

1. Find speakers and topic ideas at:

• MSAE Speakers Showcase - coming Friday, February 21, 2014 
• SpeakerPedia.com
• TED Talks
• Speaker bureaus
• MSAE events and education

2. Look for fresh videos and recent testimonials, check out speaker videos (their website and YouTube/Vimeo).

3. Negotiation tips:

• Allow speaker to sell books after presentation (emcee announces opportunity, not selling by speaker)
• Trade out a booth, exhibit space or advertising
• Offer a sponsorship
• Tweet about the speaker
• Provide video footage
• Revenue share - split the proceeds
• Ask speaker to provide several sessions
• Share expenses with another group/partner

Additional Resources:

• MSAE August Focus (pages 7, 12) - Four Principles for Planning Brain-Friendly Annual Meetings
• Meetings & Conventions - Choosing a Keynote
• Speakers and Entertainment (pages 16-19) - The Newest Trends That Spark Attendance
• Smart Meetings - Speak Up

MSAE Marketing & Sales Symposium Roundtable Conversation Takeaways

As part of MSAE's Marketing & Sales Symposium last week, members had "Conversations with Your Peers" - here are the top takeaways from the discussions (technology, membership, branding, mobile, contracts, conflict and more!):

Integrated Marketing: Social, Print, Web, Video

• Consistency
• Simplify messages
• Find time to lay out all types of communications you produce and analyze them for consistency, content, etc.

Responsive Web Design: What is it? Why does it matter to your organization?

• Design with responsive in mind
• Design form mobile first - then build to bigger devices
• Think about the three most important things a user would want to see on your homepage

Brand Management

• Consistency is key
• Defining standards
• Use style sheets

Member Replenishment

• Putting members on committees, board - give them a voice
• Photos - communicating "fun aspect" - ID them
• Cross pollination across associations

Contract Negotiations

• Cancellation by hotel clause in contracts
• Mutual respect between meeting planner and hotel
• Spell everything out in the contract, not vague

 Workplace Conflicts - Strategies for Handling Workplace Tensions

• Think through the first words that will come out of your mouth before you start the tense conversation - start with a positive intention, such as, "I want you to be successful here."
• Find the balance between silence and violence.
• Just because you feel comfortable enough to say something to someone, doesn't mean you should.

Tablets in the Workplace

• There's an app for anything
• Microsoft Office can be accessed on your tablet
• iBooks are coming!

Mobile Technology Decisions

• Make sure your devices are compatible with what you do
• Look at the company making your device to ensure they will be around

So What? How to Communicate Member Benefits - Part I

• Can you deliver what you're saying?
• Customized communications - your member will listen
• Benefits is generic - value is the full package, brings more meaning

So What? How to Communicate Member Benefits - Part II

• Segmentation
• Know how your members want to be communicated with
• Meet your member where they are

For handouts from the day, click here.  Hope to see you at next year's Marketing & Sales Symposium!

Event Marketing: What Works, What Doesn't and Ideas for the Future

MSAE's Communications Networking Group met to discuss event marketing ideas - what works, what doesn't and ideas for the future.

How we can get our audiences to act immediately? How do you deal with over saturation? How do you make your event branding memorable? Do you how incorporate video?  Marketing is key in getting event attendance.

The top takeaways were:

• Send a marketing email on Saturday.  Who would have thought.  But think about it...we all check our phones at home even if we say we are not going to.  If your audience checks their email and sees an email from you they will see it then and when they get to their inbox on Monday.
• Use graphics, graphics and more graphics.  People digest graphics better than text.  Think Pinterest.  More graphics, less words. Don't give all information of an event in an email, send them to your website for details.
• Ask yourself what emails you read and why.  What subject lines get you to open an email?  When creating email marketing campaigns, ask yourself if you would open it.  You'd be surprised that your subject line might change. 
• Tip: Subject lines should be 5-7 words.  Don't use thank you in the subject.
•  Lists get response.  Are you more apt to read an email that says, "5 reasons to...Top 10 ways to...5 ways to...." Most readers like at a glance information.  Clear, concise and to the point. 
• Hand written notes, a lost art.  Aren't hand written notes the best?  Your audience will appreciate the time and effort you put into a hand written note and remember it.  Use them on past participates, in-active members, prospects or people you would like to reach out to in a special way.

What do you do to get your members to act to your marketing?  What are you doing in your organization that is creating buzz around your events?  Do tell.

Tools to Access Current Education Topics

MSAE's Meeting Management Networking Group met to discuss Tools to Access Current Education Programs.  Here are the top takeaways and tools:

• Education Evaluation Matrix - concept from Mary Byers from Race for Relevance, utilized by Aging Services of Minnesota. Download matrix. Customize each column with measurements important to your organization (use your own!) and rows with current education programs to be evaluated. When evaluating, assign the same number of 1's, 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's - mark 5's first, then 1's, 4's, 2's and 3's. Have your staff, board, members or whomever you'd like to complete the evaluation, then compile total rating. This process is great for evaluating current programs, forces you to rank programs and highlights high and low items. Then discuss how you can make 1's into 5's or decide if you keep. How can you make the 5's even better? The group really liked this evaluation but noted that it does not help to generate new education programs. Sample matrix completed. Aging Services of MN Recap with more helpful ideas to get you started.
• Net Promoter Score - another helpful tool, great for evaluating speakers or meetings. Idea is that members/customers are either promoters (9-10), passives(7-8) or detractors(1-6). NPS = % of Promoters - % of Detractors. Article to get you started.
• Thoughtfulness in evaluating education process - will increase response rate!
• Ask forward thinking questions - such as, tell us what you want in the future, rank topics, etc.

Good luck with the process, let us know how it goes!

Reimbursing Members & Policies

MSAE's Financial Networking Group met today to discuss reimbursement policies and procedures - what works, what doesn't and how we can be more efficient.  Here are the top takeaways:

• Have your cancellation and expense policies in writing - and be specific on what can be expensed and what can not - for example, first class airfare, limo transportation, spouse travel, specific date for cancellation, etc.  
• Sample Expense Reimbursement Policy from the MN Attorney General's Office
• Receipts, Receipts, Receipts - Require Them! 

Networking Group Day

60 members joined MSAE for our first-ever Networking Group Day on 1/31. It was a great way to kick off 2013, showcase and participate in MSAE's six networking groups, connect with members and share ideas. Here are the top takeaways from each Networking Group discussion:

Allied Networking Group

Marketing Sales Techniques

• “Cold calling” / prospecting – utilize resources like LinkedIn, Google search and Facebook; rethinking preferred method – email; send subtle follow up.
• Concessions – comp stay “secret shopper” evaluations with video testimonials; making sure both parties are benefitting.
• Building the relationship / creating the experience.

Creative Approaches to Close the Sale

• My competition doesn’t have “me” – the relationship is the close.
• The authentic close – engaged and aware of their needs. Listen.
• Simple gestures go a long way and sometimes inexpensive gestures go further and mean more to the clients.

Communications Networking Group

Google Apps & the Cloud

• Utilize Google Alerts to have specific web content delivered to you via email on the regular basis you specify.
• Use the "trick" of searching a specific website right from Google's homepage by typing into the search bar: "search term" site:[website domain]. Example: "communications" site:msae.com
• Consider the potential issue of "Who owns the data?" when it comes to cloud applications.

2013 Communication Trends

• The idea that we are no longer in the "information age" - we are in the "attention age" - you must communicate to get people's attention and then keep it!
• Websites are the primary source of communication today and "responsive web design" is a trend to watch - part of the evolving conversation of what it means to "go mobile."
• Infographics are a new communications tactic that you can use to deliver information in a visually interesting, easily digestible way. Reconsider "stock" print collateral like membership brochures, annual reports and holiday cards to see if infographics could be employed to better deliver this content.

Financial & Accounting Networking Group

Budgets & Project Allocation

• Consider line item for reserve line item.
• Project allocation – consistency and look at big picture time allocation from software.
• Need detail to produce good reports and good association management software to provide accurate information.

Controls & Fraud

• Separation of duties, multiple people review purchases and statements.
• Credit card controls protect from unauthorized access.
• Financial audit is not fraud investigation. 

Meeting Management & Education Networking Group

Special Events

• Serve meal without dessert and auction off desserts.
• Incorporate community/charity outreach projects within events.
• Hold an event at a high-end car dealership.

Great Meeting Ideas

• Social Media Bar to train and increase social media presence.
• Ignite sessions – igniteshow.com.
• Experience – people want an experience at meetings/committee meetings.

Membership Networking Group

Increasing Dues and Revenue Streams

• Affinity programs / partnerships.
• Establish ROI – professionally and personally for members.
• Proprietary packaging brings in money.

Member Engagement

• To create an experience for everyone to take away.
• Engagement is about feelings; if you can create positive feelings in all events, communications, etc., you’ll be creating engaging experiences.
• Take join OFF your website; you’re not joining, you’re connecting.
• Have fun!

Young Professionals Networking Group

Generations in the Workplace

• Using a “mentor” to go to about advice / approaches with different generations can help in challenging situations.
• Important to find right communication styles between generations – will help working relationships.
• Build mutual respect is key.

Managing Relationships

• “It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.”
• Follow up after initial contact with something light to maintain your relationship with the planner.
• Find a mentor.

For more information on MSAE's Networking Groups, visit www.msae.com.

Professional Development and Certifications

MSAE's Young Professionals Networking Group met to discuss the various certifications one can receive in the association and hospitality industry as well as where to get professional development courses, credits and classes.

• CAE (Certified Association Executive)
• Consists of 100 multiple choice questions based on 9 domains.  Each domain is content from different areas of association management and weighed based on importance. 
• Exam is given twice a year (May & December).
• Fees associated with application, study materials and re-certification.
• CMP (Certified Meeting Planner)
• Consists of 250 multiple choice questions based on a series of course content.  Content based on the meetings, convention and exhibitions industry. 
• This exam is given five times a year and has different windows to apply by.  
• Fees are association with application, study materials and re-certification.
• Professional Development
• MSAE offers a variety of education and courses to help earn credits towards either one of these certifications.
• You may get credits for online or in-person education.

Tips:

1. It helps to get buy-in from your company to help you along in this process. Whether it be in fees or flexible time to study.

2. The knowledge you learn from obtaining a certification can be directly transferred to your job and in turn help out your organization.

3. You have to make the commitment to taking an exam.  Once you make the commitment put 100% into in.

Health Insurance and Benefits

At the October Financial & Accounting Networking Group meeting, we discussed health insurance and benefits.  Some of the items covered were HSA's, self-insured portion, Obamacare, public/private exchanges, small business health insurance credit, tax provisions for 2014 and more.  Here are the top takeaways:

• Be more aware of what you are offering (programs, etc.) and look at it annually.  Individuals being insured need to be aware of plan - communicate costs to association with your employees.
• There are a wide variety of options out there - not one size fits all, you will pay if not aware. 
• Stay on top of new changes to the law.  

New Technology for Meetings

New technologies and opportunities to engage members are all around us - from apps, social media, mobile technology, webinars, e-marketing and more.  The Meeting Management & Education Council talked about what's working in their associations and ideas for the future at the November 7 meeting.  Here are the top takeaways:

• With the increase in members utilizing smartphones and technology at meetings and events, it is up to the speaker/presenter to set the expectation for using mobile devices during each session.  
• Twitter is a good resource at large conferences and events to get out information quickly and promote exhibitor drawings and prizes - consider using a big screen outside the exhibitor entrance to engage attendees.
• Is your website mobile friendly?  Mobile websites need to be coded to be mobile friendly (.mobi sites).  Don't have a mobile website?  Consider a responsive website design that adapts to fit the viewing device.  Example: http://elliotjaystocks.com/ - view this website on full screen, then drag to make smaller (you should see that the copy changes to fit the screen).  

MSAE members are creating conference apps (some providers include Amaratech-MSAE, Quickmobile-MNLA, in-house-Aging Services of MN) and seeing a change to offer more mobile options (print is still important though).  MSAE hosted trivia at the most recent Fall Conference and it was well received - http://cosgrovepresents.com/.

Association BarCamp

Over 50 members came out for MSAE's Association BarCamp on 9/14 - topics were selected that day, here are takeaways from each discussion:

Next Generation Retention and Recruitment

• Don't use structured English in communication. Don't use "join" - instead use "engage" or "participate." Be fast, quick, to-the-point. If you don't, you will lose their attention.
• They need to feel their contribution/opinion is valued.
• Identify groups by mindset rather than age.

Online Learning

• Offer a subscription service for purchasing online learning.
• 3 Association / Group Resources - ASTD, Digital Learning Forum, PACT.
• Online is great but continue with face-to-face.
• Ways to build online self-directed resources - software to use: Articulate.

Effective Communication in the Workplace

• Intentionally establish your communication culture (e.g. it's okay to be blunt).
• Stop emailing - go down the hall and talk to someone.
• Pay attention to your speaking tone. People read your written messages in the voice in which you speak to them.

New Membership Dues Structures

• Let members choose how they want to pay (monthly, quarterly, annually - but commit to entire year).
• Give option for members to pay for membership, events, education - "all inclusive" and give them a monthly fee. "Save time, save money."
• Don't ask them to "join," ask them to "engage" or "participate."

The Modern Meeting

• Read the book: "Read this before our next meeting" by Al Pittampalli.
• Instead of a meeting, have a work session.
• No more meetings to give information, write a memo instead. Only meet to provide dissent or coordinate effort.

More vs. Less

• Narrowing your message - keep it simple and target your segments - "FOCUS."
• "Vote with your dollars" to learn member needs - have members use fake money to put against programs - allocate their dues.
• Learn needs - focus - execute - and stay on plan.

Cold Calling - Get exposure for your association or company

• Try a sales system like Sandler.
• Cold calling isn't dead, it's different. Includes email, social media and calling.
• Find a unique connection to warm-up the initial conversation.

Apps for Associations

• Don't force members to login to access an event app. Maybe use an event code onsite to access?
• Sponsorship opportunity to cover cost of app development.
• Most useful apps for associations seem to be related to events. Hard to see value-add of an app just for membership.

Brand Management

• A logo is important and truly can communicate a lot about you. Fonts can show a definite feel. How will it look in print and online?
• Use an online logo creation crowdsource to get your new logo - LogoDesignGuru.com or DesignCrowd.com are examples.
• You need to know who your organization is before you adopt a new logo. And not just who you are, but also who you want to become, and who you are to outsiders?

Using Member Data for Planning

• Developing the right questions.
• Be consistent with questions and measures.
• How do you develop a system to track member activity?
• Incentivise!

Maximizing Trade Shows

• Interaction - Increase traffic? Tying your booth message into why you are presenting? Tie message to product.
• Money - price paid for booth does not equate to greater traffic.
• Failure - research why your message is not working. Revise your approach.

Email / Constant Contact

• Be as succinct as possible. Make emails "scanner-friendly." Shorten story titles and end with "..."
• Measure the effect your email is having. Are they truly reading? Are they finding it truly valuable?
• Experiment with different messages for different segments.

See photos from Association BarCamp online at Flickr. Download Free Tools handout.

New & Alternative Education Formats for Meetings

At a recent Meeting Management Education Council networking meeting, we discussed new and alternative education formats.  Here are the top takeaways from the discussion:

• Show and Tell - the group liked the name as a perfect way to describe a BarCamp.  For more information and resources to create your own BarCamp, visit http://barcamp.org/ or sign up to attend MSAE's BarCamp on September 14. 
• Room set ups - be thoughtful on room set ups and try to use for multiple sessions if possible. 
• Just try it!  Schedule more time for planning but go ahead and try a new format for your group, such as: game show, theater, 60 ideas in 60 minutes, dinner with a winner, moot court, fish bowl, mock trial, debate, meet the pros, treasure hunt or other ideas.
• Presenter tips - offer interactive ideas for your speakers.

The group will meet next on September 12 to discuss New & Innovative Marketing Ideas for Meetings.  To register, visit www.msae.com/calendar. 

Budgeting & UBIT

MSAE's Financial & Accounting Networking Group met recently to discuss budgeting for associations and UBIT (unrelated business income tax), as it relates to the financial side of business.  Below are the top takeaways from the meeting:

• Rolling Forecast - seeing more nonprofits use this type of budgeting, there is no set budget but the organization is constantly looking at numbers (for example, 12 months ahead at all times, vs. one calendar year).
• UBIT - the group talked about the difference between sponsorships (no qualitative statement about product or service), endorsements (hands on activity or call to action for preferred vendor) and royalties (excluded from UBIT).  
• Always remember that profit is good and if UBIT is required, it's still profit

The group will meet next on Tuesday, October 2 to discuss Health Insurance & Benefits. To register, visit www.msae.com/calendar.

Form 990 & Internal Control

MSAE's Financial & Accounting Networking Group met today to discuss Form 990 and learn from each other's experiences. Below are the top takeaways from the meeting:

1. Changes to Form 990 for 2011
   
2. Visit GuideStar online to view Form 990's - it's all online and easily accessible.
   
3. If board member recommends friend/family member for service, probably in best interest to avoid due to conflict of interest policy.
4. "It's okay to be on the leading edge, not the bleeding edge"

The group will meet again on May 10 at The Harrington Company to discuss budgeting and UBIT, visit MSAE's Calendar of Events to register.

Board Orientation Best Practices

MSAE's Financial & Accounting Networking Group recently met to discuss board orientation best practices, from a fiduciary perspective. Here are the top takeaways from the meeting:

1. Include a confidentiality section as part of your board orientation and policies.
2. Post minutes, board packets and policies online - it will save you time and money!
   
3. You must have D&O insurance and make sure check what it covers - limits, etc.

The group will be meeting again in 2012 - stay tuned for meeting dates.

Marketing Strategy & Evaluation of Programs

Here are a few good questions to consider asking in your next education survey (these questions help measure the experience, not just the quality of the programming):

• How did you feel after the conference?
• What made you come?
• What did we miss?
• What keeps you up at night?
• Everyone in the industry is talking about...?
• Your top priority this year is...?
• This will be a great conference if...? (include on the registration form)

Other ideas to consider for your next survey:

• Offering an incentive or prize is a good way to encourage attendees to complete surveys; several of our members give away free tickets to the conference next year, others have a budget for survey prizes (iPads, etc.).
  
• PollEverywhere.com - survey text option and inexpensive, can also email and tweet responses.
• Send out a "Didn't Attend the Conference Survey" to find out why members aren't attending.

Marketing Ideas

• Turn features into benefits - take your marketing collateral and highlight all features in blue, benefits with yellow - how much is highlighted in yellow? Turn these features into benefits (sometimes asking the question, so what? helps).
  
• Customize when at all possible.
• When in doubt, less is more.
• Have a social media policy. MEA Forum Rules & Social Media Guidelines MEA Conference Policy