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!

Supplier Pet Peeves

MSAE's Allied Networking Group met to discuss supplier pet peeves.  Here are the top takeaways:

• Never assume. Get clarification and ask questions. Its important to meet your client/customer needs and protect your organization.  
• Times are changing. The economy is getting better and it's no longer a planner's market.   
• If you give once, you may need to keep on giving. When the economy wasn't doing well, suppliers were giving a lot of concessions to get business. Now that the economy is getting better, suppliers can't offer the same discounts. There is no such thing as a free lunch and if suppliers give in one area, another area has to go up.

Customer/client relationships are key to success and need to be mutually beneficial. As a supplier, it's always good to under promise and over deliver.

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.

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 & Innovative Marketing Ideas for Meetings

At MSAE's September 12th Meeting Management Education Council, the group discussed new and innovative marketing ideas for meetings/conference.  Here are the top takeaways:

• Instead of printing handouts, direct attendees to handouts via QR codes.  
• Consider a conference app - launch 3-4 weeks in advance of conference, do your research, find ways to save money (sponsors) and remember the iPhone app approval process can take up to 6-8 weeks.
• Use video!  Film clips of members (testimonials) and consider getting a backdrop, lights, red carpet, photographer, etc. - one member created a paparazzi wall and it was really popular with members!  Also consider showcasing members (promote them).  Just try it - all you need is a camera and some creativity.  Click here to see some of MSAE's videos on YouTube.
• Print is not dead - try new paper textures, etc.  

The group will meet next on November 7 to discuss Creating a Conference App, Incorporating Social Meda and More!.  To register, visit www.msae.com/calendar.  

Managing Your Professional Brand

Can a person be a brand? Is a personal brand an extension of your company brand? What things can you do to make sure you are putting your best self out there?  MSAE's Young Professionals group discussed this very topic and came up with our top takeaways:

1. Create a custom URL on LinkedIn for your profile, include this link in your email signature.
2. Contribute to industry blog - get noticed.
3. Write articles for newsletters, journals, magazines, etc.  Get published and develop a following.
4. Don't use your Facebook and LinkedIn accounts for personal or professional marketing. You will get blocked and no one wants to be solicited to.
5. Your personal brand needs to be consistent, honest and trustworthy.
6. Everyone needs to create a brand for themselves so people learn to know and respect it.
7. Learn your companies brand and define what your personal brand is within that organization. 
8. Make your personal brand an enhancement your professional brand.

Resources:

• http://www.inc.com/guides/2011/01/new-rules-of-branding-your-business-online.html 
• http://mashable.com/2009/07/27/linkedin-personal-brand/ 
• Making an Impression e-Book

Managing Relationships: Clients, Members & Co-Workers

The MSAE Young Professionals group has discovered we can learn a lot from one another. In our monthly learning circles (or discussion circles) we tackle topics relevant to our industry and help one another improve as professionals. However, we don’t want the MSAE community to miss out on the useful things we share.

The following are some relationship building strategies generated during our last meeting:

Co-workers: Sometimes changing yourself is the best solution
Members: Don't forget to add a personal touch
Clients: Under promise and over deliver

These were the top takeaways generated from the YP circle discussion on September 17, 2010.

It’s the Relationship, Stupid!

As my association has been slowly edging into the social networking world, there are a few things that have become very clear.

First, this endeavor is (and will continue to be) more costly and harder to pull off than originally expected. It seems with the free tools and endless supply of people who are able to use them, that content would be cheap and plentiful and experts would be everywhere. Well, I'm finding that to not necessarily be the case. Creating blogs, editing audio and video, and searching for the next great story takes resources. I did find a great article in my quest to find the perfect social networking primer. It is from BusinessWeek titled "Debunking the Six Social Media Myths". It is a great read if you are on the road to social networking nirvana.

Second, just because a tool is there and free doesn't mean it is right for your organization. I have spent countless hours reviewing tools, gadgets, add-ons, apps, and what conclusion have I come to? There are nearly as many tools available as I've got members. Identifying what tools my members use and want, and how I can make them available to them to improve their life...those are the really big questions.

Finally, and most importantly, success in web 2.0 is going to be about relationships. If I solicit advice from a group about a restaurant to try or a movie to go and see, I trust the opinions of those people I have a relationship with more than those who are just casual acquaintances or people I don't know at all. Social networking is no different. As organizations, we need to develop these relationships with our members so they trust their relationships with us. How do we create this trust? We can do this by providing a keen insight into a timely news story on our blog. We can provide a forum for members to discuss issues they care about. We can provide a place for member generated content to be hosted so they can share knowledge and expertise among each other. By giving them the tools they want and the space to use them, we can work to gain trust and develop those relationships.

With a real relationship, however, comes criticism. Many groups have retreated from getting member feedback, especially that of a critical nature, under the banner of "brand protection". Keep in mind that just because you are not allowing them to talk about you on your sites, doesn't mean they're not talking about you. If you answer criticisms of your organization with honesty, and make changes where you feel they are appropriate (and explain why you won't make changes where they are not) your members will see you are not afraid to engage them openly and honestly, and although they might not agree with you, it will go a long way to creating a real relationship.

How are you doing at developing relationships with your members? Does anyone have a story of hosting a forum where the organization became the topic of discussion and how they dealt with it? I'd love to hear it.