Your Pitch Promised Belonging. Your Onboarding Delivers a Login.
Your acquisition campaign made a clear promise: membership means a place in the profession, a network of peers, and a community that understands the work and…
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Category: Strategy
You Can’t Build Your Way Out of a Belonging Problem
Walk into almost any association and you’ll find the same thing: a team working harder than ever. More content, more webinars, more toolkits, more resources. The…
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The Era of “Automatic” Joins Is Over. Here’s What Acquisition Really Takes in 2026.
New members are not going to show up just because you exist. Not anymore. For years, many associations could count on a steady trickle of new…
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You Trained Your Members to Disengage. Here’s How to Retrain Them.
If your members seem passive, distracted, or slow to act–you probably trained them to be that way. That’s a hard sentence to read. But it’s the…
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The Perception of Membership and Subscriptions Will Blur Together
In 2026, more people will experience your association like a subscription instead of a membership. This shift isn’t dramatic. It doesn’t announce itself. It happens quietly,…
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AI Will Underdeliver for Associations And Overdeliver for Your Audience
By now AI is part of daily work for association staff and members alike. People are using it to write faster, research quicker, and reduce friction…
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Lead with Value, Not Stuff
Many associations confuse their offerings with their value. They market benefits, discounts, access, and features — believing that if they show enough “stuff,” people will join. It works just enough…
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Want Higher Renewal Rates? Stop Acting Like a Billing Department
Too many associations treat renewals like a billing cycle. A few reminder emails. An invoice. Maybe a final “last chance” nudge. And then they wonder why…
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Send Less, Convert More: Your Quiet Edge in a Loud Market
You’re not hitting your membership numbers—and it’s not because people don’t care. It’s because they don’t see your value clearly or quickly enough. And that’s a problem…
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You’re Using AI to Save Time. Your Members Are Using It to Replace You.
Let’s be honest: Associations love to talk about their “stuff.” They say things like:“We have so many resources.”“We have a ton of webinars, whitepapers, toolkits.”“We have…
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2026 Will Reward the Bold
2026 is going to test every association’s event strategy. Attendance is already harder to secure than it used to be. People wait longer to register. Budgets…
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Your Post-Event Content Is a Conversion Tool. Use It Like One.
Most associations dump event session recordings on their website and call it a day. That’s not a strategy. That’s a content dump. And it doesn’t convert…
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Talk Small, Win Big: Workflows That Actually Convert Small Firms
You don’t have time to chase small fish. So what’s the solution? Big firms get the attention. They have the budgets. They make your numbers look…
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How Well Do You Really Understand Your Members’ Time?
Your members’ time is their greatest asset. To inspire members and prospects to consistently choose your association, you first have to understand how they’re investing and…
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It’s Q2—Time to Act on Member Acquisition
Change is messy. You’ve faced plenty of distractions and challenges these past months. But now we’re already into Q2. Member acquisition and engagement can’t wait any…
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Why Aren’t More Non-Members Attending Your Events?
Events should be your association’s best pathway for turning prospects into loyal members. One positive experience can demonstrate clear value and spark lasting connections. Yet, despite…
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Your Prospects Need (and Actually Want) to Hear About Compliance
Your best compliance resources—webinars, guides, and timely articles—usually live behind paywalls reserved only for members or those willing to trade their email. Yet, holding everything hostage…
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Anatomy of an Effective Member Story That Converts
You probably know by now that member stories are great for marketing. But did you know that some story formats work better than others to convert…
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The #1 Content Piece Associations Need for Effective Membership Marketing
Want to remind members that your association is THE source for vital, up-to-date industry intel? Need to attract new members with exclusive content that proves you…
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How to Create Priceless Word-of-Mouth Marketing in the Digital Age
The digital age demands a new approach to word-of-mouth marketing that actually gets results. Gone are the days of casually hoping people will talk about your…
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Let’s Talk Business
Your messaging needs a day stopper, something so powerful it makes your audience stop what they’re doing, pay attention, and take action. The tired old refrain…
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5 Steps to Easier Membership Renewals
It’s time to get fired up about membership renewals! Easier membership renewals happen when members see your association as more than a line item that can…
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Your Association and AI: The Story You Need to Be Ready For
Chances are you’ve thought about the impact AI might have on your association this year, next year, in five years…There’s likely some apprehension as you wonder…
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You’re Sending Too Many Transactional Emails
It’s true that most people favor email as their preferred method of communication; it’s immediate and versatile. That said, this same flexibility often leads organizations, including…
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Your Association’s Marketing Plan Isn’t Working as Well as You Think It Is
Associations that have been around for a while—years, decades even—are doing a lot of things right. A word of caution, though. It’s easy to get complacent,…
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And Finally: It’s Time For the Mad Dash to the End
This is the fourth of a four-part series about how to market your association’s events in 2024. If you’ve followed along in our series of blog…
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What Comes After Inspiration? Reassurance
This is the third of a four-part series about how to market your association’s events in 2024. Human beings make most of our decisions from the…
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Number One First and Always: Inspire People!
This is the second of a four-part series about how to market your association’s events in 2024. If you’re following along in our series of posts…
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Navigating the Event Marketing Landscape in 2025: A Strategic 3-Phase Approach for Success
How are you going to get people to your association’s event this year? If you’re not asking yourself this question right now, you should be. Why?…
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Your Biggest Competition Isn’t Another Organization: It’s Busyness
Ask any one of your members or customers how they’re doing, and there’s a good chance they’ll say, “Busy,” as part of their answer. Busy professionals…
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With Email Bot Clicks Skewing Your Open Rates, It’s Time to Diversify Your Strategy
Tell us if this sounds familiar. You send out an email to members and prospects in the morning, and then check your open rate and click-through…
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Non-Members Don’t Trust You. Here’s How to Fix That.
Trust is the foundation of just about any relationship. This is true in life and business. It’s true for your association, too. We know that you think people…
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3 Event Marketing Best Practices That Cut Through the Recession Chatter
As experts debate whether we are headed towards a recession, you can improve your business in case we enter one. We have three strategies to help…
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On the Chasm Between Data and Stories (Spoiler: It’s Not Real)
Associations have been all over the place with brand storytelling. It was everything... until it got replaced with data. To be successful, you need both. Data-driven…
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New Year, Old Database? You’re Going to Have Some Problems
More people quit their jobs in 2021 than in any year since 2001. While it leveled off a bit in 2022, the trend isn’t over. Some…
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Why Targeting SMALL Companies is the BIG Idea You Need Now
Are you actively recruiting small organizations to be members of your association? It’s okay. You can be honest. We know that the answer is most likely…
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Recession or Not, Your Association Must Do These 7 Things Now
No one can agree if we are in a recession, but association members are already behaving as if we are. Your association must be proactive.
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Do You Know Your Prospects’ Biggest Fear? It’s Not What You Think.
They’re afraid that you’re wasting their time. Squandering their attention. Making promises you can’t keep.
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Content Marketing Must Die. And Be Reborn as People Marketing.
Why? Because too many associations have the wrong idea about how to use content to connect with new prospects.
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How Not to Get Prospects to Your Association’s Event
So your in-person event is back on. Great! Now you need attendees.
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The Best Way to Boost Association Marketing Results: Think Like a Prospect
Giving people individualized attention is hard to do, and there is no “golden ticket” that will instantly improve your numbers. But you have to start somewhere,…
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New Tech Won’t Save Your Crappy Marketing
6 best practices for associations to enhance virtual offerings As the pandemic continues, many organizations are looking for ways to replace lost event revenue, attract and…
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It’s Time to Rethink What Networking Actually Means
Answer this question quickly, and in one word: What is the number one reason you believe people attend your event? We would be astounded if your…
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4 Things to Throw Out of Your Association’s Broken Business Model
In the past, associations thrived on in-person events, networking, education, and certifications—the more the merrier. But for years there has been a shift away from this…
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3 Ways Associations Can Replace Lost Event Revenue
If you’re feeling the financial squeeze from cancelled or postponed events, buckle up. There’s more pain ahead as a recession looms large and fears abound. You…
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On the other side of crisis: does your association have a plan?
We know how diligently associations are working to adapt during this pandemic and to engage members through virtual events. We commend associations for their resiliency and…
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5 Teleworking Best Practices for Associations
As if you didn’t have enough to worry about with COVID-19, you suddenly find yourself working from home. That means carving out space for an office,…
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5 Recession Myths that Hurt Your Association
Rumblings of the next global recession make headlines almost daily. If the predictions are true, associations could be headed for difficult times when it comes to…
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4 Steps to Prepare Your Association for the Ripple Effects of the Coronavirus or Any Crisis
What Does the Coronavirus Have to Do with Association Marketing?Answer: It’s always a good idea to prepare for the worst. Today’s major crisis is the coronavirus.…
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Part 6: Grit
This is the final installment in our series 6 Ways to Help Your Association Thrive. Once you have a cause, a plan, assets, prospects, and engagement,…
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Part 5: Events and Programs
This is the fifth post in our series 6 Ways to Help Your Association Thrive. To get started, establish your cause, sketch out a marketing plan,…
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Part 4: Prospecting
This is the fourth post in our series 6 Ways to Help Your Association Thrive. Before launching your prospecting campaigns, first establish your cause, sketch out…
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Part 3: Marketing Assets
This is the third post in our series 6 Ways to Help Your Association Thrive. If you missed our earlier posts, you can read about your…
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Part 2: The Plan
This is the second post in our series 6 Ways to Help Your Association Thrive. We’re covering six key marketing elements to help you reach your…
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Part 1: The Cause
So you need more members. And more non-dues revenues. And you’d like to boost engagement while you’re at it. To reach your goals and truly thrive,…
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How to Implement Omnichannel Marketing
I recently attended a fantastic retirement party for my old friend Ben. Every detail was perfect—the beautiful venue, gourmet food, live entertainment, and fun atmosphere. We…
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What is Omnichannel Marketing and Why do You Need It?
My car died last month. I went online to see what my local dealer had available. I filled out a form with my desired make, model,…
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9 Content Marketing Problems and How to Fix Them
Angelo is a bus driver for a small tour company in Ecuador. Quite often the tourists’ breakfast comes with a side of papaya. Many of the…
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5 Ways to Generate Enough Marketing Content
I recently made the mistake of feeding a stray cat at the office. Now it comes back every day expecting more food. Yesterday, there were two…
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10 Best Practices for Content Marketing that Converts
When my daughter was in fifth grade, she made a model solar system for the science fair. So did 15 other kids. Many of the entries…
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3 Essential Elements of Effective Marketing
When my daughter was 10 years old, she came home from school one day with a sad, skinny puppy in her arms. All I could think…
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Why Inbound Marketing is the Best Way to Generate Leads
My dishwasher died recently, and I had no idea where to begin shopping for a new one. I found a tip sheet online that ranked popular…
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Why you need a consistent brand story
Several years ago, in a brief fit of madness, I asked my barber to give me a different haircut and change my hair color while he…
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6 Ways to Reach Your Marketing Goals in Uncertain Times
When I was a kid, Valentine’s Day was one of my favorite days of the year. I would spend hours decorating my little brown paper bag…
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How Brand and Culture are Connected
Do you have a solid marketing strategy? That’s a great start. But is your strategy aligned with a strong internal culture? Your organization’s culture has a…
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How to Convert Casual Web Visitors into Loyal Followers
Houston, we have a conversion problem. In the current climate of data breaches and over communication, people are more protective of their email addresses than ever.…
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How to Use Social Advertising at Each Stage of the Customer Journey
Effective social media marketing involves tactics that cover each stage of the customer journey. During the awareness phase, your efforts will focus on generating traffic and…
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How to Create a Customer Journey Map
One-off campaigns or clever sales pitches just don’t work anymore to convert prospects into attendees, members, and loyal brand ambassadors. People need time to get to…
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Is Your Association Putting Off Creating a Lead Gen Funnel?
If you’ve ever procrastinated on giving the-birds-and-the-bees talk to your kid or having an uncomfortable conversation with a friend, you know that we tend to put…
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Things Not From the 1990s: Marketing Your Association in 2023
In fashion, everything old becomes new again. Thin ties were out, and then back in. Glasses were oversized, then small, and then large again. Right now,…
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The shift is here.
If you’re like most professional organizations, you put on your professional hat when you get to the office every day. You’re in the trenches, focused on…
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6 Email Performance Issues and How You Can Solve Them
Once you establish your holistic email marketing strategy and set your campaigns in motion, you will need to monitor performance to see if all your hard…
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3 Components of Holistic Email Marketing
In a perfect world, every marketing email you send would be a personalized, one-to-one communication based on everything you know about your recipient. It would provide…
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Holistic Digital Marketing Part 2: Platforms and tools
Once you’ve outlined your holistic digital marketing strategy, it’s time to choose the platforms and tools that will propel your organization toward your goals. A combination…
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Holistic Digital Marketing Part 1: Strategy
Digital marketing offers endless possibilities to get your messages in front of members and prospects. It’s tempting to jump on the latest trend, platform, or technique…
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What is Holistic Marketing?
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts” — Aristotle Imagine how effective your marketing would be if all your channels worked seamlessly together—reinforcing…
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12 Marketing KPIs Every Association Should Measure
KPIs, or key performance indicators, can help you track the success of your event, marketing, and organization so you can make smart decisions to reach your…
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Member journeys in the digital marketing world
According to the Email Statistics Report, the average person received 90 emails per day in 2016. That’s a lot of clutter to cut through if you’re…
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How to enhance your marketing with motion graphics
In a world of content overload, motion graphics cut through the clutter with bite-sized content that grabs attention, evokes emotions, and incites action. So why aren’t…
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5 Steps to Facebook Marketing Success
Navigating digital advertising platforms can be confusing and expensive. You might end up spending a lot of money and getting very few results in return. But…
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How to Create High-Quality Connections
Imagine your event is THE place for connecting—for meeting like-minded individuals who are open to new ideas, ready to work together to change lives, eager to…
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The Grey Hair Dilemma
As you look around the room at your annual conference, there’s a good chance you’re seeing more and more gray hair. This realization is probably followed…
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