Making Decisions by Fact

In today's tight economy, many associations are re-examining their role to find the most important ways to support their members.

While in a client review of member survey results, a staff member teased “we have a case of what’s new - itis.”

This association GETS the purpose of formal member input. Here’s more about the comment she made: “A member survey helps remind us what’s important to the TOTAL MEMBERSHIP of the association – not just the current leadership, or the staff alone.

At the office, we get wrapped up in what we do every day. We promote the programs we’re responsible for. The staff and leadership are always coming up with something new to offer to members that will help them avoid risk or enhance productivity. So we have a case of “what’s new”- itis.
We have the same problem in our city with restaurants – there are hundreds of people at the new restaurant that opened. There are only 12 people at the new-ish restaurant that opened 6 weeks ago. But that 6-week-old restaurant is really just getting good. The staff is finally trained; the chef is familiar with the food.

But like that old restaurant, we want to move onto the newest project we’re working on. And we need to show the leadership that the newest project is successful. So we go full steam behind it -to the detriment of the stuff we created last month or last year - even if that stuff is actually more important to the members.

We like the Marcus Buckingham principle of improving on your strengths, not focusing on your weaknesses. A survey shows us what our strengths are … so we can build on them.”

Association marketers and staff play a key role by providing your leadership insight into what members want and which programs are worth hanging on to. 

Making Decisions by Fact

A commercial for commercial members

In Mid-August on a Monday morning, the Wall Street Journal carried a front page story on the foreclosure of a prime commercial development on the west coast; the very same day, section B covered the virtual halt in the commercial real estate market in another part of the country. This week, a Bloomberg news headline read “Commercial Property Values Fall as Rent Drop Forecast”. Bottom line, this is not what associations want to see on in the news. Life is not good for your commercial members.

While on a long delay Friday night, I sat myself on the floor of Washington Regan Airport (with nowhere else to sit), and thought about what an association might do to encourage one segment of your membership who is struggling. Here are three ideas to get you to start thinking:

1. Consider your value proposition to these members. Even though they may be a small segment, is there a thorny issue in your city or state that you can watch, influence or even overcome for them? When you take this on, you help stimulate their business and begin changing their mindset about their business? You probably already do some legislative or political action work on behalf of your members. Get the word out so that your members understand the value of your efforts and what it means to them. Legislative affairs may be the least understood member benefit - in any industry.

2. When there is some good news, like Bloomberg reported just yesterday about existing home sales up 7.2%, encourage commercial members that positive news for the industry is good for all segments – so keep looking for the opportunities that are out there – albeit fewer, those who are looking full time will get the breaks.

3. From coast to coast I see commercial REALTORS® who avoid their residential counterparts. Look for RCA members in your association who get referrals from their residential counterparts. Promote the heck out of it. Tell the stories. Help change the culture. One testimonial from an influential member can sway a lot of long-standing public opinion.

If you say no to these ideas, I trust you can go find a solution of your own. Don’t hide behind the “RCA is a small segment of our membership” excuse. Like one savvy CEO told me, “What’s good for commercial business, and your town square is good for selling houses.”

If you have a great idea, or one that has worked, share it with your peers by replying to this post.

A commercial for commercial members

Social Media - Good Bad and Ugly

Freedom of Speech…How about the concept “Bad News Travels Really Fast?” For all of you (us) involved in the real estate industry, I’d like to remind you of the power of social media as you read about the Twitter debacle between Horizon Realty and their tenant-Tweet-er.

Follow the story below about the “Sue first, then ask questions kind of an organization” who sued their tenant for broadcasting about mold in her apartment. Horizon is in the spotlight - they have a great PR opportunity to rectify the situation. Some bloggers have suggested dropping the lawsuit, admitting to a potential error, and fixing the mold issue. There's an idea!

How about the power of communation where 20 followers turned into hundreds of thousands. That is some powerful communications tool. It may even be monumental enough to convince some of you sign up for this Twitter-thing just in case there's some news you need to know!

Link here to read the story: http://www.copyblogger.com/horizon-realty-group/#more-3986

Social Media - Good Bad and Ugly

Need more volunteers?

Off the subject of social media for a while...REA Magazine is known for offering promising practices for Association Executives (AEs) in all areas of association management. I think the editor, Carolyn Schwaar is a master at editorializing many "right on" themes. I recently wrote an article for the Magazine; AEs who don't seem to ever have enough willing volunteers to fill committees might take a gem or two from your fellow CEOs:

Building a successful association hinges on finding volunteers to give their time, energy, and talent. Yet some associations continually struggle to attract volunteers. These days, some fear even asking members who are experiencing a challenging business environment. Here are some new (and some tried - and- true) tips for recruiting volunteers.

1. Ask them in person. Ask 10 members why they got involved in their local or state association, and nine out of ten will say, “Because someone asked me.” Soliciting for volunteers is, after all, just like selling anything else. Cold calling is a difficult way to sell. People do business with people they like. CEO of the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS® Diane Ruggiero advises, “You must ask them in person if you really want to get someone to say yes. Go to their office, meet them for coffee, or ask them out for lunch. Make them feel important and always tell them the purpose, the WIIFM (what’s in it for me), and the time involved.”

2. Build trust by being honest. It’s critical to be completely up-front about the commitment involved. Pinellas REALTOR® Organization CEO Ann Guiberson agrees. “Tell volunteers whether it’s a task force that’s going to meet once or twice for two hours each or if it’s an ongoing commitment.” Always overestimate the time commitment slightly just in case a project takes longer than expected. Also, always explain the purpose of the assignment and its importance to the association. Otherwise, a potential volunteer may not think the work is worth his or her time.

3. Find ways to use members’ expertise. Find out what skills and abilities your volunteers bring to you and then match them to committee assignments (but don’t assume someone has skills or particular interests; ask first). A good skill-to-task match makes volunteers feel not only comfortable, but that their expertise is useful to the association. For Vice President of Administrative Services at the Kansas Association of REALTORS® Christy Stinger, the matching process was really common sense. “Two of our members have accounting backgrounds. With so many REALTORS® who are well versed on financials and budgets, those people make sense on a budget and finance committee. Another woman who wrote op-eds for the local paper was appointed to the governmental affairs committee for her ability to explain and communicate her opinions.”

4. Explain the benefit from the members’ point of view. Jim Helsel, 2009 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® treasurer, has volunteered since the beginning of his long career. He suggests focusing on the payoff from volunteering. First, Helsel tells potential volunteers that they’ll not only get personal satisfaction and enjoyment from volunteering, but that they’ll also have fun. “Emphasize the networking and learning opportunities in volunteering,” he says. “There’s not a person I’ve met during this journey that hasn’t helped me in my career when I’ve needed it,” Helsel recalls. He credits his volunteer work with bringing referrals from across the country.

5. Follow your instincts. Helsel advises AEs to watch for and nurture prospective volunteers. “Many times it is the AE that sees a reason to push someone to ‘go to the next level’ and use their talents to work for the association and for their industry,” he says. “AEs learn to spot talent. No one sees more than an AE.”

Need more volunteers?

What about us old dogs?

Business, gaining prospects, on-line networking, talking about what you do...does it all fit together?

From my most recent association member survey conducted in June, I learned something surprising. While the Young Professionals segment (gen x and gen Y) fall into the 20% range of the total association membership, 38% use some kind of social technology!

Could that mean that the boomers and even civics are beginning to adopt to this type of technology to make more connections?

I continue to get feedback that confirms this trend. While teaching a writing class at an association this week, I asked for a raise of hands for those who use social networking technology - either facebook or Linked In (specifically). While about 20% of the class said "yes", at least five were tenured professionals.

Joe, a 63 year old veteran commented he had received four leads from Facebook this year. Honest! He acknowledged he has been referred to as 'you dog', but never call him an old dog. Joe, and others have begun to realize online is a place where people can spread their word, and without a single advertisement, it can lead to new prospects.

What about us old dogs?

Social Networking - I was thinking just what you might be thinking!

There was a time I was stuck on the belief that I am not social, and I don't do well at networking. So, this must mean social networking is not for me.

The more I read, listened, asked, and grumbled, the more conflicted I was feeling.

One day, I invited a friend out for a drink. In return, I had an hour to ask him all the idiot questions I had about tip toeing into Social Networking.

Social - I came to realize, was simply a common place where groups of people gather.

Networking was linking up to friends, family, colleagues, and other people to extend my reach in order to find my way to other people.

In the past, social networking - in my mind - should be a direct line between tapping the keys on the keyboard and magically getting more business, or finding the person who could help me make a connection. This just isn't so.

The turning point was realizing everything we do is grounded in who we know. And the more connections we have is a good starting point for helping AEs learn right along with me how this technology can help associations.

This blog is for my Association Executive friends and colleagues. It is a safe place to ask the "idiot questions" (this is my term) and listen to what other people are saying about this technology that is growing in terms of importance and relevance.

Stay tuned and feel free to join in. This is all about learning from each other. We're about to get started.

Social Networking - I was thinking just what you might be thinking!