Are you part of Andy's Secret yet?

Want to build anticipation for an event, utilize FB to its fullest and get word of mouth going (it already has blog posts from two of the biggest bloggers in associations) - then follow Andy Steggles.

Andy Steggles is a genius tech, as I'm sure you all know, and he just broke into that category for marketing. Not sure what I'm talking about? You should - ecspecially if you're going to annual. Find out here!

Future of Associations Programming Modeled off of a T-Shirt Company?

First, thanks to Maddie and Alyssa for the comments to the last post.

What a past couple weeks - I'm terribly behind in my blog reading, but I'm doing ok on magazines.

The current issue of Inc. Magazine headlined with a company where the customer quite literally is the company, i.e the customer supplies the product. Sound like an association? It should - but it's not. It's a T-shirt company by the name of Threadless.

Here's the down and dirty on threadless: Customers design t-shirts for money and prizes. The designs are then judged by the customers and the most popular shirts become part of the catalog. Your shirt gets selected - you win the money and prizes you hoped for. The company is incredibly lean with high margins, but more importantly it's never sold a dud - why would it though? If the customer is actively choosing what they want and the company produces it - then instant harmony.

Ever think about doing that at your association - giving the members the choice? And I don't just mean the elite few on the programming committee - I mean the entire membership? Engage all members and let them decide what training and sessions to offer.

How would this look? Here's my suggestion (I'll let you know the feedback i get) - Have potential speakers submit abstracts for an online webseries. Members can then vote on the sessions they want to attend. If an abstract recieves enough votes - than viola - that's the session(s) to be presented. The creme rises to the top.

Post the latest "u-pick" sessions on your members only website to increase site traffic. And if a particular session gets really really high votes, depending on the timeliness of the message - make a spot for it at the annual conference.

It's not news that customers (in our case members) want it their way. So why not involve them (all of them) in the selection process and give it to them?

Thanks for reading,
bob

P.S. I'm hoping to get back in the blogging mode, but life is busy. Mom and baby to be are doing well and I've kept the ship afloat in my new position, now it's time to push it forward.
P.S.S. - I'm actually thinking about posting a design - but that's another story

Innovation from a Yap's Perspective

In a recent post, Lindy gives an incredible piece of insight – “we all need to foster innovation in our own ways...but for those of us who are not CEOs or top executives, that means working within the cultural boundaries the leaders of our organizations have set.” This is an excellent point and really helps define the level of innovation to be expected by different levels within the organization.

As a non-executive, the only way for me to encourage innovation is through incremental steps. Hypothetically, if I were to go into the executive office or into a board meeting speaking of a revolution and declaring that the way we’ve operated for the past 40 years is wrong in today’s environment – odds are I’d be fired. Because at my level, disruptive innovation, regardless of how well based it is, can be seen as insubordination.

At my level in the organization, my job is to continue pushing the organization forward in the direction that was set before it by the board and the execs. However, that doesn’t mean that I can’t help us get their more efficiently – it just means working on small improvements on the train as opposed to completely shifting the track.

And I’ve done this - I introduced my execs to the concept of social networks and the added value they can add to the association and they’ve started to come around to the idea. I began to use wikis as a tool for collaboration so the execs and volunteers can see how they work – and now it’s been our web2.0 success story for the time being.

And I will continue to introduce new ideas and technologies, but the way I introduce them is by building off of our plan, because for me as a YAP and non-exec, I have to make it fit into our current strategy. I don’t have the ability to totally redefine the organization’s operations and goals; I can only help us achieve them more efficiently while adding some new value. It will take time, but it’s coming.

Innovation has to come from somewhere though, whether it’s an innovative exec or a board member, a third party to the organization, or a mid-level staffer or lower, someone has to serve as the agent of change, and depending where on the org chart they sit determines the level and intensity of the change inital change and the level of buy-in needed.

Be patient though, it will be worth it.

Thanks for reading,
bob

When it comes to Social Networks - Age Ain't a Thing

Think your members are too old to get online? Think all this web2.0 is just for millenials and generation X?

If you think that - I have just two words for you:

You're Wrong

Remember - Age is just a number! (To be honest I'll probably continue to post under young association professional well into my 70s.)

Thanks for reading,
bob

P.S. If you do feel age is just a number - become a YapStar! (must have facebook profile - though we are on linkedin and twitter)

Members on Facebook

To continue on yesterday's post, I've been reaching out to some of my own members on facebook as I have time now that I've had Sr. Staff buy into Web2.0 thanks to Wikis and other experimental social groups. I've recieved a good response so far, some only signed up and used it once, some feel that linkedin or other more professional group is appropriate and there are people who "believe this would be a new and exciting tool for networking"

So far I've reached out to about 20 members and so far I've made 9 new friends and recieved a better idea of how our members are using it and how we can play off of this.

And if you're a young association professional, this could be a good time to introduce your board and executives to the concept of social networking and get them onboard - that is if they aren't already online.

Thanks for reading,
Bob

P.S. Thanks to the posts by Maddie on twitter, I've joined the next great phase of web2.0. I'll give my feedback in future posts.

Finding Members on Facebook

Intitially I believe there are 3 people who can benefit from social networking:

• Those already online
• Those who are participating in a conversation
• Those who need technology to participate

Today, I'm going to help you find members online because it's much easier to empower members who are already participating then trying to get newby's online.

So here are the quick tricks that I've learned for finding members online using facebook:

• Export a member list into a CSV file (no larger than about 1000).
• Use facebook's friend finder (must sign into to facebook to use).

Some tips for using friend finder:

• Once you select your list and upload into the friend finder it will begin searching - there is no activate button
• Members on facebook will appear from the email list automatically checked off. You can't send a note to them from this page nor can you track who a friend request was sent to, so it'd be a good idea to save this list and send out an email before or directly after you invite members to be friends
• After you select friends it will bring up emails not in facebook. I would seriously consider not inviting them to join facebook for two reasons: it will look like Spam which means they'll delete it, and second - think organic.

Upon successful uploading, you may have found more members online than you thought. Ask them to be your friend and reach out and see why they're online. If they're already talking, let them continue the conversation, maybe even help it continue to flow. Members already using the technologies may just be the WOM you need to get the later adopters online.

You can also search facebook groups, you never know, your organization or event could already have a group. What you do with the group is completely up to you - but it might at least be worth checking out to see what's being said. Organic growth will happen in one form or another.

Thanks for reading,

Bob

Wikis to the Rescue

Typically I've found that any projects with a committee have had the following chain of events:

• Committee reviews document
• Committee submits comments to me
• I format comments and send to contractor
• Contractor makes appropriate changes
• Changes are sent back to me
• I sent revised document to committee
• Committee reviews document

And so goes the circle of colloboration. Now this process typically takes a couple of days (with one day lost from the time I compile comments to send to the contractor to the time they are actually reviewed.)

But I shouldn't be such a major player in the process - I hate middlemen - yet here I am working as one (notice how many of the steps I'm directly involved with). Well in an attempt to allow members to work with each other as opposed to through me, I've been using a wiki on my most recent project for the past couple months.

I've found the following 3 benefits of the wiki so far:

• Members can build off of each others comments
• Contractors can view comments as they're submitted
• I'm a smaller part of the equation

Members can build off of each others comments
No more repeat comments. Wikis allow members of the committee to see what has already been reviewed as well as the feedback on those sections. This allow members to build off of the comments and/or focus their time on areas that may not have been as thoroughly reviewed.

Contractors can view comments as they're submitted
Long story short, I recieved a revised lesson from a contractor with the following comment:
"I pulled the comments from the Wiki, so it is good to go."

I'm a smaller part of the equation
Outstanding! Now some people may freak about this, but not me! I'm not a Subject Matter Expert when it comes to Solid Waste, my area of expertise is helping groups work together and thanks to the wiki I've done that. Because in the end it's not my association, it's the members, I just happen to be lucky enough to be along for the ride!

Thanks for reading,
Bob

P.S. If anyone from my organization stumbles on this - just because I'm a smaller part of this equation doesn't mean I'm not busy :)

Link Love - All 4 Blog Favs Respond

Thanks Ben, Lisa, Tony and Maddie - not only have you helped me in developing my skillz, but all posted comments to my post about them! Special thanks to Ben for posting my comment on his blog - this is the equivalent of having an essay in a national magazine. I can rarely get a return call from friends and family within 24 hours - imagine how cool it was to have my four fave bloggers read and post in that time span! Amazing.

This is just an excellent example of great bloggers doing what they do. And it shows that participating in social media as a young professional is a great opportunity to network and get on the radar of the industry. I may be just a blip (is there something smaller than a blip?) on the screen, but hey, I'm ahead of where I'd be if I didn't join the conversation.

So if you want to start blogging - I encourage it - and if you don't think you can support your own and are a young professional, I welcome you to join this one! Email me and maybe you t0o could be a blogger on young association professional! (Actually don't open your own blog, I like having the young association professional blog market cornered - just kidding - I guess :)

And special Shouts to my fellow YAP Garen and Brynn for writing for Acroynm.

What a great way to end the week and with that I'm out. Enjoy and I'll see you on Monday,

Thanks for reading,
Bob

Setting Up Your Online Daily Paper Using RSS - Part 3

So hopefully you've had a chance to download a feed reader. Well now that you have, let's get you some articles for your online daily paper.

The first blog I mentioned in my previous post was Seth Godin. Not only is he a marketing wiz, but you need a feed reader to keep up with him on most days. The posts are incredibly short, but incredibly insightful.

Now here are the following blogs I'd highly recommend:

Ben Martin - Ben is the main page. He posts very frequently and odds are if it's of interest to association professionals Ben's a part of the conversation or has at least heard of it and put it on his blog. Ben in and of himself is the RSS of Associations.

ASAE and The Center's Acronym - The best part about this blog is there are many contributors and if one post comes off as insincere or wrong or ill-informed the commenters are sure to jump in. This is a great industry page and has a lot of great views.

Diary of a Reluctant Blogger - Maddie is a new blogger, but I think she's one to keep an eye on. She covers a variety of topics and does a great job of covering the variety of conversations on the blogoclump, giving meaningful perspectives to the conversation.

Membership Marketing - Tony has a lot of great insights into membership and marketing - and we are in the membership business, whether you're in the membership department.

I think for the most part these blogs are a great starting point for any daily paper. There are a variety of other blogs that focus on a variety of other things, and I think the four blogs above list them all out very well. I've read alot of the blogs in the association sphere and there are definitely some to keep an eye out for, but most tend to be more focused. And if I gave you all the links, what fun would that be?

But remember, whether you use my recommendations or find your own, using RSS helps you to efficiently learn about a variety of topics. And while initially you may need to spend a bit of time finding the initial blogs, once you've set it up, you can allocate some time in the morning or evening and just flip through the feeds of your online daily paper. I've had many ideas, insights and conversations within my own organziation thanks to reading my daily feeds.

So enjoy your feeds and if you find any blogs that are worth focusing in on, by all means let me know,

Thanks for reading,
Bob

Setting Up Your Online Daily Paper Using RSS - Part 2

I could explain what RSS is, but I don't think I can do any better than this video put together by CommonCraft Show:



I think this is one of the most simplistic explanations of RSS. Next step - pick your feedreader.

I'm playing with google reader right now, but there are a ton of different readers including yahoo and others. If you want to set up your feedreader using google go to http://www.google.com/reader and sign up. The great part about this (in my 24 hours of review) is that you can access it anytime you're online. This means:

*No worries if you're harddrive crashes/get a new computer (which I learned the hardway)
*No worries if you set up all your feeds at work but only have time to read them at home

Windows Vista also has a feedreader built in, but again it's on your hard drive so there's limited flexibility.

So set up your google or yahoo or Vista feed. And if you want to start subscribing and more importantly seeing how it works, subscribe to Seth Godin's blog. Not only is he a marketing genius (and everyone markets), but he also posts 2-4 times a day on a typical day. His feed is feeds.feedburner.com/typepad/sethsmainblog

In the next day or so I'll give you the top association blogs you'll want to subscribe to to help you get your online daily paper started.

Thanks for reading,
Bob

P.S. Need more help? Email me at rawolfejr@yahoo.com

Setting Up Your Online Daily Paper Using RSS - Part 1

If you don't have a feed reader yet, you should. Why - because it allows you to subscribe to blogs. And the best thing I've done for my professional development is quite simply setting up my Online Daily Paper (ODP) comprised of various blog feeds.

My ODP is my RSS feed filled with the best of the blogoclump's blog posts (and those outside of the association world). And because it's not in email, you can quickly skim your blogs like you would the daily paper. Read the tips and opinions that interest you, pass on those that don't.

Unfortunately though, I learned the hard way that you do not want to use a feed reader that is saved on your computer. The reason - if you're harddrive crashes or you get a new computer, all your feeds are lost.

Well over this week I am going to set up my ODP again, so join along. I'll walk you through setting up your own ODP (made up of what I think are the Must Read Blogs for Young Associaiton Professionals, or any Association Professional for that matter) as I rebuild my own online daily paper.

So don't worry if you don't know what a feed reader really is or what RSS means, I'm going to walk you through the various steps to set up your daily papers over the next few days and introduce you to the world of RSS.

Thanks for reading,
Bob

It's Not Usable If You can Use It

I read a great article by elearnmag titled "What Do You Mean When You Say 'Usability'?"

While this article focuses on the usability of elearning courses, I think this topic of usability can really translate into how associations should view social media. One header of the article really stuck out: The User Validates Usability

Now this is an interesting notion that may sometimes be lost in the conversation. It doesn't matter that the IT manager, consultant, designer, or even you as an association manager can use the technology. Of course it helps that you can use the technology, but one group HAS TO be able to use the technology: the members you're targeting.

And not only that they can use it, but how long does it take them to reach the experience? Do they complete one step or a series of steps? Does it take a moment or a day to get started or is there a multi-day approval process? Because if it takes a mile to get to that experience or connection, it better be damn good. If its easy to get to on the other hand, than it doesn't have to be so good to start. (Just think McDonald's or other mediocre franchise restaurant that are everywhere vs. that great, one of a kind steak house an hour away).

I think the same thing can be said of value - it's not the consultant, staff, designer, or contractor that determines value - it's the members. More on this tomorrow (I don't want to burn out).

Thanks for reading,
Bob

MySpace or Facebook?

Ben Martin posted a note that Facebook actually passed MySpace in users. I don't think this is a huge shock if you've ever been on the two sites. Facebook is much more toned down than MySpace, this may be due to its roots.

While myspace has been open to anyone with an email from the get-go, Facebook's roots started with Colleges (for a while you needed a college email to join). I think this, along with a cleaner layout helps facebook.

Personally, I would never use myspace for an association or any business proposition that caters to anyone out of high school. Three main reasons:

• False Friends
• Hacks
• Too much noise

False Friends

False friends are spammers in the world of myspace. They are usually young girls, sometimes in inappropriate attire. And if for some reason you make the unfortunate mistake of friending one, you find that they have traits that a young professional, or any professional for that matter, should avoid. And depending on how often you sign into myspace, you may see friend requests with the ever prevalent X - which means there account has been deleted. Take a guess why.

Hacks

Some actions in myspace require you to sign back into myspace. Be careful! This could mean someone is taking your myspace info, which means your friends will receive countless comments on their pages about great deals, etc. Here is a classic example of a hack:

"whats up? i found this site and thought i'd tell everyone, it shows you if anyone at school likes you. i dont know how it works but its really cool, it told me a couple different people who have crushes on me. you gotta try it!"

This exact message was sent by two separate friends. Needless to say, they both know I'm married.

Too Much Noise

Whether it's customized backgrounds, music, or the lack of organization, MySpace is too big without maintaining it's small town feel. Indivduals accounts are too open (you could change the settings, but I just want to get on and network). Overall MySpace is a bit of a jungle, and if you're introducing members to social media, avoid myspace.

On the other hand, I'd use Facebook or even Ning.

The benefits of both are you don't get hacked, false friends and it is user friendly without the worry of the former two. I actually prefer both sites.

Facebook is good in the fact you can connect to other individuals. This could be good or bad, depending on if you want to mix friends with peers.

Ning on the other hand is group based. The group is the foundation of the network, unlike facebook which focuses on the connection.

My best advice is to try them out for a little while before looking to launch anything for your membership. You know your members better than anyone, so you can tell if facebook, ning, or some other social network is the right fit. Just remember one thing - don't force it. Wait until there's an opportunity to connect. Have them start the conversation first, then use social networks to facilitate the conversation. And on this note I am happy to say that my session on Capturing the Conversation - Implementing Social Networks was accepted by ASAE and the Center's Annual Conference. So I'll hint around at this now and again to peek your interest in the August session.

P.S. I know I’ve been a sporadic blogger at best, but I’ve been learning a lot about blogging (even though I’ve only posted 3 posts). More info on this soon.

Is your Association a Facilitator or a Director?

The Young Association Professional blog was originally proposed as a committee blog, but that idea was rejected. The association that hosted the committee preferred to support their association blog and not support competing blogs – even niche blogs that could compliment the larger blog. That’s fine, I’m a big boy (don’t let the photo fool you), I’ll just blog on my own. But this begets the question, as association professionals, are we facilitating our members conversations/energies or are we directing them?

With the internet connecting like minded individuals easier than ever with blogs, social networking sites and other emerging technologies, it’s time to really take a hard look at the conversations our members are having.

Thanks to these Web 2.0 (or 3.0 or 2.1 or what ever version you consider it) technologies, members can now have conversations and interact with each other without having to come to an association event – or perhaps more terrifying – without having to join the organization.

We as association professionals need to transition ourselves (if we haven’t already) from middle-people to facilitators. And while Web 2.0 threatens associations, it also offers opportunities to strengthen them. We as a community of association professionals know the technologies that are out there and we know how to use them. Now we need to open our ears toward the conversations our members are having and empower them with these new social technologies to help them continue the dialogue with each other rather than through staff or committees.

Listening to these dialogues as they happen will allow us to:

• Get a real time pulse on our members needs/wants/interests
• Connect members who may not have connected otherwise
• Make networking easier (imagine opening a social network before each conference to allow members to network before the event – taking out the time and anxiety that comes with networking with strangers)
• Develop programming/white papers/ educational tools and products our members need
• Give all members an opportunity to become active in the association

Let the conversations happen naturally. If members are talking, listen and facilitate that conversation, harness that energy. Because if you direct a member to a destination they don’t necessarily want to go to, they may go rogue. And if they go rogue on too many items, they may leave your association and open one on facebook, or ning, or use one of the other emerging technologies. And while it may not cause the organization to go under, there is an awful lot of value in free. And there are young professionals who have connected to individuals across the country without ever having paid a due.

So case in point – if no one member is the same, how can one blog serve all equally? (Is it so bad to branch into niches?) While it wasn’t accepted by the committee, I welcome any and all young professionals to join as a blogger on Young Association Professional as a full-time blogger, or simply as a guest blogger. Simply email me at rawolfejr@yahoo.com and I’ll add you.

P.S. (Do blogs have post scripts?)
I am happy to report that I was actually mentioned by Ben Martin, CAE Blogger, as one of the candidates for new blogger of the year (I was at the bottom of the list though, but on the list none the less). This was really a pleasant surprise because Ben has one of the most valuable blogs on association management. If you haven’t visited it, check it out on the side bar. His blog is a great mix of tech, links, and insight padded with some lighter moments (the caulking of the tub post is a classic example).

So it’s been almost two weeks since my last post – er… my first post, but I’m back, and hope to be mentioned by Ben again next year – maybe as up and coming blogger (hint, hint). Thanks Ben for the acknowledgement and for getting me started up again.

What is the minimum age for your membership?

As a Young Association Professional, this question is quite near and dear to my heart. While I don’t deal specifically with membership in my association, I would recommend you ask the above question.

ASAE and the Center did and I thank them for it (Please note this has not been endorsed by ASAE and the Center – it’s simply an organization that I participate in as a young professional). The result was the rising star membership, a membership fee that is reduced to entice young professionals an opportunity to join for a significant discount.

Why is the discount important to me as a young professional?

• The $100 annual fee is easier for me to pitch to my supervisor (a $265 membership fee as a new employee could be a hard sell)
• It shows me that the association is at least acknowledging young professionals in the field
• It breaks down the barriers for me, as a young professional, to join the American Society of Association Executives – a title I am at least 10 years away from
• It allows me to attach myself to my industry as opposed to just my department/position (Over the last 3 year's I've transitioned from a training professional to an association professional)

What about the benefits for my organization/member’s company?

• Effective way to invest in younger staff
• Effective reward/incentive for younger staff
• Increased insight into the industry, allowing for a better understanding of company's goals/procedures
• Build network of industry peers earlier/different set of peers from executives in my association

What about the benefits to your association/host association?

• You potentially get a 20-40 year member (even if I pay the $100 over 20 years, ASAE potentially recruited a $2000 member – if I pay $100 for 5 more years and the normal $265 over the following 15 that is a $4475 – assuming I only pay for membership)
• Ability to implement programs proactively for future generations of membership
• Keep up and coming stars in the industry (Isn’t the overall goal of the association to advance the industry?)
• Referrals – whether I recommend a fellow young professional to join or sign up my new employee after their 90 day review (which I recently did) – providing services to young professionals naturally increases the reach of the association

Now, not every association may have a significant need for young members because there are a variety of professions where individuals start with experience, such as… well there’s…. wait, everybody at some point starts out as a young professional before they become an executive or manager. So why doesn’t every association have student/young professional memberships?

Time constraints/costs/lack of staff?

Associations can provide the following services right off the bat for younger members:

• Mentoring programs with Sr. members – (good opportunity to use new web technologies
• General information to break in/advance in the industry
• Making information provided to regular members available to younger members for a discounted rate
• Opportunities to participate in committees/volunteer opportunities (Web2.0 and social responsibility initiatives are both good opportunities to engage younger members)

Remember, in 10, 15, 20 years from now as the association leaders of today retire, it will be young professionals, such as myself, who will continue the legacy that’s been started today. Wouldn’t it benefit the industry you’re working in as well as your association to groom the future leaders of tomorrow today?