Oct 8, 2018 | associations, Speaking
I have been speaking at conferences and events for over 30 years. The first time I was asked to speak publicly, on a stage, with a microphone, was in February 1988 when I was a Rotary Exchange Student in Canada. My highly introverted-self was more than slightly...
Aug 15, 2018 | associations, Customer Service, Social media, strategy
Those of you who know me know that I’m really passionate about helping organisations better communicate and engage with their customers, their clients and their members. When I talk about engagement, I mean starting conversations that have some meaning. Whether...
Jun 21, 2018 | associations, member benefits
Ask most people why they join an association, especially a professional association, and they will tell you that someone recommended it. An employer, a colleague, a friend. Usually, someone they trust. A year later, when it’s renewal time, it’s often quite a different...
Jun 4, 2018 | associations, communication, member benefits, Social media
So often in associations, there is a gap between the association’s value offering and what members’ believe this value to be. The best way to bridge this gap is with a clearly thought out communication strategy that includes regular highlights and case...
May 28, 2018 | associations, customer loyalty, Social media
There are three key drivers of member loyalty. You need to have a great product or service, you need to demonstrate value, and you need to provide a superior member experience. Do all three well and you will have loyal members who happily renew year after year, and...
May 14, 2018 | associations, Customer Service
There comes a time when every business will receive a bad review. Like it or not, it comes with the territory. Unfortunately, it’s very easy for unhappy clients to leave a bad review online – either on Google, Facebook, a review site or by creating a video that goes...
May 10, 2018 | associations, Social media
Did you know there are nine separate ways you can communicate with your members? Most associations use the obvious – email, face-to-face and mail. A few more use phone, social media and video. Very few use audio, sending gifts and chatbots. People do business...
Feb 21, 2018 | associations, Social media
I was in Melbourne over the weekend to facilitate a workshop with an association Board, to help them better understand how to communicate and engage with their members, and the role social media could play. My brief included helping them identify how they can...
Feb 8, 2018 | associations, Social media
One of the most common questions I am asked is, “Which social media channels should I use?” The simple answer is the ones where your members and potential members hang out. The tricky part is often working this out! But it doesn’t have to be hard. There are...
Jan 31, 2018 | associations, Customer Service, Social media
Social media, when used properly, is an excellent way to engage with your members. Facebook specialist Mari Smith said it best: “Content is king but engagement is queen, and the lady rules the house.” If you’re wanting to understand how to use social media to...