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March 9, 2010
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SWEATIN' TO
THE IDEAS
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| Tomorrow! Bisnow Schmoozarama II. Last time, many sign-ups came last minute, so don't wait, as we're limiting the crowd to 600. Open Bar and buffet. Park at Fourteenth. Low Price. Sign up now! |
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| Good ideas are so last week. Only great ones for us. Of course, someone’s idea of fun was to have us thigh high in StairMasters after one wrong turn at ASAE's Great Ideas Conference here in Colorado Springs . . . |
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By no stretch of the imagination did we think the American Aerobic Association would also be in town. We bent over backwards to find the best association innovators. Anyway, enjoy our continuing first-hand coverage of this year’s conference.
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One of the many presenters (among 550 attendees) was Fabricators and Manufacturers Association PR director Pat Lee, who says her org recently introduced a new membership category that costs $1000 more than its highest membership level ever has. The main incentive: unlimited access to training webinars. (Like an open bar; well, an open task bar.) She says the association is also piloting a program for an even higher class of membership called the "Mastermind group," which as far as we know has nothing to do with world domination. The association administers meetings and takes notes for the Masterminds—currently six members in six cities—and also brings in specialists to provide customized webinar content.
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The biggest marketing mistake that associations make is being boring, says QualityTalk's Ron Rosenberg, who helped implement and promote FMA's webinars. In one promotional e-mail for a free trial webinar, FMA decided to try something more fun in the subject line: "Your Uncle Jimmy called, your next webinar is on us." The open rate went up 5%. (Jim happens to be the education director.) FMA also used to have a rule that it would not contact members more than three times to sign up for something. Then, it began promoting webinars with seven contacts through various mediums. More than half of those who signed up did so after the third hit.
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American Ceramic Society staff are required to take one field trip to a member business each year, says exec director Scott Steen. (FYI: the society has nothing to do with pottery, and no, they have never taken a field trip to Color Me Mine.) ACS reps scientists, engineers, and others using ceramics for energy sources, medical advances, even spacecraft. Because the work is so technical, it's often difficult for staff to understand exactly what the heck their members do. By sending them to member locales, like NASA, within a day or two drive, employees come back interested and invested. And they don’t even need a permission slip from their mother.
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Save the drama for yo' mama. McKinley Marketing's Jodie Slaughter says orgs need to treat persistent negativity as a staff behavior problem. Many organizations hang on to the Debbie Downers thinking they will never be able to replace the work they do. In fact, someone who gets along with the rest of the staff will make it easier to collaborate and get things done. Scott summed it up best: "Happy organizations fire people."
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Empowering employees to solve member problems on the spot will boost loyalty, says Powerful Potential's Bob Stearns. He points to Ritz Carlton, which allows employees to spend up to $2,000 to handle guest problems immediately—no questions asked. So, for example, if you lose your luggage on a flight, the bellman can buy you a new suit. The policy ultimately costs the $1.5 billion business $40,000 to $60,000 a year, and 80% of customers rate them 5 out of 5. In general, loyal customers spend six to ten times more, stay longer, and refer more people.
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| UPCOMING EVENTS |
| Click here to place your own listing |
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March 10 - Bisnow Total Schmoozarama - Back by popular demand, but limited to 600 attendees this time. Open bar, gourmet food. Park at Fourteenth. 6pm. Info
March 11 - YHIP DC Chapter - Mix and Mingle high atop the Gaylord National at its exotic infusion bar, POSE! Join more than 150 meeting, event, and hospitality movers-and-shakers! Free for association professionals, complimentary drinks & hors d'oeuvres. 5:30-8pm. Free self-parking. Shuttle to/from Huntington Metro. Info
March 16 - DC Connections - Join for a night of Speed Networking and business development. A great way to swap leads, info, and rapidly grow your business. Already 275 signed up! Hyatt Regency Bethesda. 5-9pm. Info
March 23 - Bisnow Breakfast & Schmooze - The Future of Associations. BLT Steak. 7:30am networking. Info
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Send story ideas to Jessica Sidman, jessica@bisnow.com
Follow us on Twitter, @AssocBisnow
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This newsletter is a journalistic news source which accepts no payment for featured interviews. It is supported by conventional advertisers clearly identified in the right hand column. You have been selected to receive it either through prior contact or professional association. If you have received it in error, please accept our apologies and unsubscribe at bottom of the newsletter. © 2010, Bisnow on Business, Inc., 1323 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036. All rights reserved.
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