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March 10, 2010
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YOU CAN'T
BUY INNOVATION
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| Enough talk. Tonight is Schmoozarama II. It's not too late to snag one of the last spots, but we're limiting the crowd to 600. Open Bar and buffet. Park at Fourteenth. Low Price. Sign up now! |
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| Yesterday, best-selling author Dan Pink, who's kind of like the Beyoncé of the organization world, gave the closing keynote at ASAE's Great Ideas conference. Lucky for you, we were front row to record it all live from Colorado Springs. Unlucky for all of us, there were no dance moves. |
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Money is a motivator (how else do you explain Fear Factor?), but rewards and punishments won't stimulate innovation, says Dan. He points to one study in which participants were given rewards based on their performance in cognitive, mechanical, and physical tasks. In straightforward tasks, the greater the reward, the better people performed. But when it came to creative tasks, they performed worse. Instead, people are happier, more productive and more innovative when they feel they have sense of purpose and are making progress at their work.
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Another key to innovation: autonomy. At Zappos, the online shoe store, employees are trained for two weeks then given one directive: solve customer problems. Unlike most call centers, there's no script, no monitoring, no quotas, and no cubicles. The result: better customer service ratings than the Four Seasons. Another example is Google, which is famous for its "20% time" in which employees spend a fifth of their work hours on any project they want. Dan says Google News and Gmail both came of 20% time. Now, “20% time” refers to the hours the rest of us spend addicted to those tools.
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| Cry me a river. No, really. At one breakout seession, motivational speaker Doug Stevenson of Story Theater International said many association and non-profit execs—particularly women—are afraid to show any emotion at the front of a room because they worry about coming off as weak. But the most effective presentations constantly stimulate emotional triggers—whether it's laughs or tears. We would all be a little less bored and presenters would get their message a little further by telling a personal story about a meaningful moment. "A good presentation informs," says Doug. "A great presentation influences." |
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| The American College of Emergency Physicians has increased its membership 4% each year since it began testing variations of its direct mail, says ACEP's Kris Williams, who led a session on marketing. The association of Grey's Anatomy cast—, ahem, ER professionals sent different groups of prospective members serious business-like envelopes vs. softer invitation-like envelopes and found response rates boosted 35% with the former. They also found that customizing content to focus on local chapter issues rather than the national got 20% more response. But even tests that flop provided insight. "Just because it doesn't work, doesn't mean it's a waste of time or resources," Kris says. |
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Test the big stuff first, says Marketing General Inc's Jeremy Griffin, who worked with ACEP on its tests. What colors or graphics you use won't matter as much as the mailing lists or offers. Here's a few more tips:
- Simplify your reply device. If you have a 10-page application form, nobody will want to respond in the first place.
- A first year dues discount is one of the most effective ways to acquire new members.
- Consider offering different payment options. First year members have an average of 60% renewal rate. That jumps to 85% with auto-renewal.
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| UPCOMING EVENTS |
| Click here to place your own listing |
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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. Networking beings 7:30am. 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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