Chances are, you probably started 2020 with a comprehensive plan in place to promote your association, increase member acquisition, retain membership, and boost engagement. And seemingly out of nowhere, COVID-19 struck and rendered that membership growth plan inadequate. Regardless of the breadth and depth of your membership teams’ experience, this is without question unchartered territory. There’s no direct blueprint to draw from to figure out how to navigate these waters. The unsettling reality is that we are all trying to figure things out as we go along, and as information becomes, which is also the same reality for your members. …
Outmaneuver Uncertainty: How to run effective business services during COVID-19
As governments make significant interventions in response to the coronavirus, businesses are rapidly adjusting to the changing needs of their people, their customers, and suppliers, while navigating the financial and operational challenges. With every industry, function, and geography affected, the amount of potential change to think through can be daunting. How can business leaders react to the challenges, reassess what they do, reconfigure their companies, and reinvent their activities to adapt to the disruption and prepare for the new normal? The implications of climate change, new technologies, digitalization, demographic changes, artificial intelligence, and financial and political uncertainties have moved many …
From Physical To Digital: How associations are adapting among COVID-19
Event marketers have suffered heartbreak over the last month. Tighter and tighter regulations coming into play have meant the majority of trade shows and in-person events have been either voluntarily or legally canceled. The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly created some interesting times and overwhelming obstacles for organizations worldwide. The unprecedented social distancing restrictions have caused live events and conferences that have been planned for months to come to a screeching stop, along with face-to-face business. This may seem like a grim time for many businesses, but out of adversity comes opportunity particularly if you pivot to digital marketing. Nearly 28% …
Build your Team Organically w/a Socially Accessible Environment
While the office is predominantly a place to conduct business, it should also be viewed as a space where your team can connect. Encouraging your team to socialize holds great value not only for the business, but to each individual as well. Communication fosters relationships, and social interactions that provide a sense of belonging are known to intrinsically motivate human beings. Friendships and social interactions are stress reducers, so having friends at work provides team members with a sense of comfort and belonging. Workplace friendships tend to lead to higher engagement and loyalty of the team. Additionally,according to Mayo Clinic, …
How to Throw a Killer Conference with Lasting Impact
The act of planning a conference for your organization requires balancing the intentions of service and fun. Having the ability to bring multiple voices in the same industry and discipline together once a year is no small feat. Some individuals plan their whole year around professional events that create opportunities to learn, connect and build for the future. Create space for magic to happen. Whether it is meeting the person who inspires a whole department, learning about a new resource that will uplevel the field, or allowing time to recharge away from their natural environment for a fresh outlook. Unique …
Work & Peace Guide: Team Stress Management During the Holiday Season
As the holiday season revs up and the temperatures begin to drop off (in the Midwest), the challenge for teams is to keep balanced as work and life often have added demands to the regular schedule. This can be a heightened time for stress as people get ready to finish out the season and welcome in the new year. Encourage your team to be mindful of what support they need during this transitional time. Check in to make sure your team remembers to take stretch breaks, have walking meetings, or investigate in other exercise incentives such as a partnership with …
How to Set the Stage for Creativity in your Organization
Fostering a creative workplace environment can be an incredible way to boost morale and add to the overall culture of your organization. Increased problem solving and critical thinking can be directly linked to focusing on this aspect in the workplace. Companies like Google and Airbnb have attributed a lot of their success to establishing creativity as a high priority. How does your team find creativity? Encourage your team by getting to know how they get inspired for specific tasks. At VPG, our team has opportunities to work on their own on individual projects but also together on group tasks. Creativity …
Cybersecurity: What is it?
We’ve all heard the term cybersecurity before, but what does it mean? Cybersecurity, at its simplest form, is the protection of electronic intellectual property, whether it be from theft, damage or service disruption. Think of cybersecurity as the doorman to the building that houses your organization’s most important data. The Importance of Cybersecurity Cybersecurity is imperative to the retention of intellectual property to large associations and small businesses alike. It was reported as of 2019 that 50% of all cybersecurity attacks were against small businesses. This makes cybersecurity equally important, if not more so, to small businesses. The barrier to …
The Importance of Fundraising through Social Media for Organizations
If you are reading this article right now you’re probably reading it through some sort of social media. Internet users have among 5 to 6 different social media accounts. In this modern era, it is safe to say that most of us use our social media accounts a lot. We use it to connect with friends, family, and coworkers. We also use it to engage with posts, pictures, and pages from causes and organizations we care about. Since people use social media 24/7 in order to connect with others and things that matter, it’s only logical that online fundraising would …
Thinking outside the box: Maverick Organizations
There is an electrifying thrill that runs up the spine when your organization becomes a maverick in your industry. You know your mission has the chance to change the world. To make this a reality, your playbook needs to adapt from orthodox templates. Are you looking for a cohort to display examples of best practices but still experiencing a challenge finding the next step? Expand your mind. I find great value in widening my scope to learn from different fields outside the target industry I am working in. Developing hobbies I’ve let grow dormant or reading up on topics a …