BOARD DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORT, & EDUCATION

When you work with VPG, we become your partner in taking care of all the details of the Association’s operations, so the Boards and Committees don’t have to. We can handle preparation for Board Meetings and AGMs, assist in nominations processes, record minutes and assist in on-boarding and training of new Board Members.

BUYERS GUIDE

We will optimize your consumer publications to improve sales and give your community clarity and empowerment in their purchasing choices.

We offer consulting services for your organization, ranging from board development and governance, developing strategic plans, building collaborative partnerships, providing general operations and administration assistance, working on policy, advocacy, and grant management, marketing management, membership management and growth, education and professional development, in-person and virtual event management, information, technology and website management – all with excellence, optimized processes, and costs!

We are driven by a passion to serve, as well as to provide individuals and organizations access to growth and development through coaching. Our experience is in aligning and strengthening the tenets of personal leadership, including personal growth and elevated mindset for change, and organizational leadership, including mission statement definition, governance and management, principles and practices of strategic planning and fundraising, social media management, organization systems and processes, diversity and inclusion in the organizational culture, fostering and growing culture and community in the current environment, and small business management.

Our coaching is focused on developing new business as well as balancing, managing, and achieving strategic goals, Focusing on the realities of today’s society, our coaching is focused on fostering self-actualization and growth, building and unifying communities. We work in settings that range from one-on-one sessions to groups embracing and leveraging aspects of technology used for distance interaction!

FINANCIAL SERVICES

We will work closely with your Treasurer to ensure that all financial information is reported in a timely and accurate fashion. All preparation of customized monthly or quarterly financial reports with accompanying notes is customized for your association. Our services also include: bank reconciliations, annual and quarterly budgeting/forecasting, audit coordination, A/R, management of signing authorities and maintenance of all accounting and financial records for your association.

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Talk to us about how we can help with broadening your industry’s awareness through development of a wide array of marketing, communications and PR initiatives for Associations. Understanding your audience and knowing how to reach them are keys to the success of any Association. Van Petten Group’s team understands that a mix of traditional communication channels with a dose of the ever-blossoming social networks is a sure way to get your message heard.

MEMBERSHIP MANAGEMENT

Van Petten group provides the expertise and resources to help you ensure an efficient, professional and tailored service to meet the needs of your Association’s members. Our team will assist in the creation or streamlining of member application process, in the development of membership reporting and database management. We are always seeking new ways to bring the most benefit to our Associations’ members.

OFFICE MANAGEMENT

With Van Petten Group, our office is your office. Centrally located in downtown Chicago, our staff of experts will represent your Association as full-time staff and we will take care of all the arrangements for phone systems, email account, document archiving, mailing, and dedicated team members to provide a physical presence and personal touch.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT

Our social media experts can help your organization create a social media strategy or enhance an existing one. There are so many benefits of having a social media plan for your organization including communicating key messages and industry news, generating leads, showing your brand’s personality, seeking feedback, positioning your organization as a thought leader in the industry and providing real-time customer service.

Coordinating, organizing, producing, and hosting virtual events that range from a one day gala to those that span across several days and are focused on professional development and continuing education opportunities. We utilize various platforms (including Pathable and Maestro.io) to create events that can include information sessions, networking events, and committee and board meetings, allowing for secure log-ins and giving attendees the ability to build their own conference itinerary as well as to fill out their profiles and share information with other attendees. Additionally, our events can feature workshops, an exhibit hall for sponsors, and more – whatever is your need for the event, can present an option that will cater to your needs. We have experience with events utilizing live streams, pre-recorded sessions, or a hybrid combination of the two, allowing for integrating produced panels with live Q&A sessions. In each scenario, we can offer a variety of analytics to gauge the success of the event (user engagement based on polls, session attendance tracking, number of unique users per session) and follow-up surveying that can be distinctly targeted at different segments of event attendees.

WEBSITE MANAGEMENT

Your website is often the first impression a prospective member will have of the Association. Van Petten Group staff is experienced in the majority of online platforms, and always ensures that all content and online databases are up-to-date and accurate. We are also able to provide an in-depth website consultation to allow your Association to exceed industry standards.

BOARD DEVELOPMENT

Working together to map out a blueprint for a successful working relationship. This always involves setting measurable goals, working in tandem to reach said goals with clear accountability, focusing on developing leadership, common accepted values and partnership, succession planning and
employing best governance practices.

MISSION & VISION STATEMENT DEFINITION

Working with the newly formed organizations, or those undergoing
restructuring and reevaluation to focus on what is important, what will represent and speak to their target audiences, and promote the values and goals of the organization.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Working with leadership to define short-term and long-term goals, milestones and KPIs set in place to measure the results; employing accountability, reporting and tracking systems, and working with the organization’s budget.

MEMBER EXPERIENCE FOCUS

An organization’s members, donors, or stakeholders are what drives the existence of the entity. Working together on member recruitment, engagement with the organization and its initiatives from the very first contact, and creating benchmarks for member satisfaction, involvement, and retention, creating a true sense of community that unites leadership and membership body into a strong organization.

PROCEDURES & BEST PRACTICES

Talk to us about how we can help with broadening your industry’s awareness through the development of a wide array of marketing, communications, and PR initiatives for associations. Understanding your audience and knowing how to reach them are keys to the success of any Association. Van Petten Group’s team understands that a mix of traditional communication channels with a dose of the ever-blossoming social networks is a sure way to get your message heard.

OPTIMIZING SERVICES & COSTS

Examining and evaluating current services used by the organization, or co-creating a new custom solution that will improve on operations, focusing on automation, organization, streamlining of tasks, and installing KPIs while balancing costs.

LEADERSHIP

Focus coaching on developing leadership, self-actualization, and personal and professional growth. Sharpening leadership skills benefits not only the individual, but also contributes to creating, growing, and strengthening organizations and communities. Megan’s methodology of coaching utilizes a series of in-depth conversations, creating and following through on action plans that allow for creating projects which range from personal to neighborhood to national non-profit organizations. The cornerstone of her coaching lies in the idea of being of service and what personal and professional results and achievements can be attained by truly embracing this mindset and way of being.

COMMUNICATION

Megan believes in the value of communication, which promotes creating workability, building trust, breaking down barriers in organizations’ effectiveness, and being one of the key contributors to driving organizational success. The importance of communication can be especially emphasized in the current environment, where we as a society deal with social distancing, remote work, and adapting to the realities of digital interaction. Her goal through coaching is to strengthen the understanding of the importance of listening, building relatedness, and creating responsible communication both in personal and professional environments which will greatly facilitate reaching common set goals. Without communication, there is no workability, and without workability, there is no consistency and sustainability in producing results.

BALANCE

While we focus on professional growth and development, Megan believes in fostering and cultivating balance, an important aspect of her coaching. Through coaching, we explore the value of balance in work/life, and work on creating a set of key elements put in place to manage and prevent burnout, heighten satisfaction from work being done, and look at the meaning of “self-actualization”. Setting incredible goals, working to reach them and growing organizations does not have to come at a cost of quality of life, and having it be vibrant and rich! Consider that it’s hard to grow and develop if we concentrate only on one aspect of our life, regardless of how important or time consuming it is – only through tending to multiple facets of what it means to be YOU gives access to creativity, thinking outside the box and experiencing joy.

CONTRIBUTION / FULFILLED LIFE

What does it mean to be a contribution? We will look at contribution as a foundation for building all relationships, personal, professional, between individuals and groups/teams, from the scale of the family to organizations and communities. Through conversation, we will examine how it manifests in your life, both originating with you and experiencing it from others, and what pathways can be created between that and sense of fulfillment in life and look at other aspects of what it means to have a fulfilled life.

BANNERS & SIGNAGE

From conferences to golf tournaments and everything in between, Van Petten Group will help you develop clear, concise and creative banners and way-finding for all of your signage needs.

BRAND MANAGEMENT

Van Petten Group’s Creative team will help you and your association strategically develop branding guidelines that suit your brand standards & convey your message in the best way possible. From logo re-design to a total re-brand, Van Petten Group will help implement your vision with utmost efficiency.

IMPACTFUL CREATIVE IDEAS

If your idea is larger than life, bring it to the Van Petten Group team and we will help you develop it. Our creativity knows no boundaries – bring us your vision and we will give you our all!

INVITATIONS & MARKETING

Whether it is for an upcoming conference or an annual social, our team can create exciting and enticing invitations and marketing collateral packages to showcase and highlight your event in dazzling visual prestige.

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Talk to us about how we can help with broadening your industry’s awareness through development of a wide array of marketing, communications and PR initiatives for Associations. Understanding your audience and knowing how to reach them are keys to the success of any Association. Van Petten Group’s team understands that a mix of traditional communication channels with a dose of the ever-blossoming social networks is a sure way to get your message heard.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT

Our social media experts can help your organization create a social media strategy or enhance an existing one. There are so many benefits to having a social media plan for your organization including communicating key messages and industry news, generating leads, showing your brand’s personality, seeking feedback, positioning your organization as a thought leader in the industry and providing real-time customer service.

WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT

Creative content developed for social media and the web is becoming increasingly crucial and necessary, and the Van Petten Group Creative team can help you to put your brand online. We specialize in web banners, creative imagery, Twitter content and more.

WEBSITE MANAGEMENTT

Your website is the often the first impression a prospective client or customer will have of the organization. Van Petten Group staff is experienced with the majority of online platforms, and always ensures that all content is up-to-date and accurate. We are also able to provide an in-depth website consultation to allow your organization to exceed industry standards. Client Website Intake Form

From building the awards program to managing the nominations process, and ending with the awards program itself, Van Petten Group will make it easy for you to ensure that recognition will be received by those within your organization who have contributed so much.

Our team works with your organization to plan and execute conferences and events that are in line with your organizational strategy. From concept to delivery, our expert team can help you with everything, including the management of food & beverage, audio visual, social media programming, and much more!

From small local dinner events to day or week-long corporate retreats, we will plan and execute the perfect get-away for you and your team. With relationships across the globe, we are passionate about making your retreat come to life.

Our elite team of event management specialists will work closely with the host city of your event to ensure your program is expertly managed. Our close relationship with suppliers around the world will guarantee your event can move from city to city without being disrupted.

SITE-SELECTION MANAGEMENT

Full management of site selection and request for proposals (RFPs) as well as management of the site and venue inspections and contract negotiations.

Coordinating, organizing, producing, and hosting virtual events that range from a one day gala to those that span across several days and are focused on professional development and continuing education opportunities. We utilize various platforms (including Pathable and Maestro.io) to create events that can include information sessions, networking events, and committee and board meetings, allowing for secure log-ins and giving attendees the ability to build their own conference itinerary as well as to fill out their profiles and share information with other attendees. Additionally, our events can feature workshops, an exhibit hall for sponsors, and more – whatever is your need for the event, can present an option that will cater to your needs. We have experience with events utilizing live streams, pre-recorded sessions, or a hybrid combination of the two, allowing for integrating produced panels with live Q&A sessions. In each scenario, we can offer a variety of analytics to gauge the success of the event (user engagement based on polls, session attendance tracking, number of unique users per session) and follow-up surveying that can be distinctly targeted at different segments of event attendees.

BEST PRACTICES

We assist our clients with organizational competencies, including strategic thinking and innovation. We provide creative ideas and benchmarking metrics to help client organizations grow and attain their goals.

We take your informative educational content and make it work for you by providing customized, comprehensive, and flexible support.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

We work closely with your Treasurer to ensure that all financial information is reported in a timely and accurate fashion. All preparation of customized monthly or quarterly financial reports with accompanying notes is customized for your association. Our services also include: bank reconciliations, annual and quarterly budgeting/forecasting, audit coordination, A/R, management of signing authorities and maintenance of all accounting and financial records for your association.

Our dedicated team leverage comprehensive transition processes that provide cohesion and minimize disruption during this developmental time.

VPG uses public relations strategies to expertly assists our clients with keeping a fresh and successful public image.