Where were you 20 years ago? I can happily say, “Right here at Easter Associates, of course!” Though a lot has changed since 2003, association management has been our core focus here. I am so proud to have worked my way through the company over the past 20 years. I could not imagine being anywhere else!

An association relies on both new and continued membership. But, if all your recruitment efforts are focused on new members, you might see renewals decline. Now is the perfect time to coordinate a campaign to thank your current members.

What does your association need to consider as you prepare for a strong 2023? Consider what must be updated, your goals and priorities, as well as what should have been wrapped up in 2022. The year is full of promise for all of us. Sometimes all it takes is a fresh outlook and a strategic plan to fully realize the goals that we have set for ourselves

As you plan programs for your association, consider taking the extra step of looking for opportunities for attendees to connect with the host communities and leave behind a positive impact. By connecting your members with the community, associations can benefit both their members and the communities in which they visit.

 

With our years of experience in guiding associations to outstanding achievements, we pulled together some of the top traits for boards that we see among our clients. We are always working to nurture these traits within our current associations, but we also consider the cultivation of these qualities a top priority in new clients.

Evaluating is part of life. When we wake up, we determine whether we had enough good sleep. We look in the mirror to determine if we look presentable (or at least to check that our zippers are in their proper place). We eat a meal and judge whether it was good. We constantly use those evaluations to determine what needs to be changed and what should remain the same. The same is true of evaluations of conferences, events, and programs. Evaluations help organizers comprehend an audience’s experience and prepare for the next event of both overall ideas (such as location), as well as the minute details (there were runny eggs at breakfast).

The Virginia Society of Association Executives (VSAE), the only association in Virginia that serves the association management industry established in 1949, has appointed Amy Sales, CMP to its Board of Directors. Sales has been an active member of the VSAE for over a decade and served as a SIG (Shared Interest Groups) chair for the association for several years.

Picture it (enter Sophia Petrillo from The Golden Girls): You have paid to attend an education program in an unfamiliar location. It is early morning, and you slept in a hotel bed or got out of your own earlier than usual. While sipping conference coffee you are waiting for the first session to start. And that is all you are doing – waiting and sitting in a large conference room with dull lighting listening to the sound of people shuffling about. But it doesn’t have to be like this.

When you think of “golden arches” or a red “bullseye” you can easily connect the logo to its brand. An association should be as recognizable to its members as the two companies listed above. Impressive design is the first way to impact your audience. Through visually consistent marketing and communication materials, your association will strengthen its brand identity and become as recognizable to members as brands like Starbucks and Dunkin’.

Volunteers from your association are essential to hold an effective event, but turning to professionals can simplify and streamline the process. Professionals take all the work off of the volunteers, allowing them to focus on other needs both within their industry and within their roles on the committee.