Does your small staff want to know how to earn non-dues revenue? (Let’s be real: what organization doesn’t?!)

Here are some ideas and insights from Tracy Thompson-Przylucki, Executive Director, NELLCO and Lewis Flex, President of Flax Associates.

Typical non-dues revenue opportunities include:
- Conference sponsorships
- Gala dinner; other fundraising event
- Advertising
- Event or program sponsorships
- List rental
- Affinity programs

But what can your organization do differently when creating corporate relationships? (And think about it … are those corporate messages believable?)

- Bundle benefits strategically
- Tier packages to incentivize companies to ‘buy-up’
- Price packages based on value
- Consider their interests
- Understand their current activities, objectives and challenges
- Clarify how they work with others
- Seek ways your association can assist
- Identify why your organization is unique

What are your keys to success?

- Targeted focus
- Recognize and understand needs
- Speak their language
- Relationship first
- Seek and value their input
- Simple outreach
-Make it happen
- Celebrate small successes!

It’s been quite a whirlwind at this year’s ASAE Annual Meeting! We attended sessions, spent lots of time on the expo floor, networked at the parties and have had an amazing time!

Over the course of the next week or so, we’ll be sharing photos and learnings from the conference.

Today, we’ve got a few tidbits from the Coping as a Small Staff Executive session. There are some great time management tips here that all association professionals – whether you’re small staff or not! – can benefit from.

1. Schedule – try to set your schedule so that you can work an hour or two a day when the
office is less busy.  Either early or late.  Amazing how much you can accomplish without the
phone ringing.  This approach is often helpful when working on a big projects.

2. Emails – turn off the audio alert for incoming emails – less temptation to keep checking
email when you really need to focus your attention on completing a particular task.

3. Project management – while we all talk about time management – sometimes you might
need to finish that one project before you start another one.  Not always easy.

4. Time off – use compensation other than salary to motivate and retain.  Extra paid days off
work, as well as (or often better than) salary increases in tough times.

5. The benefit value – focus benefits on items that actually mean something and have value.
Don’t add extraneous garbage benefits (your members will see through it).

6. Problem resolution – challenge your team to come up with solutions to problems before they approach you.  This empowers them and brings more options to the table for a well informed mutual decision.

7. Use volunteers – put a call out to local members for volunteering to work on a particular
project.  If the project is broken down into small chunks (see time tips above), you may be
surprised at the level of interest members have in seeing the office, working alongside you
and really feeling like they contributed to a particular project.  Be sure to provide recognition
of their efforts!

8. Print vs. electronic – create print versions of documents only when absolutely necessary.
Use the internet to your advantage.

9. Networking – subscribe to the ASAE listserve for several functions (not just the small
association or CEO). There are many cost-saving tips that come up in a variety of areas.

10. Technology – stay on top of technology.  Look for ways to save $$$ (cloud-based
environment, online conferencing vs. face-to-face, google voice, etc).

11. Don’t reinvent the wheel – beg and borrow ideas.

12. Be patient – be the turtle not the hare. Don’t rush to judgment.

Where, oh, where are you going to be able to find the MemberClicks crew at this year’s ASAE Annual Meeting & Expo?

At the expo

Come by booth 317 to step away from the hectic sales floor and into a refreshing experience. Relax, chat with us, rest your feet – there’s no pressure.

At the party

We’re hosting the 2nd annual Small Staff Reception on Sunday, August 7th at 5:00 p.m., so be sure to stop by Salon 2 at the Renaissance Hotel for a concentrated dose of refreshment.

The Renaissance Hotel is located directly across the street from the Convention Center – look for the signs on the way in.

At the learning sessions

Below are some awesome learning sessions just for small staffs!

Sunday Aug. 7

• 1:30 PM – 2:45 PM: Coping and Managing as a Small Staff Executive
• 3:15 PM – 4:30 PM: Love our Mission: Moving from Board-Centric to Extended Reach!

Monday, August 8

• 8:45 AM – 10:00 AM: It Takes Two! How to Make Consultant/Small-Staff Executive Partnership Successful
• 1:30 PM – 2:45 PM: Create a Surplus of Volunteers by Embracing Your Lazy Leaders
• 3:15 PM – 4:30 PM: Generating Nondues Revenue: Small-Staff Edition

Tuesday, August 9

• 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM: 2011: The State of Association Social Media Report
• 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM: Search Engine Optimization for the Small-Staff Association

On your own time

To set up a meeting outside of the expo hours, send an email to sales@memberclicks.com.

It’s hard to believe ASAE’s Annual Meeting and Expo is just about upon us! It’s always an exciting time of the year for us as we look forward to meeting with small staff association professionals. We love making lives easier through technology, so we’re ready to listen to what your associations need!

In addition to hosting the Small Staff Reception at the Annual Meeting, we’ll also be exhibiting at booth 317 during all expo hours, and MemberClicks team members will be available for private meetings and demonstrations.

If you’re attending the meeting – and especially if it’s your first time! – here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Have a schedule, but be flexible.

2. Introduce yourself to as many people as possible. Everyone is friendly!

3. If possible, go with a purpose. Whether it’s to meet new people and network, find a technology solution or glean membership strategies from your fellow association professionals, have a goal in mind.

4. Go to a variety of sessions, but don’t feel obligated to stay in one if you’re not learning much. Use your time wisely.

5. Meet exhibitors! (We’re friendly, we swear!) Go to the parties and receptions and enjoy yourself!

6. Bring snacks. You’ll be really really (really) busy, and if you have an apple or a meal replacement-type bar handy, you’ll be thankful.

(Also, check out Elizabeth Engel’s post with tips for first-timers.)

Are you attending ASAE’s Annual Meeting? Get all the details on what MemberClicks will be up to in St. Louis!

So, if you went to ASAE’s Annual Meeting and Expo in Los Angeles last year (or if you read this blog back in August), you might remember that we were fortunate enough to host the Small Staff Association Reception. Well, we’re gearing up for this year’s Annual Meeting in St. Louis already, and we’re honored to be the sole sponsor of the event once again!

The Annual Meeting is the largest gathering of association professionals from across the U.S., and offers education, networking sessions and opportunities to meet with business solution providers.

“This is our second year hosting this event, and it’s a natural fit for us,”  MemberClicks President Thomas Howard said. “We continue to build our company around the needs of small-staff associations, and this is an excellent opportunity to interact with and learn from them.”

The 2010 reception in LA was the largest such reception at the annual ASAE meeting, allowing hundreds of small-staff professionals to network, socialize and exchange ideas.

Of course, we’ll also have team members at the expo in Booth 319 and we’ll be available for private appointments outside of show hours. For more information about attending the Small-Staff Reception, contact MemberClicks at 800.914.2441.

Photo source: Kevin Patrick