Hello from somewhere above Las Vegas! (Isn’t technology amazing?!) I’m headed back to the East Coast after a busy few days in Los Angeles for ASAE’s Annual Meeting and Exposition, and it truly was a fantastic trip. The sessions provided me with a ton of food for thought, and I really enjoyed meeting so many people “in real life.”

Today, I wanted to share a quick tidbit of info from Jeff De Cagna’s session on mobile technology. I’ve been thinking about this for a few days and I think it’s really important, especially for small staff associations.

Jeff shared a great deal of important statistics (for example, for every one computer sold, there are four mobile devices sold), but the point that really stuck out to me was about the generations. Everyone uses mobile devices. Not everyone uses social media.

Too often, we talk about the importance of having presences on social media and engaging with your members online, but it’s vital to remember that not everyone uses Twitter, Facebook, et al. Nearly everyone — from the 22-year-old new member straight out of college to the 65-year-old who’s about to retire — uses mobile devices. Perhaps not everyone uses a phone that can connect to the Internet, but those phones’ market shares are growing each and every day, and experts predict that within just a few years (5 or so, I believe), we will access the Internet more on our phones than on computers.

So when you’re thinking about what to include in your communications arsenal, don’t forget about mobile. It could be more important to your association than social media. If you use Google Analytics or another website analytics program, it should show you how people are accessing your website — whether it’s via iPhone, BlackBerry or computer. Be sure your website is visually appealing and has easy-to-digest information. Ask your members if they would use an app.

Most people are never more than 10 feet away from their mobile phones. Members should have easy access to your association on those devices.

Does your organization have a mobile strategy?

It’s hard to believe ASAE’s Annual Meeting and Expo is just about over! There have been some amazing sessions and learning opportunities, and I’m glad to have the chance to hit up some sessions.

One really thought-provoking session was this morning — we discussed ethics and how different generations handle different situations. Some of the dilemmas presented were tricky, and I think there’s a lot of gray area regarding ethics and conflicts of interest.

Here’s the scenario that we discussed for awhile: What do you do if you have a side business that serves your members? How do you handle it with your supervisors? What would you do?

There didn’t seem to be one clear consensus, but lots of different scenarios. However, I think one thing to keep in mind when dealing with an ethical dilemma is to always be open, honest and transparent. Your decisions may not always be popular, but hopefully your integrity will never be questioned.

Hello from the West Coast! The MemberClicks team has been basking in the excitement of ASAE’s Annual Conference and Expo here in Los Angeles, meeting some great people and learning a lot. I’m psyched for today’s afternoon sessions and Tuesday’s learning labs. I can’t wait to be inspired and learn tons of new information and relate it all back to our readers — through the small staff lens, of course.

Just for fun, here’s some photos of the conference so far. (All taken on my iPhone — I’ll be sharing better-quality photos in the next few days.)

Ryan Seacrest introducing Melissa Etheridge at the Opening Celebration

Melissa Etheridge performing at the Opening Celebration

The team — Duncan, Hannae, Mark and Elyse — ready to go with their iPads on day one of the expo hall

More Clickers — Elyse, Kevin, Thomas and Mark — prepping on day two

For those of you in Los Angeles at the conference, we’re honored to be hosting the Small Staff Reception this evening at 5 at the JW Marriott, right around the corner from the conference center. We would love for any small staff professionals to attend!

In other, non-ASAE-related news, the Splash blog is nominated for an #eventprofs award! We’re honored to be included in the “Best Corporate Blog” category, and would be thrilled for you all to vote for us (if you think we are indeed the best corporate blog) by taking the survey found here. Voting is open until Sept. 9, so spread the word!

Stay tuned for more updates from ASAE10, and definitely follow us on Twitter for the live scoop!

In anticipation of ASAE’s Annual Meeting and Expo, I’ve written quite a few posts about what the MemberClicks team will be up to. But since the conference starts in just a few days (in fact, some of our contingent heads to the West Coast tomorrow), I wanted to condense it all into a nice little schedule for everyone.

We’ll be moving things into booth 332 on Friday and Saturday, and one or two of us may even be participating in the Golf Challenge.

Saturday night, of course, we’ll be at the opening celebration mingling and getting to know attendees and fellow exhibitors.

Bright and early Sunday morning, I’ll be participating in the Fun Run 5K, followed by the Opening General Session. The expo hall opens at 10 a.m., and several Clickers will be in and around the hall. Sunday afternoon at 1:30, anyone interested in chatting about social media for small staff associations should meet me at booth 332 for an informal discussion group. Then, we’ll be hitting up some learning sessions and that evening, I’m sure we’ll be attending some awesome parties.

Monday morning, we’ll be bopping around between learning sessions and the expo hall, with more sessions Monday afternoon. Of course, we’re hosting the Small Staff Reception on Monday evening, and we’re so excited to meet all the small staff association professionals attending that event. Some of the MemberClicks team will be attending the Food & Wine Classic, and then we’ll all be at the YAPStar party that night.

Tuesday will be filled with learning sessions and, of course, the Final Night Celebration.

During expo hours, feel free to stop by booth 332 to see our solutions in action, have your questions answered in person and receive a personalized, one-on-one consultation on how our technology can help your organization. You can also meet with us at your convenience anytime, even outside of show hours.

Whew! It’s going to be a busy, fun-filled few days, and I can’t wait to get to Los Angeles.

Feel free to tweet us (@MemberClicks) if you have any questions about anything related to the tradeshow or where we are. And of course, the Twitter stream can be found at #asae10. We can’t wait to meet you!

Happy Friday! How was everyone’s week? I always think the best weeks are those that are busy, but not overwhelmingly so. What’s got you psyched to go to work this week? As always, there were lots of great blog posts in the association community this week — especially with ASAE’s Annual Meeting and Expo just one week away! Here are some of the highlights:

1. David M. Patt had a thoughtful post about understanding entrepreneurs. With advice and tidbits from overhead is not the enemy to owners are hands-on managers, David offers great insight to understand how your members run their businesses. One of my favorites? Personnel practices will be extremely casual. This is especially true in small businesses.

2. At the SocialFish blog, Lindy Dreyer discussed a few non-techie tools every organization needs. Although the three tools are a bit social media-related, it’s always good to have a response plan in order, on the off-chance something bad happens and words get out on various social media channels.

3. Always insightful, Shelly Alcorn shared some lessons from a blog post by advertising executive Alex Bugosky. I’m glad she directed her readers to the original post, otherwise I never would have seen it. The biggest lesson to be learned? Get it right. If you make a mistake, always set the record straight. Be willing to admit you messed up. You’ll earn respect and keep credibility.

4. At the Membership Marketing Blog, Tony Rossell posted a few quick reminders regarding membership renewals. He offers a good rule of thumb for how many “touches” associations should make with their current members, as well as information about how social media and e-mail can be used. Great tips.

5. Last, but of course not least, Joe Sapp continued his series about how an organization should handle a change in leadership. In part three, Joe reminds readers to consider how their membership feels during the transition and to take your time with the wording of the message to them. Everyone in the organization should know the message and the plan to be successful.

We hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! And we’re looking forward to meeting you at the Annual Meeting, whether at the expo, the small staff reception or our meeting about social media for small staff professionals.