Happy Friday! My favorite posts this week all had to do with technology in some way or another. It’s what we’re consumed by here at MemberClicks, and we love the idea of technology making someone’s life easier. So let’s get right to it!

1. I tweeted this post earlier this morning, but I want to draw everyone’s attention to Mobile Millennials Leading the Way. For many young people, their entire lives are on their cell phones. It’s a “24/7 lifestyle.” Regardless of your organization’s size, being cognizant of mobile is crucial — even if you don’t have a “mobile strategy.”

2. I’ve really been enjoying Joe Flowers’ series about his small staff association’s web redesign. Part 4 chronicles telling a vendor that their relationship is ending and the concerns of migrating their information. Any association can probably relate — we realize that dealing with vendors can be stressful! But hopefully your vendors are understanding and professional.

3. A recent post by Wes Trochlil got me thinking: people, process and technology. For any web project to be successful, you have to have a delicate balance of the three. But no matter how awesome your technology is, if your people (i.e. your staffers) aren’t on board, it won’t succeed.

4. OK, this one is technically neither a blog post nor about technology, but it is about small staffs, which automatically makes it awesome. In the latest issue of Associations Now, Teresa Evans-Hunter discusses how a small staff organization staffs its conference. It can be tricky to host hundreds (or even thousands!) of members with a limited staff, so this is a good read.

5. Last but not least, the crew at Association Tech shared a post about a website revamp. There are many challenges involved in such a huge undertaking, so it’s crucial to know your objective and work with the right people. What are some of the challenges your organization has faced during a website revamp?

From everyone at MemberClicks, have a great weekend!

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Happy Friday! I hope everyone’s week hasn’t been as crazy as mine! As always there were some great posts around the association community this week.

1. I’m a huge pop culture junkie, so Jeff Hurt’s “Killing Me Softly with Your Lecture” was spot on for me. Jeff goes through reasons why the traditional conference speech doesn’t work, and why the format should be altered. Then, he discusses improved conference environments. As always, Jeff’s blog is a must-read for event and conference planners.

2. Deirdre Reid’s blog is a fantastic resource for associations seeking more information on social media, and this week, she highlighted a presentation she gave at the Association Executives of North Carolina’s Technology Forum. Her comprehensive presentation covers everything association professionals need to consider before integrating it into their communications, no matter what size your organization.

3. A lot of us blog a lot about introducing change to organizations – but what should you do to avoid potential pitfalls? Jeffrey Cufaude wrote a great post this week about mistakes to avoid, and I think the apply to both small-staffs and bigger associations. Nothing guarantees success, Jeffrey writes, but these tips can help point you in the right direction.

4. Cynthia D’Amour’s pup Raindrop weighed in at her blog this week, asking chapter leaders if they stay patient when teaching members “new tricks.” As the saying goes, patience is a virtue, and many of us sometimes get carried away when teaching or doing something new.

5. Over at the Membership Marketing Blog, Tony Rossell wrote an interesting piece about membership trends in 2009 and 2010. Unfortunately, from last year to this one, there has been a decidedly downward trend. Luckily, member input has either increased or remained the same.

Now could be the time to start experimenting with different membership models. What membership trends is your organization experiencing?

Have a great weekend!

This is the tenth in an ongoing series called “Beyond The Big Three,” which highlights social networking sites other than Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. There are tons of other social media outposts on the Web, and they’re great places for associations to curate content. The first nine installments can be found here. Stay tuned.

When you click over to UStream.tv, you might be wondering what makes it different from other video-sharing sites such as YouTube or Vimeo. The awesome thing about UStream is you can record video live!

(Coincidentally, I began writing this post and saw KiKi L’Italien’s new “Social Media Sweet Spot” show, which she recorded live on UStream last Friday. This is a great example of how live video can be used for communication both at the time of recording and later on.)

On its About page, UStream explains, In less than two minutes, anyone can become a broadcaster by creating their own channel on Ustream or by broadcasting through their own site, empowering them to engage with their audience and further build their brand.

There are so many possibilities for associations who want to use UStream. I’ve written a bit about virtual attendance for conferences and meetings, and UStream could definitely be used to stream keynote speeches or learning sessions.

There is an interactive broadcast functionality, which allows viewers to interact with whoever is broadcasting. If the presenter chooses, virtual attendees could ask the presenter questions rather than just being passive viewers.

For larger events (such as a keynote speech), UStream also offers a one-to-many broadcast feature.

Associations could also use it for various training sessions, speeches or rallies or other events.

You don’t have to have an account to view videos, which is nice for people who just want to watch videos occasionally.

Getting started is very easy – all you need is an Internet connection and webcam.

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How could your association use UStream?

Also, I want to add that association professionals should by no means feel obligated to use all of the social networking sites I’ve highlighted in this series. I’ve always advocated picking and choosing based on which ones are correct fits for your organization, but definitely take the time to explore the ones you’re unfamiliar with.