Technology can be intimidating. We understand that here at MemberClicks. And the less people you have on staff to manage your data, the more intimidating it can be.

But before you even start looking at vendors and developers, there’s one big question: custom solutions or software-as-a-service (SaaS).

Custom solutions involve hiring a developer (or team of developers) to put together a program or database to keep track of your information. Software-as-a-Service involves vendors or providers licensing a piece of software to your organization and often they house your data on their own servers. Many are contract-based or monthly-based.

For the sake of comparison, I’ve compiled a list of things small-staff associations should keep in mind regarding each option.

Updates

• Many SaaS vendors include updates free of charge or for a small fee. The upgrades are released to all customers, and don’t require a custom job for your organization.
• A custom software solution usually doesn’t include upgrades — and they have to be created from scratch. Getting a custom solution upgraded often entails more time and money than your organization may be willing to spend.

Compatibility

• SaaS functions “in the cloud” — that is, your organization’s data is based in the Web. If you upgrade your Windows or Mac software, you won’t have to upgrade your data management solution along with it.
• Custom solutions are often tailored for just one (or a few) versions of Windows or Macintosh. Every program has a life cycle, and when your Windows or Mac software expires, your custom program probably won’t be far behind.

Support

• Your SaaS vendor will probably be around for quite a long time — and often, support is included or very affordable.
• Who’s to say your custom developer will always be around? Technology changes, so make sure your developer is ready to keep up with your needs.

Cost

• Research, development, design — all are included with a SaaS vendor because they serve so many different organizations. The vendor will be able to give you the lowest possible quote thanks to economies of scale.
• Your organization will probably have to pay for the entire project from start to finish, including development and programming costs.

It should go without saying, but every organization’s needs are different. Having a custom solution developed for your organization may be the right option, but there are already so many SaaS vendors out there. Chances are, one of them will be the right fit for your organization.

I’m a sucker for blog posts and articles that are written in list form. I think they’re more easily digestible. Additionally, I love any tips to make my workday go more smoothly – aren’t we all?

We work with hundreds and hundreds of small-staff association executives, and we’ve heard from them how important it is to be as productive as possible, how important it is for them to be able to streamline their duties, how difficult it can be to manage their memberships with just a handful of employees.

There really just aren’t enough hours in the day!

With that in mind, here are a few tips to increase productivity and make the most of your precious hours during the day.

1. Schedule a time for e-mail. We can get sucked into answering tons of e-mails and, before we know it, we’ve lost hours of our workday. By scheduling a time for checking our e-mail — for instance, just before lunch — we can avoid the timesuck that often comes with answering important messages. If you wait until just before lunch to check it, you’ll be more anxious to get to your midday break, and, likely, get through the e-mails more quickly.

2. Don’t have a pointless meeting, and don’t let them last for hours on end. How many times have you left a two-hour long meeting only to say, “what just happened?” Meetings are often just a formality, and we could often get the same things accomplished over just e-mail. Don’t have a meeting unless it’s truly necessary.

3. Use an egg timer or online stopwatch. These tools give us tangible deadlines for important tasks, and often we stay more focused when we set a finite time for projects. Additionally, those tangible deadlines are usually the ones we actually adhere to. Whether you set it for yourself or it comes from your boss, deadlines keep us on our toes.

4. Make a to-do list. Research has shown again and again that people who create lists are happier and healthier. Plus, there’s nothing like the feeling of crossing a task off your to-do list. (Full disclosure: I sometimes retroactively add tasks to my list just so I can cross them off. Anal retentive much?) Lists help us prioritize our days, weeks and months.

5. Stop multitasking! Our shiny new iPhones may be able to effortlessly switch from task to task, but that doesn’t mean our brains can do it. Again, research continues to prove that multitasking absolutely kills our productivity. We flit from task to task without really accomplishing anything. So set a timer, get to it and then cross the item off your list.

6. Learn how to say no. Many of us have this inane idea that we have to please everyone, all the time, or we’re failures … which of course, is absolutely ridiculous. If someone asks you to do something (that doesn’t have an immediate deadline) and you just don’t have time for it that day, realize that saying no, delegating or outsourcing it is perfectly acceptable.

And remember, no matter how many or how few staff members you have, we all need time to recharge and have a life outside of work. Whether it’s grabbing a mid-week pedicure, exercising a few times a week, catching up with an old friend for dinner or curling up with the latest from your Netflix queue, don’t forget to take (at least) a few hours each week to breathe.

However you celebrated the 4th of July, we hope you had a wonderful holiday!

I wanted to share a few great slideshows with our readers this morning. I think everyone knows they should have some sort of social media strategy by this point – no matter how minimal that strategy is! Here are some great tips:

It’s tough, it’s scary, it’s intimidating … but we’ve all got to speak in public at least once in our lives. And whether you’re in front of five people or 500, it can still be extremely nerve-wracking. It’s not for nothing that public speaking is the number one fear of Americans.

Here are some tips for keeping your cool while speaking in public:

1. Use appropriate body language. Make eye contact, walk around the room if possible. Use visual aids if you can. Don’t simply read from a script. I know this seems like common sense but it’s easy to fall into this trap when you’re nervous.

2. Be prepared to adjust your speech based on your audiences’ needs and questions. If your audience becomes visibly bored, you may have to switch up your game a bit. Don’t be intimidated.

3. Take pauses. Don’t obliviously keep talking without pausing for air. Natural pauses allow your audience time to absorb information. And they allow you, the speaker, some time to mentally collect yourself.

4. Use humor (if appropriate). Humor and lighthearted jokes interject a sense of human-ness to your presentation and lightens the mood just a bit.

5. Visualize yourself giving the speech. Be clear, be loud (but not too loud), be confident.

6. Remember – the audience doesn’t want you to fail. They want you to succeed. They want to be informed, they want to learn. No one wants to see you stutter, get sick or whatever your greatest fear of public speaking is. Everyone’s got your back.

7. Practice, practice, practice. Practice may not always make perfect, but the only way you’ll ever improve at public speaking is if you continue to practice it.

8. Know when to stop talking. No one likes a long-winded presentation.

What’s your greatest fear? If you’re like most people, it’s public speaking. I’m not crazy about it myself, but I think it’s interesting (and very telling) that many of us fear public speaking more than drowning or spiders. It’s inevitable that most of us will have to speak in public at some point – for three people or thirty. But I think a few key things can make all the difference.

1. Be prepared. If I know my material, I’m so much more confident speaking in front of others. Research, have flashcards if necessary and really understand what you’re talking about.

2. Practice makes perfect. Stand in front of a mirror, in front of your kids or spouse or your friends, and practice. The more often you repeat your speech, the less likely you are to forget it.

3. Be familiar with the room. Arrive early, know what kind of A/V equipment you’re working with and understand the seating layout. Will you be confined to a podium or free to walk around?

4. Don’t apologize for being nervous. Most audiences won’t even notice, and even if they do, they’ll probably be forgiving. After all, most people despise public speaking themselves!

5. Audiences are rooting for you. They want you to be engaging and interesting. They’re on your side. Remember that no one wants you to fail.

6. Relax. Personally, I know that the more nervous I am, the faster I tend to speak. (And I already speak quickly naturally!) Relax, take a few deep breaths and remember that you should probably speak more slowly than you think is appropriate.

What’s your best tip for public speaking?

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