The Member Engagement Show

This episode's guest, Bruce Rosenthal, has an amazing mastery of how to maximize the relationship between associations and their corporate sponsors for both NDR and better member servicing. Corporations re-evaluated during the pandemic what works best for them in pursuit of their overall goals, and associations need to pay attention to those changes. Bruce is a longtime strategic advisor and consultant to associations, helping them advance corporate sponsorship and partnership programs, identify strategies to increase revenue and member value, create added value for corporate partners, and develop corporate sponsorship and partnership implementation plans. In this episode, you'll discover: How sponsorships changed since the pandemic and what was learned about sponsors’ needs The new needs of corporate sponsors The best way associations can meet those needs now What doesn’t work anymore when pitching sponsorships The internal culture change needed inside associations for new approaches to corporate partnerships How to make corporate sponsors feel like a true part of the membership What makes an association a necessity for members and partners The right way for associations to partner with corporate partners Results of a sponsorship engagement study What mistakes associations are making in servicing their sponsors How to get corporations to return your calls Don't forget to subscribe to Association Marketing Pros (AMP), Beth's weekly newsletter for association marketers.

This week's guest, Jim Catts, explores how technology has presented both challenges and opportunities for association marketers. Jim is a career technologist who's currently co-funder and CTO of Rhythm Software. He's been working with associations to smartly apply technology to the work they do for around 20 years. In the episode, we cover: How we’ve moved beyond running member experiences manually and physically The costs and lost opportunities of doing so  The paradigm shifts of email and dynamic web  How tech allows for personalized, on demand member content How associations are like Netflix (hint: is your association a content or technology company?) How associations are NOT like Amazon (hint: are your member driven by search?) How the pandemic changed member experience expectations How soon VR and AR will or won't become part of the member experience What’s the right way for associations to start using machine learning and AI? How newer generations are changing the member experience The tactical steps to take with your technology right now Don't forget to subscribe to Association Marketing Pros (AMP), Beth's weekly newsletter for association marketers.

This week, our guest is Annie Henderson, who made the change this year from membership marketing to corporate marketing at her association, ASBO International. Annie and Beth talk through how to navigate the differences of marketing to corporates, particularly at an association, and what techniques you can use to try to bring in sponsors and exhibitors at every level. In this episode, you'll discover:Moving from the member marketing to partners marketing mindsetWhy you need to what your corporate partners’ timelines for activitiesThe challenges faced in winning partners and getting them engaged and involved furtherCompeting against bigger competitorsMoving partners beyond exhibitingThe tools and tactics you can use in corporate partnershipsThe power of personasWhat a treat deal “sweeteners” can beTreating your partner like member, not a bankTaking on your challenges and opportunities in the right order Don't forget to subscribe to Association Marketing Pros (AMP), Beth's weekly newsletter for association marketers.

According to our guest, Kiki L'Italien, trust is an indispensable commodity. Gaining it takes both time and ongoing proof that trust in your association is well deserved. KiKi has honed her approach to communications and strategy for many organizations – nonprofits and corporate alike – including Optica, American Red Cross National Headquarters, QVC, and the American Institute of Architects. Now a senior consultant with Tecker International, she speaks regularly about management strategy and cultivating communities of trust. KiKi is also creator and host of Association Chat, an online community, blog, and podcast reaching 72k individuals monthly.  In this episode, you'll discover: Why trust is a commodity that’s hard to come by What associations are doing to both win and lose trust The dangers of conflict of interest and how it hurts trust Why who you have running partnerships is key to maintaining trust How to build trust at scale The need to be an effective trust-builder both digitally and in person How overcomplicating things in order to sound smart can lose trust The key to authenticity – genuine curiosity The right communication channels for the right group Why you should commit to delivering what you say you’re going to deliver Why it pays to be mindful of your digital body language Why you should create environments where members aren’t afraid to participate because they aren’t “perfect” enough Character and competency, a winning combination Don't forget to subscribe to Association Marketing Pros (AMP), Beth's weekly newsletter for association marketers.

This year, ASAE's Marketing Membership & Communications Conference in Washington, DC was back in person and in full effect. Higher Logic's association evangelist and podcast host Beth Arritt and Product Marketing Manager Sarah Spinosa were in attendance, and summarize this grand event where over 700 marcom and membership professionals and experts gathered to learn and network. If you couldn't make it, hear Beth and Sarah cover some of the main points and takeaways in this episode of the Member Engagement Show, including: What's the difference between an "idea monkey" and "ringleaders"? Email tips that radically improve marketing performance, as well as some email myth-busting Creative integrations and providing journeys for members Distinguishing your mission and vision through storytelling Reaching members with omnichannel strategies The importance of member experience and personalization Cool ways the conference was able to get back to doing an in-person event We always invite you to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any tips on how to get better member engagement for your association. And also don't forget to subscribe to Beth's AMP newsletter.   

How can you reach your diverse member segments in a personalized way? Why aren’t "best practices" always the best for your audience? How can you use mute campaigns to prevent unsubscribes? Hear three association marketing professionals discuss these topics and more with Beth Arritt. You’ll come away with marketing plays you can adapt for your own association. Andrea Huggins, Senior Marketing Manager at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Annie Henderson, Corporate Marketing Manager at ASBO International Debbie Segor, Marketing & Communications Manager at the American Society for Nondestructive Testing

How can a solo marketer reach members in a personal way? How can you reduce member email fatigue? What happens when your marketing software doesn’t integrate? See how our fantastic panel of association marketing professionals solves these challenges, and more. You'll hear from: Ashley Baker, Executive Events Director at NiUG Brad Hon, Digital Content Coordinator at the Australian College of Nursing Amanda Dollman, Marketing and Communications Manager at the Resolution Institute Along with Beth Arritt, your host and former marketing association VP. 

Do you want to make a difference at your association? Get members engaged and excited about all you have to offer? Listen to how Joe Delisle, Director of Council Relations at the American Medical Group Association (AMGA), makes this happen at his association. In this episode, he walks through examples of where he’s innovated with AMGA’s online community, events, membership benefits, and how it’s creating great results (to the tune of happier members, improved retention, higher NPS scores).

Did you hear the news? Higher Logic Thrive just launched! Our new platform makes it easy for associations to create powerful member experiences. Listen in to Beth's conversation with Chief Product Officer James Willey about how Higher Logic Thrive came to be. They’ll share everything it means for your association and your members. Here’s a sneak peek of what Thrive Platform enables you to do: engage members meaningfully throughout their lifecycle while saving time on key processes.

What drives your members to join and participate in your association? Do you really understand their motivators? Listen to speaker, author, and advisor Todd Henry discuss the approach he lays out in his book, The Motivation Code, and how it applies to association professionals. Understand that your members’ motivators will be different from yours, and learn what motivates them, and you’ll be much closer to creating programs, content, and member benefits that meet their needs.