I came across the following article by Jason Nazar, Forbes contributor and founder of Docstoc, Inc: 20 things 20 year olds don’t get. And as usual, while reading, I considered how these tips could be applied to association volunteers and leaders. Here are 4 of the tips that really stood out for me…
Time is Not a Limitless Commodity – i.e., start planning for your events early. If you have an annual event, start planning a year ahead. If you have monthly events, plan your calendar at the beginning of the year … not on a month-by-month basis.
Pick Up the Phone – Looking for chapter and/or event sponsors? Notice more and more dropped members? Need volunteers? Make a personal phone call. People respond to a personal outreach more than continual barrage of begging emails.
People Matter More Than Perks – e.g. your members! Don’t just tout what you believe is the value of a membership … find out from your members what they need and then provide it.
Your Reputation is priceless, Don’t Damage it. – Nothing more to say.
Other tips that can be applied include finding mentors (i.e. past board members), spending 25% less than you make (don’t plan big events/projects if you can’t cover the costs), and don’t focusing solely on social media (that is, don’t rely solely on technology to promote your association. Find other avenues like in-person activities and charitable projects).
Which of the 20 tips can you relate to your organization?