By Laura Merritt, AOE Special Projects ManagerIn our last blog we introduced our series on conquering Zoom fatigue by sharing questions we should ask ourselves when planning our virtual meetings. While technology has been embraced as a great business tool during these challenging times, the initial enthusiasm for virtual meetings has worn off. How do we fight the fatigue and turn our meeting participants from passive to active?You have asked yourself the questions, considered meeting length and ...

By Laura Merritt, AOE Special Projects ManagerWhether you use Zoom, Google Meet, GoToMeeting or any of the many virtual meeting platforms, fatigue is a very real issue many of us are experiencing in our businesses’ “new normal.” Leaders are challenged with how to fight the fatigue, increase participation and keep the spirit of in-person meetings alive.Thankfully, there are some simple steps you can take to master the art of virtual meetings. Over the next few weeks, we will sha...

2020 has certainly brought a wide range of challenges to most every aspect of organizations’ operations. Business development in the construction industry has taken a significant hit as companies and associations navigate the myriad of challenges. Trade shows, education-focused conferences and industry events have been postponed or cancelled. Businesses struggle to stay relevant and present for their employees and customers. Likewise, associations face the same challenges with their member...

By Tom Merritt, President of H.R. Gray, an Anser Advisory companyWe are happy to share this article from AOE client Tom Merritt, President of H.R. Gray, an Anser Advisory company, on the importance of managing and maximizing the wealth of knowledge within your organization. “Knowledge is power? No. Knowledge on its own is nothing but the application of useful knowledge, now that is powerful.” – Rob Liano, business strategist and author.This quote really resonates with me. ...

By Laura Merritt, AOE Special Projects Manager2020 has been challenging to say the least. With COVID-19 impacting every aspect of life, many organizations have been forced into survival and recovery mode—making short-term decisions to get through the day, week or month. The business model that worked so well before no longer meets the needs of the organization, its customers and/or members or its employees. Understandable but not sustainable.Now is the time for organizations to think beyon...

By Jason Pennington, AOE Manager, Information SystemsThe recent pandemic has brought about many cybersecurity implications for organizations and remote workers.  At the start of 2020, only five percent of the U.S. workforce worked from home. Flash-forward only a few months and that number jumped to approximately 62 percent of workers who previously worked in an office instead putting their hours in at home. The implications of this switch to the Work From Home (WFH) environment are hug...

Marketing’s most important job is to identify and engage new and existing customers. This role has been turned upside down by COVID-19. At the beginning of the crisis in March, our team was frequently asked “should we continue our marketing efforts?” Our answer at the time was yes, continue marketing, but the context, message and even outlets may look different. We offered recommendations about how to be sensitive and appropriate with efforts during these unique times. In ...

To effectively promote your association’s brand and products, you need the right group of people on your marketing team. Learn how to use direct employees and freelancers and which mix will work best for your organization.When the time comes to assemble or expand your marketing team, there are many avenues to creating the right configuration. But how does an association know if they have the assembled the best mix for their needs?Here’s a look at different types of workers available ...

By Marcela Olson, AOE Customer Service ManagerOne of the biggest challenges industry associations are currently facing is revenue loss. Historically, associations’ revenue relied almost totally on membership dues. In fact, in 1953, a whopping 96 percent of revenue came from dues. Today, dues comprise only 30 percent while events, sponsorships and expos round out the top three sources of non-dues revenue. Because these sources have been all but eliminated in recent months due to the pandemi...