KiKi L'Italien's Acronym Soup

Can Social Media Get Me a Job?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 03:08:00 +0000

Is it important to have a professional profile to be on social media?

Better yet, can social media get you the job you want most?

Last week I spoke to the South Carolina Speech Language Hearing Association (SCSHA) about ways to amplify their professional presence online.

Many people are used to hearing the horror stories of employers looking at their employees' personal social media accounts and finding inappropriate content. They've secured their Facebook posts and made sure to keep proof of their inebriation in college off of Google. Some are adequately frightened enough to avoid most social media all together.

But most people I speak to have not considered how to proactively improve their own digital footprints with a professional goal in mind.

There were several people who participated in the presentation who told me they had never considered their social media presence in this way before.

It's a fascinating area to me because a lack of a digital footprint can potentially cause all kinds of problems that people don't even realize, such as hindering your ability in some countries to get a loan, making people suspicious of what you are hiding, and even preventing you from getting the job you are perfectly qualified for in every other way.

This is a topic I'm going to be writing about more in the future, but it lends itself to this latest podcast episode that just posted today on the Getting Social podcast that I did with my co-host Blake Althen and special guest Lauren LeMunyan, talking about how people can use social media to benefit their careers. You can listen to it here: http://throughthenoise.us/mediacast/2-can-social-media-get-job/.

What do you think? Are you proactively using your social media and overall digital presence to achieve your professional goals? Please share in the comments!

Some things we discuss during the podcast:

What do most people get wrong about using social to their benefit for their careers?
If people are limited on time, what is the one thing they should make sure they do on social?
What are you thinking of starting or stopping on social media?
Thinking of getting new professional photos taken to use for your social media profiles?
Thinking of deleting all your accounts and just saying forget it?

More about our guest:
Lauren LeMunyan is the owner of Lauren LeMunyan Coaching, LLC and The Spitfire Coach and is also the host of the web-series, Water Cooler Wednesdays. Lauren works individuals and organizations to identify their purpose, vision, mission and brand to increase life engagement, accountability, motivation, and enjoyment.

About Getting Social:
Getting Social explores social media challenges and opportunities with special guests, examining everything from building your “personal brand” SEO online to social media’s impact on today’s politics. Host KiKi L’Italien thinks everyone should “Google themselves,” which is not as naughty as it sounds.

http://throughthenoise.us/gettingsocial

Association Chat Talks Marketing and CMO Trends

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 00:42:00 +0000

When your marketing falls flat or you're looking for inspiration, where do you turn? Association Chat welcomed Adele Cehrs, owner of Epic PR and Inc. contributor, to share insight into your next best moves in marketing. Think you know what they are? Take a look at what she had to say during this interview!
powered by crowdcast

BONUS MATERIAL: Check out this week's introductory #GetAmplified Challenge during the Coffee With KiKi Live Stream!

The Bad Word in Sales - Wes Trochlil on Association Chat

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 18 Sep 2016 23:48:00 +0000

Association Chat: Associations and the New Education Paradigm

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 08 Sep 2016 02:18:00 +0000

When An Organization Takes a Stand

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 11:49:00 +0000

When controversial legislation passed in Tennessee, Rich Yep, CEO of the American Counseling Association, had to lead his association in a huge move to relocate their annual conference.

I had the chance to talk with Rich and discuss this issue on Association Chat. We talked about the timeline for the PR crisis, issues with handling contracts and vendors, and Rich's suggestions for how association executives might best prepare themselves and their organizations for similar problems.

These are big issues that more and more organizations are facing all the time. What happens when you are the CEO of an organization and you must make a controversial move that will land your association's name in all the papers? Rich knows.

You can view the interview here:

You can check out upcoming chats at Huzza Channel: huzza.io/kikilitalien

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KiKi's Unofficial ASAE Annual 2016 Party List (a.k.a. How to Never Be Alone at #ASAE16)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 12:30:00 +0000

Every year, for the past several years, I make it a point to attend the ASAE Annual Conference. This conference is where anyone involved with associations and nonprofits can connect with others working in that space. Why? Because it is the best way to catch up with the "Who's Who" of the association world.

To be sure, ASAE Annual promises opportunities in learning and networking. It also promises a ton of parties in all shapes and sizes. From the official mega receptions hosted by ASAE to the "invite-only" CVB hosted dinners, you should not ever find yourself in a position of not having somewhere to be. (One time I was randomly invited by a former colleague to join her in a reception at ASAE Annual I'd not been officially invited to and the conversation that happened in that reception ended up in me becoming a consultant which transformed my career!)

The trouble is keeping track of all the parties along with your schedule for work and meetups with other attendees is nearly impossible. If you are a volunteer with ASAE or active in any other communities, your dance card will be overfilled. It's easy to forget or lose track of what is happening when.

Here is my Unofficial ASAE Annual 2016 Party List. I hope it helps you in your planning for making ASAE Annual the best it can be! If you click on the link, you should be able to see more details about admission, tickets, and contacts. Feel free to add your own parties, if you feel so inclined!

Note: Some of these events require invitations, so please be sure to verify whether an event is general admission or invitation only and if you want to be invited, consider reaching out to the party host for more information. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Date	Day	Time	Party Title	Hosts	Location
8/13	Saturday	4:00pm - 5:00pm	ASAE Volunteer Reception	ASAE
8/13	Saturday	4:00pm - 5:00pm	ASAE Content Leader Briefing & Reception	ASAE
8/13	Saturday	5:00pm - 7:00pm		Hawaii	Squatters Pub Brewery, 147 West Broadway (300 South)
8/13	Saturday	7 pm - 10 pm	ASAE Opening Celebration	ASAE	Liberty Square
8/14	Sunday	6-9 pm	"Keep the Flame Alive"	Visit Milwaulkee, Visit Pittsburgh, Travel Portland	Pierpont Place
8/14	Sunday	6-9 pm	"Big D Reception"	Dallas CVB	Alamexo Mexican Kitchen
8/14	Sunday	4:30pm - 7:00pm		Columbus	Hope Gallery, 151 S. Main St.
8/14	Sunday	5:00pm - 6:00pm	International Reception		Marriott, Room Wasatch
8/14	Sunday	5:00pm - 7:00pm		American Technology Services	Green Pig Pub, 31 E 400 S.
8/14	Sunday	6:00 PM	Pokémon Go meetup!	Bean Creative	Meet at the South Foyer/South Plaza entrance on Level One (look for the Pikachu balloon!)
8/14	Sunday	6:00pm - 8:00pm		Synchroncities - Baltimore, Anaheim, San Antonio	Caffe Molise, 55 West 100 Street
8/14	Sunday	6:00pm - 8:30pm		Alberta	Caputo's Market, 314 West 300 Street
8/14	Sunday	6:00pm - 9:00pm	Small Staff Shindig	MemberClicks	Gracie's Gastropub, 326 South West Temple
8/14	Sunday	6:00pm - 9:00pm		Dallas	Alamexo Mexican Kitchen, 268 South State Street
8/14	Sunday	6:00pm - 9:30pm		Reno Tahoe	Utah Olympic Park Dinner Event, zip lining
8/14	Sunday	7:00pm		Hong Kong Dinner	Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, 75 South West Temple
8/14	Sunday	7:00pm - 9:00pm		Hilton	Trofi Restaurant & Bar, Hilton Salt Lake City Center, 255 S. West Temple
8/14	Sunday	7:00pm - 10:00pm		Marriott	Salt Lake City Marriott Downtown, 75 South West Temple
8/15	Monday	5:00pm - 7:30pm		NYC & Company	The Tasting Room, 357 200 S #100
8/15	Monday	6:00pm - 7:30pm	The Classic VIP Reception	ASAE	Grand America Hotel
8/15	Monday	7:30pm - 10:00pm	The Classic	ASAE	Grand America Hotel
8/16	Tuesday	7:00pm - 10:00pm	Closing Celebration	ASAE	Red Butte Garden

Here's the full unofficial list of ASAE Annual parties! Add your edits, parties, or and details that might help others have a better experience.

I look forward to meeting many of you at ASAE Annual in Salt Lake City!

Want to meet up while there? Tweet me @kikilitalien!

From Panicked to Productive: How to Lighten Your Load While Getting Your Om On

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 13:19:00 +0000

Welcome to this week’s Association Chat, your weekly online discussion for the association community where we warm ourselves by the virtual fire with the topics of the day, welcoming thought leaders and trailblazers alike to join up in this online home for the community.

I am your host, KiKi L’Italien, CEO of Amplified Growth digital marketing and longtime host of this weekly chat that has been around since 2009 on Twitter, Blab, and now Huzza.

This Week’s Show.

It seems like everyone is talking about mindfulness and business, incorporating meditation and exercise, using apps like Headspace, and trying to remember to be grateful while also navigating the day-to-day hassles like scheduling meetings, writing reports, and optimizing communication...not to mention stacking all of that on top of family obligations and professional development. It’s overwhelming.

My guests today are no stranger to these complications and they even have some ideas to share with how to navigate them. In fact, the three of us are presenting a session at ASAE Annual called “From Panicked to Productive: How to Lighten Your Load While Getting Your Om On” which is – we hope – going to be a lot of fun and practical for people.

Cynthia D’Amour has worked with association leaders and staff to get more members involved using a marketing-savvy leadership approach for over 20 years. She is a frequent speaker at leadership conferences and conventions adding lots of can-do, high-energy fun to the events.

Scott Oser also comes with over 20 years of experience in the association and publishing industries, focusing on marketing with a special kind of savvy in developing, implementing and analyzing multi-channel direct marketing programs. He also speaks at many conferences and events and I should mention that both Cynthia and Scott publish articles frequently and Cynthia has written 7 books at this point.

Today’s chat is not a copy of what we’re doing in Salt Lake City for ASAE Annual 2016, but it is a chance for us to chat a bit about some of the philosophies, habits, and questions surrounding this topic. It’s also a chance for us to go into a little more depth on some of our experiences and tricks that can't make it to the official presentation, but are still important to share. Enjoy!

Upcoming Events and Association Chats.

Do you know a young executive worthy of being named a TRENDS 2016 Young & Aspiring Association Professional? Please consider nominating him or her. Thanks! http://www.associationtrends.com/news/trends/commentary/nominate-trends-young-aspiring-association-professional @TRENDStweets
In DC? Stay on top of some fun educational and networking events produced by area volunteers at http://www.meetup.com/Association-Networking-Group-ANEX/ #happyhour #networking
Share your ideas on topics and speakers for future Association Chats at: http://bit.ly/1KnDATN #assnchat

8/2/2016	Association Analytics	How to Get the Best ROI Out of Data Analytics
8/9/2016	Tom Morrison	When Uber Meets Associations
8/16/2016	LIVE SHOW	LIVE at ASAE Annual
8/23/2016	JP Moery	Association Leadership – What I Know For Sure

You can check out upcoming chats at Huzza Channel: huzza.io/kikilitalien

An Association Chat Q&A with Your Favorite Association Bloggers and Podcasters of 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 19:50:00 +0000

About Association Chat

Welcome to this week’s replay of Association Chat. Association Chat is your weekly online discussion for the association community where we warm ourselves by the virtual fire with the topics of the day, welcoming thought leaders and trailblazers alike to join up in this online home for the community.

This Week’s Show.

This week’s show was a special one. I invited some of our favorite association bloggers and podcasters to join the chat for a live Q&A. I asked them about how they find content and identify good stories, make time to write, and secrets they’ve uncovered about promotion for their blogs and podcasts. The participants added their own advice and tips in the chat on the side. I hope you enjoy this week's episode!

Featured Bloggers and Podcasters on the show, include:

Association Success, Arianna Rehak http://www.associationsuccess.org/
Driving Participation Podcast, Beth Brodovsky http://iriscreative.com/category/podcast/
Leading Learning Podcast, Celisa Steele http://www.leadinglearning.com/category/podcast/
*Simply Cynthia, Cynthia D'Amour http://cynthiadamour.com/blog/
Eric Lanke, Eric Lanke's Blog http://ericlanke.blogspot.in/
Spark Consulting Blog, Elizabeth Weaver Engel http://getmespark.com/blog/
Culture Chat Blog (and Podcast), Jamie Notter http://www.workxo.com/blog
SocialFish, Maddie Grant http://www.socialfish.org/
MizzInformation, Maggie McGary http://mizzinformation.com/
Associations Now, Ernie Smith http://associationsnow.com/blogs/

*Cynthia couldn't join because of technical issues, but I wanted to include her blog here for reference. You should check it out!

More Association Chat Details

Do you know a young executive worthy of being named a TRENDS 2016 Young & Aspiring Association Professional? Please consider nominating him or her. Thanks! http://www.associationtrends.com/news/trends/commentary/nominate-trends-young-aspiring-association-professional
In DC? There is a happy hour for association professionals and the industry folks who love them on tonight at 5:30 at BlackFinn DC. http://www.meetup.com/Association-Networking-Group-ANEX/
Please fill out the survey for ideas on topics and speakers for upcoming chats at: http://bit.ly/1KnDATN
As always, if you want to continue the discussion you can join the Association Chat Facebook group for regular updates on upcoming topics and special guests http://bit.ly/FBAssnChat
**KiKi's Regular Huzza Channel: huzza.io/kikilitalien

About Me

I am the host of Association Chat, KiKi L’Italien, CEO of Amplified Growth digital marketing and CMO of Cannonball Projects, a startup based in NY, and longtime host of this weekly chat that has been around since 2009 on Twitter, Blab, and now Huzza.io.

Looking for Your Best Social Media Stories!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 14:36:00 +0000

I am thrilled! I just signed a contract to start writing regular articles for a popular blog in the events industry in 2016. My posts are primarily going to cover stories about social media for associations, which is a natural area for me to write about and share. I'm thinking many of my articles will end up being a combination of:

Interviews
Case studies
Tips and tools
Advice

Although I think I come across great stories like this fairly regularly, I can't write about my clients only and I will need lots of fresh material. That's where YOU come in!

If you have article ideas for stories I can cover, please let me know. If I use one of them, I'll send you a $5 Starbucks card as a thank you! Even if it's just a few ideas on whom I should reach out to for interviews or some new social media tools you think are working particularly well for your organization, I'd love to hear from you.

Email me your tips (and your preferred email or mailing address for your Starbucks gift card) and if I use your ideas, I'll send you a "thank you" treat that you can use for yourself or gift to another.

Apps that Excite Association Professionals

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:33:00 +0000

Today on Association Chat we are talking about the apps that are rocking association professionals' worlds.

What are the apps that make a difference in your day-to-day life? We'll explore apps that impact your business, personal, spiritual, and physical lives. Here are some questions we'll discuss:

Which apps are you using to improve what you do at work?
Which apps are helping you with content and marketing for your association?
Which event apps have you used, which event apps are you hoping to use, and what are the features that you really want in an event app?
How are these apps improving your jobs? How long have you been using the app? How did you hear about it?
Which apps are you using to make your life better?
Which apps bring you happiness and why?
Which apps turn you off completely? Why?
What kind of app do you wish existed, but doesn't?
Does your association have an app?
If your org has an app, what does it do? Is it effective?
If your org does not have an app, what kind of app would be valuable to your members or clients? What features would it have?
What top 3 apps would you recommend to a friend, colleague, or member?

It should be a great chat - if you've never participated, definitely join in the fun on Tuesday at 2 pm ET. We meet every Tuesday at 2 pm ET, so if you missed it this week you can always catch the replay or join us next week for another chat.

For reminders on upcoming topics and just to show the chat some love, please join the Association Chat Facebook Group.

Side Notes

RFP - ASAE Marketing, Membership & Communications Conference (June 13–14, 2016) - Submit your ideas by October 30
RFP - Association Media & Publishing's 2016 Annual Meeting (June 27-29, 2016) - Proposals are due October 30, 2015
RFP - ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition (August 13-16, 2016) - Submission Deadline is Friday, November 20, 2015
Have you checked out Twitter Publish yet? Twitter announced this new tool and now Twitter Publish is available to the public - check out https://curator.twitter.com to start curating and to create a collection like this one:

Association Chat - LIVE!

Association Execs - What Keeps You Up at Night?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 19:57:00 +0000

What a fabulous conversation with great people!

Next week's chat is all about apps that are perfect for association executives and industry folks. You can join in the fun next Tuesday at 2 pm EDT here: https://blab.im/kiki-l-italien-association-chat-awesome-apps-for-association-execs-assnchat. You can also join the Association Chat Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/AssociationChat.

Association Chat is a weekly chat that takes place on Tuesdays at 2 pm ET on Blab. You can also take part in regular conversations and follow links and industry news by following the hashtag #assnchat on Twitter.

Association Chat On Camera! What's Happening to #assnchat?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 12:24:00 +0000

For the past few weeks Association Chat has been quietly testing a new platform for the weekly Tuesday chats.

Blab is a livestreaming platform that enables a public video chat among four participants at a time. Viewers come in to watch the livestream and they can participate by leaving comments on the desktop application or below on the mobile version. Participants can ask for a seat on camera or respond to the video chat via text. If you are familiar with the likes of Periscope, Meerkat and Google Hangouts, it basically combines all three.

Blab was just launched in April of this year and it is still very much in Beta, though early power users like Joel Comm and Chris Brogan are hosting regular chats and even "Blab Ups" at this point.

Association Chat has been a regular weekly chat, hosted mostly on Twitter, for the past six years. The chat, created by association legend Jeff De Cagna, was the basis for the popular (and sometimes provocative) hashtag #assnchat. Association Chat has had meetups, tweetups, a book club, and also comes with its own Association Chat group on Facebook.

So far the tests with using Blab for the weekly chats have shown promise. The chats are recorded (you can see replays of past Association Chats on Blab) and the engagement and quality of conversation seems high. My hope is that more voices from the industry will choose to jump in to the available seats on camera each week and share their expertise and opinions on the industry topics du jour. As always, it's the added insights from the participants that creates the value for these chats.

Kait Soloman is a regular Association Chat participant who brings value with every conversation. You can follow her on Twitter: @KaitlinSolomon3

This Tuesday's chat will focus on a more general topic, "What Keeps You up at Night?" We'll also be discussing, "what gets you up in the morning" as suggested by the wildly creative and fun Randi Sumner (follow her on Twitter!).

Please join the conversation and community live on Tuesday at 2 pm EDT, keep up to date with the Association Chat Facebook Group, and feel free to contact me if you'd like to guest host or have ideas for topics that we should cover in a future chat (a list of planned topics are posted here, but we can always change the schedule around for hot topics!).

People are always posting interesting articles, links, and thoughts to the Association Chat hashtag, #assnchat, throughout the week on Twitter, so you can always jump in and join the conversation that way, as well.

See you online!

Association Chat to feature authors of "Leading Engagement from the Outside-In" on July 14th

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 19:19:00 +0000

Associations have always been “about” engagement, and in the past several years, we’ve had a renewed focus on engaging our members and other audiences. The thing is, most of us aren’t really doing it well. Could that be because we’ve been thinking about engagement all wrong, focusing on what we want members to do and how we define value?

Join Anna Caraveli (The Demand Networks) and Elizabeth Weaver Engel (Spark Consulting) on Tuesday, July 14 at 2 pm ET on Twitter (follow the hashtag #assnchat) to chat about their new whitepaper, Leading Engagement from the Outside-In, which describes a radical shift in our understanding of engagement, one based on an approach that encourages us to view the world from our audiences’ perspective, focus on the outcomes they want to achieve, build authentic relationships, and harness the power of collaboration to co-create the value our organizations provide.

Download the whitepaper at http://bit.ly/1GPNUM6 and come ready to share your thoughts on developing an outside-in perspective on your interactions and relationships with your members and other audiences.

Anna Caraveli is CEO of the Demand Networks, LLC, author of the new book, The Demand Perspective: Leading from the Outside-In, published by ASAE, and of numerous articles. She has over 20 years of experience in non-profit membership organizations, helping them resonate and connect with new generations of members, build new value propositions, and increase engagement and revenue. The Demand Networks and her research are focused on understanding what it takes to engage today, executing new models of member relationships and helping to build engaging organizations, at the pulse of their markets. When she is not saving the world, Anna walks her dog and cheers for the Washington Capitals.

Elizabeth is CEO and Chief Strategist at Spark Consulting LLC. She has more than seventeen years of experience helping associations grow, in membership, marketing, communications, public presence, and especially revenue, which is what Spark is all about. Elizabeth speaks and writes frequently on a variety of topics in association management. When she's not helping associations grow, she loves to dance, listen to live music, cook, and blog about the Philadelphia Eagles.

The 5 Best Resources to Improve Your Social Media Influence By 35%

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 03:36:00 +0000

We've all heard the statistics about driving engagement on social media by using pictures, but questions abound about how to use this information to really move the needle on social media outcomes.

Every morning I walk my seven-year-old daughter to her bus stop. We talk about nature, comment on the things we see along the way, and look both ways before crossing the street. On one of these morning journeys I noticed the carpet cleaning van parked on the corner of the street. As I read past the name and busy design work on the van, I noticed four little words plastered across its back right panel: "Follow us on Twitter."

The benefit to thinking through your content strategy along with your social media plan, making sure to measure engagement along the way, will allow you to implement a clear, concise strategy. Organizations who do this will find better engagement and brand recognition than others who don’t have a coordinated plan in place.

Truth is, I didn't look up that carpet cleaning business on Twitter. It may be an expert resource on cleaning carpets with high engagement with its followers, but if it's like many businesses I see on social media, it is likely a social media parking lot for the occasional promotional post. A social media plan should be comprised of so much more than a quick, primarily reactive channel for promotion. It should combine everything you know about your audience, your objectives, your strategies for achieving those objectives, and the tools you plan to use. Add to that your content strategy and you have a strong social media plan that will help you achieve your goals while you gain valuable insights from your audience along the way.

Why is content strategy necessary for your social media plan? Because you need to have a keen understanding of your audience, the types of conversations they are interested in having, and an idea about where, online, they want to have those conversations. In addition, you need to measure those conversations and be able to translate the metrics into insights. Your content strategy will inform your decisions on what to post where.

Images and video drive more engagement than text-only posts in social media and if you have analyzed your audience, you should be able to identify the online outposts that would maximize your use of images for your audience. Using images, visual pictures, videos, and graphs, for better information sharing has been proven to improve social media influence by 35%. Here are 5 great resources to help you up your social media game by 35%*:

Blogger Beware: You CAN Get Sued For Using Photos You Don't Own on Your Blog by Roni Loren (January 12, 2015) http://www.blogher.com/bloggers-beware-you-can-get-sued-using-photos-your-blog-my-story?page=full
Michael Stelzner of Social Media Examiner reminds us that, “as humans, we connect emotionally to images more than video, audio or text. People make decisions and take action quicker when promoted by images.”
From a user’s perspective, photos are also the most engaging type of content on Facebook, with a whopping 87% interaction rate from fans! No other post type received more than a 4% interaction rate. (http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/photos-generate-engagement-research/)
12 Clever Ways to Use More Visuals on Social Media (Dec 2014) http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-social-media-tips
Unsplash - This is my favorite new site. 10 new photos every 10 days. They're beautiful. And you can use this little tool to instantly add your quotes and upload to social media in seconds.

You have to try a few of these resources out and see how they impact your social media strategy. Email me with your results at kiki@amplifiedgrowth.net - I'd love to hear about what you're doing!

*Source: Adding a photo to your tweet can boost retweets by an impressive 35% (https://blog.twitter.com/2014/what-fuels-a-tweets-engagement) - March 2014

Association Chat: Thanking Volunteers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 13:41:00 +0000

Thank You Charm by Beth on Flickr
https://flic.kr/p/7vybea

How do we show our volunteers that we appreciate them throughout the year? Certainly there are the reminders on our calendars. In April we celebrate National Volunteer Month (with National Volunteer Week taking the spotlight) and in November we celebrate Thanksgiving, which is a natural time to show our gratitude for all sorts of things including volunteers.

Some associations have created dynamic volunteer programs that do a good job of making the volunteer feel appreciated on a regular basis, but how do they do that? What kind of acknowledgement are volunteers really expecting from their associations? Why is it important that associations put thought into their volunteer programs?

We'll be discussing the importance of thanking volunteers throughout the year during this Association Chat.

Questions I'll ask:

What key features must a healthy volunteer program possess?
Why is thanking volunteers so important for organizations?
What kind of recognition do volunteers expect from an organization?
In what creative ways have you seen organizations thanking their volunteers?
How often should organizations thank their volunteers?
How can organizations recognize different levels of volunteerism?
What would delight you as a volunteer?
How can you thank a volunteer today?
In what ways can you help your organization better thank volunteers in the future?

Association Chat: Associations and Globalization

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 13:20:00 +0000

https://flic.kr/p/4rXRZh

As the world seems to get smaller with the aid of technology, many associations have already expanded internationally or are looking to grow overseas in the future. But what makes an association a "global" organization versus a national organization with international ties? How do associations balance growth in their home countries while investing in growth internationally? What considerations do associations need to take when going global?

These are some of the issues we'll be discussing in this week's Association Chat.

Questions for this week's chat:

When should an association consider globalization?
What might be some red flags for organizations looking at globalization indicating they shouldn't proceed?
What are some considerations that need to be taken for leadership opportunities within an association attempting to go global?
How would globalization potentially impact an association's delivery of services and benefits?
What are some approaches that global associations use to make sure dues are fair for all members, no matter their location?
How would marketing and communication plans be affected by an association becoming global?
How might you develop strategic partnerships in other countries to support your organization's expansion?
What are the keys to long term success with globalization efforts?

Association Chat: Mobile Apps for Your Association Events

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 14:50:00 +0000

This week, I'll be moderating a panel of experts on the subject of event apps for the Potomac Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (PMPI). To go along with that theme, event apps will be the focus of this week's Association Chat...and there's a lot to talk about!

Julius Solaris, author of the eBook, The Event App Bible, shares some staggering statistics from his research that indicate a wide, but narrowing, gap between what meeting planners want from an event app and what the mobile app developers are providing.

Did you know?: '59 percent of event professionals do not currently have a mobile event app, although 53 percent of those "are looking to get one" in the near future.'

This week's Association Chat will center around identifying the questions that most association executives have about event apps, working with event app vendors, and knowing how to measure success.

Here are some of the questions I plan on asking during the chat:

What are your biggest concerns about adopting an event app?
What are the must-have features that you need in an event app?
What are some questions that every event planner must ask before settling on an event app as a solution?
Who in your organization must be a part of the decision-making team when it comes to selecting an event app?
How do you measure whether or not an event app is successful?
How do you make certain your event app will meet with success?
What kind of measurements/tracking do you want to get from your event app?
How do maintain a healthy relationship with your event app vendor?
How often should you evaluate your event app?

Association Chat: Promoting Your Association

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 15:48:00 +0000

Cutting through the noise is one of the greatest challenges facing associations today. While social media provides tools helpful for getting messages out in creative new ways, the additional outlets for communication can also be overwhelming. Where does that leave nonprofits looking for the best way to communicate to their audiences?

This week's Association Chat will focus on asking questions that will help to dig down to the nitty gritty of promoting your organization's brand.

Here are the questions I'll ask this week:

What messaging do you want people to repeat about your organization?
Does your org target the right messages for the right people at the right time with the right communication tool? How?
Does your communication reflect the association's values? How do you ensure this is the case?
How do you find out what the most important issues are for your fans, members, and customers?
What times during the year do your customer and members groups think most about your organization?
What should be on your marketing "kill list" to weed out needless communications?
When is a time your org was deliberately controversial or counterintuitive?
How does your organization use social media listening to see trends and patterns?
How can you break down the silos in orgs that prevent being nimble in communication?
How could your org use an influencer strategy to maximize your messages?

How to participate in Association Chat:

If you'd like to check out Association Chat, just remember to jump onto Twitter on Tuesdays at 2 pm EST using the hashtag #assnchat.

If you'd like an easy and relaxing experience with the chat, I like to use Nurph for easily following along. The Nurph link to use for Association Chat is http://nurph.com/assnchat.

Resources for this week's Association Chat:

I just read the fabulous book by PR smarty Adele Cehrs, titled SPIKE Your Brand ROI: How to Maximize Reputation and Get Results. Her book inspired me to focus on promotion for this chat - I cannot recommend the book highly enough.

Storify of the chat (graciously provided by Kait Solomon)!

Next Week's Chat Topic: All About Meeting Apps for Associations

Association Chat: Focusing on Customers and Members

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 14:15:00 +0000

Whether you call them customers or members, it is important to remember that the membership experience is a critical piece of an association professional's responsibility. We're going to spend an hour discussing how we can better serve our members and our organizations on the March 31, 2015 edition of Association Chat. How can we bring delight to our members? We will talk all about it and more during the chat.

Here are the questions I'll ask this week:

1. What is the value your org offers members? Why should they join?

2. How does the pricing of your offerings either encourage or discourage membership?

3. How does your organization solve problems for its members?

4. Has your membership changed much in the last 10 years? If so, in what ways?

5. How does the value you place on staff relate to the value placed on membership? Does it?

6. What are the biggest membership problems facing your org today?

7. What are your member recruiting strategies?

8. What are your member onboarding tactics?

9. How do you bring delight to your members?

10. How do you capture member testimonials to better share stories of success?

For a great resource on association membership, please check out The Art of Membership: How to Attract, Retain, and Cement Member Loyalty by Sheri Jacobs.

Don't forget! To participate in the weekly Association Chat, tune into Twitter on Tuesdays at 2 pm EST following the hashtag #assnchat. Want an easier chat experience? Try following along at http://nurph.com/assnchat.

Next week's chat: Promoting Your Association

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You can read Kait Solomon's Storify of the chat here:

Association Chat: The Digital Organization

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 15:21:00 +0000

I've been reading an excellent book by Jamie Notter and Maddie Grant, When Millennials Take Over, that identifies four capacities for the future of business: Digital, Clear, Fluid, and Fast. The March 24, 2015 edition of Association Chat will focus on The Digital Organization - inspired by this great book. Is your association a digital organization? We'll discuss during today's chat.

Here are the questions I'll be asking this week:

How has technology allowed your org to provide a more personalized focus on the customer or member?
How has technology opened up new opportunities for more effective marketing, customer service, and even management?
Does your organization focus on always improving? How does your org support innovation?
Does your organization use technology to better communicate internally? How? What tools do you use, both analog & digital?
How does your org use social media to improve customer service? If it doesn't, why not?
How does your org's focus on the customer compare to its focus on the employee? How is it similar? How is it not?
In your role, how would you choose to next invest in technology for your organization?
Do employees have room to experiment in your organization? If so, please share how. If not, how might it work for your org?
What role does collaboration play in a digital organization?
What role does HR play for organizational reinvention based on a digital mindset?

Everyone is welcome to participate in Association Chat on Tuesdays at 2 pm ET/11 am PT. An easy way to follow along is to check out http://nurph.com/assnchat which automatically follows #assnchat for you.

Next week's chat: Focusing on Customers and Members

#####

UPDATE: For a recap of Association Chat: The Digital Organization, check out Kait Solomon's Storify capturing tweets from the chat.

Challenges with Member Experience Facing Associations

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 00:42:00 +0000

What questions do you wish you could answer over again?

Today I had the pleasure of talking with Todd Greer of Synervision - The Leadership Foundation for their weekly interview series. As usual, as soon as the interview wrapped, I immediately felt remorse for what was left unsaid. I have no right to claim that my brain is failing me, but sometimes I swear I am failing my brain.

One of the big questions Todd asked me was about the challenges facing organizations today; especially as it pertains to experience for their customers or members. I can't even remember what over-excited words spilled from my lips, but I know I felt like I had somehow missed out on sharing what I wanted to say. Here's what I'd say if I had the chance all over again.

What Challenges Are Facing Associations As It Pertains to Customer Experience?

1. Understanding Data

I think one big challenge organizations face in building the right member experience is in figuring out how to use the data associations already have. Most organizations are obese with data, but there is often a disconnect in how to use that information to improve the experience of the member.

2. Missing Critical Touchpoints

Associations might say, "We know our audiences…we have professionals, students, and institutions. We've got this covered." But how are those organizations creating meaningful experiences that create demand when someone, perhaps a non-member, does something like buying a book from them? Is a relationship created, or is it merely a financial exchange? What does that experience feel like to the customer?

One association I talked with recently is looking at changing their membership model. They have a nice diagram and explanation for the different audiences they are looking to engage with, but the most important part – creating the onramps to the organization for these audiences – the connection and interaction points, the touchpoints, for how to better engage them all need to be identified and then built upon. My hope is that that organization will put as much time and effort into getting those experiences right as they have their business diagrams.

3. Cultural Shifts

Look at the way our society has changed with technology advances over the past 10 years. I could focus on social media only, but that is a small part of the bigger picture. It's a digital society that has brought with it new shifts in the way we look at simple things like ownership. We now live with the realities of a sharing economy and collaborative consumption. People now have the ability to share their own possessions and activities– their homes, their cars, their books, their drives, their clothes, even their pets – with strangers in exchange for money or as a bartering type of experience and this is creating a new economy that tax laws and the government haven’t caught up with yet.

In the interview I actually went a little crazy talking about the sharing economy (couldn't help it), but I asked how associations are looking at this kind of thing. What if a member could trade their membership with someone from a similar or competitive association? Why couldn’t they? Why shouldn’t they? I think people are afraid of uncertainty. To me, asking questions like that should be a requirement for association professionals. That's right. I'm for hire.

---

What kind of questions do you wish you could have a second shot at answering? How do you feel about the challenges I listed? What other challenges can you think of?

Do I Still Belong In The Association Space?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 17:56:00 +0000

What does the future hold in store for me? The picture isn't clear.

I never anticipated becoming an association executive.

I still remember moving to Bethesda, Maryland, from Joplin, Missouri, starting my first job in associations - working for the Parenteral Drug Association. What was an association and how could I explain it to my family? These were the questions that plagued me whenever I wasn't worried about how to make my next strategic move to make more money and move up in position.

What I learned was that working for associations was unlike working for a business in the corporate world. There were a few similarities, but the focus on membership and mission and the way that played out during board meetings was still different than what I'd seen from non-association businesses.

Time passed. I became a regular volunteer for the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Associations became my home and I found myself dreaming of winning awards for being a Rising Star in Associations or getting my picture on the cover of Associations Now. I worked for the American Red Cross National Headquarters and then the Optical Society of America. I was focused in membership (specifically chapter development) and then took on the evolution of social media for the association, leading me to start presenting on it at ASAE events. Somewhere along the way I became a go-to person for social media and I joined DelCor as a senior consultant. My role? Digital strategy and social media. I was excited.

While there I created the DelCor Social Media Sweet Spot, a weekly web show for the association world that took place on Fridays. I also inherited the weekly Association Chat (#assnchat) on Twitter, becoming the moderator for the chat every Tuesday. Information and connections were mine to be had and I loved it.

Then things changed. I decided to create my own consulting firm, Amplified Growth, and about a year after the feast and famine roller-coaster that is entrepreneurialism, joined Aptify as a senior consultant in social media, creating a new line of business for them. I left Aptify by the end of September this year and I am currently working on some consulting projects for clients, primarily doing social media maintenance for several brands.

I am talking to a couple people about some ways my consulting work could work in collaboration with their products and services...thinking about how to better service associations in their membership offerings and also with their event planning. Exciting! There is part of me that also wonders if I shouldn't go back to being an association executive - working directly for an association, being part of their ongoing mission.

In the meantime, my husband keeps forwarding job opportunities to work as a social media manager for agencies that have nothing to do with associations.

The path isn't clear. At least, it isn't clear to me. Last week I received my dues renewal notice from ASAE and I wonder if I still belong. I still devour my Associations Now magazine every month when I get it. I still want to prove myself worthy as a meaningful contributor to the association realm. But is life taking me a different direction? I'm almost afraid to mention the possibility, but life is kind of crazy that way and who am I to ignore it?

Do I still belong in the association space? I think so. I suppose we'll find out together.

What Birthdays Mean at 38-Years-Old

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 10:09:00 +0000

I woke up this morning at 3 a.m. with a surge of energy and a house full of sleeping family members. I thought about trying to go back to sleep, but after a few minutes decided the effort was futile and headed upstairs to brew some coffee and read. It is my birthday today and I am now 38-years-old.

Lately I've been investigating spirituality and trying to be open to what the universe is trying to tell me. Sometimes that means I realize great insights about myself and where I belong. Most often it finds me reaching rather than being, struggling while I would be better off letting go. There are many lessons I have yet to learn.

Family means more to me now than ever. Margaux lost another tooth this weekend and while she sleeps upstairs with her winnings tucked securely in her stuffed crocodile, my mother who is visiting from Missouri, is sleeping next to her...two of my favorite people in the world asleep in the same bed. This makes me happy.

I have no grand trip planned for my birthday. No parties. No sexy dinners scheduled with my husband. My Instagram feed shows me the possibilities. Pictures of the exotic locations my friends are visiting or extravagant food and drinks that beg to be consumed populate the app on my phone. But these quiet minutes before the entire house wakes up seem almost magical, like the world gave me extra time that no one else knows about. This is my secret bonus to use as I see fit, the luxury of time for self-reflection. This is the gift I've been waiting for without even realizing it. Thank you. Thank you.

What birthdays mean to me at 38-years-old is different than what they meant to me at 28. My desires sound so simple. But the fact that my birthday sits so close to Thanksgiving, a holiday focused on gratitude, doesn't mean that I desire nothing but altruistic dreams for a better tomorrow. No. Rather, I find myself imagining new dishes for the cupboard (all artistically complementing every dish, all matching) and for the upstairs guest bathroom to be fixed (a dismantled toilet seems to be taking forever to be repaired). With desires like these, it seems almost comical and wasteful to want a fabulous new suit or a long deep-tissue massage.

What I want to say is that I'm thankful to be here. I'm thankful for this life that I have full of friends and family and bathrooms that need to be repaired. I'm grateful for my desires, whatever they might be, sexy or not. I'm happy I have all kinds of possibilities, new paths to take in the future. Happy Birthday to another year of growth and opportunity. Happy Birthday to new dreams and old. Happy Birthday to this crazy body of mine. Happy Birthday to me.

Love,

KiKi

Where I'll Be Speaking In 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 12:19:00 +0000

This year has been incredible for speaking engagements! I have to admit that though it can be tough to do so much traveling, I do enjoy meeting new people and having the opportunity to explore new ideas with them.

In 2014, I transitioned from primarily talking about social media and branding to talking about other big ideas, like how to be more productive ("How I Get Stuff Done") and creative topics like how to find your voice. While I'll still be talking about all things social media in 2015, I have been working on a new keynote (and book, God help me) about overcoming three primary fears that everyone shares to reach greater success. I'm working on this because it is something I care very deeply about and while it may seem a little "woo woo" of a topic, there is plenty of science to back up how these fears can impact our lives.

My mentors for speaking have always included the brilliant Jeffrey Cufaude and Jeff Hurt and this year was no different. Highlights from my interactions with them have included Cufaude's insights on Association Chat (the chat happens on Twitter at hashtag #assnchat every Tuesday at 2 pm ET) and a long, fascinating discussion about brain science and learning with Hurt at the American Society for Association Executives' Annual Meeting. I can never get enough of these guys and I thank my lucky stars that they are a part of my life.

Speaking in 2015

So far, next year I am scheduled to speak at a few events that sound incredible. Those that I can share, include:

ASAE's Online Conference for Small Staff Associations (February 2015 - Online) - This is the second time I'll be speaking at this event. I'll be part of a panel of speakers discussing, "Solutions for Small Staff Membership Challenges."

ASAE's Great Ideas Conference (March 2015 - Orlando, FL) - For this conference I will be moderating a discussion between some fascinating individuals for "Next Generation Learning: EdTech Partnerships That Work" - Great Ideas is one of my favorite conferences of all-time and I am excited to be a part of it again for 2015!

PMPI's April Educational Experience: The Latest on Mobile Apps (April 2015) - I'll be presenting and then moderating a panel focused on the trends and best practices for organizations adopting and using mobile apps for their events.

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Health Care and Business Institute (July 2015 - Phoenix, AZ) - I'll be leading two sessions about social media at this conference and I've heard that other speakers will include the lovely and super smart Adele Cehrs, so I'm pumped.

National Association of Home Builders's Association Leadership Institute (July 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA) - I'll be leading training on social media for representatives looking to enhance their skills.

American Society for Association Executives Annual Meeting (August 2015 - Detroit, MI) - Did you know I'm in love with productivity methods and learning about ways to get more done with the time I have? Well, Scott Oser of Scott Oser Associates, Inc., and I will be leading a crazy fun session about the tools you need for better productivity.

WebLink Summit (October 1, 2015 - Las Vegas, NV) - I'm sharing lessons learned and talking about cultural shifts and technology changes in "From Slam Poetry to Social Media Success"at the WebLink Summit.

Looking for a speaker?

If you are looking for a keynote or breakout speaker in 2015, I am open to adding a limited amount of speaking engagements for the year.

You can visit my page about speaking and an example of my speaking style may be seen here or here and you can contact me at dckiki@gmail.com.

Virtual Lunch -- Think like the Experts: Experienced Tips for a Hassle Free AMS Selection

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 12:48:00 +0000

Does the thought of selecting a new Association Management System (AMS) give you an instant headache? If you answered yes, attend the ASAE Membership Section Council’s webinar "Think like the Experts: Experienced Tips for a Hassle Free AMS Selection” on Thursday, September 18^th from 12:00 – 1:00pm ET. http://buff.ly/1mRtnxN

During this webinar, you will gain insights on navigating the AMS selection process and hear from three experienced association professionals on making this process as painless as possible. We promise to share tips on:

· How to get started
· Pitfalls to avoid
· Resources available to help with selection
· And more!

If you are embarking on the AMS search now or in the near future, you don’t want to miss this learning opportunity.

Meet the Panelists

Teri Carden, Review My AMS

Teri Carden is an association junkie and self-proclaimed girl geek in normal girl’s clothing. Throughout her career as an association executive, she was supported by her mentors, colleagues, volunteer leaders, and bosses, to fulfill her incessant desire to geek out on the job. Recently Teri has answered a need in the association space by founding ReviewMyAMS.com, a trusted site for executives to provide end-user reviews of their association management systems.

Addy M. Kujawa, CAE, American Association of Orthopaedic Executives

Addy Kujawa, CAE, is a results-oriented, diplomatic, creative, energetic, dependable, motivational leader with outstanding, proven skills in every area of association management. She is an expert in strategic planning, visioning, and executing an organizational plan. She knows how to engage members, volunteers and staff in organizational mission goals and objectives. She is consistently successful at identifying and capitalizing upon market opportunities to maximize reach and drive revenue growth. Experience includes ten years in Public Relations for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and over three years as Executive Director for the American Association of Orthopaedic Executives.

Gretchen Steenstra, PMP, DelCor Technology Solutions

With many years of experience in the association community, Gretchen Steenstra is a solution oriented individual who strives to find the appropriate program and staff resources to match project objectives. Ms. Steenstra has the expertise to span boundaries between association staff members and technology. She teaches her clients to understand how applications ‘think’ and empowers them to use systems to their full potential. Ms. Steenstra assists her clients with projects that range from selecting new association technology, project management, IT strategic planning and ongoing system audits to help ensure technology continues to support the organization's objectives and goals. Ms. Steenstra is a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI) and a PMI certified Project Management Professional (PMP). She is also a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and has conducted educational sessions at ASAE and other organizations, including sessions on AMS Implementation Project Management and Web Usability. She is a member of the ASAE Membership Section Council. Ms. Steenstra is a trained Professional Facilitator. She is also a strong supporter of Computer CORE, a nonprofit organization to provide computer and life skills to low income adults.