What We’re Reading

by Linda Owens, CAE, Owner and President

IMI team members are always reading leadership and association management related blogs. Here are some of the posts we found interesting during 2019:

The Number-One Productivity Hack: Timeboxing
A study reveals today’s most powerful productivity strategy, and it’s perfect for planners.

How to Bear (and Be the Bearer of) Bad News
Whether you’re giving bad news or getting it, people around you are bound to be upset. In those cases, a little empathy and self-awareness might go a long way.

How to Overcome Deadline Dread
Facing down strict deadlines can be stressful. Here’s how to ask for more time or resources to get things done.

Membership Hack: “Ask Me Anything” Calls
The Digital Analytics Association hosts a monthly call modeled off Reddit’s “Ask Me Anything” series. DAA members dial in to ask whatever is on their minds.

Secrets of Online Engagement
Successful online communities have the right people, technology, and strategies in place to spark member engagement, says Marjorie Anderson, founder of Community by Association and manager of digital communities at the Project Management Institute.

Master These 6 Strategies to Avoid Overcommit and Increase Your Productivity
At the core of productivity is focus. Great leaders know that saying yes to fewer commitments means they can create greater impact.

Reach Members on the Air with Podcasts
Podcasts are growing in popularity right now, and it could be a medium ripe for associations to recruit, retain, and engage members.

Spring Clean Your Routine: Four Ways to Boost Your Productivity
Don’t just focus on your closet or your file cabinet: Spend some time this season working on ways to minimize distractions while maximizing productivity.

3 Phrases That Matter When “Selling” Your Organization’s Membership

Words matter. If you’ve ever done any kind of marketing, you know that. And even as a consumer, you know that. Certain phrases just compel you to make a purchase.

Membership Hack: Onboarding Webinars
The International Coach Federation onboards new members using a live webinar to introduce them to key benefits and services. This early engagement opportunity also helps boost first-year retention.

Use a Content Calendar to Engage Members in 2019
The member experience ebbs and flows with activity throughout the year, which is why a content calendar can help you plan for member engagements in 2019. Here are a few tools and techniques to get you started.

Future Focus: When Looking Ahead, Talk to Members First
As part of an initiative to examine future forces shaping the corporate real estate profession, CoreNet Global spent time interviewing its members worldwide. The effort resulted in a new study forecasting industry trends that will affect members and the association by 2025 and beyond.

Watch Out: Email Mergers Are Heating Up
In the past year, a number of major email service providers—particularly, and most prominently, Campaign Monitor—have expanded via acquisition. What should associations know, and what are the pitfalls to avoid?

How to Create Marketing Personas for Your Association (and Use Them to Make Better Decisions)
What if I told you that there was a way to close that gap between this dream and the reality of your team’s resources and capacity? This is where your association’s marketing personas come in.

Leadership is about coaching. Here’s how to do it well
You can start with one simple behavior change that will bring a massive impact.

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