| What Was New?
Customer Services for Associations
For the third year, GinCommGroup President Ginger Nichols provided customer service training for the staff of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters. This year, we also conducted a customer satisfaction survey to provide a baseline against which to measure future satisfaction levels. How is your staff’s attitude toward serving members?
Take at look at our Rules for Alienating Members.
Teaching in Cyberspace
Is your association considering online education? Help is on the way. Fusion Productions is completing a research project for the ASAE Foundation that included a prototype course taught by Ginger Nichols.
Fusion asked Ginger to participate, based on her knowledge of the subject matter (strategic planning) and her experience in teaching association executives. As part of the course, Ginger developed a six-question organizational assessment; check it out to see if your association is ready for strategic planning.
The American Association of Medical Society Executives provided the test venue for the online course. "With no experience in online
education, it was not easy for me to envision what the course would look like, but once Fusion led me to some other sites as examples, everything fell into
place," Ginger said. "It was great fun to translate the syllabus into a learning experience, given all the cyber-possibilities." Look for the report available in 1999 from ASAE.
Elected to Foundation Board
Ginger has been elected to the Board of Directors of the ASAE Foundation. She began her three-year term at ASAE Nashville in August. She has long been active with the Foundation and believes that its future-focused work is critical for the success of associations.
If you’re not familiar with the work of the Foundation, check out their webpage for an overview. Don’t miss the results of the environmental scan posted on the Foundation’s site - essential information for your association’s planning effort.
Honored by NCSAE
Ginger Nichols was honored by the Northern California Society of Association Executives in 1998 with its "Make a Difference" Award, recognizing outstanding service to the community.
Cultivating Service
Ginger has begun her second term as President of Strybing Arboretum Society, the fund-raising and educational partner for Strybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
Strategic Planning and the Web
We’ve added a copy of the GinCommGroup Web plan to the site as an example of how strategic planning can be applied to new technology.
The Web plan is referenced in an article on “Creating Association Web Sites for the 21st Century,” published by the Northern California Society Association of Executives. The article describes trends in the Web and its use by associations and suggests principles and a 12-step process for creating Web sites for the future.
Defining Potential Market Segments
Participants in a recent GinCommGroup workshop for the Association Forum of Chicagoland identified a variety of potential membership market segments in a brainstorming exercise. Visitors to Association World are invited to e-mail their suggestions to add to the list.
Questions for a Consultant?
What’s the distinction between a strategic plan and a business plan? That’s the latest question asked and answered in the Ask the Consultant segment of Association World ’99.
Ask the Consultant gives attendees a chance to ask specific questions related to association management to the experts at GinCommGroup. Questions and answers will be incorporated into a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) session on the Web site.
Here’s one question we received on why use a facilitator for strategic planning? and the answer from Ginger Nichols, CAE. Another association executive asked about how to evaluate potential non-dues revenue programs.
Free Brochure on Using Consultants
”Getting Your Money’s Worth From Consultants” is available at no charge to association executives. Based on a presentation by GinCommGroup Founder Ginger Nichols, CAE, the brochure outlines a six-step process for selecting and using consultants effectively.
Just send e-mail with your name and address.
Resources for Leadership & Governance
Everybody complains about association governance, but is anyone doing anything? Here are five key trends to jump start your thinking.
Just as successful sports teams focus on fundamentals, there are certain basic strategies for an effective board. Here's a brief checklist to apply to your board.
Is yours the Board from hell? Check out the top ten signs that your Board needs help.
Also see our list of Board Development Resources.
Marketing & Communication
The most effective marketing is integrated throughout your organization and across all your product lines. GinCommGroup has outlined a definition for integrated marketing and six questions you can use to evaluate whether your association would benefit from it. We also offer some strategies you can use to implement an integrated marketing plan.
Evaluating Non-dues Revenue Programs
Recognizing that associations are looking for increased revenues from sources other than dues, companies are proposing a variety of programs. But how do you evaluate them? GinCommGroup has suggested six critical questions to ask.
Membership Development
Having a hard time getting started on that membership development plan? Use this handy outline to jump start your planning.
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