Guiding Associations

Acumen Blog

Strategies for Increasing Non-Dues Revenue

by Caley Mutrie, CAE, IOM | Feb 28, 2021 | Association Management, Budget & Finance

Associations have faced and overcome many challenges this past year from the global pandemic and its related effects. Central to this has been the need to maintain and build revenue. This past year, associations have continued to prove their capacity to adapt and...

Membership Renewal Forecast: 2021 and Beyond

by Elizabeth Schlicht, CAE | Jan 28, 2021 | Association Management, Membership

After the unexpected challenges associations weathered in 2020, many are now looking at the path toward stability and recovery for membership numbers and engagement. While no one has a crystal ball, there are a number of trends and indicators we can look to for...

Don’t Leave Your Members Behind in 2020

by Elizabeth Schlicht, CAE | Dec 28, 2020 | Acumen Blog, Membership

Membership renewal and retention is top of mind this time of year for many associations and this year in particular brings a bit of uncertainty to many as we prepare to see the impact of COVID-19 and the pandemic’s economic toll on the industries we serve. Marketing...

Should Your Association Have a Code of Conduct?

by Sandy Koehler, CAE | Nov 20, 2020 | Acumen Blog, Leadership

Should your association have a code of ethics/conduct? If a code exists, where is it located: in your bylaws or is it a separate document? Which is best and what should it cover? How and when should it be utilized? At the recent virtual meeting of the American Society...

The Board’s Unique Role in Fundraising

by Lori Conaway, CAE | Oct 22, 2020 | Acumen Blog, Leadership

Board participation in partnership with association staff is the key to success in keeping and retaining sponsors. Board members can help identify prospects, nurture relationships and work in tandem with staff to keep sponsor satisfaction high for years to come. The...

Engaging Your Members Virtually

by Betsy Smith, CPA, MST | Sep 9, 2020 | Acumen Blog, Membership

Caring is connecting; caring is relatability, a necessary ingredient in today’s meetings and membership virtual world. The first thing to do is to ask members what they want: do a survey, ask them what their priorities and preferences are during this challenging time...

Establishing Board and Committee Synchronicity

by Suzanne Fedie, CAE | Aug 25, 2020 | Acumen Blog, Leadership

Partnerships are built on trust. Trust comes from gaining synchronicity with your boards and committees. Here are some tips to solidify your relationships with key leaders: Scheduling Take time to connect with your President or Committee Chair and develop a regular...

Cybersecurity During a Pandemic: What Boards Should Know

by Betsy Smith, CPA, MST | Aug 25, 2020 | Acumen Blog, Leadership

Risks happen during uncertain times, especially when an organization’s operations change. And this often means that technology is being utilized in ways not previously imagined. Case in point: Zoom meetings. Security issues arose and Zoom had to quickly enact enhanced...

What is the Number One Factor that Makes a Highly Effective Board – Especially During a Crisis?

by Lori Conaway, CAE | Jul 8, 2020 | Acumen Blog, Leadership

The effectiveness of a leadership group is never tested more than when it is met with conflict. While there are many factors that contribute to a board’s ability to lead well, there is one deceivingly simple question to pose, the answer to which is predictive of the...

How to Handle Meeting Uncertainty During a Pandemic: To Cancel, Go Virtual or Postpone?

by Association Acumen | May 13, 2020 | Acumen Blog, Meetings & Conferences

These past few months have not been easy. The phrase “we’re all in the same boat” keeps surfacing, but the reality is that we are not, in fact, in the same boat, rather, we are all in the same storm but in different boats. Some associations are sailing these seas in...