Missed opportunity

A number of national and state assns are offering recession-related programs to their members and the public. But the pricing for some of them seems out of whack! Why offer something - now, when members are hurting most - at a higher than necessary price point?

If you are presenting a 90-minute virtual program with low overhead - no paid speakers or celebrities - consider doing the program as a member service, FREE. If you can't give the program away, try "90 minutes for $90" and show that you understand the current restraints on your members' budgets.

This is the time for assns to show the value of "member" services. CHARGE non-members; GIVE the recession programs to your members.

Looks like a real merger!

After more than four years as ASAE & the Center, the changes that are now being put in place at 1575 I Street have the look and feel of a real merger. Both organizations, the American Society of Assn Executives and the Center for Assn Leadership, having worked in tandum since 2004, now have one chief staff exec and one joint board. Looks like a merger, smells like a merger, my goodness, can it be???

I am worried about associations

What impact will the bail out/rescue have on our community? The financial organizations are already involved with members and the impact the $700 billion will have on them. But what about the rest of us? The - dare I say it? - depression is already having an affect on many retail and consumer groups. Professional societies may have to counsel their members on ways to encourage clients and patients to continue treatment and use. Manufacturing assns will see members struggling to keep up production when sales fall. I'm worried. Are you prepared? What are you doing for your members? your staff?

ASAE Summit Awards

The Summit Awards Dinner was the nondues revenue brainstorm of George L. Kirkland, CAE. If he were still with us, he would be so proud to see that, in just 9 years, it has become an annual, must-attend event, on the level of the Oscars. Tonight, 1,000 members and friends will honor 6 Summit Award winners and pay tribute to those who "do good, real good" in our community.

Sponsored by vendors who contribute much needed money for our professional society's lobbying and coalition building efforts, the Associations Advance America Summit Awards are the top honor for assn activism. This year the awards go to the Illinois chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Illinois, Associated Builders and Contractors of Metropolitan Washington, Assn of Junior Leagues Intl, Assn of Public-Safety Communications Officials Intl, Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and the Intl Franchise Assn.

Many willingly part with $500 for a seat at this dinner to support our assn's AAA Campaign. They will be entertained, wined and dined, and go home tired and happy to be a part of this great community. While we will certainly miss Don Shea, CAE, the long-time MC of the event, maybe it is time for someone else to try to fill those shoes.

Thanks, George, for a great idea, and to all those who give, give, give, to our community.

Gaylord reports 'spike in attrition'

In an interview with the Ft. Worth (TX) Star-Telegram this week, Gaylord Entertainment Co. (Dallas) chief executive Colin Reed said, "Over the last several months, we have witnessed a modest spike in attrition...this would not be good if we did not have contracts," to protect the hotel's revenue. Most meeting contracts have clauses that require groups to pay attrition fees to the hotel if rooms are blocked but not used.

In the recent Association Pulse survey by Association TRENDS and Association Research, Inc., 42.5% of respondents said attendance at their meetings in Q1 2008 was "even." 30% said their attendance was "down." 27.6% expect fewer to attend their events through the remainder of 2008.

While Ft. Worth CVB CEO David DuBois, CMP, CAE, told the Ft. Worth paper, "Through June, we didn't feel any impact of the slow economy," he also claimed that meeting planners are being more "conservative" in setting their room blocks for future events. A spokesman for the nearby Irving (TX) CVB said hotels there have seen drops in occupancy "every month this year."

Hotels need to maintain their revenue numbers. Associations that don't meet their contracted room blocks can expect to see increased enforcement of attrition clauses.

It's worth the trip

As air fares rise, IAEE is extolling the benefits of exhibiting in a new ad campaign. Why should exhibitors travel to shows in the current climate of rising air fares? Well, to start, the advantage of meeting multiple potential clients in one place, says Steve Hacker, CAE, president of the International Assn of Exhibitions and Events, Dallas.

IAEE just released the "Be There" ad campaign to show corporate exhibitors why they should travel to exhibitions and events. The first ad in the series is available for free at www.iaee.com/bethere. Hacker said more ads will be posted in the coming weeks with complimentary full page, high-resolution print ads available as PDFs.

The cost to fly these days, as well as the cost to ship exhibits, has made some exhibitors re-think their need to travel. "These ads are intended to take that [notion] on directly. It boils down to this: Do the math - how many customers can you see at a trade show vs. what it would cost in time and in airfare to see them separately," Hacker said.

The campaign points out a number of things that should be in every exec's mind when promoting the assn's trade show:

• The power of face-to-face marketing plays a major role in exhibitions and events.
• The benefits of being on the show floor such as cutting expenses, generating revenue, creating profit, securing multiple contracts, meeting new leads and justifying ROI.
• The cost-saving aspects of reaching multiple clients and leads in a single location vs. making multiple trips.

Consider promoting your annual meeting NOW, no matter when it is scheduled. Rates are bound to go up-up-up and you will have continuing problems getting your members to travel.

Ask Amy

Want your e-mail included in your ASAE online directory listing? Send an e-mail directly to Amy Hissrich, director of knowledge initiatives at ASAE & the Center at ahissrich@asaecenter.org or call her at 202-326-9532. Tell her you want your e-mail included in the directory so others can reach you without using the bland form that limits members to one-by-one contact with no variation of type styles or highlights.

The enhanced online membership directory has some great social networking tools but members won't find any e-mails included. An ill-conceived omission that needs to be reconsidered.

Call for Entries: TRENDS All-Media Contest

The 2008 Association TRENDS All-Media Contest will begin accepting entries on Aug. 1.

There are 28 categories, including all forms of media: print, a/v, electronic and online. All assns and assn vendors are eligible to enter any and all media products created between Nov. 1, 2007 and Oct. 31, 2008. This year, a special category has been created for PODCASTS!

TRENDS has been conducting the All-Media Contest for over three decades to acknowledge and honor media products created by and for the nonprofit community. Communicators from all sizes and types of organizations are encouraged to submit their best media products. Winners will receive colorful certificates in Gold, Silver and Bronze levels and be recognized at the Salute to Association Excellence at the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24.

For more information and to enter, go to www.AssociationTRENDS.com on Aug. 1.

Questions? 301.652.8666

Trial TRENDS subscription

We're about to send out a trial subscription offer to association professionals. Those of you who read our blog have the first chance to sign up!

Go to www.AssociationTRENDS.com and click on SUBSCRIBE. Select 4 week free trial and we'll get you started right away.

Churn at the top

For years, we all have repeatedly heard that "nothing happens during July and August" in the association community. The latest CEO changes refute that! Changes atop some of the largest trade associations, as well as several moves in mid-size groups.

So, you are thinking about tossing your hat in the ring for a job that looks "just right" for you?

Before you send in your resume, along with the appropriate cover letter, be sure you do your homework.

One CEO job in the medical community has had only three chief staff execs in its history - the first stayed more than 15 years and was loved by all. Next up was a recruited exec from a similar group. Lasted only a few months. The latest exec, also recruited from a related organization, left recently without fanfare, and no party. I'd be scared to death to be #4!

Another assn hired a talented, tenured exec away from a great industry job. Moved the family. Within a few months, the exec was gone and the assn was looking again. The board didn't like the changes he made - wanted same-old, same-old. Hmmmm, didn't the candidates talk during the interview process?

So check the history. Insist on seeing the financials. Talk to the staff. Look under the blotter before you sign a contract. Be sure you aren't opening Pandora's Box.

Natl assn denies membership to critic

How does this current situation apply to your assn?

A national professional society last week returned membership documents and payments from an industry publisher and staffer, refusing the applications. The assn's staff and attorney would not comment on the matter, other than to confirm refusal of membership. Staff and board members had previously been ordered not to comment or respond to inquiries from the media bulldog.

The publisher's longtime coverage of the assn's community has been adversarial and uncomplimentary, increasingly so over the past few years. Using information gathered from assn members and personal contacts, the publication strongly criticizes the assn's policies and actions, frequently exposing information not otherwise available to members or the public. The assn has claimed the information is unfounded and incorrect, while the publisher doggedly insists the assn is hiding or omitting facts.

Relationships between the publisher and the assn's staff broke down considerably when the the publisher and several others filed a lawsuit seven years ago for unauthorized copying and resale of copyrighted materials. That suit was dropped when the assn closed its in-house service that provided "educational materials" and ceased copying documents for resale. No apologies or payments to the authors were made by the assn.

Assn law generally does not require assns to accept membership from any individual or company. According to the Assn Law Handbook, 4th ed., by Jerald A. Jacobs, "Membership... is ordinarily a privilege that may be granted or denied if done so on reasonable grounds; [it] may sometimes become a right when denial if it would result in a serious economic disadvantage to outsiders."

Also, "Any policy to arbitrarily or unnecessarily limit assn membership seems ill advised..." when it could be deemed as a violation of antitrust laws. While the publisher railed extensively about the impropriety of the denial of membership, there was no indication or claim of an antitrust violation. The assn appeared to be avoiding the acceptance into membership of an individual known to be an adversary and a troublemaker for the organization, who they previously claimed required undue amounts of information and support.

More at www.AssociationTRENDS.com.

Red Cross National Capital Area lets go one-quarter of staff

American Red Cross National Capital Area chapter will lay off 25% of its staff in order to meet a $2-million budget shortfall. The layoffs are due in part to the slower economy and fewer donations, a spokesman for the assn said.

COO Lee Stebbins said that the layoffs are top-to bottom, including nine managerial positions and 24 specialists. Four positions kept vacant due to a hiring freeze will not be filled. The board approved the layoffs on April 24, and the workers have been offered separation packages.

The group, which provides relief to residents of the Washington area after disasters such as house fires, said residents will not see a reduction in services. The chapter said it will also rely more on volunteer labor.