Succession Planning

As a chamber CEO it’s probably not on your radar screen to think about what the chamber would look like after you leave.

Some chamber execs stay a couple of years and some stay well over 20 years.

In either scenario you should have a succession plan in place for your chamber.  This is good for you and the organization.

I will take it a step further and say you should have a plan for each critical position at your chamber.  When coming up with a plan, it’s important you at least cover the basics.

The plan should at least include:

  • A press release announcing a transition;
  • A timeline for the selection process;
  • A job description for the open CEO position; and
  • A communications plan to keep your members informed on the process.

It’s important to be transparent in the process.  The other important thing is don’t make any knee jerk decisions.

You have the time to review your program of work and clearly identify the direction your organization should take.

There are many reasons why CEO’s leave:

  • New job
  • Retirement
  • Contract not renewed

No matter the reason, your chamber needs to have a game plan to move forward.

The chamber will be around a lot longer then you or I. Do what’s best for the organization.

Formalize a succession plan today!

For more resources on succession planning by the Annie E. Casey Foundation go HERE.

3 Elements of an Effective Blog Post

I recently attended a social media breakout session that focused on three key elements of writing an effective blog post.

And boy did I get some great ideas!

While there may be other elements to think about, they suggested that if you focus on these three, you’ll be well on your way to that next great blog post!


So when it's time to write your next blog post think of these three elements to capture your audience:

  1. Title
  2. Images
  3. Content

Title

Title matters and it’s important to focus on its length, is it compelling and does it tell a consistent story?

  • Length –Keep it short, no more than 8 words or less.
  • Compelling – Know your audience and create a title that makes the audience want to click/read the blog.
  • Telling – Article should follow the title and must be relevant.  The title should tell people what they are going to get if they read the article.

Images

Images are a key part of your blog post, and the image needs to be engaging, relevant, and shareable.

  • Engaging – Show action.  Charts and graphs are not always good. The image must add to the story.
  • Relevant – Don’t mislead readers with your image and title.
  • Shareable – Will your friends and colleagues share your post to their networks? That’s where you get your bang for your buck – think viral.

Content

Content is key, I’ve said it before in a blog post HERE.  Focus on your audience, the length and flow of your blog post.

  • Audience – Know your audience and content.  Make it targeted.
  • Length – 90 seconds is all your audience will spend on a blog post. Keep your message short and tight.
  • Readable – Don’t use acronyms, however, mini titles can be effective throughout a blog post and the use of links can be effective too, both internally or external.

I hope some of the tips mentioned above help you write that next great blog post.

At least it gives you something to think about the next time you put pen to paper or should I say fingers to keyboard!

For more information on how to write a great blog visit the folks at problogger HERE.  For a great resource on how to grow your blog go HERE.