Evaluating Advantages and Risks of Various Dues Schedules

There are basically three types of dues schedules:

1. Dues based on full-time employees (FTEs);
2. Dues based on an overall budget of the business; and
3. Dues based on tiers.

The trend over the past ten years has been moving to a tiered dues system and I'm a fan of that trend.

The first two set you and your members up for an adversarial relationship!

With a tiered dues system your members can pay for exactly what they want based on your tiered dues structure and there is no going back and forth with the business leader on how many employees they have at any given time or what their current budget is for that given year.

Get out of that game!

Work with your members to give them what they want and what they are willing to pay for based on your tiered dues structure.

The key is to be transparent on what the different levels will deliver for their dues point.

That's a win win for both the chamber and your members or potential members.

For more on a tiered dues structure from Kyle Sexton go HERE.

Developing and Analyzing Data Through Surveys

Qualitative vs. quantitative.

You need both and you also need to do focus groups.

How often are you surveying your members?

In today's world with all the free or nominal fees associated with online surveys, you have no excuse not to do an annual survey and find out what your members want and expect from you.

Remember, you can't serve all members.  In fact, I did a previous blog post on that subject that can be found HERE.

The key, in my opinion, when conducting these surveys is to be consistent from year to year.  You need to be asking the same questions so you can get a benchmark to work from.

If you just change your questions each year, you have nothing to base your results on.

I'm reminded by the membership survey that Marketing General, Inc. has conducted over the past 7 years.  They ask the same questions so they can have a base and measure changes over time with the same audience.  That's data that's worth following.

If you want their latest benchmarking survey on membership go HERE.

In addition, do you have a process that all new programs need to go through before you add them to your program of work?

If not, you should create a document that is used for all potential new programs the chamber is considering getting into.  Don't go into any new program blind.  Find out if your membership wants it, is willing to support it, and that it is sustainable.

That's a recipe for success! 

3 Tips for a Great Presentation

Start with a bang.  Tell a story.  End with where you began.

All successful speakers have mastered these three techniques in addition to their own experiences on delivering the goods on a great presentation.

Here's three I'd like to focus on:

1. Know your subject matter;
2. Tell a story; and
3. Keep it simple.

Know your subject matter:

You're not credible if you don't know your subject matter.  Don't fake it!  They will see right through you. The key is to stay focused on your presentation and subject matter and don't get off on a tangent.

Tell a story:

If you've ever read anything about giving a top-notch presentation, it's all about storytelling.  Begin with a story and end with a story that ties back to the original story that you told.  The stories is what your audience will remember, not the other stuff, unfortunately.  So it's key to bury your main message in the story.

Keep it simple:

I'm reminded by a blog post I did, and you can find it HERE, that if you want them to remember something keep it to three topics, if you want them to remember nothing, than tell them 10 things.

It's so true.  Keep it simple and they will remember your message. So don't push that theory!

Figure out what you want them to leave with and deliver that message.

I'm also reminded by a recent blog post I did on "If You're Creating a Start-up: Find Your Three Words" to describe your business?  You can find it HERE.

It's true, keep it simple and they will remember your message.

3 Networking Tips at Business After Hours

I recently attended a meeting at my local chamber and got some great advice from a volunteer who runs their after hours program.

He gave the following three suggestions to make your participation in the next after hours event worth its weight in gold.

And of course, bring your business cards (plenty).

1. Set an initial appointment for 10 minutes with someone you want to meet;
2. Arrive early; and
3. Be a good listener.

Let's talk about each of the above three suggestions in detail.

Set an initial appointment for 10 minutes with someone you want to meet:

If you set an appointment with someone you want to meet, you know you've already made the evening worth your time.  Make it early in the process so you can work the rest of the crowd.  Remember, these after hours events typically are no more than two hours.

Arrive early:

If you don't arrive early, members have already self-selected in groups that might make it tough to insert yourself.  If you're there early, you can be part of the initial discussion and small group that has formed in that corner of the room.

Be a good listener:

It's always important to listen.  When we really listen, that's when we can make a difference.  That's when we can hear what a prospective member may want or need and we can deliver on that ask.  Always be ready to help!

Remember, it's more important to listen to what they want and deliver the goods based on their ask than telling them what they need based on your experience on what you're hearing.  It's all about them.  It's never about you.

Never forget that! 

Why Understanding Your Member's Needs is the Key to Engagement

Can we all say needs assessment survey?

If you don't ask your members what they want how can you deliver valuable programs?

Many chambers make the mistake of creating programs where no one or not nearly enough show up to make the program profitable.

What do we call a program that doesn't make money?  A member benefit! We're all guilty.  Let's stop doing that today.

I'm a big fan of the Hedgehog Theory discussed in Jim Collins' book Good to Great.  The concept is that your chamber should only be doing programs that:

• You have passion for;
• You are the best at or can be the best at; and
• You make money.

Where those three circles intersect, those are the programs you should focus on and be involved with.

Kick the rest to the curb!

Vision vs Mission Statements

What’s the difference?

One is the BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) and the other is what you do, day in and day out, month in and month out, and year in and year out.

If we search the Internet there are plenty of examples of vision vs mission statements.

In its simplest form, the vision is the highest level of what you want to do and the mission statement is how you’re going to achieve that goal.

A couple of examples:

Vision Statement

• Cure cancer
• Eradicate X disease
• Every high school student graduates

Mission Statement

• Help people live with cancer
• Help people live productive lives with X disease
• Provide assistance to high school students to achiever their best and graduate from high school

I think you get the drift from the examples above.  The way I see it, the vision statement is something that will never be achieved, but is a laudable goal.

The mission statement is what we all do on a daily basis to try and reach that goal.

For more information and resources on putting your vision and mission statement together go HERE.

What Makes a Great Chamber Executive?

Much has been written on this subject matter over time.

For me, I'd like to focus on the following four areas I believe make a great chamber executive:

1. Leader;
2. Visionary; 
3. Communicator; and
4. Flexibility.

Leader - a leader in our field understands that the Board sets policy for the organization and the CEO's job is to implement that policy with his or her staff.

Visionary - a visionary is a person who is able to see how the organization will implement the policy set forth by the Board to maximize the resources available within the organization to benefit the members.

Communicator - if you can't communicate what you and your staff are doing on behalf of the members, you will always be playing catch-up. Keep your communications clear and consistent.  Tell your organizations story to your members and the community.

Flexibility - in your program of work not everything will go perfectly, if it did you wouldn't be challenged and you would become bored. Flexibility will allow you to meet your goals, even though it may be different then originally planned. 

I did a blog post earlier titled "Owners, Managers, Customers."  It's important that you understand this concept.

It's been stated many times before why most executives get fired?  They get on a different page than their Board, a Board member, or there is a financial issue.

Don't let that happen to you!