#1
NEW ROLE: Professional Associations exist to draw communities together by
generating learning, sharing content and engaging membership around knowledge.
Our digital age opens ups more peer to peer pathways for people to cross
pollinate ideas, processes and best practices (such as LinkedIn, blogs and
twitter feeds) so associations need to proactively act to maintain this “centre
of influence.” They have a new role to play; to be the CURATORS of AUTHORITATIVE
CONTENT and be the key connectors for conversation and career development for
their industry.
#2 CONTENT IS KING: Content Marketing is the new way to
advertise and promote association value. Corporate companies are now hiring
full time content marketers to develop white papers, generate case studies and
blog about products and services with the goal of creating content and
resources that their clients will find valuable. An Associations journals,
seminar material, publications, AGM and Conferences are a goldmine of content
from industry leaders that can easily be RE-PURPOSED and RE-USED and sent
out in a multitude of different ways in
order to engage attendees and energize non-attendees, to attract new members and
even possibly generate non-due revenues and new sponsorship opportunities.
#3
MULTI FORMAT: Providing key content in a variety of formats and across many
channels gives an association the best chance of reaching their audience in all
5 generational groups and ensuring that stakeholders are reached in the way
they want and when. In addition, Associations have to be proactive in marketing
and banding to continue to attract members and maintain engagement and
relevancy. Once content is exposed to the internet, not only will it fulfill
the original educational mission but can also be used to drive revenue, attract
new membership and improve member satisfaction.
#4 ACCESSIBLE: Online content needs to be
SEARCHABLE and RELEVANT and members/users must be able to find the specific
answers they seek in as little time as possible so having a robust full-text
search engine with “relevancy ranked results” is a necessary first step. Web
attention spans are very short so it is important not to waste time. Users need
to filter search results using key words to make online searching fast,
powerful and intuitive. This data is called METADATA and includes such search
options as: author name, subjects or track, document type, event, date, key
words, and linked in related articles and resources.
#5
TOOLS: Social and Digital media is one
of the MOST powerful marketing opportunities ever invented and can serve to
generate more interest in and visibility for organizations well beyond their
member lists. “SHARING WIDGETS” for major social media networks such as LinkedIn,
Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and email should be built in to generated content
formats make it easy for people to share content to their network of friends,
colleagues and followers. This content is often more trusted coming from
colleagues and friends and has a better chance of persuading or informing your
target audience. Managing social media
from Hootsuite dashboard makes sending out and managing relevant broadcasts
easy and programmable.
#6 MANAGING ACCESS: WHO will have access, for HOW long, and in
WHAT formats? There is no right answer because it will vary based on the type
and specific objectives of the association and of the individual content. The
first question needs to be asked is how you want to serve up the content, Text
or video, through a portal or your website, will you provide access by
subscription or via downloadable file, or both? How long will people have
access to the content? Will you give some content away, while charging for
other content?
#7
REVENUE
GENERATION:
The
organization has access to and has already paid for the speakers, the
professional development and programming so just by marketing and sharing it
with the 70% or so of your membership, you can continue to make this content
work for 365 days.
A Virtual Pass to a hybrid meeting
design is one possibility; Recent examples from WEC at $250 and GMIC $45 up to
40% of attendee cost. An al la carte
option might work on a “click for pay” option which can easily be imbedded into
a portal/site to have a charge option for each download (video or summary
text). The “pay here” button could either be linked to a third party firm or
via Paypal for channeled directly to an online merchant account. It can be as simple as FREE for
members and a nominal charge or FEE for non-members ($100). Full or partial
segmented content with categories including Member/attendee, Member/non
attendee, Non Member/all content and Non Member/Block Content. Other industries
may be interested in some but not all key content. A NESTED approach seems to work
best with “appetizer” content for free that gives the potential members an
opportunity to preview and be enticed.
When
considering how to monetize content, don’t underestimate the value to your
sponsors, exhibitors and partners! Many are likely be VERY interested in a
longer lifecycle for their sponsorship dollars and will be pleased by the
greater visibility and reach and will be willing to increase sponsorship levels
for this privilege. Example Twin Cities 2010 – post conference content
generated 69,000 page views in 3 months.
#8
EXTEND
REACH AND INFLUENCE: By expanding the ways your members can interact,
view, share, search and consume educational content and by integrating the
learning with 365 days in the year, aligning formats with your messaging will
serve to extending both reach and impact. The nature of how individuals get our
news (actively rather than passively), how we are educated (distance learning
& webinars), how we consume information (our new demanding expectations)
and how we are connecting (FaceBook, Pinterest, go to meeting, LinkedIn and
Google hangouts and Skype) is changing rapidly, and associations need to take
notice. If they can initiate these conversations, while raising awareness and
increasing value to members, advocates and partners -they will see that
“content” is a key component to future growth and prosperity.
List of Some Resources:
Best Social Media Sites: LinkedIn (groups), Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, about.me, youtube
Other Cool Tools: Skype, Google hangouts, Basecamp, Highrise, Flickr
Analytics: Alexa rating (of website), Google+, Hootsuite, Klout
Digital Media Dashboard: Hootsuite, Tweetdeck
Twitter Hashtags: #eventtable #csaeog #CSAE #assnchat #executiveoasis
Mobile Event Apps: Crowd, Event Mobie, EventPilot, Top, twoppv
OnLine Communities: One Lobby
Synthesis Content Capture and Strategic Communications: The Conference Publishers
Webcasting: MediaSite, MaxDigital
Website and Registration Solutions: DESystems, Cvent, CheckIn, streampoint
Event Management Software: Cvent, Task Rabbit, DESystems
Presentation Management: Present Now, Preseria
Speakers: CAP
QRCodes: ShareSquare
No comments:
Post a Comment