How Trade Associations Can Serve Members

Reduce focus on ancillary activities.

Feel good activities generally serve only a few members yet much of an association’s valuable resources tend to be squandered in this area. Generally association members, frequently senior within the organization, with too much time on their hands will drive activities that matter to them while only serving a small constituency of members.

Let go of trying to control the small issues, which is common in associations. Association leadership is a turnstile and as such each set of leaders wants to make their mark and “resolve” small issues that do not need to be resolved. They do this because these small issues are really low hanging fruit, easily accessible. Rather, leadership needs to focus on the issues that really matter to the majority of members and these issues take real work, the kind of work that few leaders are willing to tackle.

Work on what matters to members.

Here is the challenge. I cannot tell you how many associations I have worked with that the leadership’s approach was something like: “It doesn’t matter what the members want, they need…”

There are two basic kinds of association leaders, first there is the person that truly desires to serve their industry and there is the second that desires to serve themselves. Over time there have been fewer of these that truly desire to serve and more that want to control or gain personal value. This is where the association paid staff must exert strength to minimize the damage that the glory and power seeking leader can cause.

What do most association members want?

In a nutshell most of the folks that join an association do so with the hope of minimizing the learning curve in growing their business. Secondarily, is to join in with masses in their industry to affect legislation that might have a positive or negative effect on their business.

While many association members site networking as a primary reason, networking is merely a conduit for the above value they seek. Networking in itself is an activity, not a benefit. However, proper intelligent networking will generally deliver the business growth and legislative benefits that members seek.

Recommendations:

1. Yearly, offer an open ended survey to membership. Too many surveys that I’ve seen associations send to their members only ask the kind of questions that support the erroneous assumptions of its leaders.
2. Leave the low hanging fruit for the paid staff. Volunteer leadership should be involved in helping to set the strategy rather than be obsessed with the daily operational activities of their association.
3. Focus on the big (and difficult) issues that will truly deliver value to members in their most important areas of business growth and legislation oversight. Leave the petty and small stuff to the paid staff.
4. Do not fear the diversity of membership but rather embrace it. When I mention diversity, I am talking about more than just racial, ethnic, nationality, and gender—I am talking about diversity of thought. In my experience, too many association leaders needlessly feel threatened by diversity of thought and unfortunately squander resources attempting to control that which should not be controlled; diversity of ideas.

Most folks join their industry’s trade association to grow their business through new and innovative methods, learned through a collaborative community—the trade association. It is not a religion or benevolent society. Both paid and volunteer leaders would bode well to keep this at the fore of their thinking and decision making during their leadership tenure.

Leopardology

Standing at a high boy, at yet another cocktail reception…at yet another meeting, and knowing not a soul—approaching me was a pleasant man that was specifically seeking me out. He said, “You’re Ed Rigsbee, and I’ve wanted to meet you.” In a South African accent, he introduced himself as Kivi Bernhard, the next day’s luncheon speaker.

Well, what a treat! I attended the next day’s luncheon and stayed for Kivi’s presentation. For business leaders, Kivi’s is a fresh voice on business success; drawing parallels to the hunting skills, techniques and success of the leopard, which he claims is the most successful predator on the planet. He did an excellent job of luring in the audience, mesmerizing the group with his stories and video footage.

Following his presentation, Kivi had for sale a few advance copies of his new book, Leopardology—The Hunt for Profit in a Tough Global Economy! Enjoying my new friend’s presentation, I stood in line and bought a copy. Reiterating an important point from his speech, his inscription to me on the inside cover read, “May you always be blessed to ‘Hunt your hunt!’”

I recommend very few books, and I’m recommending this one to you—I really enjoyed the book! Through a new window, Kivi’s book if filled with proven business success truths—many that he learned as a new immigrant, building a successful wholesale diamond business in the U.S. The business parallels he draws compared to the African leopard are compelling, inspirational, and motivational.

I really do not want to give away his ideas and lessen your reading experience; however I do believe this book to be exceptional, especially in our current difficult business environment. It motivated me, and it will motivate you. Go buy the book, today!

Here is the direct Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=leopardology&x=0&y=0

You may contact Kivi through his web: www.kivibernhard.com

Small Business Partners

Small business success is as much a function of persistence, positioning, and implementation as it is relationship building. With whom are you investing? What you put out, positive or negative, really does come back to you.

Partnering with employees is crucial to the kind of service employees deliver to your customers and how they use your resources. Your employees can sabotage your success without you evening knowing what they are doing.

Partnering with customers is important, if you want them to return. You want your customers to perceive you as their ___, you fill in the blank. You want to be top of mind in the consciousness of your customers. Everything you do, say, and do not do will have an effect on how your customers hold your business in their minds.

Partnering with your competitors is equally important. Competitors are, any business that competes with you for access to your customers wallets. Are restaurants and auto dealers competitors? Absolutely they are. A new car will mean less dinners out.However, you can still partner with the competition through cross-promotion. The more you and your competitors get people out of their homes and into your places of business, the more people will let go of that money and circulate it. This will help the economy. Work with local business to develop cross-promotion campaigns. It will serve you well.

You Want the Results More than the Alliance

Partnering for Profits; You Want What It Does

Let’s face it, few individuals wake up in the morning and think, “Wow, I want an alliance.” Rather, you want what the alliance will do for you. An alliance is nothing more than a conduit for delivering value. As you explore the possibilities in developing alliance relationships, keep your focus on benefit rather than process. The big companies are so focused on alliance process that they can easily forget about delivering value.

Personal Responsibility; Two Windows

I have written quite a lot lately about personal responsibility www.rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm. As a business leader you have double duty. First, you have to be responsible to effectively run your business—to see to it that your employees have a livelihood. And second, you have to be responsible to motivate your employees to be responsible themselves. As you develop a deeper partnering relationship with your employees, help them to see, and mirror, your personal responsibility through both windows. Help them to be responsible, and to hold you responsible.

Platform Charisma; Will the Real You Please Stand?

When you try to be someone else on the platform, you usually suck—unless of course you are a professional impersonator. Here’s the thing; you bring a unique set of skills, tools, and values to the platform—why not release them to deliver the highest value possible to your audience. Careful now, release the best you, and not the worst you. The worst you is the lazy you. The best you is the prepared, excited, and enthusiast you. Always reveal the best you.

Live Meetings Will Never Die

Live, In-Person Meetings Matter

Face-to-face networking will always deliver more total value to humans than other electronic options. Daily, relationships are being developed online and then further solidified in person.

In this difficult economic time, partnering is the path to succeed. Intelligent partnering assures that all participants get and give—each has to believe they received value from participation.

Infusing this partnering idea into today’s meetings development will serve both corporations and associations alike. Reported in the July 27, 2009 issue of MeetingNews (www.MeetingNews.com) is their recent survey revealing that 43% of the corporations that reported had canceled a contracted meeting in the past six months. But, only 20% of the associations reported doing the same.

In the August 2009 issues (Meetings, West, South, etc.) produced by www.meetingsfocus.com is an article titled, Building Blocks—Associations Are Grappling with Attendance Issues that you might want to read. Mentioned; $50K keynote speakers being replaced with $20K speakers, content trumps location as well as big-name speakers, and feel-good speeches are gone.

The bottom line is that Americans are still meeting in-person (despite the political fall out in March) because that’s the best way to develop effective business relationships, network, and discover new opportunities. Yes, there are more association meetings than corporate, and that’s okay.

You need PROFESSIONAL speakers at your meeting that are flexible/easy to work with, deliver immediately usable content to meeting attendees, and do it in a fun environment that motivate your people to use the information, somehow moving from point “A” to “B” and will not bust your budget.

If you agree, call me today to talk about how I, Ed Rigsbee, can help you to deliver all the above to your meeting attendees—no matter the meeting purpose. My pledge to you is this, if you want me as your meeting partner, we’ll find a way to make the finances work—I guarantee it!

Why Should a Leader Care About Employees?

Partnering for Profits: Personally Responsible

Read at risk of anger: I wrote about organizations using the Scanlon Plan for employee equity sharing in my first book titled, “The Art of Partnering;” pick up a used copy at Amazon. With the Scanlon Plan, both employees and leadership are equally responsible for the organization’s success.

In these difficult economic times, leaders are still responsible to their employees to ensure jobs and livelihood. Over the last decade, many leaders have unfortunately proven to be scum; taking huge bonuses or severance payments and leaving employees to fend for themselves. Does the word “Unions” have a meaning here?

You may disagree with me on this, and you have the right to be wrong; if you are a leader, you are responsible!!! If you are a leader in your organization and you are working 60 hours a week leading the charge, God bless you—you are a true leader. If you are in a leadership position and are taking vacation time, time off, and generally MIA, you are NOT a leader but rather a parasite on the organization. Sorry if the truth hurts, but it’s the truth.

Hourly employees cannot be expected to be organizational rain makers. For if they were, they would not stick around as hourly employees. Leaders are expected to be rain makers, and to provide for their employees. And that’s why leaders get the big bucks.

When you are ready for the “Ed Rigsbee Experience” in your organization, give me a call at 800-839-1520.

Executive Presentation Skills: Confidence

I hope you enjoy what my good friend, Randy Pennington, CSP, CPAE, has to say about confidence:

1. Confidence in my material and expertise. I know that what I have to say is important and relevant to the audience's needs. I have done my research and know what I need to do. The work has been put in to ensure I can be confident in what I'm going to say before I ever walk on platform.

2. Experience and confidence in my skills. There are very few situations that I haven't seen over the years. The comfort in knowing that I have previously succeeded in difficult situations gives me confidence that I can handle anything that comes up.

3. Obligation and duty. The audience and the person who hired me expect a level of confidence from me. It is part of the package for the fee I am paid. To show less than a level of confidence that increases the opportunities for success is taking money I didn't earn.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Nobody's Going to Do It for You

Partnering for Profits: Personal Responsibility

Just recently I was chatting with a friend that is a partner at a professional services company. His firm has been hit particularly hard in this economy because of the firm’s dependence on the construction industry. He was telling me that his firm is in the “survival” mode. After a few questions, I told him that I disagreed, and that his firm was really in the “vacation” mode.

The reason for my assessment is because the partners merely cut the hours they would work in an effort to save money by reducing their income. And, they have had to lay off a number of employees. While there is much to discuss in this company’s situation, for you the leader of your organization, there is an important issue to consider.

When times are tough, does the leader of an organization throw up his or her hands and say there is no business, and just go on vacation? Hell no! The leader(s), especially in small to mid-sized companies must lead by example. Leaders must accept personal responsibility for letting their company fall into the tail spin by working more hours and perhaps for a period of time, receiving less (Fortune 500 CEOs seem to be exempted).

For any organizational leader, simply working less hours for less pay is criminal in my opinion. More on this next week…

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at:

http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

Executive Presentation Skills: Charisma

I recently asked some of my professional speaker buddies to give me their take on charisma and I think you’ll enjoy with what Jim Cathcart, CSP, CPAE had to say:

“There are three elements in every aspect of speaking success: Mindset, Skills and Systems. Charisma starts with Mindset. You must cultivate a respect for and admiration of your audience. Without this your speech will simply be a delivery of information. With it your emotions will reinforce your message positively.

The skills of charisma have to do with understanding and adapting to differences in groups and individuals. You've got to know your audience: the organization, the situation, the culture, and the individuals as much as practical.

Your systems need to include the efficient gathering of data about the group, your assignment and their goals. Have a great preprogram questionnaire to help you learn what you need to learn. Also, your personal system or habit pattern in preparation for each speech has a great deal to do with charisma. Be sure you get yourself into the attitude and mood to be the best you can be for them.”

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

A Word About Global Strategic Alliances

Partnering for Profits: New State of Alliance Study

The Association for Strategic Alliance Professionals just released its third “State of Alliance Management Study” and there are some interesting changes since the 2007 study was published. Co-marketing alliances down just a bit and research alliances are up a bit. In the 2007 study, American alliance success rate was around 50%, now the success rate is at 57%. Fifty-one percent of the companies now employ a full time alliance professional. Europe is investing a bit more in alliance management that is being done in the USA. Alliance success is a couple points higher in the USA over Europe. Unfortunately, international alliance success rate is only 49% but better then innovation alliance success rates, which are at about 40%.

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at:

http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

Executive Presentation Skills: Be Heard

The question of style verses substance is one that will always be around. If style is all you have, then you’d better be a humorist or Toastmaster competitor. If substance is all you have then your information had better be so important to the well being, or success, of the people attending your talk.

But, if you have both style and substance, you will always be heard. You will always communicate your message. And most likely, you will always sell your message.

An analogy to keep in your mind is of a beautiful red ruby (substance) presented in a well lighted and displayed environment (the style). Take that fabulous ruby and throw it into a bowl of cooked spinach; not too exciting. The ruby will possibly be overlooked. The same goes for your speech; display your ruby in such a way that it will not be missed—and you will be heard.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives:

The Los Angeles Bar Association recently took a very innovative approach in an effort to retain older members. With the dues renewal, the older members are offered an “opt-out” option of joining the newly formed group for older members. Interestingly enough, few opted out—they accepted the offer. What do they get? Specific programming and events geared to what is humorously called the dinosaur group. Way to go LABA, you are an innovative leader in Member retention.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

Effective Strategic Alliances from the Pros

Partnering for Profits: Compare to Top Alliance Professionals

A recent study done by the American Management Association and Pearson in collaboration with the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals (ASAP) titled, “Today’s Alliance Professional...Tomorrow’s Strategic Leader” offers some very insightful information.

In examining strategic alliance professionals who identified themselves as “top experts in the field” the researchers wanted to see how those alliance professionals differed from ones who identified themselves as novices and moderately proficient. The “top experts” differed from their peers in several ways. The key findings were:

* “Top experts” are even more independent and sociable than most strategic alliance professionals.

* They are also higher in critical thinking and in leadership orientation.

* Finally, they possess a higher level of concern for others, which means that they have a strong empathic connection with people. When we look at the overall profile of top strategic alliance experts; areas where they differ from their peers as well as areas of similarity; a pattern emerges:

* Top experts appear to be very dynamic individuals who care about and connect with people; they positively influence and motivate others.

* They are constantly reaching out and networking with people.

* They are also very strategic and likely to find and create opportunities to use their critical thinking skills and independent and innovative style.

* On the other hand, they are likely to feel bogged down if required to devote energy to a lot of strict procedural demands and attention to details. They would suffer if forced to work within a bureaucratic environment.

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at:

http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

Executive Presentation Skills: From Ed’s Bookshelf

This week I’d like to share with you the 12 rules for speaking success from James Anderson’s book (published 1989) titled, “Speaking to Groups, Eyeball to Eyeball.” Good ideas, all of them. One caution…have a script, but do not read your script.

1. Find your action objective.

2. Know your audience.

3. Build from the closing.

4. Hook your audience instantly.

5. Create a script.

6. Keep a sharp focus.

7. Use good delivery.

8. Add impact with visuals.

9. Sell them with persuasion.

10. Keep a positive attitude.

11. Be totally prepared.

12. Follow up your success.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Get the Membership Two-fer

How good is your membership recruitment brochure? This is a great time to take a look. In order to combine a member recruitment campaign along with a member retention campaign, you need to have a four-color pocket sized tri-fold brochure, you know, one that neatly fits in a #10 envelope. And the brochure had better address the benefits, rather than the features of membership. Features are what you get when you join, and the benefits are how those features make your life better—by helping you to get more customers, make more money, keep the best employees, and benefits like that.

The way you get a two-fer is to motivate your current members to call on prospective members. Have a class at your next conference going over all the benefits your association delivers—your members will need to attend to get “up to speed” on the benefits so they can talk about those benefits. And, what are you doing? You are reinforcing in the minds’ of your current members that they made a good decision in joining themselves…go for the two-fer!

If you need help with this, give me a call at 800-839-1520, I mean it.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

Improving Supplier Relationships

Partnering for Profits: Supplier Relationships

Yes, this is a great time to squeeze your suppliers for an extra nickel. The economy sucks, everyone is scrambling, and you want to get more than your fair share—it’s just looking out for my company you might say.

Don’t do it!!!

You might not think so now, but your suppliers really are the lifeblood of your company. Without your suppliers, you’d have nothing to sell or service to offer. Sure it is natural to want to take advantage of a situation. But hear me loud and clear—stick it to your suppliers now, and when things get better, they’ll remember.

By partnering with your suppliers in both good times and bad, you will be making superior “Relationship Bank Deposits” in anticipation of future withdrawals. If you have not yet done it; have meetings with your key suppliers and ask for their recommendations for process and supply chain improvement, especially in this lousy economic time. I’m pretty sure they will have a few recommendations that you have not yet implemented.

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at:

http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

Executive Presentation Skills: Avoid Competing With Yourself

You have most likely seen it; the speaker has a nervous habit, or several. And these habits are completely distracting. In fact, you have a hard time concentrating on what the speaker is saying. Some things to consider that will help you avoid competing with yourself the next time you give a presentation:

Playing with your eyeglasses

Playing with change in your pocket

Continual nervously sipping water

Over using “you know” and “uhhh”

Reading your speech

Dis symmetry in clothing; one coat pocket in and one out, wearing your name badge, or over sized broach

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Partner with Your Speakers

I was just reading in the April issue of “Smart Meetings” yet another article on frugal meeting tips and found myself wondering why the author would suggest creating an adversary relationship with speakers. While the author did not say it in so many words, however the author’s recommendations said it loud and clear—limit the number of hotel nights and only give conference registration for one day. Over the last several months, I have been interviewing people that book speakers for my column in “Speaker Magazine” and a frequent criticism is that the speaker runs off after their speech.

You cannot have it both ways. If you want your attendees to have access to your speaker for more than a few minutes—you’ve got to make it work for your speaker. Providing an extra night at your conference hotel is a minimal investment compared to the value your attendees will receive. And registration for only one day—how miserly can you me? It basically costs the association nothing to give a full registration.

In your effort to cut costs, be careful not to cut off your nose to spite your face. If you really are under the budget microscope, then hire only one speaker for your entire conference—that will be the most cost effective approach possible. Your attendees will have more access to the speaker, and besides, you do want your speaker to be your partner in making your meeting successful, don’t you?

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

Increased Employee Productivity

Partnering for Profits: Relate Honestly to Employees

How do you, the executive, relate to employees in this tough economic time? First, employees are scared; even if they feel their job is somewhat safe, perhaps a spouse or close family member has recently experienced a lay off? We are all being assaulted several times a day with rotten news about the economy. What are you doing to help your employees overcome this continued negative influence? Perhaps more frequent and more honest information sharing would serve everyone?

Second, your integrity will be their motivator. Your employees want to believe that everything will work out all right. They want to believe in you, and your leadership team. Your integrity in keeping your words and actions consistent will play a huge role in keeping your employees motivated—especially now with cutbacks in pay, benefits, hours, etc. Paint an honest picture, your employees will thank you for it.

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at

http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

Executive Presentation Skills: Use Mind Pictures

One of the stories that I frequently tell from the platform is about the importance of having the needed skills before one tries to implement. It is a story about when I learned to ski. My goal is to create a picture in the minds of my audience members before I start to use my body as the visual. I start the story with, “I wish you could have been there; it was a sunny fall day in Yosemite National Park at the Badger Pass Ski area…” This conjures something in everyone’s mind. Make your presentations more powerful by frequently painting mind pictures for those in your audience.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Exchange Older Members for New?

(First, I’d like to connect back to last week’s cost cutting. If you need a speaker to perform several activities at your next convention, for a single price, please give me a call at 800-839-1520. Have I got a deal for you!)

Why are senior association members not renewing their membership? ASAE did a study in 1999 and found that 76% did not renew memberships because of value issues. Perhaps the question behind the question might be: Is it smart for your association to let go of their older members in exchange for younger ones? Does a continual membership turnstile really serve the association and its membership?

And another question might be: What would be the cost/benefit ratio analysis to adjust programs, benefits, and membership types to keep the older speakers? (Do they have enough relevant knowledge/skills to benefit the newer members?)

The above questions have never been more relevant. Yes, you want new blood in your association. And yes, you want to honor and value the experience, knowledge and wisdom of the more senior members. While many associations have created groups for younger members, most have not done so for the older members. Creating a special group for your older members will both deliver more specific value to the senior members and possibly add a small additional revenue stream into your coffers.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

Hammer Out an Airtight Deal Structure

Partnering for Profits: New Book to Consider

Strategic Alliances: Three Ways to Make Them Work by Steve Steinhilber

From Harvard Business Publishing, publication Date: Nov 3, 2008

Link for purchase: http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml;jsessionid=QXC04XAEHDHR0AKRGWDSELQBKE0YIISW?id=2588&referral=2342

Excerpted: “At Cisco, I manage a portfolio of alliances that crosses multiple industry sectors, technologies, and geographies, with a cumulative value of more than $4.5 billion annually in business impact to Cisco and much more than that to our alliance partners. Strategic alliances are woven into the very fabric of our company and the way we see ourselves in the world—from Chairman and CEO John Chambers on down.

You’ll see a similar picture at other alliance-savvy companies, like IBM, Eli Lilly, and Procter & Gamble—partnerships are a central part of their core strategy. If alliances are not viewed as an integral part of your strategy, then you’re working with both hands tied behind your back. You might have a few short term successes, but long term, make no mistake: you will probably fail.

Let’s assume that you have a strategy in which alliances do make sense for your company at one or more levels of your value chain. If that’s the case, you need to construct and manage each alliance as a business. Your job is to bring the right framework, the right organization, and the right relationships together and to move the project forward. Your approach needs to look at the big picture rather than short-term payoffs. “Winning” and beating the other company in negotiations may doom the relationship from the beginning. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is thinking that alliances are all about hammering out an airtight deal structure, negotiating hard, and planning for every eventuality. We had one partner whose CEO said he measured a partnership’s success “in the number of POs [purchase orders] that get written”—in other words, how much business his company generated from us. That company is no longer a partner.”

You can read more about my perspective on the fine points of alliance development at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint my articles is also there.)

Executive Presentation Skills: Audience Engagement

For several months now, I have been on the editorial committee for Speaker Magazine. My job has been to author a monthly column where I interview people that book professional speakers. A point that frequently is made by these people is that they want a speaker that will ENGAGE their meeting attendees.

Earlier this month, I attended a meeting planner site familiarization trip in Breckenridge, Colorado. After the second day of skiing, rather than to join the “hot tub” group I joined the “bar” group. The entertainers, Swing Crew, a two-piece local group did an amazing job of ENGAGING their audience by bring some folks on stage and enrolling some at their tables. For this group, tips were high following their set. And the important lesson was about engaging an audience through participation. I do not think I have ever seen bar entertainers do such a masterful job of including their audience.

In an hour talk, might you be able to have two or three audience interactions? Not just asking everyone to hold up their hand or to repeat after you, but real interactions? Give it a try.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Fall Meeting Cost Busters

For executives at small to mid-sized associations, two important cost saving ideas for your fall meetings:

1. If you still have not signed a contract, look at higher end hotels for your meeting. Yes, you heard me right. As the corporations are scrambling to change the “location/venue perception” of their coming meetings (moving to Marriott & Hilton), the higher end properties have been hit the hardest. As such, they currently seem the most willing to negotiate.

2. For your speakers, you might be inclined to find someone local or a college professor? This might not be the best financial/benefit ratio strategy? They just might not be that good. A better strategy might be to engage a more experienced “content expert” speaker that offers a wide range of services; keynote, workshops, industry discussion facilitation, emcee, on-site consultation with members, etc. One fee, one hotel room, and one travel expense might prove to be more cost effective than a host of “f-r-e-e” industry speakers covering their travel and lodging? With only one paid speaker from the outside, you still get the prestige of bringing in an expert but at a better cost/benefit ratio. Many experienced speakers will fit this description and offer a single-price package.

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com

Alliance Best Practices

Partnering for Profits: Takeaways, Best Practices & Implications

At the recent Silicon Valley Chief Alliance Officer Roundtable hosted by Cisco at their facility in San Jose, CA on January 14, 2009; they discussed alliance takeaways, best practices & implications. There were seven key highlights of these trends and best practices.

(#4 of 7) Portfolio Evaluation Criteria Adapts as New Partner Models Emerge:

• Develop a working partner portfolio model that reflects long-term priorities, but incorporates risk management for near-term objectives.

• “One Size Fits All” partner criteria don’t work well.

• When re-evaluating partnerships, ask the tough questions and be honest.

• Innovate and invest in the partner model with your key partners during the downturn.

I believe that the important value to be received here is that of recognizing that alliance relationships might have to change in this current economic environment. You need to examine both your short-term and long-term alliance strategy. Be care though of putting too much focus in short term revenue generating alliances “to help you through” at the cost of keeping long-term alliances strong that will yield you greater profits when the economic recovery arrives.

You can read more about the fine points in my several alliance articles at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm (Permission to reprint is also there.)

Executive Presentation Skills: How Powerful Is Your Close?

The members of your audience most likely will remember your opening if it is powerful and the same for your close. Ross Shafer shared his formula at the annual convention of the National Speakers Association: Open with “B” material, do your “C” material, then close with your “A” stuff. Not a bad formula, would you agree?

And, what about that close—consider the following:

1. Stop talking long before your audience is done listening.

2. Go out with a huge bang; story, video, or disappearing act.

3. Give your audience some action to take immediately, or upon returning to home or office.

4. Give the attendees something insightful, emotionally penetrating, or inspirational to remember.

Executive Public Speakers, Professional Speakers, and Emerging Professional Speakers; please visit http://www.SucceedInSpeaking.com for additional ideas, assistance, and resources.

Trade Association & Professional Society Executives: Keep Your Exhibitors

On the cover of the March issue of M&C Magazine is Galen Poss, president of Hanley Wood Exhibitions. There is a very timely story about how he and others are dealing with large conference exhibitors that are pulling out of this year’s expos. Also, read about how Robin Preston at National School Boards Association kept a technology supplier engaged when they had planned on pulling out of this year’s meetings. By the way as an FYI, M&C will soon be offering web-only content, so it might be a good idea to bookmark their Web Site and visit frequently: http://www.mcmag.com/

My Question: are your exhibitors simply using the tight economy as an excuse to pull out when the real issue is most likely little perceived value in exhibiting? If so, how are you re-engineering your meetings to offer more value to suppliers, exhibitors, and sponsors?

Association Executives may access association growth articles and member recruitment campaign information at http://www.GrowingYourAssociation.com