Partnering for Profits: Your First Alliance

Your trade association or professional society, regardless of your perception of its effectiveness, is an important alliance for you to consider in 2009. There are two important points I’d like you to consider:

Point 1: Your membership; many trade associations do a great deal of advocacy work for the people involved in the industry they serve. Any you can get a lot of the value whether you belong to the association or not. STOP BEING A FREELOADER! Join the association. This year your industry’s association or society WILL lose membership; therefore revenue. If you want to continue receiving the benefits of their advocacy work, belly up to the bar and pay your share now.

Point 2: Your participation; is crucial for you to receive high-level value from your association or society. With that said, there are many traditional, and nontraditional, ways that you can participate. Some associations have NO IMAGINATION and only want members to play “within the lines,” making no waves. This is BS!!!

Regardless of how you select to participate, conventional or unconventional, look for opportunities to serve in a way that also serves you. Your trade association or professional society is one of the first reviews for 2009. Not a member, join. Dues paying member but not engaged, jump in.

More articles on alliance topics at http://www.Rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm

Executive Presentation Skills: Let the Diamond Show Through

Last year (last week), I suggested that you make every speech an event. I mentioned, Lee Andree Davis, who I have frequently referred to as a “diamond in a garbage can.” What I mean by this analogy is that Lee had a heart of gold but wrapped it up in such a coarse package that few were able to see his diamond.

How this relates to every person that steps onto the platform, literally or figuratively, is in relation to authenticity—what many say is the number one element to a great speech. For 2009, will you take the risk of authenticity? It is easy to stand upon the platform and be “Speaker Guy or Gal,” however it is difficult to be vulnerable enough to let your authentic diamond show through. This year, more so than in any year past, I’m going to work on letting my diamond show through, perhaps you’d like to do the same?

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: Lower Meeting Costs

In order to put on outstanding meetings for your members on a budget, first may I suggest minimizing the pageantry? Then focus on great food and great speakers—that’s what your attendees will remember. After that, challenge the sacred cows, i.e., is the golf tournament losing money? If so, CHANGE THAT, or any other sacred cow that is taking you down. Here is another sacred cow to look at; are the past presidents still getting an upgraded room or suite for the regular conference room rate? If so, STOP THAT! There is nothing wrong with extending a complementary registration to your board members; you’ve got to give them some perks—but look close at the perks you give.

Here is another; do you really need to haul your staff people to the convention? Think airfare, hotel, and meals. By the way, the staff rooms are not free—your members are paying for them in their room rate. Most likely, you can hire local “temp” workers to fulfill many (or most) of the activities that staffers conduct for a fraction of the cost, couldn’t you? For 2009, ask the hard questions and make the hard decisions.

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