Social Networking for Association Professionals
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Power of A, let's take it to the next level!
Recently ASAE released the “Power of A” campaign (aka #PWRA) to, from what I can tell, little acclaim in the association world. I really haven’t see anyone be like “wow that’s fantastic, that will really help us as an association reach our members”. In fact, Chris Bailey from Gravit8 had some suggestions to make the Power of A campaign even better (as well as pointing some things out that were missing the mark).
I tend to agree, so I have a challenge for all association leaders out there. Let’s prove the Power of A and really crank it up a notch.
Here’s what I’m suggesting:
* Blog Posts: Post on your internal association blogs and the Power of A blog about specific examples of what your association has done to better your trade or profession. Preferably this won’t be written by staff but by a member or a leader in the association. Associations are the voice of their members, but why don’t we let our members speak for themselves every once in awhile?
* Videos: This might be more of a vlog form, but create a short little video telling the story of one of your members, what impact they have in the association, how the association has helped them and then what impact that member has made in the world through their profession. How have they improved our society? Make it short, sweet, to the point and not over produced.
* Pictures: Take pictures at your community outreach events, either upload them to Flickr or your Facebook page. Maybe see if ASAE can include a photo component with their Power of A campaign.
* Tweet about it: Any time you help a member in a significant way - tweet about it, use the hashtag #PWRA and show how you as an individual, and association professional help your members directly.
Feel free to add any other ways you can think of to really take this campaign to the Power of A!
For the associations that have contributed already, here’s what I’m seeing wrong and how I think it should change.
* Your blog posts are using traditional media styles and trying to integrate them into a social media space. It DOESN’T work. Let go control, let go of your elevator pitch and really try to change something! Show how you make the world a better place.
From @elizabeth627 on Twitter “Every opening sentence reads like news release boilerplate”
* Get your members involved, make it a team effort. This isn’t about staff talking at potential members, this about staff and members talking together, so let them know to join in on it all!
* This one is for ASAE: By having all these pre-formulated materials you are under cutting your audience’s participation and engagement in what you are doing. Encourage your members (association professionals) and their members to write these for you and submit them, showcasing what ASAE thinks is the best, most inspired ones.
* Stop be general. Be specific, site specific examples, people, places and things. Your audience doesn’t connect with general, they connect with an experience that is specific, yet universal. (Thanks to my Playwriting teacher in college for teaching me the value of this in writing)
So is everyone up for the challenge?
~Lynn
Blogging Style: Evangelist Blogging
14 down, 11 to go.
I tend to agree, so I have a challenge for all association leaders out there. Let’s prove the Power of A and really crank it up a notch.
Here’s what I’m suggesting:
* Blog Posts: Post on your internal association blogs and the Power of A blog about specific examples of what your association has done to better your trade or profession. Preferably this won’t be written by staff but by a member or a leader in the association. Associations are the voice of their members, but why don’t we let our members speak for themselves every once in awhile?
* Videos: This might be more of a vlog form, but create a short little video telling the story of one of your members, what impact they have in the association, how the association has helped them and then what impact that member has made in the world through their profession. How have they improved our society? Make it short, sweet, to the point and not over produced.
* Pictures: Take pictures at your community outreach events, either upload them to Flickr or your Facebook page. Maybe see if ASAE can include a photo component with their Power of A campaign.
* Tweet about it: Any time you help a member in a significant way - tweet about it, use the hashtag #PWRA and show how you as an individual, and association professional help your members directly.
Feel free to add any other ways you can think of to really take this campaign to the Power of A!
For the associations that have contributed already, here’s what I’m seeing wrong and how I think it should change.
* Your blog posts are using traditional media styles and trying to integrate them into a social media space. It DOESN’T work. Let go control, let go of your elevator pitch and really try to change something! Show how you make the world a better place.
From @elizabeth627 on Twitter “Every opening sentence reads like news release boilerplate”
* Get your members involved, make it a team effort. This isn’t about staff talking at potential members, this about staff and members talking together, so let them know to join in on it all!
* This one is for ASAE: By having all these pre-formulated materials you are under cutting your audience’s participation and engagement in what you are doing. Encourage your members (association professionals) and their members to write these for you and submit them, showcasing what ASAE thinks is the best, most inspired ones.
* Stop be general. Be specific, site specific examples, people, places and things. Your audience doesn’t connect with general, they connect with an experience that is specific, yet universal. (Thanks to my Playwriting teacher in college for teaching me the value of this in writing)
So is everyone up for the challenge?
~Lynn
Blogging Style: Evangelist Blogging
14 down, 11 to go.
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