Happy summer to everyone! It is hard to believe that just a couple of months ago we were talking about the rough winter many of you were having around the country and then summer just showed up for all of us to enjoy.
I know that each of you and your Associations are busy planning summer BBQ’s, Golf Tournaments (Outings) and other events for your members. I hope that you are enjoying the fact that you are creating excellent situations and opportunities for members to get together and meet each other.
As members ourselves, we look forward to the events that get planned and seeing and talking to other people like us who get up every morning and “try to do what we do better” and “try to figure out how to do more of it”.
Getting an opportunity in our busy week to see other folks that are out “fighting the good fight” is inspiring and I truly appreciate all the Associations we belong to for doing what they can to put those opportunities together.
Your efforts and hard work is applauded!
Rob and I talk throughout our day about Associations and what we can do to help them grow their membership, keep the members they have and increase non-dues revenue. Being the “cheerleader” of our team, as well as one who believes wholeheartedly that if you BELIEVE with all your heart in something you will succeed, I decided that Rob should write his article on that subject this week.
But Rob, who is always ten steps ahead of me on his thoughts and being the “informer – educator” type said I should write about the “power of believing” and he would give you another “tool” and hopefully a new way of looking at HOW you do it now.
“I probably won’t add my two cents very often in this weekly newsletter but I was very inspired this week to share some thoughts with you”.
Please understand I am writing to you from a fellow member’s point of view. I hope that I can help you better understand the place you have as a “Non-Profit” Association working with and for “For-Profit” Companies in their drive to succeed in business and support the issues you and they have within the industry.
We have been members of various Associations for over 25 years. We believe whole- heartedly in the mission and goals of the associations we belong to. But, in the end we belong not only to support the industry but also to meet other companies who want to grow and do business together.
That said and being the optimist that I am in believing that everyone and every business can succeed with the right mind set and goals, it makes me crazy to watch TV and read the paper and hear the media and the government make us feel like with the “state of our economy” every business in the country should just “close up shop” and wait for the end.
Trust me, I know that the price of doing business is getting higher and also know first hand the pinch the government has on small business. But I feel even stronger that the sky is NOT falling. If each of us does everything we can do in a day to make it a “money day” and give our customers the best product and best service, odds are strong that we will survive and even prosper.
I bet you’re asking yourself how that applies to your Association. YOU and your entire staff can be the voice in the background that helps lead your members to success in their businesses.
Believe it or not your members listen to you and your board and follow your lead.
We hear often now that membership is down and that locals are concentrating on retention. Some associations don’t want to pursue new members because they believe businesses just don’t have the extra money to “support the industry”.
Remember YOU have a tool for businesses that want to grow and succeed – your association is that tool.
Remember YOU have the carrot!
If you have been to a membership drive training with us you have gotten a dose of the passion Rob and I share on that subject.
I promise you, as we do everyone at our DIRECTDrive trainings, there are thousands of companies (potential members of your association) who are looking for the marketing tool that your association offers. There are countless companies that understand the value of meeting other serious business people that want to succeed and find consumers who want to buy from them.
They are out there for the asking. YEP – you just have to ask, not beg for support or donations.
I found a quote that I want to share:
“It is attitude, not aptitude that determines your altitude” – Zig Ziglar.
If you BELIEVE people will succeed in business and that you can be the uplifting voice they hear at events, meetings, committee meetings and even your association staff meetings THEY WILL FOLLOW!
Case in point – We were privileged to meet the Helena Building Industry Association in Montana and help them do a membership drive.
If you have been to that part of the country it truly is an amazing place to see (Rob was born there).
When we arrived we found a room full of HBA folks ready to take their area by storm. Being led and inspired by their EO, Elaine Marcille and her new assistant Toni, they rounded up their most positive board members, membership committee members and just plain old hard-working members who didn’t have a clue as to what they were about to accomplish.
They all just put their “I Believe” hats on and got ready to do whatever they needed to do to help their association.
To make a long story short, (although it is an amazing story if you ever want to hear it – email Elaine in Helena) that “little” association in the middle of Montana with 250 members on a Tuesday, ADDED 261 NEW MEMBER COMPANIES IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS. They more then doubled their size and took first place on National Membership Day.
WHY? They believed they could. They also knew that there were companies in their area regardless of the “business climate” who did want to grow their businesses and were just waiting to be asked to join.
YES – waiting to be asked to join a growing, business-centered and fun association.
My challenge to each of you, starting at the top – every EO, staff member (no matter what position), and board member – BELIEVE in business and your community and have the right SUCCESS attitude every day as you walk into your association. Strive for success for your association and for the success your members.
If your members succeed – your association will succeed and grow.
Attitude – attitude – attitude will help everyone succeed. I encourage you to take a look at yourself, staff and board members and see if there are small changes that can be made in order to help create a better business environment in your community.
Ask yourself today how you can make every event and meeting “just a little” better opportunity for members to do business with members.
In closing, please remember your association has the “carrot” and if your members succeed your association will succeed and grow. Attitude, even if you have to fake it, will over time help you win – BIG.