Strauss Articles
Knowledge, Insight, and Experience
Every Thursday, our experts provide insights into industry trends and issues that readers can leverage to improve their associations and signature events.
The Volunteer’s Playbook for Member Engagement: Before, During, and After Events
Association volunteer leaders often focus on the event itself, those intense days of registration desks, session monitoring, and wayfinding. But the [...]
Get Your Association Seen: How to use paid ads for Better Online Visibility
Let's be honest. If your association isn't showing up online in 2026, you might as well be handing out flyers in [...]
The Art of Reading the Room: Tailoring Follow-Up and Communication in Associations
Effective follow-up in associations is more than sending another email or checking in after a meeting. It’s about understanding people. Reading [...]
How to Prep for Zoom Webinars for Associations Like a Pro
Zoom webinars always look simple until you’re the one running them. Suddenly it’s slides, speakers, timing, chat messages, and the quiet [...]
Updating By-laws to Enable Virtual Board and Members’ Meetings
Many organizations, particularly those with long histories, operate under By-laws that were drafted using templates and best practices from probably, years [...]
Time Management Tips for Busy Association Management Accounting Professionals
In association management, particularly in the accounting department, busy seasons, tight deadlines, and constant attention to detail make time management one [...]
Why Critical Paths Matter: Delivering Stronger Association Events with Precision
Major association events rarely fall short because of vision. They falter when planning lacks structure and alignment. As association volunteer leaders [...]
From Chair to Past Chair: A Practical Guide for Canadian Association Board Transitions
In most associations, the transition from Board chair to past chair happens at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). On paper, it’s [...]
The Secret to Attracting the Next Generation? Meet Them Where They Already Are
When associations talk about recruiting new members at Board meetings, someone asks, "How do we get to young people?" Then follows [...]
Understanding Financial Internal Controls for Associations
Associations face great expectations around transparency, governance, and financial accountability. Advances in technology, constant changes in regulatory requirements, and scrutiny from [...]
Financial Literacy: Setting the Board Members of Associations for Long-Term Success
Financial literacy forms the basis for making wise decisions about money. When associations understand how money works, they are better prepared [...]
Creating Pride, Not Just Programs: Why Experiential Marketing Is Transforming Associations in 2026
Association marketing has traditionally focused on sharing updates about member growth and benefits, events, education, and advocacy efforts. But in 2026, [...]
Strategic Planning: The Argument for Hiring a Paid Expert to Support the Implementation
Associations are struggling to attract experienced volunteer leaders, and resources are stretched thin. While a senior association manager for an Association [...]
The High Cost of Buzzwords: When Trendy Language Derails Real Progress
Around four years ago, I was pulled in as part of the external group whose support they needed to advance a [...]
Guarding Integrity: Confronting Conflicts of Interest on Association Volunteer Boards
Volunteer Boards are the backbone of any association, bringing together experienced professionals who generously offer their time, expertise, and leadership. But [...]
Committee Coordination Without the Chaos
If you’ve ever coordinated an association event as a volunteer leader, you know the feeling: committees are essential...and exhausting. One group [...]
Breaking the “We’ve Always Done It This Way” Mindset in Association Event Planning.
In the world of associations, traditions matter. We look at our traditions for meaning, history, connection, and practice. For association volunteer [...]
AI for Association Volunteers: A Practical Guide to Clearer Communication and Less Burnout
Artificial intelligence (AI) can be intimidating. But for association volunteer leaders, it doesn’t need to be complicated or even highly technical. [...]
The Art of the Follow-Up
Following up is an art form. Deliberate follow-up reinforces trust, accountability, and respect for people’s time when engaging with Boar, members, [...]
Engaging the Next Generation: Rethinking Membership for Young Professionals
Associations are built on decades of passion and commitment. As the workforce continues to evolve, many organizations are beginning to examine [...]