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.
Why Survey Members of an Association?
Members are the lifeblood of associations. Without members, an association would cease to exist. An association’s members are its most valuable [...]
Association Certification Exams: Setting Yourself up for Success
Whenever there is a certification connected to an association’s membership, it is likely that members have needed to challenge their College’s [...]
Association Leadership Changes Can Be Hard – Lessons Learned
I spent a large part of the last year leading a national trade association through a major management change. The year [...]
Incorporating a Human Resources Plan into your Association’s Strategic Plan – Part II
As mentioned in my last blog article, a strategic human resources plan is a process that identifies current and future human [...]
Prioritizing Your Day as an Association Coordinator
In association management companies (AMCs), we can often find ourselves in a time crunch trying to finish client projects at the [...]
Planning Security at Your Association Event
Security at association events has moved to the forefront of association event planning in recent years. Regardless of the size or [...]
Associations by Graphic Design: What to Think About When Taking on a New Association
People often struggle with change—change is hard and can force people away from what they are used to—but change happens. When [...]
Understanding Accounting to Better Manage Your Association
As an accountant working with associations, one question I’ve been asked is, “What is the difference between management accounting and financial [...]
Association Membership Management Systems: Is it Time for a Change?
Thinking of switching membership management systems for your association? Here are a few things to consider before making the change. There [...]
Finding the Right Venue for your Association Event
There are three keys to success in planning the perfect association conference, meeting, tradeshow, or gala event: preparation, negotiation, and flexibility. [...]
Why Should Associations Blog? Let us Count the Ways
If you’ve searched for something online recently, you have undoubtedly encountered at least a blog or two, maybe even without realizing. [...]
Leveraging Association Relationships to Maximize Training Opportunities
When two associations are similar but different, how can you leverage the similarities to offer dynamic educational opportunities? We offer association [...]
What is the Best Way to Engage Association Members?
Member engagement means nurturing and managing relationships to increase an association’s membership volume, value, and retention, and it is critical for [...]
Bilingual Associations: Serving Members, en français et en anglais!
As an association coordinator working for a Canadian association management company who manages associations with members across the country, I often [...]
Editing Documents in Association Management
Editing is an important and necessary step in writing any piece in the workplace. As an association coordinator, I do editing [...]
Choosing Promotional Products & Gifts for Your Association Event Attendees
An essential part of any successful association event is giving away promotional products to promote the association, promote a sponsor, and [...]
Incorporating a Strategic Human Resources Plan into your Association
Most associations have a strategic plan that guides the association in the execution of the vision and mission of the association. [...]
Preparing for Meetings Held During an Association’s Annual Conference
Just as you might hold an annual backyard BBQ or a yearly food drive, an association will host its annual conference. [...]
How to Get the Most out of an Association Event as an Association Leader
As association leaders, we are used to being on the planning side of things for association conferences and events. When attending [...]
Using Large Format Graphics for Association Events
Large format artwork is essential to any successful association event. Large format refers to anything the attendee does not carry around [...]