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.
Simplifying the Venue Selection Process
Your association may be in the habit of sending out Requests for Proposals for every event that you host, and we [...]
Icebreakers for Boards – Improving the Effectiveness of Association Board Meetings
Have you attended meetings where you didn’t know anyone in the room? Perhaps you simply knew the name of the person [...]
Communication and Like-Mindedness: Starting out on the Right Foot in the Association Management World
Starting a new job can be scary, but jumping into the association management world was certainly a challenge that I was [...]
In-Person vs. Teleconference Association Annual General Meetings Which is the Better Method?
Recently we were in a situation where a regularly planned in-person Annual General Meeting (AGM) for a national association couldn’t take [...]
Association Collaboration – Is Your Association Partnering for Success?
Connecting people and collaborating with others are two of the things I enjoy most about the work that I do with [...]
Increasing Association Cyber Security on a Budget of $0
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. The purpose of this article is to make you aware of prioritized doable and [...]
Marketing Your Association Event Beyond Your Membership Base
When marketing an association event, the primary audience is the association’s membership. This makes sense as they make up the majority [...]
The Importance of Updated Contact Information for Association Members
Data is what businesses and associations thrive on. It is very important to always maintain a high level of accuracy which [...]
You’re Ready for the Board Meeting, But Are the Board Members?
Directors of association boards are volunteers. They have full-time jobs, personal lives and they are not being paid for their time [...]
Leading with Limited Resources- Is it Good for Your Association?
Never had I thought that working with limited resources could be viewed in a positive light, especially when leading an association. [...]
Association Management Systems and Websites Are Becoming One and the Same
As an association management company, we spend a lot of time speaking to associations that are exploring different management options. During [...]
Six Bad Habits of Association Accounting and How to Avoid Them
Are you worried some of your accounting methods are causing more problems than they prevent? Or perhaps you don’t know how [...]
In Defense of the Stock Photo for Association Design Projects
As a graphic designer working on many association projects my job is to create visuals to communicate information to the desired [...]
Does Your Association Need Abuse Insurance?
If your association interacts in any way with youth, the elderly, or people living with disabilities, then you should investigate obtaining [...]
Five Things to Do During the Quiet Months
The crazy, busy event season has just wrapped up, all financials have been settled, and final reports have been submitted to [...]
How to Build A Professional Relationship with Association Members Using Email
Writing emails to members allows you to develop a more regular rapport, than you can build by sending letters in the [...]
Managing Association Invoices to Avoid Financial Penalties
The average working adult is no stranger to paying bills. Whether it be a car payment, mortgage, or monthly subscription to [...]
A Real Life Crisis: Entertainment Cancels the Morning of Your Event
In my last article, A Real Life Crisis: The Speaker’s Flight is Canceled, I provided you with a detailed real event [...]
Millennials and Job Turnover – Can We Change the Trend?
There tends to be a high turnover rate related to administrative positions in which Millennials are employed, especially in small companies [...]
Identifying and Mentoring Future Association Board Leaders
Recruiting and identifying future association board members and leaders should not be a seasonal activity for associations, rather it should be [...]