Tis the season... and we're not talking fa la la la la! Hopefully, your Fall Board planning retreat has been scheduled and you are poised to discuss the critical issues facing the organization and your members in 2011 and beyond. If not, we stand ready to help... give us a call at (864) 582-0541. 

 

Our August and September clients include:

 

Lubbock (TX) Chamber of Commerce

Greer (SC) Chamber of Commerce

Dalton - Whitfield (GA) Chamber of Commerce

Philadelphia (PA) Institute of Management Accountants

Carolina Foothills (NC & SC) Chamber of Commerce

Gaston Regional (NC) Chamber of Commerce

Pittsburgh Airport (PA) Area Chamber of Commerce

NE Institute for Organization Management

Greer (SC) Commission of Public Works

Newnan - Coweta (GA) Chamber of Commerce

Barrow County (GA) Chamber of Commerce

Carteret County (NC) Chamber of Commerce

Anderson (SC) Chamber of Commerce

Greenville (SC) Institute of Management Accountants

The Longview (TX) Partnership

We have observed that revenue continues to be off for chambers of commerce and associations throughout the United States. It appears that new member sales are up, but that retention is down. Another troubling indicator is that sponsorship dollars for programs, projects, events, and services are off as well. An Americican Chamber of Commerce (ACCE) survey found that sponsorship revenue was down in 66% of the responding organizations, 10% reported no change, 21% stated that sponsorship revenue was actually up by a modest amount, while 3% had seen an increase of 20% or more.

 

A few quick suggestions:

 

1) Make certain that you are providing meaningful programs, projects, events, and services. If members and prospective members don't see the value in membership... nothing else matters. A well thought out planning process will help you remain or become a relevant organization.

 

2) Pay more attention to the current members that have already seen the value in being a member. Take the time to establish a well thought out membership retention plan that includes several "high touches" during the year.

 

3) Package your sponsorship opportunities and be able to demonstrate the tangible and intangible benefits. Make sure that you put together sponsorship opportunities that have price points that will allow all members to participate. Also, you need to be soliciting sponsorships between now and October when most companies complete their budgeting process.

 

4) Begin looking for new, creative programs, projects, services, or events to generate non-dues revenue... just make sure that whatever you develop or undertake, it meets the mission of the organization.

 

Let us know how we can help.

 

 

In the last newsletter, I wrote about some key things that you should consider doing now to help strengthen the organization. The areas included:

 

*Begin the strategic planning process

*Touch base with your customers

*Establish a workforce development / workplace issues initiative. 

 

In this issue, let's address two more areas of importance:

 

1) Establish a Culture of Customer Service Excellence.

 

Each of us must become much better at providing outstanding customer service. Remember, our clients and customers have numerous options today and we must find ways to let each one know that they are valued and appreciated. Think of a company or organization that provides you the best customer experience... why do you feel that way? What are the little things they do to keep you coming back? We must get creative... explore best practices and make sure that each staff member understands that excellent customer service and relations is everybody's responsibility. Make customer service excellence a part of the organizations' culture.

 

2) Review and Assess Your Board Governance Structure and Performance.

 

You may have the perfect Board and the best structure for your organization... if not, you may want to establish a process to review the current structure and determine the necessary changes to establish a governance structure that will best serve the organization. An engaged Board of Directors will help ensure that the organization remains vibrant and vital.