Evaluating is part of life. When we wake up, we determine whether we had enough good sleep. We look in the mirror to determine if we look presentable (or at least to check that our zippers are in their proper place). We eat a meal and judge whether it was good. We constantly use those evaluations to determine what needs to be changed and what should remain the same. The same is true of evaluations of conferences, events, and programs. Evaluations help organizers comprehend an audience’s experience and prepare for the next event of both overall ideas (such as location), as well as the minute details (there were runny eggs at breakfast).

The Virginia Society of Association Executives (VSAE), the only association in Virginia that serves the association management industry established in 1949, has appointed Amy Sales, CMP to its Board of Directors. Sales has been an active member of the VSAE for over a decade and served as a SIG (Shared Interest Groups) chair for the association for several years.

Picture it (enter Sophia Petrillo from The Golden Girls): You have paid to attend an education program in an unfamiliar location. It is early morning, and you slept in a hotel bed or got out of your own earlier than usual. While sipping conference coffee you are waiting for the first session to start. And that is all you are doing – waiting and sitting in a large conference room with dull lighting listening to the sound of people shuffling about. But it doesn’t have to be like this.

When you think of “golden arches” or a red “bullseye” you can easily connect the logo to its brand. An association should be as recognizable to its members as the two companies listed above. Impressive design is the first way to impact your audience. Through visually consistent marketing and communication materials, your association will strengthen its brand identity and become as recognizable to members as brands like Starbucks and Dunkin’.

Volunteers from your association are essential to hold an effective event, but turning to professionals can simplify and streamline the process. Professionals take all the work off of the volunteers, allowing them to focus on other needs both within their industry and within their roles on the committee.

When your association begins talking about the future, a strategic plan is the best course of action. Strategic planning determines the direction of your association by reviewing where it currently stands. This document is a clear roadmap of where your association wants to be within the next three to five years

With summer days away, we are reminded of the phenomenal nature that surrounds us, and the phenomenal staff at Easter Associates is experienced at planning outdoor programs. From educational sessions to non-formal social gatherings, bringing activities outside can give your members a new perspective and fresh air.

Zoom, WebEx, and Teams have become the most common ways to connect with your organization within these past two years. Now, it is time to take the connection to its original form: off-line. When associations can meet in person, there is significantly more value that members and leaders can ascertain. Meeting in person can be more effective when conveying information and is easier for everyone to focus without the constant distractions of a doorbell, pet, or even connectivity problems.

Stellar member benefits encourage membership, but membership dues alone often fail to keep your organization’s finances in the black. Associations can stay out of the red by considering these non-dues revenue resources.