With the help of non-dues revenue, associations can provide members with extensive benefits, assist the industry at large, and engage in advocacy and promotional activities. To afford this, these non-dues funds usually amount to more than 50% of the total revenue of larger associations. But then, what about small and mid-size associations? How can they afford the cost, labour, and time needed to bolster their non-dues revenues programs? 

Well, in most cases, these associations already have the content and the groundwork laid to start earning non-dues revenue–all that’s left is a little creativity and effort to get the ball rolling! In this article, we’ll be exploring some of the best ways that associations can start earning additional revenue right away. Not only this–many of the below ideas can also improve the quality of membership overall, potentially leading to more members and more renewals!

Make an Event of It!

Events usually represent the largest non-dues revenue-makers for associations. Conferences, for example, often provide several revenue streams, including ticket sales, exhibitor fees, merchandise sales, and various partnerships, to name a few! For smaller associations, however, throwing a conference might not be realistic. Don’t give up, though–even smaller associations can still host and sell tickets to banquets, galas, or special dinners. If planned properly, events like these can provide the same revenue opportunities as conferences, just on a smaller scale.

Teachable Moments

Access to continuing education is one of the most desired components of an association membership for many. Because of this, many associations include training in their membership benefits–and rightly so! However, there may be other opportunities for your association to host training and workshop programs that go above and beyond the standard membership offerings that you may be missing. These opportunities include additional related certifications or accreditations that haven’t yet been included in the membership program. Some associations even offer training programs that stray outside of their industry or expertise altogether, such as hobby training or complementary skill training. 

Sponsorships and Advertising 

When considering incorporating sponsorships and advertisements into your association’s non-dues revenue program, you’ll be happy to hear that there are a great variety of options out there. The following are some of the major categories you should explore:

• • Events – Whatever type of event your association throws, you will have advertising and sponsorship opportunities available. This may include incorporating a sponsor’s banner or giving them a booth. You may even add in a promotional area near the entrance, invite a speaker to give a relevant presentation or have them run a workshop. 

• • Website – Your website has great potential for bringing in advertising and sponsorship dollars, but you want to avoid polluting the space too much. Consider a strategically placed logo or adding a sponsor page on your site. The Google AdSense advertising platform offers associations a quick and easy way to add advertisement links to their website with little additional work. Associations can also add affiliate links to generate revenue with each click.

• • Social Media – For associations with a large social media network, they can add sponsored posts into the mix. These posts are especially useful for all parties involved if the association and the sponsoring organization have overlapping interests. 

• • Sponsored Webinars – If your association posts webinars on your website for your members, you may consider adding webinars created by sponsors. In an ideal situation, these are a valuable source of non-dues revenue and are useful for members at the same time!

• • Publications – Whatever publications your association creates, they likely present an opportunity for advertisements. These can be regularly scheduled newsletters, member packages, or magazines. Similar to your website, avoid overloading the space with ads, or it could become distracting or off-putting for readers. 

• • Job Boards – Whether you currently run a job board or are thinking of creating one, these present one more option for earning non-dues revenue. While not a traditional sponsorship or ad, posting a job link for an organization can earn revenue, particularly if it leads to employment for one of your members! 

Put Your Membership Base to Work

Because they typically represent an established membership base that is usually contained to a single industry, associations can provide a unique opportunity to collect information for industry research, studies, and statistics. Outside groups may pay to have access to membership data, lists, and reports. Now, not every association and opportunity are equal here. It’s best to approach these carefully so that your members don’t get bombarded by sales calls, spam, or worse–phishing scams. When done safely and securely, however, your membership base can be an excellent resource for groups looking for inside industry information.

Help Granted 

Associations should always be on the lookout for funding opportunities from the government or national organizations. Each year, associations around the world apply to grant programs and receive development and philanthropic funds. This method is especially useful for nonprofit associations. These groups can also run fundraisers and donor drives to bring in more money. Get creative with these programs and invite members and non-members alike to raise as much as you can! If the event and the association are committed to a good cause, these efforts can often be rewarding.

While the hunt for non-dues revenue can be a complex one, there are always ways to get creative with it. Look into the methods you feel best suit your association and take a chance–you’ll never know how profitable they’ll be if you don’t try!

The post Maximize Your Association’s Value: Earn More Non-dues Revenue <i>Now</i> appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Intuitive Interface

It may seem overly simplistic to say that an LMS should be easy to use, but it’s a serious consideration that requires more than just a written claim to back it up. Nearly every LMS alleges that it is intuitive, but this isn’t always necessarily the case; because of this, associations must investigate the matter thoroughly before committing.

Look for a live demonstration or a trial version to actually test the interface and see for yourself how easy it is to use. Ideally, you’ll want a system that is accessible for first-time learners and administrators, but also one with enough depth to support growth and advanced operations. 

For learners, the easier an LMS is to operate, the more people will use it, and the more comfortable they will be with their training. On the back end, the intuitive operation allows for more than one administrator to manage the system. If the main administrator is off sick or away from the office, the association can still offer support and fix any issues that may pop up. Ease-of-use is vital for everyone when choosing an LMS!

The Right Features for You

The right LMS should meet your specific demands and needs; it should feel tailored to your association. These needs, of course, will be different for every association. For example, associations with more web-savvy staff and members may need things like robust social media integration and social learning features. In contrast, sales teams may look for features like leaderboards. Consider how mobile-ready the LMS is, what educational technologies it supports, and whether it can host a member forum. Each association should write out and rank the features that matter most, then find the LMS that satisfies the highest number of requirements for the best price.

Varied Learning Paths

To give your members the best when it comes to educational opportunities, you need a system that can support a variety of learning options and formats. While you may only offer one type of learning format now, you may want to incorporate other formats in the future. Because all learners have their own learning styles and interests, variety can spice up an otherwise rote, vanilla education system. 

Many associations may lean towards systems that allow learners to progress through a set path of recommended courses. While this is useful, it is important to ensure that these paths are customizable. If each learning path is mandatory and unchangeable, an individual learner’s experiences and prior training might be overlooked. Instead, find an LMS that allows for a web of optional paths–like a “choose your own adventure”! The bottom line here is that learners want options, and your LMS should be able to give them precisely that!

Solid Integration Capability

The ability to integrate technology is essential for associations if they want to provide their users with a seamless online experience. Your LMS should be able to integrate with your website, your eCommerce setup, job boards, and social media–the list is endless! Proper integration not only allows users to move freely around your association’s system and its web of connected sites, but it also allows administrators to collect and analyze information about the various sections of the system. The analytics an integrated LMS can provide will be helpful in gauging the effectiveness of your sites, promotions, and member engagement.

Accessibility and Customizability

While related to integration, accessibility and customizability deserve their own entry. Accessibility can refer to many things, but one of the most important for an LMS is mobile accessibility. The critical feature to look for here is mobile responsiveness, which refers to the ability of the LMS to adapt to different mobile devices and screen sizes. As mobile devices become more and more popular for easy, casual use, training is often completed on phones and tablets. Make sure your LMS can keep up!

In terms of customizability, the best LMS leaves room for growth and change in the future. A system could include all of the features in the world today–without customization capabilities, it will become outdated tomorrow! An LMS vendor that makes room for customization also demonstrates the desire to grow with both evolving technology and the associations that use it.

Data Tracking

Data tracking is an absolutely essential feature of an LMS, especially for associations that want to gauge learner progress. Not only can data tracking give members insight into their development, digitally “bookmark” progress for later return, and display learning achievements–it can also help administrators to identify any problem areas in the training that need addressing. LMS reporting can also draw attention to fluctuations in test scores and completion rates, measure compliance rates, and highlight changing exam results. LMS data tracking allows associations to turn their learning data into resources for advertising, personalization, and improvement.

Support and Training

It doesn’t matter how intuitive or straightforward an LMS is– questions and issues will almost always arise somewhere down the line. These are problems that will inevitably require some kind of support and/or training to solve. Be sure to check what the LMS vendor’s support lines are like, what type of training programs and resources are available, and if the LMS provider plays a role in the onboarding process. A solid support system can take the stress out of the integration process–there’s always someone ready to back you up!

While choosing an LMS can be a deeply personal endeavour to an association, there will always be features that can benefit everyone and anyone. So, when you look for yours, make sure to choose an LMS that not only hits your industry-specific targets, but the universal LMS needs as well. Happy hunting!

The post 7 Universally Crucial Features for Your New LMS appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

By employing the following methods, associations can increase their visibility, attract more members and visitors to their site, and better position themselves as an industry authority. If these strategies are done correctly, associations should enjoy more active, dedicated, and loyal members. Without further ado, here are six methods to quickly increase member engagement:

Posting Blogs Increases Member Engagement

Associations can provide helpful content in several areas, including their Learning Management System (LMS), social media channels, and official website. Typically, quality content attracts new members and encourages current members to engage with the association more often; because of this, one surefire way to get more eyes on your association’s website is to bolster your blog content. While some still think of blogs as informal online rambling, many associations use their blog to communicate helpful industry information to their members and visitors. Blogs can display beneficial information in concise, easy-to-digest articles, but you’re likely aware of this–you’re reading one right now!

A quality blog can have a massive ripple effect. The better, more useful, and more timely the content is, the more traffic your website will get and the lengthier each visit will become. Search engines often rank websites using these analytics, judging the quality of your content by how your visitors engage with it. A consistent blogging schedule can also lead to more regular visits, while also providing more material to post on social media–which can also encourage more meaningful online discussion in your comments!

Improve Your Social Media Presence

A quality social media presence can go a long way in improving your association’s visibility. It can help drive traffic to your website and content, while also demonstrating to members that you’re readily available and consistently up-to-date. Additionally, while social media allows associations to communicate with their target audience, it also helps to establish your association as a trusted industry information source.

Consider posting relevant industry or think pieces. Start conversations on your channels and encourage members and others to join in. You may also want to join in other discussions that are relevant to your association. These meaningful interactions will help increase your visibility on social media, have your posts showing up on more feeds, and establish you as an involved authority in the industry.

Enhance Your CE

Continuing education provides some of the biggest and brightest benefits an association can offer its members. By providing members with a varied selection of training and courses and constantly updating the material to reflect industry changes and demands, associations can draw in more traffic and turn visitors into members. Furthermore, with the right LMS and planning, your association can do even more than that!

Consider setting up an online forum to allow learners to communicate, learn, and network with each other. Try to stimulate discussions on the forum by posting relevant news or starting conversations on course topics. An active forum can improve website traffic and will encourage members to become more active and engaged. You can also incorporate a digital badging system that allows members to highlight their completion of training courses, certificates, and other industry-relevant achievements; this method helps generate online interest and promote brand awareness and gives members a visual indication of all of their accomplishments with your association.

Work with the Media

Who better to provide visibility for your association than the media? However, to be featured, your association needs to position itself as a helpful resource. You can provide various local or industry-relevant publications with information packages from time to time. Keep them informed about any new changes or important news in your field.

Not only will this help keep readers informed about your industry, but it will also cement your association as that publication’s go-to source for information. If you prove yourself as a reliable, helpful source, the publication will likely go to you first from then on whenever they need information on a topic in your field. This can get your association in front of their readers in a creative and helpful way.

Attend Popular Events and Build Relationships

One of the best ways to build brand awareness and increase your association’s visibility is to simply be visible. Participate in local or industry events, communicate with other organizations and professionals and build relationships. In addition to getting out in the open and making your association seen by current and potential members, these appearances can also help locate advertisers, speakers, sponsors, and trainers, as well as event exhibitors, professionals, and organizations, all of whom will bring value to your association and your members. Remember, if you don’t put your association out there, no one will know to look for it!

Enhance Your Store

To be most effective, the association store needs to be much more than a standalone shop. Instead, it should be fully integrated with your association’s website and system. Allow users to connect to it from anywhere and provide a seamless e-commerce experience. You may also consider offering personalized deals to members based on their experience and activity–did a member recently earn an e-Badge? Perhaps they deserve a discount for their fine work! Additionally, it’s good to provide relevant and useful course recommendations for graduates of other courses. If they finished one course, perhaps they’d be interested in taking a related one?

While newer products and courses may sell well–you’re offering up-to-date information, after all!–your association may have to get more creative when it comes to keeping up the demand hype over time. You can circumvent staleness by refreshing older courses with new material and updating them as your industry evolves. For example, you can also package older courses or goods with newer courses and goods in the same vein to provide them with a new spin.

When seeking engagement, the most important thing to remember is that associations and members will always be a mutual partnership; help your members grow, and they’ll support you in return. Create solid content, interact with your members online, bolster your continuing education programs, become a reliable source of industry information, put yourself out there, and keep your store’s products current; you’ll be amazed at how far these steps can take you!

The post 6 Methods to Easily Increase Member Engagement appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

The good news is that there are a variety of powerful LMS platforms available to take the heavy lifting out of offering continuing education. However, an LMS isn’t a one-size-fits-all platform: each association requires its own unique functions and features. Despite this, there are some factors that all associations need in an LMS–so here are the 5 things not to leave out of your LMS!

1) Direct Instructions and Training Resources

New members are at their most vulnerable early on in their memberships. When they first access training, it’s important that they feel comfortable and supported. Each course and training module should be clearly described, with the goals and requirements laid out in full detail. Members should be able to access a walkthrough or user guide for the LMS, ensuring that they know how to maximize their ability (and therefore benefit!) when using the system. 

Members should have access to a clear curriculum and course outline for every course they take. If they encounter problems–either in their training or with the system–they should be able to contact the instructor or the administrator for assistance. With proper support lines and resources in place, your association can help its members overcome their issues before the system’s molehill grows into a mountain.

2) Overall Accessibility

One of the major benefits of eLearning, when compared to more traditional training, is convenience. After all, members can take courses on their own time and from any location! Therefore, to continue this trend and to make the most out of your LMS, your training should be as accessible as possible. 

Accessibility can mean a host of different things, but each factor is equally important for your learners. For one, courses need to be mobile-friendly and have a responsive design that adapts to any device and operating system. The LMS interface itself should be intuitive and easy to operate. Similarly, the courses should be easy to understand and follow. Furthermore, by allowing for asynchronous access in your courses–that means no scheduled time slots!–learners will be able to study and complete their training on their own time, without having to worry about schedule conflicts. You could even consider offering offline learning (e.g. downloadable courses) to increase access even further!

3) Clear, Concise Content

While a powerful LMS can really round out a user’s experience, it is primarily the content that keeps members coming back course after course and year after year. Associations should dedicate time and resources to creating and maintaining high-quality content. Make sure that any industry changes are reflected in the training, and that the course materials are organized and easy to follow. While it may be tempting to put as much information as possible into your courses, you need them to be concise and focused if you want them to be memorable and usable. Consider creating multiple specialized courses instead of a single generalized one.

4) Assessment Tools

For many associations, it’s the behind-the-scenes operations that make an LMS what it is. When exploring LMS options, look for a system that has powerful assessment tools. When equipped with these, course administrators and instructors can record learner growth and progress, spot weaknesses or soft spots in the course content, and track compliance percentages. Many LMSs send periodical reports about your courses, flagging any issues or concerns. Not only can this help save your course administrators and instructors time, but it can make course administration more effective overall.

5) Integration and Customization

When an LMS is at its best, it looks and operates similarly to its association’s overall system. With optimal integration, the user experience feels smooth and seamless. Members should be able to navigate between the association’s website, the LMS, and the e-commerce section with ease–and with a single login! Integration also means that associations should be able to incorporate different learning formats, applications, and software into the LMS.

While your association may have a current set of desired applications, features, and functions that it wants for its LMS, remember to keep a close eye on the future. You want to ensure that your LMS can grow and adapt over time; to accomplish this, customization is key. If and when new applications or formats are later developed, you will want to have the option to integrate them into your LMS as well. To add a truly individual touch to your association’s LMS, you may also want to look for a system that allows for back-end development–there’s nothing more custom than building part of it yourself!

When it comes to picking the perfect Learning Management System, there will be a lot of features you want it to fit. Different associations have different needs; they need a tailored solution. When you’re shopping around for your LMS, make sure to remember to look for our five most crucial factors: clear instructions, easy access, focussed content, analytic tools, and seamless integration. Get your organization the LMS that can do it all!

The post 5 Things NOT to Leave Out of Your LMS appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Let your association speak for itself by having your members connect with one another. There’s no better testimony than that of your actual audience!

Just as the employees really create the atmosphere of the work environment, members create the atmosphere of the association environment. If you have a welcoming, engaging community, new members are sure to follow. And remember, strong leadership is not enough: help your members foster bonds between each other, too!

Online Engagement is Critical

The structure with which the association operates is largely what will encourage or discourage members from making connections. Does your association’s online platform allow members to talk to each other? If not, you’re pushing them away from your organization and towards other more socialization-friendly outlets.

Member organizations are always looking for new members and new talent, and your site can function as the perfect recruitment tool–especially when it comes to millennials! One of the reasons people join associations is to be part of a community, and it’s your job to ensure that you’re creating a community that suits their needs. 

A good way to increase engagement is to provide regularly updated content, whether it be in the form of blog posts, images, videos, or infographics. Be aware of online trends, and use thought leaders in your organization to promote new ideas and insights to your audience. By opening your online platform to your members, you’re encouraging them to share ideas and experiences.

Another great opportunity for engagement amongst your audience is your association’s annual meeting. Annual meetings are the perfect chance to deliver the value your members expect with plenty of online social interaction and opportunities to make connections.

Courses and Training and Certifications–Oh my!

When talking about associations, one can’t forget the importance of education! Associations can offer value to their members through the provision of training opportunities and certification courses. Bonus–by completing these, your members also get to add some shiny new skills to their CVs! By offering online education courses to your members, you can engage with them directly through your content, bring value to their memberships, and even increase your non-dues revenue!

If you continuously provide your members with the value they deserve, you’ll not only be bettering your association, but the industry you all share. Your opportunities for professional development and networking will build loyalty over time as you demonstrate your association’s high quality for members both new and old.

Make New Members and Keep the Old: One is Silver and the Other, Gold!

While existing members need to feel connected to your organization, you can’t forget to make new members feel welcome, too! One of the best ways to extend your hospitality to new members is to invite them to your next online event. Show them that you see them and that you care! Your association is here for their development and encouragement.    

By attending association events, new members will be able to connect with others, engage with the organization leaders, and experience the warmth of community. When members of an organization feel like they’re getting a lot out of their network, they’ll be more willing to continue to engage with it in the future, too! 

Member commitment is crucial to the success of your organization, so don’t forget to develop a strategy for member retention and engagement improvement to keep your association as valuable and attractive as possible.  Focus on really showcasing the benefits of your association, making your members feel valued, and promoting communication between members and staff. Members are more likely to renew their memberships when they’re properly cared for, all after!

Connect on Multiple Levels

As competition increases between associations, it is important for your organization to frequently engage with its members on a variety of platforms. 

Promote member engagement through online membership communities, eLearning opportunities, and organizing charity events. Connect with them on social media, on your content platform, in your newsletters and blogs–the more opportunities, the better!  Make it easy for your members to network through online social channels and through your platform. Developing your skills together is more fun and memorable than developing your skills alone!

Make sure to simplify and streamline your communication where possible, so that no one gets left out. Accessibility is important in all things, so be mindful when developing your content!

Analytics are also an important factor for associations. For every channel of communication, learn how to follow the statistics. How many new members are contacting you with questions? Which channels are the most effective for spreading information? Which ones garner the most engagement? Who are you sending messages to, and who is replying? The more information you gather about how your platforms function, the better you can learn to utilize them, and the more effective your posts will become!

The post How to Bring Your Association Closer to Your Members appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Hosting In-Person Events in the “New Normal”

It is important for event organizers to be aware of the legal concerns that will arise when hosting in-person events in the wake of the pandemic. First, there are the privacy concerns that come with collecting personal information; events require COVID-screening processes and employees to register each attendee, which means handling a lot of sensitive data.

Next, organizers must stay up to date with the public health orders in their area. What limitations are being enforced? Is proof of vaccination required? How many people can gather in an area at a time, and what types of preventative measures must be taken? Ventilation, masks, vaccination statuses, sanitizers, and more must be considered when hosting an in-person event.

Unfortunately, in the “new normal”, in-person events have also risen in cost. Venues must be deep-cleaned before and after every event to prevent the spread of illness, and the price of both venues and hotels is on the rise. Not only this, but the combination of social distancing and attendance restrictions means fewer attendees, which means reduced revenue—further cutting into event profits!

Making a Case for Virtual and Hybrid Events

If you still want to open your event up to the public, you could consider hosting a hybrid event, which draws from both virtual and in-person settings. While online-only events are the safest and cheapest option, hybrid events are a nice balance between the familiarity and warmth of in-person interaction and the convenience of online events.

First, virtual and hybrid events can help reduce the costs of hosting, as well as make the event accessible to those who wouldn’t be able to otherwise make it. Because much of your content will be available online, you’ll be able to host a much larger event; more speakers, more attendees, more days—it’s up to you! With virtual events, you don’t need to worry about booking venues or hotels, and your attendees don’t have to worry about planning travel.

A fantastic feature of virtual and hybrid events is the ability to pre-record sessions. By doing this, the event not only runs smoother (no unforeseen slip-ups or interruptions!), it also allows the content to be accessible anywhere and–if you so choose–at any time. These recordings can even be used for continuing education courses later, generating additional revenue and engagement even after the conference ends!

The benefits don’t end here, however; because your content will be hosted online, it will provide you with helpful analytics that you can use when planning future events. View counts, generalized attendee locations, engagement, and more—all useful statistics to know about your event, and all available through a few clicks of your mouse!

Finally, by hosting most or all of your events online, you’re making it not just more affordable for your association, but for your attendees! No one has to worry about booking travel, hotels, or days off—the event can be enjoyed by everyone in the comfort of their own homes. Now, that’s convenient!

Is your association trying to make a decision for future events? This decision can be a long and arduous one, and it can be hard to resist the siren’s call of in-person events—after all, how long has it been since you got to go out and see other people? Despite this, it’s important to take a moment and consider your options when organizing your next event. Attendee and staff safety, extending the value of the education content produced at the event, and maximizing revenue from the event are some of the critical factors you need to assess before planning your event.

The post Virtual Events vs In-Person Events: Which to Choose? appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

The first step is to sell your courses to your association members in a simple and data-driven way. This requires the right online learning platform for associations and the right systems in place to sell effectively.

The key ingredients you’ll need to sell online courses to your members are a comprehensive, advanced, Online Learning Management System, a targeted sales strategy, and most importantly, the right course for your members.

Start With the Course

Before you can sell anything, you need the right courses for your association members. To identify the highest-value courses for your members, use association member data and surveys to do a comprehensive needs assessment.

To start, you should have the best software solutions for association management. This will allow you to collect and organize key data about your association members to provide them with courses that match their professional trajectory and professional needs.

You can also reach out directly to ask them what they want to learn or whether some skills might be valuable to them.

“Sell Me This Pen”

Anyone who has seen The Wolf of Wall Street knows that you need to have demand to sell anything. If you don’t already have demand, then you might be able to create it. The skills needed for professional development today are constantly evolving. While you should never sell something your members don’t need, you can open their eyes to the value of what you’re offering.

Create materials or get in touch directly to communicate exactly what learning specific skills or one of your online courses is so critical in the modern workforce. Always aim to inform before selling, and you will naturally create the demand. If the pen in this story is your members’ skills to take on the world, they can write their ticket with your online course (pen)!

The Right Tools

You can’t offer online continuing education and generate non-dues revenue without the right tools. An online learning management system (LMS) will generate revenue for your association. Modern online learning management systems are designed to reduce administrative work and increase member satisfaction. From a single platform, members should have access to multiple courses and the ability to complete them at their own convenience. With the right online learning software, associations can prioritize value-added initiatives over managing their online learning platform.

The best learning management systems out there will make it easy for your members to sign up for your online courses, and they will include a secure and smooth payment processor. The best solutions should have everything in one to deliver your courses and sell those courses all in one place.

Don’t Forget the Value

Above all, remember to add value for your members through your online courses. The best products in the world sell themselves, particularly through word of mouth. Studies have shown that people trust the word of a friend or family member more often than that of an online review or distant testimonial. If your courses deliver good value for your members, that could come up at their next networking event. Having your members talk up your courses between themselves is the best sales strategy you could ask for.

The post How to Sell Your Online Courses to Your Members appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

• The Types of CLE Topics Offered
• The Usability of Their Online CLE Platform
• How CLE’s Are Promoted to Attorneys

The 5 Marketing Strategies to Increase CLE Revenue in 2021 and beyond Webinar

We recently hosted a webinar with several bar association leaders to explore various strategies to create and maintain a successful CLE program. During the 1 hour conversation, the panelists explored numerous marketing strategies and shared insights into what works and doesn’t work for their CLE programs.

To give you a glimpse into the conversation, we have provided a brief recap of the conversation.

1. Know Your Audience and Create Highly Targeted CLEs

The first step to developing a highly profitable CLE program is to understand the needs of your members and the general public. By understanding what attorneys are looking for and highlighting how they will benefit from purchasing your CLE, your association can create targeted CLEs that provide value.

For example: aside from offering comprehensive courses that are of great importance for all legal professionals, your association can also provide education on topics that resonate with attorneys based on their interests and what they wish to pursue.

A great way to know what your audience wants is to ask them! Then, incorporate their feedback into your CLE program planning.

2. Course Quality over Course Quantity Matters

Providing quality programs is more significant than a large number of miscellaneous CLEs. When bar associations focus on quality instead of quantity, they achieve better results and accomplish their strategic goals faster. In addition, producing quality CLEs saves time, generates more revenue, and provides value to your members.

3. Everybody’s Experience with Online CLE Programs Is Different

Keep in mind that your members will interact with your Learning Management System in different ways–some members are used to attending CLEs in-person, while others are more tech-savvy and prefer online options. So, make sure your association is there to provide support to those who need it.

Also, associations that don’t use a mobile-responsive online CLE platform could lose up to 70% of online traffic. Hence, apart from being user-friendly, your platform needs to be mobile-friendly as well!

4. Create an Outstanding Promotional Plan For Your Courses

Having a solid and thorough promotional plan is also an important strategy to increase the revenue of your association’s continuing education. After all, once you have quality CLE courses ready for your target audience, you have to let them know!

Advertise your courses where your audience is present–websites and social media accounts alike. Reach out to them via a separate CLE-only newsletter. Pay close attention to the email frequency and overall information contained in the email–you don’t want to spam your members with your offers, but make them aware of it instead!

You can also create landing pages for specific courses aimed at different members–as previously stated, your audience has different needs! Make sure your courses are diverse and engaging to different professionals.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Change Approaches

Associations have to be in sync with their members and the general public. So, do not fear change! If you develop a strategy that doesn’t yield the results you are looking for, pivot and create one that does–otherwise, you will end up with the same outcome. Ensure that your association’s CLE program is relevant and your marketing plan even more, so members can find your courses–and, eventually, buy them!

By following this outline, you can help your association move in the right direction by creating quality CLEs and effectively promoting them to your members.

View the webinar in its entirety below.

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Yet, going viral is not as easy as it sounds, but that’s a good thing. If it were easy, the value of viral marketing would be decreased. Still, viral marketing may not be available to every organization, but it’s definitely worth investigating. To help your organization decide if it’s for you, we’ve put together some information about viral marketing, highlighting what it is, how it’s accomplished, and what it can result in.

Why Things Go Viral

While people and organizations everywhere are looking for the key to virality, content may go viral for a number of reasons. Sure, some material has a better chance to go viral for the average audience than others, but for marketing purposes, virality is a little more tricky. In general, however, people share and participate in viral content because they want to be part of a larger community of people with shared interests. They want to be seen, heard, and accepted.

Social media and viral content go hand-in-hand because people naturally want to be early adopters of popular content and want to help others, but they also want to be noticed while doing it. When content is destined for virality, it starts to get popular and picks up steam. At this point, more people share, comment, and post about the content because they want to be part of the trend. If the content is expressing a specific opinion or mindset, people may participate in the movement as a way of co-signing the material.

Understand your Audience

To use the capability of internet media for marketing purposes, organizations need to identify and understand their target audience. When trying to get your content to reach and move through your audience, you need to know what drives and inspires them. The best way to find this information is to observe and participate. Track what your audience responds to and what type of posts they share on social media. Watch your competition or other associations in a comparable industry. See what works for them and think of ways to translate that into your field.

If you know what appeals to your audience, you can cater to your content to satisfy their needs. The more you know about the important communities in your industry, the more on-point your messaging will be. It’s important, however, to stay true to your brand. The messaging in your viral content should be consistent with your overall goals, or else it could be counterproductive. This will also improve the odds that viral brand awareness may also lead to new members and consumers.

Provide Real Value

Modern audiences are clever and skeptical of anything that might be construed as purely marketing-driven, so organizations need to change their sights to focus on another target when setting off on a viral adventure. Pure marketing should be an indirect goal. Nix the endless self-promotion and create something truly valuable for users. The organizations that can fully commit to this path will experience the best results. 

How to provide value really depends on your audience, but some of the common triggers for viral content are emotion, positivity, practicality, and unexpectedness. People also love a good story, so if you can create a compelling narrative that injects some of these elements, you’re off to a running start. Moreover, the more current or novelty-based the content, the more people will be excited to join and ride the viral wave.

Make it Interactive

Viral marketing is participatory at its core, but by adding more interactive elements to the content, organizations may increase the effectiveness. There are countless ways of making viral marketing more interactive. For example, the interactivity built into live streams makes them strong possibilities for going viral. Associations may also make their material actionable. They can start a viral movement by having members record themselves participating in or demonstrating something. Give people an excuse to have fun or do something positive and share it with their friends online. 

You may even choose to incentivize participation in some way. This may be something as small as trying to respond to or communicate with each participating member on social media or providing a benefit to sharing or joining in. Think of ways that your association can incentivize members to help spread your message. In essence, your viral content should have inherent value that people want to share, but it can’t hurt to help make it worth their while.

Find Your Primary Supporters

For the most part, viral content really doesn’t pick up steam until it gets picked up by a large and influential account. These people usually have a massive network with large swaths of followers. When they co-sign or share something, it gets seen and supported by their respective community. Members of that community then spread the word beyond the reach of your organization and help accelerate the viral process. 

If going viral is the goal, your association should try to get your content in front of these supporters in any way possible. You can incentivize them or support the influencer, hoping to get mutual support back in return. You may also seek out influencers who share similar values or goals as your association. If your target audiences overlap and your content holds true value, these influencers will be much more willing to help spread the message.

If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them

Creating original content is hard enough as it is. Creating original content that goes viral is a behemoth. Don’t get too caught up in originality. In fact, by looking at what has caught on in the past, your association can get a good idea of what has the potential to work in the future. Now, you never want to copy or plagiarize, but there’s no shame in following in the footsteps of another organization. It may really help to piggyback on current trends. Leverage the popularity of a fad to generate more interest in your material. Give it a unique twist if you can to spice it up.

Yet, as we said off the top, viral marketing is not available to everyone, and that’s ok. If you can’t create something yourself, share other things that deliver your ideal message. Find positive and meaningful content that appears bound for massive popularity and share it with your audience. It may not be as effective as creating the content, but it’s a close second that can still help build brand awareness.

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Once you have a firm grasp on what your new LMS offers and what the integration process might look like, it’s time to sit down and develop an action plan. By following the steps below,  the rollout of your new LMS can be stress-free, seamless, and well-received.

Creating the Transition Plan

After picking a new LMS, you have to create an integration plan. Record all the expected costs, including the price of the overall system, all new technologies required, any necessary training, and downtime costs.

Next, layout a generous timeline for each stage of the integration. Speak with the vendor and your staff to determine the most accurate timelines possible. Along with these timelines, set goals to be met along the way and then manage and assess their progress.

Designate trainers and support staff and ensure they know the material thoroughly and take care of any possible problems in advance. Understand the technical side of the integration and ensure that you have the proper people on hand to handle the job. Prepare everyone involved for the changes so that no one is caught off guard.

Communicate the Reasons for Change

Change can be difficult for many people.To avoid having your new LMS met with resistance by stakeholders, employees, and users, it’s necessary to communicate why these changes are being made. While highlighting the new and improved features of the new system is likely required, be sure to elucidate the whole picture.

For your stakeholders, outline what the unmet opportunity is and how this new LMS helps meet that. Highlight what the projected costs are and how much time it will take to get up and running.

Furthermore, discuss potential cost savings and when the association may begin seeing these savings. By involving stakeholders, along with being as upfront and accurate as possible, you should have a much-improved chance at receiving total buy-in. 

Review Your Content and Functionality

Before you move everything over, you should perform a quality audit of your content and functionalities. There’s no need to keep and integrate outdated training programs or plugins, or add-ons. Anything that isn’t being used from the previous system should be omitted. Audit everything that you intend to move over and make sure it’s worth the effort to keep. This is also an effective way to determine what content or features need updating. When the new system is uploaded, all content and features attached will be clean, revitalized, and needed. 

Integrate Your Systems

When it comes time to actually integrate the system, create and follow an integration map. This will help track where each component will move to, including reports, structures, and content. This process can also help identify where any holes or needs might arise. If something from the former LMS has no place to go, you may need to customize the new system to accommodate.

The next step is to clean up the data that is to be transferred over. Archive the old data somewhere safe if the thought of permanently deleting old data concerns you. After that, you can quickly transfer user data from one system to another by creating an Excel sheet with all the user information and then converting the sheet into a .csv format and moving it over. 

Testing your New LMS

Before taking the system live, consider running a pilot system and testing each feature and functionalities.

Ensure that the system meets each of your association’s needs and address any issues or concerns before attempting to bring the system online. Test out the mobile capability of the LMS, try out the user enrollment, and scale it up slowly as a stress test on the system. Try to catch and eliminate any surprises before end users do.

Training and Support

While the support step should start early in the process, training is a continual process that must continue throughout much of the LMS’s lifecycle. The first training stage begins with educating staff and administrators on running the system. This gives the frontline operators a chance to solve any problems early on. In the future, they may be tasked with answering such questions from end-users and will need the answers. 

To ensure the best training is available for your staff, members, and visitors, you need to provide the best training resources. Ask the vendor for any and all support materials they provide and develop your own to cover any blind spots. You may want to host all resources on the LMS for easy access. In the early days of the new system, an online training forum can allow users to share ideas, concerns, and opinions.

Feedback

Before launching the new LMS, be sure to establish some performance metrics for the former system. This will provide a standard on which to compare and evaluate the new LMS. You can then measure if the new system improves user performance and satisfaction, track increases in course completions, and look at the compliance percentages. You can also track performance behind the scenes. All this information can then be passed on to users as a continued demonstration of why things changed in the first place.

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