Transcript

Vocalmeet’s All-in-One Platform

Vocalmeet offers an All-in-One Platform that seamlessly integrates association management, learning management, event management, financial processing, and reporting—eliminating the need for multiple platforms, cutting costs, and saving time.

This powerful, future-ready solution helps associations, unions, regulatory bodies, and nonprofits automate tasks, streamline operations, engage members, and drive growth.

Why All-in-One?

• Stronger Member Engagement & Retention: Keep members connected with easy access to courses, events, and key resources.
• Time-Saving Workflow Automation: Member renewals, event registrations, course enrollments, reminders, and payments happen automatically, reducing manual workload and improving efficiency.
• Lower Costs & Greater Efficiency: Reduce vendor expenses and eliminate costly system integrations. No more paying for overlapping features!
• Seamless Data Flow: Real-time analytics connect membership, learning, and event data for better decision-making.
• Scalability & Growth: Designed to evolve with your organization’s needs.

Combine Your Systems

• Membership & Event Management: Automate renewals, event and membership registrations, and payments in one system.
• Learning & Continuing Education: Provide seamless access to courses and certifications on any device.
• AI-Driven Reports: Make data driven decisions faster, uncover member trends, and optimize operations with minimal manual effort.
• CRM: Track member interactions, engagement, and preferences to deliver personalized communication and targeted outreach.
• Accounting: Streamline billing, invoicing, and financial reporting with automated payment tracking and real-time revenue insights.
• Document Management: Store, organize, and control access to resources, compliance records, and member documents in a secure, centralized system.

Contact us for a demo today to see how Vocalmeet can help your organization save time, grow engagement, and drive innovation like never before!

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Transcript

AMS 101

Managing a member-based organization means juggling a lot—memberships, payments, events, communications, and more. But using too many systems (or stacks of spreadsheets!) can slow you down and create unnecessary stress.

That’s where an Association Management System, or “AMS”, comes in.

A quality AMS acts as the central hub–and the heart–of your organization: automating manual processes, saving time, and improving the member experience.

With a quality AMS, you can:

• Automate membership registration and renewals
• Maintain a comprehensive CRM
• Offer personalized member dashboards
• Track engagement and generate detailed reports
• Accept payments and connect directly to your gateway
• Manage live and virtual events
• Integrate with Zoom, Teams, and more
• Build your website with flexible, appealing templates

With features designed to meet your unique needs, Vocalmeet’s AMS empowers you to streamline operations, ensure compliance, and focus on what matters most: your members.

Book a demo today at vocalmeet.com

The post Video: AMS 101 appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Whether you’re managing a union, an association, or another member-based organization, memberships are the backbone of your success. An engaged community doesn’t just make your organization stronger—it keeps the cash flowing and sets you up for long-term wins.

Let’s be honest—people are constantly swamped with content. So, how can you stand out, grab the attention of potential members, and convince them to sign up? The secret to success is creating a strong value proposition, streamlining the sign-up process, and continuously offering experiences that truly resonate with potential members.

When your audience sees the real advantages of joining—whether that means access to exclusive content, valuable networking opportunities, or special member perks—they’ll be far more inclined to take that next step and get involved.

It’s not just about getting people to sign up, though; it’s about creating an experience they want to stay for. So, without further ado, let’s look at some techniques to boost your membership and take your sales to the next level!

Developing a Marketing Plan

Before diving in and testing different approaches, it’s important to have a clear strategy. Here’s how to set yourself up for success:

• Set clear objectives: What’s the goal? More sign-ups? Higher engagement? A better retention rate? Get specific so you can measure your success.
• Identify your target audience: Who are your ideal members? Are they professionals looking for networking opportunities, newbies passionate about advancing in their field, or industry practitioners looking for accreditation? Know your crowd.
• Select the right marketing channels: Facebook, LinkedIn, email newsletters—each of these has its own “vibe”, so make sure to use the tools that your audience will actually engage with.

Strategies to Boost Membership Sales

Now for the fun part: making your membership sales soar!

1. Simplify the Enrollment Process

If your sign-up process is too complicated, potential members may give up before they even complete it. Instead, make it as easy as putting together a sandwich—simple, fast, and intuitive. A streamlined, user-friendly process reduces friction and increases conversions. Consider:

• One-click sign-ups
• Clear pricing (no hidden fees)
• Mobile responsivity (because nobody wants to struggle with a tiny screen!)

2. Offer Incentives and Limited-Time Deals

People are always drawn to a great deal. Build anticipation and drive action by creating a sense of urgency and excitement with:

• Early-bird discounts
• BOGO (Buy One, Get One) memberships for referrals
• Exclusive launch offers for first-time members (such as discounted/free courses)

3. Utilize Social Media & Online Platforms

If you’re not using social media to promote your memberships (and all they offer!), you’re leaving money on the table. Social media is a powerful tool for reaching potential members, engaging your current audience, and showcasing the value of your organization. Use platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) to:

• Post engaging content (such as behind-the-scenes videos, testimonials, and sneak peeks of new courses).
• Go live! Q&A sessions and virtual events can build hype. Run paid ads targeting your ideal members–after all, members can only join your association if they know you’re out there!

4. Offer Valuable & Exclusive Content

People don’t just want to join a group; they want to feel like they’re in a community of their peers. Building a strong sense of belonging is key to attracting and retaining members. Make them feel like VIPs by offering:

• Members-only webinars, courses, and/or networking events
• Special discounts, freebies, and/or priority access to new features
• Industry insider information they can’t get anywhere else

5. Partner with Complementary Organizations

Teamwork makes the dream work! Collaborate with businesses or groups that share your audience but aren’t direct competitors. Strategic partnerships can enhance your offerings, attract new members, and strengthen your association’s credibility. For example:

• A professional association could collaborate with soft skills career coaches.
• A teachers’ association could work with educational publishers.
• A medical association could partner with healthcare product providers.

6. Host Conferences and Exhibits

Sometimes, nothing beats face-to-face interaction when it comes to building relationships and growing your membership. Hosting industry conferences, trade shows, and networking events gives you direct access to potential members who are already engaged in your field. You can:

• Set up an eye-catching welcome booth with engaging visuals, informative materials, and interactive elements to draw attendees in.
• Offer live sessions, exclusive giveaways, or limited-time membership discounts to encourage sign-ups on the spot.

7. Leverage Social Proof & Testimonials

People trust real experiences more than advertisements. Highlight your satisfied members and let their stories showcase the value of your association:

• Share video testimonials
• Post screenshots of positive feedback
• Display success stories and case studies on your website

You may also like: Expanding Your Reach: How to Market Your Association’s Continuing Education

Monitor & Evaluate Strategies

What’s working? What’s not? Here’s how to ensure your strategy is helping (not hurting):

• Track KPIs: Monitor conversion rates, engagement levels, and retention rates.
• Gather feedback: Ask new members what convinced them to join (and what could be better).
• Refine based on data: If a strategy isn’t delivering, tweak it until it does!

Conclusion

Selling memberships doesn’t have to be a struggle. With the right mix of strategic marketing, compelling incentives, and meaningful engagement, you can turn potential members into enthusiastic advocates. The key is to make the process simple, exciting, and packed with value—because when people clearly see the benefits, they’ll be eager to join.

Now, go out there with confidence and boost your association’s membership!

References

Content Marketing Institute. (2023). CMI: Content Marketing Strategy, Research, “How-To” Advice. Content Marketing Institute. https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/

Marketing General Incorporated. (2025). The Membership Lifecycle. Marketinggeneral.com; Marketing General Incorporated. https://www.marketinggeneral.com/solutions/the-membership-lifecycle

MCIM, H. M. (2023, June 13). Elevating Club Membership Sales with Demand Generation Strategies. Linkedin.com. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/elevating-club-membership-sales-demand-generation-mcguckin-mcim/

The post Selling Memberships Like a Pro: Fun & Effective Strategies to Boost Your Numbers appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

When choosing a presenter, associations need to consider several key elements about their event. They can then match speakers to session themes to ensure a cohesive event from start to finish. 

Though budget often plays a large role in the process, associations should ensure that quality is the most important consideration in their decisions. Because of this, we’ve compiled a list of tips to help your association simplify the process and find the perfect speaker for your next event!

1. Define and Align Values

The first step of this process requires your association to define its values and goals for the event. 

Think about the overall message of the event. You can use this as a basis for your speaker search. Your speaker should deliver something consistent with your overall message. 

Consider the timing of their presentation: where will it fall? Is it the kick-off, the midpoint, or the closing keynote speech?

Equipped with this information, finding a speaker to fit will be much easier. Get a feel for their material and how it might work with your audience. If their message would be best served to set the table for what’s to come, they might be best in one of your event’s opening slots. 

Don’t be afraid to voice what you want from your speaker, either. Let them know what your values and goals are and see how they believe they will fit. They may have suggestions you never thought of!

2. Understand Your Audience

The best speaker for your event is the one that will best satisfy your audience. For this to happen, you should know who your audience is and what they want. 

Wondering how to gather this information? 

Ask your members for feedback. 

Ask them what they look for from event speakers, and review feedback from past events. You may also consider searching social media to learn what members want most–or even using the poll functions to quiz your audience. 

The important thing is to start the conversation on your association’s various channels. Do this, and you’ll understand what your members want in no time! 

3. Consider Their Style

If you have a chance to see and review the style of your potential presenters, consider how they might fit in with the feel of your event. You may also want to think about how their style matches the time slots available. 

For example, those with energetic and dynamic presentation styles may work best at the mid-day point to get everyone energized and over the hump. On the other hand, those who inspire and motivate change may be best suited for the final keynote slot.

You will also want to think about how speakers structure their presentations. For example, those who integrate Q&As can be useful for livening and loosening up a crowd. 

Consider:

• How do they present and work with audiences? 
• Are they creative and thoughtful? 

It’s a delicate balance. 

While the big name speakers may help attract audiences, those who constantly work the event circuit may not be able to offer the same fresh ideas and perspectives as newer or more unfamiliar speakers. Try to incorporate some of both!

4. Take Some Risks

As mentioned above, taking a risk on a speaker can pay off enormously, as unknown speakers bring an element that attendees can’t find elsewhere. The trade-off here is that more familiar speakers likely bring with them more security; they often have more experience and more material for your association to review before making a decision. 

Think about what is most important to your event and let that help inform your decision.

You might want to also consider what kind of risks speakers take. 

• Are they trying new things?
• Do they incorporate new technologies or new keynote methods? 

While new speakers might not have the same proof of success as their tried and true counterparts, they may also give your audience something they’ve never seen before–making a lasting impact and boosting your event’s value.

5. Seek Out Integration

While integrating a speaker into your next event largely depends on how your association structures its speaker packages (and what you offer them), you can at least explore whether potential speakers would be open to greater involvement. After all, speakers who are more engaged with your event and your association may be willing to offer something extra for your audience. 

• Would they stick around after their presentation to talk to the audience? 
• Would they be open to running a workshop as well? 
  • Do they have the material (and the ability) to do so? 
• Would they speak to smaller groups who express interest after? 
• Would they promote the event to their network? 

These are all questions that may help you answer how much integration is possible. Talk to your potential speakers–you may be surprised!

You may also like: 5 Benefits to Live Streaming Your Association’s Event

Conclusion

Choosing the perfect speaker for your next event requires careful consideration and planning. By following the tips outlined above, your association can simplify the process and find a speaker who aligns with your values, understands your audience, and complements your event. Remember to prioritize quality, and be willing to take risks to make your event memorable and impactful!

With a well-chosen speaker, your event is sure to go in with a boom and leave a lasting impression on all who attend!

Sources

The post How to Choose the Perfect Speaker for Your Next Event appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

The reality is, there is no right way to design a website, but there are plenty of wrong ways. 

The good news is that by following a rather straightforward checklist, your future website can help you achieve everything you’re hoping for–without fears and headaches plaguing the design process!

Because there are so many ways to create an effective site, we’ve decided to hone in on some of the most important aspects in this article.

While we can’t highlight every possible factor that goes into making a great site, we’ve listed some of our favorites below:

Know Your Purpose and Your Audience

Before setting out on your design adventure, you need to know who your audience is and what the purpose of your website is. 

Ask yourself: what do you want to achieve, and what do you want your users to achieve online?

By answering these questions, you can start to identify what type of content, layout, and structure you’ll need. 

In fact, the consideration of your audience and your overall goals will help you answer a great deal of your design queries! 

You can think of the following:

• Will your website be rich with media? What type of media would you include (videos, podcasts, etc) 
• What kind of training programs should you include? What programs will you use?
  • Will you have video modules? Will you host them on your own custom platform, or with a SaaS vendor? Will they be interactive
• What types of original content and industry links will you be hosting? How many dedicated pages will you have for them?
  • Do you plan to have a blog or video series? Will you create a “knowledge hub” for members? Will there be multiple “pillar pages” dedicated to different topics?

From this point, you can begin making some important decisions about providers and the level of support you need:

• What level of traffic do you anticipate? How much growth do you anticipate?
• Do you have in-house staff to support the website, or do you need a third-party company to manage the website?
• What level of security and technical support do you need?

Once you’ve got the ball rolling, set your goals (specifically, your measurable goals) and track them. If you find that your website is failing to meet these targets, don’t just change them to accommodate your design. Instead, make changes to your design to better meet your goals!

Create Your Online Brand 

The early decisions you make about your online design may be some of the most important. 

Your goals and your audience will also inform these decisions, of course, but your (likely) already established brand and brand identity are also important. 

You will, for starters, need to decide on a website name. 

This name will take into consideration your brand voice and website purpose. You want to make it as easy to remember and simple to spell as possible–simply hearing it once should be enough! 

In these early stages, you also want to start thinking about the content on your page. Think of what your users want most and how you can deliver this to them best.

Another early-stage design consideration is your online color scheme. 

The colors you pick for your website can have a major impact on your brand overall; colors can evoke emotional responses in visitors, and they help make your brand recognizable and memorable. 

The color scheme you choose will likely be based on your existing brand materials, such as your logo and other marketing materials. It will also be informed by your primary audience; different colors, fonts, and contrasts may appeal to certain demographics and not others.

To lay your foundation, start your page design by placing your logo in the upper left-hand corner. Everything should flow from that point out!

Steer Clear of Navigation Issues

While it may be tempting to create as many pages as you can, it’s probably more effective to keep things simple. 

Avoid overloading users with pages and options to keep them from getting overwhelmed. The most effective designs are often those that are attractive, clear, and concise. 

Think “ease-of-use”. 

Users should be able to navigate the site intuitively with no barriers. Include a comprehensive site map to help visitors locate the information they need. Your location headings should be descriptive and illustrative of the content they encompass. Site maps also help search engines sort and identify information for more accurate and positive search results.

The cleaner your design, the greater the focus will be on your brand and your content. 

Bombarding users with fancy design elements, distracting graphics and images, and large blocks of text can make the website feel messy and unfocused. To keep things smooth over time, test out the site regularly and make sure that every page and its content features short loading times and serves an overarching purpose. 

Finally, the easiest way to determine ease-of-use is to put yourself in a first-time user’s shoes and try to pinpoint any usability or navigation issues; this way, you can quickly find and eliminate problems and make the interface as user-friendly as possible!

Get on Schedule

An effective online design gets the ball rolling, but website management is a process. Over time, it evolves and changes. So too does your content, so it’s important to keep it up-to-date and fresh. 

Simplify your processes by keeping a schedule for regular updates. Content-wise, organizations want to maintain a steady stream of helpful, useful, original, and relevant material. A content management system (CMS) can help with this monumental task by streamlining your updates. 

You should also manually check all of your material regularly. Scroll through your pages and double check that all links and images are functional. Comb through all of your content and remove any outdated information. Training programs, surveys, and contact and feedback forms are some of the areas that often need attention. 

If you’ve put tracking and reporting systems in place, you can identify any pages or links that are underperforming, either in traffic, engagement, or conversion rates. You may choose to remove the offending sections or revise them; either way, you want all your pages performing at their best!

Give Them a Reason to Return

For some organizations, an online design that centerpieces first-time users is enough, but many depend more on return visitors. To accommodate the latter group, your website needs reasons for visitors to keep coming back. 

This can be achieved in several ways, but they can be broken down into content and structure. 

The structure of your website, for example, may accommodate return users by hosting an online forum or a continuous training program. If done right, users may treat your site as their industry hub or homepage.

The other major component is content, and content is (and likely always will be) king. Users will return to your website because of the material you host. If it’s fresh, useful, and relevant, people will continue to come back. 

Consider hosting an industry news and updates section. Start an active blog to provide helpful information to your members, consumers, and partners. Encourage and integrate social media sharing and beef up your social media presence to extend the reach of your online activities. 

Incorporate Marketing Strategies 

The next major stage of online design is mixing in marketing strategies. These should contribute to a cohesive overall brand identity and should be developed well in advance of starting your site. 

First, think about your ideal search terms. 

This goes back to your audience’s goals and what they want to achieve. What will they typically search for to find you, and in what other ways might your organization be useful to them? 

Once you know your ideal search terms, you can craft content and design elements to help facilitate positive search engine results. 

Your organization can be assisted here by CMS services or various SEO applications, which can help clean up your design and code to improve your search results. You can also do this manually by posting relevant content, creating engaging links on social media, and partnering up with local directories. 

Try to complete promotional activities regularly to keep your marketing fresh and effective, and use calls to action to get the most from visitors.

Think Secure

Once you’ve considered your major front-facing design elements, it’s time to secure your website. 

First of all, you want to provide multi-browser compatibility and security for your visitors, while also protecting your back end from attacks. 

To prevent automated spam from hitting your forums, forms, and comment sections, add some captcha tests to these sections; it may feel like an extra step for users, but it is essential in safeguarding your site overall. 

If your website allows online transactions, you’ll need to strengthen any security that protects consumer information and privacy. Add SSL certificates to prevent more browser-based threats, and conduct regular security audits to detect any vulnerabilities or suspicious activities. You’ll be thankful you did!

You may also like: Keeping Members on Your Association’s Website

Conclusion

Designing a website is a complex process, and there are many elements to consider when creating the one that’s best for your association.

We’ve highlighted some of the most important steps in this article: from knowing your purpose and audience to incorporating marketing strategies and keeping your site secure, you’ll be able to build a top-notch, valuable site for your members to enjoy. 

Ensure that your online design will be successful, engaging, and helpful to your visitors–try employing these steps today!

Sources

The post Online Design 101 appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

Software as a Service (SaaS) integration is the process of integrating your organization’s software applications with each other, as well as with any third-party software applications you use. This process ensures that data can flow freely between all systems and that any changes made in one system are reflected in the others.

Examples of association-specific SaaS applications include association management systems (AMS) and learning management systems (LMS).

Integration can provide many benefits to your association, including increased efficiency, improved data accuracy, decreased administrative work, and higher member satisfaction.

What is SaaS integration?

SaaS integration is the process of connecting two or more software applications in order to share data and information. This can be achieved through several means, including:

• Application programming interfaces (APIs)
• Web services
• Even manual data entry!

The main goal of SaaS integration is to help organizations streamline their processes and workflows by eliminating the need to switch between multiple applications.

In the context of organizations, SaaS integration can be extremely beneficial in terms of simplifying member management. For example, by integrating your AMS with other software that your members use (for instance, an LMS), you can automatically sync data and information between the two systems. This way, your members don’t have to input their information in both systems; everything is taken care of automatically.

SaaS integration can help you save time and money by reducing the need for manual data entry. In addition, it can help improve information accuracy by eliminating errors that can occur during manual data entry. Overall, SaaS integration can provide a number of benefits for associations and their members.

You may also like: 7 Universally Crucial Features for Your New LMS

Types of Integrations Available to Organizations

There are a number of different types of SaaS integrations available to associations, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. We will cover the three most common member-based organization below.

Single Sign-on (SSO)

One popular type of integration is known as single sign-on, or SSO. SSO allows members to log in to multiple software applications with a single set of credentials–usually their username and password for the association’s website. This can be extremely convenient for members, as they don’t have to remember multiple sets of login information.

Single sign-on is also known as one-way integration. One-way integrations are the simplest form of integration, as they only allow data to flow from one application to another.

For example, if you wanted to integrate your AMS with an LMS, a one-way integration would allow data to flow from your AMS into your LMS, but not the other way around.

One-way integrations can be useful in situations where you only need to send certain types of data (for example, member information) from one application to another.

Data Integration

Another type of integration is data integration. Data integration allows different software applications to share data. This can be useful for keeping member information up-to-date in multiple systems and for avoiding the need to enter data into multiple systems manually.

Data integration is also known as two-way integration. Two-way integrations are more complex than one-way integrations, as they allow data to flow in both directions between applications.

For example, if you integrated your AMS with your LMS using a two-way integration, data could flow back and forth from the AMS into the LMS, and vice versa. This could be configured so that when a member finishes a course on your LMS, the completion is reflected in their profile on your AMS. This can save a lot of time and hassle for both you and your members!

Payment Gateway Integration

Another type of integration that can be extremely useful for organizations is known as payment gateway integration. Payment gateway integration allows you to connect your association’s website to a payment gateway, such as PayPal or Stripe. This allows members to make payments for membership dues, event registration fees, continuing education courses, and other items directly on your website.

Payment gateway integration can be extremely convenient for members, as they don’t have to leave your website to make a payment. This can also save your association time and money, as you don’t have to process payments manually.

There are many other types of integration available, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. The best way to determine which type of integration is right for your association is to speak with a SaaS integration expert who can assess your needs and recommend the best solution for your organization.

You may also like: Taking the Fear Out of Updating Your Association’s Technology

Conclusion

Overall, SaaS integration can provide a number of benefits for organizations and their members, including increased efficiency, improved data accuracy, decreased administrative work, and higher member satisfaction. When choosing a SaaS integration solution for your association, it’s important to consider your needs and goals in order to select the best option for your organization; you’ll be glad you did!

The post SaaS Integration and Member-Based Organizations: What You Need to Know appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

When it comes to managing your association’s educational programs, you may be wondering if an Association Management System (AMS) or a Learning Management System (LMS) is right for you.

So, which one is right for your organization? Let’s take a look at the key differences between association management and learning management systems to help you make the best decision for your organization.

What’s an AMS?

An association management system is a cloud-based software platform designed to help manage the day-to-day operations of membership organizations. AMS platforms provide a central database for storing member data, as well as tools for online payments, invoicing, event registration, email marketing, and more.

Association management systems also include features for building a professional website and online store. Many AMS platforms offer integration with third-party software programs, including QuickBooks, Salesforce, Mailchimp, and Eventbrite.

What’s an LMS?

A learning management system is a type of software that allows organizations to administer, track, sell, and deliver their continuing education courses online. They’re the most effective and economical solution when it comes to managing your association’s educational programs!

With an LMS, you can create and deliver courses online, track who takes each course (and how they perform!), and even sell courses directly to members. An LMS makes it easy to host continuing education content and follow user analytics in one central location.

You may also like: LMS is More Than Just a Tool for Continuing Education

So, what’s the difference?

One of the main differences between an AMS and an LMS lies in the type of data they track:

• An LMS is designed specifically for tracking data related to your educational programs, such as course completion reports, course purchase reports, and course information.
• An AMS, on the other hand, is designed to track membership data, such as membership type, renewal date, membership status, and revenue review data.

Another main difference includes the purpose of each system: why were they created?

The Key Features of an LMS

• An LMS is designed first and foremost for learning.
• It helps individuals gain new skills and knowledge, usually through participation in online or offline courses.
• An LMS will track progress, provide assessments, suggest learning paths, and offer certificates and accreditation.
• Learners can access an LMS at any time, any place, and on any device!

The Key Features of an AMS

• An AMS is designed to manage processes and events within an association.
• This includes membership functions like sponsorships, fundraising, payments, donations, and fees.
• An AMS also allows for communication between members and the organization through automated emails, invoices, reminders, and newsletters.

There is, of course, some overlap between the two systems. Both can offer eCommerce features, for example, and both can be used to store and organize data. But, at their core, an LMS is designed for learning while an AMS is designed for managing.

You may also be interested in: Post-Purchase Service: Why It’s Crucial When Picking an LMS Vendor

So, while an LMS helps individuals upskill and learn new things, an AMS helps associations manage their members and events. Both are essential for organizations with relevant interests, but they serve different purposes overall.

Conclusion

To sum it up, the main difference between association management systems and learning management systems is the type of data they track. An LMS tracks educational data, while an AMS tracks membership data. Additionally, the purpose of each system differs: an LMS is designed for learning, whereas an AMS is designed to manage processes and events within an association. Consequently, while there is some overlap between the two systems, they serve different functions overall.

Both systems can run independently from one another, or they can be integrated to create a seamless learning and membership experience for your organization. Whichever route you decide to go, make sure you pick a system that meets the specific needs of your organization!

The post AMS vs LMS: What’s the Difference? appeared first on Online Learning Solutions | Association Management System | Vocalmeet.

According to the 2014 Operating Ratio Report from the American Society for Association Executives (ASAE), most associations have five primary revenue sources (outside of private donors):

• Memberships
• Events
• Certifications
• Educational programs
• The sale of goods and services

With today’s association members wanting to engage with associations online, Vocalmeet understands that a positive experience with your online system is one of the key ways associations can achieve this and, in so doing, increase revenue and grow membership.

By focusing on these key revenue generators, we ensure associations continue to deliver high value to their members and contribute to the long term sustainability of the association.

Let’s take a look at how!

1. Improve the Member Registration and Renewal Process

Registration has never been easier than it is with Vocalmeet.

Members are no longer required to fill out lengthy forms, nor do they need to wait for a certain date to get the most of their annual dues (nor submit their membership renewals!).

Vocalmeet’s online forms make it easy to sign up and even easier for administrators to track and analyze membership data. Member management is also dramatically improved, allowing for quick, easy, and personalized communication with members–keeping them more aware and engaged than you ever thought possible!

The online platform also has the added benefits of a much wider reach for potential members, as well as compatibility with different marketing channels (such as the major email providers), which helps boost both membership and advertising potential.

2. Generate Revenue with Online Learning and Certification

With the ability to offer courses and certifications online through Vocalmeet’s platform, your association can provide flexible learning opportunities to a wider member network than ever before. Online courses can also significantly decrease overhead costs for physical space, as well as the dollar-per-student costs that in-person training can rack up.

By monetizing and mobilizing rich online content (such as eLearning courses, webinars, digital publications, and more), associations can drive increased traffic and entice further sponsorship and advertising opportunities.

3. Simplify Event Registration and Increase Attendance

Just like association registration, event registration and marketing are made easy and effective with Vocalmeet’s intuitive event registration platform.

By running effective marketing campaigns for your events that speak directly to your members, your association can create a continued buzz for your upcoming events. The platform also allows associations to send automatic promotional emails through email marketing solutions like MailChimp and Constant Contact, effectively auto-marketing your events.

To accommodate members and attendees that cannot be present, Vocalmeet can also help your association create online or hybrid events that will provide a more mobile and flexible event platform, as well as an added medium for advertising and sponsorship dollars.

4. Build a Great Online Marketplace

Another potential–though largely underutilized–revenue stream for associations can be found in their online stores or marketplaces.

With Vocalmeet’s easy-to-use store settings, you can take online orders for the sale of goods and services, offering different delivery methods and even presenting varying options and prices to different members and membership levels. This is a great opportunity to publish and sell your content to members and site visitors! The purchased items are available for immediate download and viewing.

The ability to track and analyze this information also provides your association with additional information about your membership and clientele–pivotal data when approaching sponsors and advertisers!

5. Grow Revenue and Maximize Member Engagement with Digital Marketing

Not only does Vocalmeet have the ability to throw a much wider membership net–reaching and influencing a greater number of potential members–we can help to modernize your marketing efforts, too! 

Using our platform’s compatibility with different online marketing channels (such as major email solutions like MailChimp and Constant Contact, as well as other digital marketing giants like Facebook and LinkedIn), marketing not only keeps your connected members more engaged, but it also helps you generate new and future members!

You may also like: Learning Management Systems for Associations: An Overview

If you’re looking to bring your association up to date, don’t hesitate to contact us. Have any questions? Interested in a free demo? Visit us at https://vocalmeet.com or call our toll free number (866) 553-4540 and we’ll help you out!

Sources:

Operating Ratio Report (14^th Edition, October 2014). The American Society for Association Executives (ASAE).

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