Race to Relevance - Associations and relevance

Mary Byers - author of book by the same title

Can MLA articulate the value proposition of membership in two sentences or less?

If you have to drive longer than the meeting lasts... The time famine is more important to be considerate of than even finances.

How can we leverage content from annual conference across the year?

Julie Z is doing this by bringing MLA programs to the regional that are already built.  Other divisions can do this as well.  Content development and curation are important roles for the organization.

Tape/video presentations and develop that content into web or magazine content.

Instead of having committees, have a strike team - it is their job to problem solve and dissolve.

If younger members (of boards) are leery of a three year commitment, offer a one year term renewable three times.

Communication:

Email doesn't work for younger members.  Text them. 

Millenials expect:

Free Internet at conferences

Younger speakers so that the members can see themselves in leadership

Convene a think-tank of young members and be willing to implement what they suggest.

Conferences may need to change a bit

Shorter programs

MLA has room to play because we are I a position of strength

Technology:

Electronic banking

She gave a sample of an organization with a budget of 4 million dollars

    4.1% goes to technology

    4.2% to meals

    4.4% to printing

If your organization spends less than 8% on technology, change that!

What does MLA spend on technology?  I'd love to see a pie chart of our spending.

Rename nominations "leadership development"

Who will we tap for leadership over the next five years, we should know the answer to that.  It shouldn't be who says yes or whose turn it is.

Consider a virtual assistant.  We need someone, preferably on staff, to do social media and beagle to edit video and handle constant contact etc.

Know who your members are and what they have in common with one another.  Kow who is paying the bills and therefor who the majority of your services should be directed to.  Survey the members - years in the profession, role in the organization, whether they pay their own way or not

Consider that dues may be too low.  Those with more skin in the game are more invested in the organization's success.

Speed = suspicion

If it is worth doing, do it slowly and well and let everyone participate and be part of it.

*division/revision ands strategic planning, online meetings and information sessions to gather information.*

Where is our time and money directed?  How many people are those things touching?

Make to-don't lists as well as to-do lists

What isn't helping our members work

   Less stressfully

   More productively

   More profitably