As I was doing the daily peruse of my favorite websites for marketers, designers, and managers, I found a recent article from 99u that was really compelling. The post summarized the 2017 99u Conference, a gathering of over 1,000 professionals including leaders from Airbnb, Spotify, Instagram and Buzzfeed. Better yet? So many ideas they shared could be applied to association managers and their strategy. Some comparisons may take a little imagination – but you’ll get the gist. Check out some of the lessons below.
Simplicity is Key
99U founder Scott Belsky, who had early-stage investments in Pinterest, Warby Parker, and Periscope, emphasized making products simple and accessible—and keeping them that way. Users flock to simple products, noted Belsky, then companies take users for granted and adds features to satisfy the power users, which alienates the users who flocked to the original simple product. “Products can be powerful enough for professionals, but accessible to everyone,” said Belsky.
Here at AMO, we’re constantly strategizing the next best upgrade. Our list of product enhancements is never ending. We want our system to be the best and help you succeed. However, even as the platform evolves, our primary goal is to ensure simplicity. As Belsky mentioned, if a product evolves too much, too quickly, it can loose the core component – user accessibility.
The same idea can be applied to association growth and evolution. Though it’s important to continually update your website, content and member benefits, the main reason your association started was to help people. Period. As you make updates, be sure to always consider the members perspective before changing too much. For example, if you bloat the website with a myriad of resources, it could overwhelm the member and even cause them to look elsewhere.
Evolution is Necessary
“Every launch is effectively a prototype. No design is ever done,” said Khosla Ventures design partner, Irene Au, in a talk that held up a complex project with her residential architect as a model for all design collaborations.
You launched your new website a year ago and think it’s functionality and design are great (which they likely are). Just as Ventures says, though, a design is never done. You must constantly reevaluate your website or any other collateral you offer. Does the messaging still resonate with your members? Is it appealing to the eye? This doesn’t mean a complete re-design is in order. It simply means to analyze each part, make one small change and measure the effects.
A Welcome Team
“Everyone [on a team] can and should be involved in the data collection process” said Spotify’s user researcher Caitlin Tan.
To really get to know your members and make them feel valuable, make sure everyone on your teams knows them. That means being involved in the “data collection process” as Tan said. As applications come in, sit down with your team and review. Assign staff members to new groups as a welcome committee. If your staff is small, strategize how many members each person can take on. Instead of reaching out individually, sent out an e-blast to a group of similar members (whether that be industry, profession, age, etc.). Get involved and pay attention to your members.
Growing your association, retaining members, producing quality content, hosting inspirational events and juggling other administrative tasks can be a lot. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, think back to why you’re doing what you’re doing. Remember the simplicity behind your mission and use that to fuel your efforts.
