Archive for December, 2004

Jeff De Cagna is giving away a free year’s subscription to the TypePad blogging service to an individual who wants to write a blog related to the work of associations. A great idea!

There are so many creative individuals working in the association world — who have definite opinions — that I’m surprised there aren’t more association-related personal blogs already. Share your ideas, your expertise, your thoughts — it doesn’t have to be hard work, and the more association-related blogs exist, the more interesting and innovative conversations we can have about challenges and changes. So go take Jeff up on his offer!

I’ll slowly be transitioning this blog from a temporary "event" blog tied to our presentation the other week, to a permanent personal blog, and besides blogging will talk about other areas such as overall association management, communications, membership and technology.

I just need to decide what to call it — right now the url is just "associationblog." I’m stumped trying to devise a new moniker — "association" is such a clunky word, and it lends itself to such an unfortunate abbreviation. (I don’t think I want to become known as the proprietor of the "AssBlog.") Any suggestions?

One question that came up in conversations during the Great Ideas Conference was, "Can a blog be outsourced?" Sure, much like any other communications vehicle. If you were to do that, I would suggest that you work with someone who is familiar with blogging, and make a definite plan for the type of content to be used and how often it’s going to be updated.

But remember, blogging lends itself to immediacy and a conversational tone that will require your attention as well. It’s important that the blogger you hire understand your organization, industry/profession, and culture.

Blogger Jeremy Wright, who made news a few weeks ago by auctioning his services on eBay, wrote a good piece on "why companies should hire bloggers" that is worth a read.

Listened to a voicemail message this morning from a gentleman who sounds quite irate. He is very put-out that I have not returned any of his previous voicemails, having left messages for me in June, July, and August. Here it is December, and he has yet to receive the courtesy of a return call. He’d been told that I was the appropriate person to talk to about the market research services he provides to associations, and if I’m not the right person, he would certainly appreciate getting a phone call indicating which staff person he should be annoying with stupid, ignorant voicemail messages that never get returned.

Note to Stupid: Um, I’m not interested. Pretty obvious, don’tcha think? And I don’t owe cold-calling salespeople anything, least of all a return call.

Really, do you think this sort of bizarre behavior has ever resulted in a sale? Or in anything but a determination on the part of the "customer" to never do business with this company under any circumstances?

I was asked the question, "How is a blog different from a discussion forum or message board?" My thoughts:

Very different — and I think it’s pretty plain to anyone who’s actually read both blogs and message boards. (This individual admitted to having never read a blog before.) Message boards (even if they are limited access or members-only) allow anyone to post a new thread or ask a question in a subject area. Other people can then add to the threads. A forum lacks an individual personality (though individual posters may become well-known in a board for their own personalities) and encourages specificity of topics (as opposed to conversation).

A blog takes on a specific personality over time — the personality of the author(s) (real or assumed). There’s more of a sense of a conversation (including the quirky subject changes and mind-leaps that take place in conversation), whether there are comments on or not. And yes, there’s more control in a blog than in a message forum — the blog author(s) steers the discussion by choosing his topics and writing his posts.

There’s a place for forums (though I’ve personally never cared for them and have so far opted not to make one available on our organization’s website). There’s a place for blogs. Two different animals.

… at the ASAE Great Ideas Conference:

Reviewing a case study of an association struggling with change, the group that had been assigned to roleplay the organization’s Board of Directors began its report by saying, "First, fire the CEO!"

The group that had been assigned the task of roleplaying the CEO began its report by saying, "Extensive research is needed …."

At which someone in the room called out: "That’s why you’re fired!"

Then click here. The next best thing to working in the mailroom!