Strauss Articles
Knowledge, Insight, and Experience
Every Thursday, our experts provide insights into industry trends and issues that readers can leverage to improve their associations and signature events.
Strong Communications is the Foundation for a Successful Association Event
Working professionally in the events industry since 2016, my greatest learning has been how essential effective communications is for a successful [...]
Association Events: Tips for Finding the Right Venue
Half the battle in organizing a successful association event such as an awards ceremony, trade show, conference, or symposium is choosing [...]
Maximizing an Association’s Service Delivery
I recently took part in an association’s strategic planning session. The goal of the session was to create a three-year strategic [...]
Recruit the Youth: Association Board Leadership
Association Boards must be constantly evolving and advancing to stay relevant in their respective industries. This article explains why the youth [...]
The Importance of Fostering Relationships Between an Association’s Board & Staff
“The unique and multifaceted relationship between the board and its executive is perhaps the most important relationship leading to organizational success [...]
Understanding the Structure of a Board & Your Role
As an association leader, understanding your volunteer role on a not-for-profit Board is being aware of your job description. Not only [...]
Key Messages: An Effective Communications Tool for Associations
Key messages are often viewed by associations as the ‘break glass in case of emergency’ go-to tactic when in crisis communications [...]
Dear Female Association Leader: You are Enough
You are a female association volunteer leader who has just taken charge of reviewing and updating the association’s Policies and Procedures. [...]
How a Manual Accounts Payable Process Affects Your Association
Human error is a common problem that affects many associations in different aspects, including manual accounts payable entry. It's essential to [...]
How to Build an Association Crisis Communications Checklist
Let’s face it; no association wants to go into crisis communications mode. But ultimately most will face an internal or external [...]
Balancing Different Volunteer Preferences on Association Boards of Directors
Coming out of the pandemic, I have noticed a divergence amongst Board members as to when they’re available to volunteer. Some [...]
Simple Association Membership Calculations: Renewal Rate
One of the biggest indicators of an association’s health and longevity is their member renewal rate. A member renewal rate is [...]
Associations: Navigating the “New Normal”
The pandemic has all Association Management Companies (AMC) working with their association clients to rethink how to get back to “normal” [...]
Practicing The Art Of Woo (Winning Others Over) Within An Association
Difficult people are everywhere. Despite one’s best efforts some people are never pleased. But when they are exhibitors at an association [...]
Team Building Exercises to Strengthen your Association
Strong teams build strong associations. For an association to thrive and work in an organized and productive way, its staff need [...]
How to Elevate and Streamline your Association’s Strategic Planning Sessions
With the new year in full swing, many association’s communications teams are in full swing gathering members to participate in upcoming [...]
Tips on How to Effectively Tackle Your To-do List as an Association Leader in 2023
It’s a New Year. New projects are in full swing. Association Board meeting energy is picking up momentum as Board members [...]
Understanding Your Association’s Budgets & Cashflows
It’s a New Year with new opportunities for your association. One of the key elements of a successful association is understanding [...]
The Importance of Association Policy Statements
Policy statements are the guidelines for the association, they state appropriate standards of action and behaviour for all Board, committee, and [...]
How to Get Back Into the Swing of Things Post-Holidays
As 2022 draws to a close, many of us are feeling excited to switch on our “Out of Office” message before [...]