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.
The Gift of Volunteering
In addition to a hard-working staff, associations are most often run by a board and committees made up of volunteers. These [...]
Association Meeting Minutes: The Dos and Don’ts
One thing all associations have in common is the recording of meeting minutes. Minutes are an official record of actions that [...]
Planning Your Membership Renewal Campaign: Convey the Benefits of Renewal
The fall is a busy time for everyone. Summer vacation is ending and students go back to school. Suddenly, your inbox, [...]
Organization and Time Management: Four Steps to Success
For an association leader, the daily responsibilities tend to fall under a wide jurisdiction. Committee reports and board meetings require preparation [...]
Lessons From 20 Years of Association Leadership
Milestone anniversaries are a time to reflect on the past and to think about the future. I’ve recently reached the milestone [...]
No Two Boards are Exactly the Same
If you are an athlete, a sports fan, or played in a rec league as a child, you know that each [...]
Rewarding Your Association Members with Awards
There are many exciting ways to engage the members of your association, whether it’s by involving them as volunteers or engaging [...]
Growth and Mentorship: The Path to Finding Your Place
As a young professional working in today’s economic climate, I have experienced the struggle to find my way on the career [...]
Business Cards in the Post-Covid World
Through the pandemic, our world has changed quite a bit. Associations are holding virtual events, and staff and volunteers are working [...]
Migration Complete – Moving Your Membership Database to a New Platform
Have you ever taken a step back to consider whether your association membership database is performing at its peak for members? [...]
Building Trust Virtually at the Board Level
Associations operate on trust between the CEO, Chair, and board members. In our new virtual world, we are losing that in-person [...]
Are You Really Listening? The Importance of Active Listening for an Association Leader
Between your “day job”, and your volunteer commitments to your association’s board and/or committees, you are pulled in many different directions [...]
Ready, Willing, and Able – The Return of Association Events
I am one of the optimists; I believe that Canadians will see the safe return of association events in the fall [...]
Ensuring a Smooth Transition of Association Staff
In the association world, executive directors/Chief Staff Officers come and go. Sometimes it does not make sense to continue a relationship [...]
Ways to Recognize Association Members
Associations thrive and grow when members are interested in the actions of its board and association. That is why it is [...]
The Best of Both Worlds: Utilizing the Strengths of Virtual and In-Person Meetings
Over the past year we have all adjusted to working in the virtual space. We made refinements to how we collaborated [...]
Preparing to Change Membership Database Systems for an Association
Membership databases play a crucial role for the success of any association. Keeping track of membership information is important for organization [...]
Social Media for Associations – Maximize Engagement and Visibility
One of the easiest ways for associations to keep their members updated on all the goings-on in their field or industry [...]
How To Keep Virtual Board Meetings Engaging
It has been over a year since association board members from around the country have been able to hold in-person board [...]
Investing for Associations: How to Handle Your Cash
As an association management company, we are interested in presenting our clients with smart financial options. One thing we consistently monitor [...]