The Answer to Association Blog Challenges: Progress U. – Blogger Summit
Friday, November 4, 2011 by Deirdre Reid
I’m pretty open about my love for blogs. Well, heck, I am a blogger after all, but my love precedes my blogging days. Why? Blogs are my favorite on-demand and up-to-date professional development tools.
Here’s why:
I wasn’t always like this, but once I developed the blog-reading habit, it stuck and it turbo-charged my professional growth and network.
The rationale for association blogs
Associations: I can’t be the only one who prefers blogs. Your audience isn’t uniform; it’s made up of members (and others) with varying reading preferences and hangouts. You know the old saying, “Fish where your fish are.” Meet your audience where they want to be, maybe in their Google Reader.
While we’re on the topic of fish, here’s another one: “Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Associations are in the business of making their members more successful, right? Because of budget cuts, your members may no longer be going to seminars or conferences. Why not teach them how to use tools to take ownership of their own professional growth, when and where they want it? Today’s DIY education: blogs.
“Ugh, please, not a blog, we can’t handle a blog.” “Yikes, a blog would bring out the crazies.” I hear you. A blog might not seem feasible because of limited resources or might seem risky because of your industry. But others have managed them successfully, maybe it’s not so far-fetched. Given the return on investment, it’s worth a serious look.
That’s why I’m excited about DelCor’s Progress U. – Blogger Summit (aka #progressu) on Thursday, November 10 in Arlington, VA. It’s a day full of guidance and discussion about association blogging with topics like these:
I wouldn’t normally drive 300 miles one-way to a one-day conference, but this one will be well worth it. Ben Martin (@bkmcae) and Larissa Fair (@LYF108) from the @Avectra team will be there too (Ben is speaking), although their commute is much shorter. I hope we see you Thursday!
Deirdre Reid, CAE is a freelance writer who wants to congratulate DelCor’s Kiki L’Italien for her 100th episode today of DelCor’s Social Media Sweet Spot.
Here’s why:
- Blog posts are pushed to me via an RSS feed. I don’t have to go anywhere to read them. It’s the lazy woman’s way to knowledge; I want it all to come to me.
- All these posts end up in one place, my Google Reader, filed automatically into their own folders by topic. Nothing is cluttering up my email inbox. It’s a clean reader-friendly experience.
- I read when I have time. The posts are waiting for me. I don’t miss a thing.
I wasn’t always like this, but once I developed the blog-reading habit, it stuck and it turbo-charged my professional growth and network.
The rationale for association blogs
Associations: I can’t be the only one who prefers blogs. Your audience isn’t uniform; it’s made up of members (and others) with varying reading preferences and hangouts. You know the old saying, “Fish where your fish are.” Meet your audience where they want to be, maybe in their Google Reader.
While we’re on the topic of fish, here’s another one: “Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Associations are in the business of making their members more successful, right? Because of budget cuts, your members may no longer be going to seminars or conferences. Why not teach them how to use tools to take ownership of their own professional growth, when and where they want it? Today’s DIY education: blogs.
“Ugh, please, not a blog, we can’t handle a blog.” “Yikes, a blog would bring out the crazies.” I hear you. A blog might not seem feasible because of limited resources or might seem risky because of your industry. But others have managed them successfully, maybe it’s not so far-fetched. Given the return on investment, it’s worth a serious look.
That’s why I’m excited about DelCor’s Progress U. – Blogger Summit (aka #progressu) on Thursday, November 10 in Arlington, VA. It’s a day full of guidance and discussion about association blogging with topics like these:
- Planning and managing a blog plus lessons learned along the way.
- Creating content that will appeal to and increase your audience.
- Blog case study – strategy, content planning, social media integration and promotion, blogger recruitment and motivation (that’s key!) and reporting.
- Tips and best/next practices including everyone’s favorite: handling controversial topics!
- One-on-one meetings to discuss your association’s blog aspirations or to review your existing association blog.
- The future of blogs (not that anyone really knows).
I wouldn’t normally drive 300 miles one-way to a one-day conference, but this one will be well worth it. Ben Martin (@bkmcae) and Larissa Fair (@LYF108) from the @Avectra team will be there too (Ben is speaking), although their commute is much shorter. I hope we see you Thursday!
Deirdre Reid, CAE is a freelance writer who wants to congratulate DelCor’s Kiki L’Italien for her 100th episode today of DelCor’s Social Media Sweet Spot.
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Deirdre Reid
Deirdre is a freelance writer, blogger and copywriter. The association community remains her professional home after spending ten years at national and state associations overseeing membership, vendor programs, marketing, publications, chapter relations and more. Away from her laptop, you can find her hiking, doing yoga, cooking new recipes, volunteering at the history museum, or relaxing in a comfy chair with a good book and glass of wine or craft beer.
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