Good morning and happy Friday! Let’s get right to our favorite blog posts of the week; be sure to share your own faves in the comments!

1. Maddie Grant shares findings from a Conversocial study indicating that nearly 50% of consumers would be less likely to buy anything from a company with multiple unanswered questions on their Facebook page. I can speak from experience that although social customer service is annoying and difficult, it can speak positively about your brand in spades.

2. Got an interview via Skype coming up? Don’t miss Cindy Butts’ great tips – the most important one, for me, is to actually know how to use Skype before the interview. I had that issue about a year and a half ago, but luckily, everything worked out – and I got the job.

3. At the Acronym blog, Mark Athitakis references an interesting NYT article and asks: Are we suffering from teamwork fatigue? Lots of research suggests that people are actually more creative on their own due to the “groupthink” mentality. Read the comments on this one too.

4. Jamie Notter wrote a very interesting post about Humanize and millennials this week. As a millennial myself, I found it particularly interesting. Do milliennials bring a fresh perspective to the workplace, or will they (we?) become accustomed to the same practices that generations before us have used?

5. When brainstorming and strategizing, do you truly get down “in the trenches” and nurture your ideas? Jeffrey Cufaude shares a great metaphor – water your ideas like a garden. Just like plants need nurturing, so do your ideas.

From everyone at MemberClicks, have a wonderful weekend!

Good afternoon and happy Thursday! In anticipation of the weekend, we’d like to share a few new presentations and slideshows courtesy of Slideshare. Let us know what you think!

Remember a few months ago when we introduced you to some pretty crazy Facebook changes?

Basically, everyone’s profile is going to look like the one below.

Facebook is getting ready to roll Timeline out to everyone, whether you like it or not. Once you see the “Enable Timeline” button on your Facebook, you’ll have one week to get your profile in order before you have to switch over.

Here’s some more info about Facebook’s new changes:

In addition to Timeline, thanks to Facebook’s Open Graph, a slew of apps – such as Spotify, Foodspotting  and Nike+  – will be integrated into your news feed and timeline.

But what does these and other changes mean for your small staff association and its Facebook page?

For starters, Facebook has eliminated the need for people to “like” your page to interact with it. Now, anyone can like or comment on posts – without liking your page as a whole. This places the emphasis on engagements over likes. Now – hopefully – more people than ever before will be able to interact with your organization’s Facebook page!

Keep in mind, this will challenge your association to produce super interesting content, listen to the conversations happening on your page and not focus on the overall fan growth.

Facebook users will have more control over what appears in their Newsfeeds thanks to an easy-to-find “unsubscribe” button, so it’s time to start thinking about how you can really pump up your content and make it interesting, relevant and engaging to your fanbase.

What do you think of Facebook’s new changes?

One of the greatest things about using an Association Management System (AMS) is the built-in support system. Most vendors offer training webinars, videos, documentation and even on-site visits to help you become more familiar with their technology. Your organization’s staff  should make it a priority to be as knowledgeable about your chosen Web solution as possible. Devote a specific amount of time to initial training, and down the road, you may not need as much support.

We think it’s vital to choose a Web solution that includes as much support and training as possible. We’ve got free webinars, an IDEAS forum, training videos and on-site training options to help your organization make the most of your membership management software.

No matter which AMS is right for your association, though, take into account the amount of included support when making your selection. It’s true that many AMS vendors have “best practices” for associations (such as recurring events or a career center) already build into the product, but it can be tricky to sort out exactly which ones are best suited for your organization. A dedicated support staff can help you during the early stages, and it’s wise to take advantage of the help.

A great Web presence can make your members more engaged and your organization more competitive. And the right technology choice can help you save time and money in the long run, allow you to put the focus back where it belongs — on your members.

You’re probably familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality test, right? The one that determines if you’re an ESTJ or an INFP or another combination of those letters (each standing for a different dichotomy). The E and I stand for one very important dichotomy that can greatly affect your professional life: are you introvert or an extrovert?

Introverts aren’t necessarily quiet and shy, and extroverts aren’t always raucous and crazily talkative. The terms derive from where you get your energy. Do you thrive off crowds and other people, or do you value “alone time” and need a peaceful environment to recharge? For example, despite being fairly talkative, I loathe crowds and need to take time alone to get energy.

For other introverts and myself, networking events can be a real headache. There are few things I dislike more than being thrown into a group of people I don’t know and having to “network.” And small talk? Making it is a skill I most definitely have to work hard at.

So, since networking and “putting myself out there” can be challenging, here are a few tips for my fellow introverts looking to improve upon their skills and make networking events less of a chore.

1. Prepare questions ahead of time, such as “what are you most passionate about in your career?”. Just as you prepare for meetings ahead of time, there’s no shame in having a few items as your go-to questions.

2. Don’t stand with your arms crossed, in a corner, waiting for people to come to you. Trust me – they won’t. So smile, and, while you don’t necessarily have to throw yourself into middle of things, think about ways to look more approachable.

3. Don’t go it alone. Bring a friend who can help break the ice.

4. Brush up on current events. Referencing an article you read recently or what book you’re currently reading is a great conversation starter.

What are your best networking tips?