How organized is your data?

I was reading Wes Trochlil’s latest article, Why Benchmarks Matter, and it struck a chord with me.

For one thing, you can’t improve your data management system if you have no set benchmarks. There has to be something already started if you want to improve upon it. Wes gives a few great starting points for keeping track of actions within your database.

For another thing, how organized is your database currently? What do you keep track of? More data isn’t necessarily better, but the more useful the data you track is, the better.

Do you keep track of those members who are active in listservs? Those who consistently volunteer? The amount of time it takes to process new memberships?

My two cents?

Know who your most active members are. Who participates in studies or focus groups? Who are the active volunteers and leaders? These people can be the evangelists to other members. They can be the ones to step up and help the organization institute changes.

Use your data and implement changes based on your findings. There’s no point in all this data collection unless you actually do something with the information.

Stop collecting data you don’t use. It’s a waste of space and a waste of time. Do you need to know how long someone’s been in their current job or the size of the company they’re with. Perhaps. But be sure there’s a clear reason for your data collection.

Technology can help you keep track of many things, but having a disorganized database is definitely not ideal. The technology can only help you so much – you have to be able to put it to good use.

Photo credit: Flickr

By Hannae Berhanu, MemberClicks solutions adviser

If you ask most association professionals what their biggest goal is for 2010, most will tell you it is growing their membership base — and that sounds like the obvious answer.

Most will do that by sending out a few more blast e-mails, maybe holding one more event that year or recruiting more student members. However, there is a trend that generally falls under the radar that has a pretty large affect on membership growth.  Demassification is one of the eight Super-Trends facing associations, and it has been written about in ASAE’s most recent environmental scanning project, “Mapping the Future of Your Association.”

What is demassification? (I asked myself the same question.) Simply put, demassification is the breaking up of a larger organization into smaller independent groups.

This is a growing trend, and it makes sense when you think about it. After all, we are in the Google/Twitter era. We are currently in a time when people use the Web to both get and publish information at the touch of a button.

Think about your last Google search. All you had to do was type in the first few letters on your topic, and you are presented with not only with your original topic, but the top 20 pertinent web sites. We have come to expect our information to get to us quickly and — here’s the difficult part — for it to apply to our specific needs and interests.

The first step in the right direction will be to get rid of that “one size fits all” mentality. The key to making sure that you are really able to zero in on those needs is right in your database. Here are a few easy steps to make sure you’re efficiently meeting the needs of your members:

1. Take a look at your data. Most of what you need to grow/retain/keep your association in one place can be found right there. It is important to be able to identify all of your membership interests, and use that information to plan out what breakout sessions you have at your conference, or recruit a volunteer to give a webinar on a topic.
2. Make every communication a valuable one. There is a lot of value to forgoing a blast email to the entire membership, and focusing in on specific groups, with a message that speaks to their specific needs. Keep in mind those e-mails are your voice to your membership.
3. Create an area where members can contribute their own content. One of the easiest ways to keep your members engaged is allowing them to communicate with each other.

You can’t prevent demassification, but know that it can be a positive thing for your association to experience. All members have different needs, and they want to be engaged on a more personal level. Smaller organizations targeted toward specific interests often can more easily meet those requirements.

Demassification can benefit your organization in the long run. You’ll know the members who stick around are truly focused on your own association’s broader focus and you won’t be pulled in every which way to fulfill every specific need. Don’t fear it — embrace it!

Data management can be difficult for associations — especially small-staff ones. There’s the problem of not having enough manpower, not having enough time to learn the ins and outs of the association management system, having to deal with too many types of software and of course, budget problems.

After taking his annual (non-scientific) survey of nearly 150 association professionals, Wes Trochlil of Effective Database Management compiled his findings in “What’s Plaguing Associations- 2009.” All association professionals — no matter what size the staff — should read his article and take Trochlil’s thoughts and conclusions into account.

Twenty-three percent of respondents were most concerned with “data collection, management and integrity.” Members don’t always take the time to update their contact information or profiles, which, of course, is problematic when administrators need to contact people. This is a perpetual concern for associations and is something administrators will continue to face. It’s tricky to get members to realize the importance of an updated profile, but

Trochlil points out, “‘A directory is out-of-date the minute it hits the street.’” Just as a newspaper is out of date the second it hits the press, so too is your association’s directory. At meetings, do everything you can to impress upon your members the importance of keeping their profiles — especially their contact information — up-to-date. Perhaps offering small incentives to members who update their information would be a worthwhile addition. Associations should get rid of data that’s no longer usable.

With 21 percent of the response, the second greatest concern was how to handle “implementation and ugrades.” As more and more technology solutions for associations becomes available (and even more specialized), there are more options than ever — especially for small-staff associations. Sometimes too many options can be a bad thing (example: big restaurant menus freak me out), but more options and a thorough search can yield a vendor that’s the right fit for your organization.

Many vendors offer upgrades or additions to their product(s) several times a year, at little to no cost. Technology is always changing, and associations should take care not to let their software become even a little outdated. When considering a technology solution, take into account the amount, quality and price of upgrades and new releases. The fewer software tools you have to use (i.e. the more quality features your chosen technology solution has), the more effective your organization will operate.