Happy Friday! Of course, the major buzz this week in the association community was the cancellation of ASAE’s Technology Conference and Expo and the emergence of an un-conference, UnTech. Organized by a group of volunteers and supported by several vendors, UnTech was a virtual un-conference and had 500 total attendees — 75 in person and 425 on a Webcast.

MemberClicks is proud to be a sponsor, and although we wish we could have made it to D.C. to participate in the awesome-ness, it is quite a bit warmer in our Atlanta office.

However, UnTech wasn’t the only thing association bloggers wrote about this week. There were lots of other awesome topics covered, so, in no particular order, here’s my top five.

1. Aaron Woloweic wrote a fantastic post about tips for studying for the CAE exam. His five tips will help anyone who is already taking the exam, or thinking about sitting for it. There’s a lot of material covered, to be sure, but determining a schedule adn sticking to it can help you earn that CAE designation.

2. After the Super Bowl was over, Deirdre Reid wrote a thoughtful post about the National Association of the Deaf’s reaction to The Who’s “deaf, dumb and blind” lyric that was sung during the halftime show. NAD posted a message on Twitter saying they would take action against the offensive lyric, and Deirdre wants to know if the person behind the tweet was authorized or just acting under emotions. What would your association do?

3. What’s the best marketing and communication strategy, Scott Oser discussed this week. Does your association understand how to use market research and incorporate the results into its communications? Direct marketing is tricky, and it’s important to get a complete picture of your members, vendors and volunteers.

4. In the first of a five-part series, Shelly Alcorn tackles the economic uncertainty still facing the country (and world) and how it affects associations. Don’t fall prey to hubris and think that your association isn’t at risk. Success can be your own worst enemy and can lead to neglect of the members and programs that got you to where you are, Shelly writes.

5. Finally, after the first day of UnTech concluded, Peggy Hoffman shared some reflections about the power of volunteers and patience of attendees, as well as praising ASAE for recognizing the force that drove the community together. It’s pretty amazing to see the power of volunteers and social media at work.

I encourage you to participate in the second day of UnTech 10. Check out the schedule here, and be sure to follow the action on Twitter with the #UnTech10 hashtag.

Have a fantastic Presidents Day and Valentine’s Day weekend! Hopefully some of you have Monday off — enjoy it!

By Nicole Hanks

Associations always have had to do more with less. During these difficult times, associations have even less when it comes to finances, but still need to produce the same — or better — results. How do you accomplish that?

1. Do business locally. Small business is the backbone of America. These companies have the ability to negotiate, have better credit terms, and willing to go above and beyond for your business. Additionally, supporting your local businesses is crucial to their long-term economic successes.
2. Ask for a better rate. Call your service providers and ask if you have their best pricing plan or re-evaluate your current plan. If they say “Yes”, ask them if that’s the best they can do. The worst thing that they can say is “No”!
3. Go Green. The buzzword may sound cliche, but it truly can save you cash. You may have thought of changing your lightbulbs at home, but making the switch at the office can save you some green, as well. Unplugging items in the office, turning up the temperature when staff isn’t there and having your computer in hibernate mode will save you more than $500 per year!

Taking little steps here and there can all contribute to saving you money in the long run. I’m sure everyone’s tired of hearing about the “rough economy” and “the recession,” but the reality is that things will turn around eventually. Make cutbacks now and when the upswing (finally) happens, you’ll reap the benefits.