We’ve been closely following the #tech11 hashtag on Twitter since the Technology Conference began – while participating in the conference ourselves, of course! (Be sure to follow our fearless leader, Mark Sedgley on Twitter: @segemite.)

There are two great ideas and concepts we ‘d like to pass on to you.

When thinking about your association’s mobile presence, assume everyone has just one eyeball and one thumb. People check their phones while waiting on lines, when they have a few minutes to spare here and there and yes, while stuck in traffic. I rarely – if ever – am fully, 100% engaged with the content I’m getting on my phone, so make sure yours is easily digestible.

Collect Twitter handles in your AMS. This will make your association’s members easy to find online and give you an automatic list of people to follow. As a matter of fact, collect any social media profiles and information about your members that you think would be useful.

What’s the best thing you’ve learned at the Technology Conference so far?

Are you going to ASAE’s Technology Conference this week? MemberClicks is!

The Technology Conference is a great chance for association and nonprofit professionals to get equipped with the tools they need – especially as technology changes so quickly!

Expos and big conferences can be exhausting, so here are some tips!

1. Have a schedule, but be flexible.

2. Introduce yourself to as many people as possible. Everyone is friendly!

3. If possible, go with a purpose. Whether it’s to meet new people and network or find a new technology solution, have a goal in mind.

4. Go to a variety of sessions, but don’t feel obligated to stay in one if you’re not learning much. Use your time wisely.

5. Meet exhibitors! (We’re friendly, we promise!) Go to the parties and receptions and enjoy yourself!

6. Bring snacks. You’ll be really really (really) busy, and if you have an apple or a meal replacement-type bar handy, you’ll be thankful.

At the Technology Conference, we’ll be at Booth 428 during all the expo time slots, and we’re sponsoring the annual YAPStar Game Day Event for association professionals at the expo. The Technology Conference takes place Dec. 6-8!

MemberClicks will also be at the California Society of Association Executives’ Seasonal Spectacular on Dec. 7. We’re excited to meet small staff association professionals on the West Coast!

After a successful Technology Conference, I wanted to share some of the great info that the MemberClicks team picked up. Wes Trochlil and Mike Murphy had a great presentation about selecting an association management software and the key things every association should consider. We’ve always been huge advocates of associations finding the right fit when choosing a software  - after all, it’s often the backbone of your association and a critical tool you use every day.

The following are the seven key steps shared by Wes and Mike:

1. Identify objectives: What are you trying to accomplish with the software?

2. Needs analysis: What features are must-haves? Which features are nice-to-have?

3. RFP development: Don’t be afraid to be as specific as you need.

4. Identifying potential vendors: This can take a lot of research and be daunting, but it can pay off.

5. RFP response review

6. Product demonstrations: Seeing the software in action will give you a sense for how you’ll be using it on a day-to-day basis.

7. Select/Contract Negotiation

Choosing a new AMS can be a very daunting, time-consuming process, especially if your board is extremely involved in the selection. I think it’s most important for the people who are going to be using the software every day – your staffers and administrators – to have a say in the software. Depending on the size of your organization, this could be just a few people or several.

What do you think is the most important factor when choosing a new AMS?

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Happy Friday! I can hardly believe Christmas is next week … but somehow it is. Have you finished your holiday shopping yet?

It’s not only the holiday season, but also Technology Conference Season! Several of the posts in today’s Friday Top Five are reflecting on lessons learned at ASAE’s Technology Conference. (We’ll have our own posts here in the next few days.)

1. Jamie Notter discussed four tips for building trust. They may seem a bit obvious (be consistent and transparent), but I really do think they’re easier said than done. It’s easy to “talk to the talk,” to speak, but quite another thing to actually be consistent, all the time.

2. A question I think a lot of association professionals struggle with regarding online community is, if you build it will they come? Scott Briscoe at the Acronym blog had a great post with a few takeaways from the Technology Conference, and it’s crucial to be persistent and know your members’ favored communication channels.

3. I really enjoyed Lynn Morton’s post, Associations on the Go, about mobile. Mobile is something I think many association professionals struggle with – is it necessary? how much will it cost? will my members care? Her post is a great summary of one of the sessions at the Technology Conference.

4. David M. Patt also wrestled with the “if you build it, will they come” question this week at the Association Executive Management blog. He discusses the print vs. digital dilemma and why it’s so important to have a digital strategy if you’re going to explore that area.

5. Another post from the Acronym blog, this time from Joe Rominiecki – he writes about the necessity to create an emotional connection when using videos. I’ve discussed this a bit before, but if you want your videos to resonate with your members (and potential members!) you don’t want them to be bored while watching – you want them to be enthralled.

I’ll be back soon with some photos from our in-office festivities today. We’re hosting our annual gift exchange, and things could get interesting!

We’re at ASAE’s Technology Conference this week, so I wanted to share a few photos. Come see us in booth 110!