Happy Friday, everyone! We hope everyone has had a good, productive and fulfilling week. In keeping with our Friday tradition, below are five our of favorite blog posts from the last week in the association community.

1. Jeffrey Cufaude shares 10 tips for engaging a volunteer community. Small staff associations likely have to rely on volunteers for many things due to limited resources, so this list is definitely a must-read!

2. How do big brands manage social media? Maddie Grant shared a great – long! – video about how large brands manage their social media efforts. There’s also a conversation about social media management systems. Of course, most nonprofits and small staff associations likely do not have those types of resources, but there are always lessons to be learned and idea for how to scale your own efforts.

3. Could your association implement social dining? Deirdre Reid examines the concept and gives some great background info. (I kept comparing it to the speed dating concept in my head as I read.) Although your organization might have to rely on volunteers, social dining could be a fun member meet-up.

4. Pinterest really is everywhere right now – even on association blog! KiKi L’Italien shares how nonprofits and associations can utilize the popular pinning social network. You may already be familiar with the social network for personal use, but KiKi shares great tips for how your association can get involved. The best tip? Make your content pin-friendly.

5. Aaron Wolowiec shared feedback from one of his quotes from LSAE: There is no such thing as constructive criticism. Does “real” constructive criticism exist, or is it simply criticism cloaked in good intentions? There are great lessons here for all leaders and managers – the first being, to give positive feedback first, then follow it up with things that could use improvement.

From everyone at MemberClicks, have a great weekend!

Happy Friday! Here at MemberClicks, we’re enjoying a delicious barbecue lunch in honor of Alabama’s 2011 college football national championship. (Our founder, Thomas Howard, is a proud Bama alum.)

All college sports talk aside, it was a great week in the association community! Here are a few of our favorite posts from around the blogosphere.

1. Wes Trochlil always shares great, practical advice – particularly about databases, which we’re definitely interested in. This week, he shared a wonderful example of collecting data you don’t use  (such as fax numbers!). Stop collecting that stuff and simplify your databases!

2. Shelly Alcorn relates an unfortunate customer service incident at a popular bookseller. This is a reminder that your customer service processes should be as simple as possible. Don’t over-complicate things for your members.

3. Does your association make it clear to its volunteers that they are representatives of the organization? David M. Patt reminds us why that’s so important, and why they should exhibit the same levels of professionalism and sense of responsibility as your staff members.

4. It’s always hard to decide when to let someone else fail, Jeffrey Cufaude writes. However, do we even have the right to make those decisions? Jeffrey explores this question in a wonderful blog post this week.

5. You may be familiar with one of the latest social media platforms – Pinterest – but do you know why it could be important for nonprofits and associations? Those of you who are visual learners especially will find Pinterest – a virtual pinboard and scrapbooking tool – interesting.

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Happy Friday! I hope everyone has a productive week. We’ve been staying busy here and are starting to gear up for the holidays! Are you dressing up for Halloween?

It wouldn’t be Friday if we didn’t share a few of our favorite blog posts with our readers. Be sure to chime in with your own in the comments!

1. How does your organization think about volunteers? Jeffrey Cufaude advocates “thinking of volunteering as something everyone should do because it is one of the most significant ways to build a strong professional network, to connect more to the professional community in general.”

2. Joe Rominiecki links to a great Seth Godin post about the difference between stupid and lazy. Not doing something isn’t the same as not wanting to do something, and association execs should be careful to not make excuses with the word, “can’t” when they really mean “won’t.”

3. Has your association delved into the world of virtual presentations? How successful have you been? Jeff Hurt shares a few things to keep in mind, and how to best plan your presentation. After all, he reminds us: “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

4. Everyone has a different way of coping with conflict. Some people straight-up avoid it, but David M. Patt doesn’t recommend that. Putting off decisions to avoid conflict is not the sign of a good leader. Don’t be afraid to compromise.

5. Shelly Alcorn shares a Dilbert cartoon from last Sunday and challenges association professionals to avoid the common pitfalls of thinking creatively. Don’t insinuate that anyone’s ideas are awful. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you’ll sound ignorant. Don’t be afraid to suggest risky ideas.

From everyone at MemberClicks, have a great weekend!

Have you heard – it’s National Volunteer Week! As a small staff association professional, you probably recognize the important role volunteers play in keeping your association going. (At least, we hope you recognize the importance of their roles!)

How do you thank your volunteers?

I think the most important thing to remember when thanking volunteer (and coworkers, too!) is to make it personal. If you’re just going to give a generic “thank you” card with little or nothing written inside, you probably shouldn’t waste the effort. Take the time to think about how each staffer or volunteer has helped make your association better, and include that in your thank you card. Everyone has that unique “something” that makes them important to their associations.

Other ideas to thank your association’s volunteers?

- Start an “employee of the month” program, but make sure it has clear benefits, such as a gift certificate or premium parking space
- An extra paid day off
- A certificate, trophy or plaque
- A cash bonus
- Gift certificates to a nice restaurant or movie theater

I think setting one day aside each year to recognize everyone’s unique contributions isn’t too much to ask of an organization. If your organization has 10 or fewer staff members, consider including the active volunteers who really help run the association.

Recognizing key staffers and volunteers at your annual meeting is certainly important, but be sure to keep the ceremonies brief. Everyone likes to be recognized in different ways. For some, hearing a simple “good job” often is enough. Others prefer more formal types of recognition, and others still find the more casual awards fun.

However you choose to recognize your staffers, volunteers and members, be consistent, keep it fresh and don’t take them too seriously. Be sure the recognition program fits your association’s culture, and no meaningful contribution is too small to be recognized.

Whether it’s a thank you card, a kind word or a huge gesture or gift, don’t forget to thank the lifeblood of your association: your volunteers.

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U.S. readers are likely gearing up right now for a long weekend filled with food, family, football and giving thanks. But how is your small staff association observing Thanksgiving?

Sure, it’s the time of year when we all reflect on our own blessings, whatever they may be. But does your association thank the many volunteers who help keep the organization going?

Although thanking your volunteers shouldn’t be a once-a-year occurrence, it’s especially important to remember to thank them around the holidays. This is often a busy time of year as people prepare for out-of-town guests (or to travel), buy presents for loved ones and finish up the school semester.

I think the most important thing to remember when thanking volunteer (and coworkers, too!) is to make it personal. If you’re just going to give a generic “thank you” card with little or nothing written inside, you probably shouldn’t waste the effort. Take the time to think about how each staffer or volunteer has helped make your association better, and include that in your thank you card. Everyone has that unique “something” that makes them important to their associations.

Whether it’s a thank you card, a kind word or a huge gesture or gift, don’t forget to thank the lifeblood of your association: your volunteers.

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