From the category archives:

associations

Social Media, Social Networking & You

by Susan Cato on May 3, 2010 · 0 comments

If your organization is using social media and social networks and you are wondering where you fit in - this post is for you.  The problem is, most people don’t understand what this is, are not sure why we need to do it or can’t see how it fits in to the bigger picture, and [...]

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If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times. Developing a content strategy and plan is extremely critical for a successful social media strategy.
You can’t invite folks to dinner without offering them a meal.
And why does everything come back to food, anyway? or shoes - oh yeah, that’s another post.
Back to [...]

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Best Twitter Tutorial Ever

by Susan Cato on September 10, 2009 · 1 comment

I recently stumbled upon the blog Lowrider Librarian (you gotta love that name) while doing some research about Twitter use within organizations.  In a recent post, Twitter for Organizations, he provides a very simple, clear tutorial about what Twitter is and how to use it.
It is by far the best Twitter explanation I have found. [...]

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Strategic content tagging is one the most overlooked practices online today. Using them strategically not only helps others find your stuff, but it helps you repackage and repurpose content easily and in very targeted ways.
If the basic concept of tagging confuses you - check out this “Tagging 101″ tutorial from ZDnet:

Many people associate tagging with [...]

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When trying to make the case for investing in big picture web strategy - it is important to take a few steps back and connect the dots between your web, content, data & technology.  Successful organizations understand the connections  and the importance of each, then leverage and plan for them accordingly.
Tell your story
The best way [...]

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I was recently  interviewed by Convene Magazine, the monthly publication from PCMA. See the article, The Message is the Medium, here.
Let me know what you think.

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VolunteerMatch opens up

by Susan Cato on June 19, 2009 · 2 comments

Volunteermatch.org, by far one of the best “matchmaking” websites online for helping nonprofit organizations find volunteers by matching up user preferences with organizational needs - is opening up its network for public access.
What does this mean? According to Allyson Kapin at FrogLoop, it means that VolunteerMatch will be able to have even greater positive impact [...]

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Creating a social network for your members

by Susan Cato on April 20, 2009 · 2 comments

Now more than ever, association professionals must continuously define ways to deliver a valuable experience for members. Nurturing relationships, facilitating connections, sharing knowledge and ideas - all of these things are great in theory, but how do you really make them work?
Here are a few strategies:

Keep it simple and easy to use - don’t over-complicate [...]

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Content, Conversation and Community

by Susan Cato on April 16, 2009 · 2 comments

I just got back from presenting at ASAE’s Springtime meeting in DC - Using Social Networks to Promote and Sustain Your Meeting’s Longevity - with my longtime colleague, Margaret Core.
It was a great discussion on using social networks to strengthen your brand, and keeping your audience engaged year-round using a variety of tools. We discussed [...]

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All of us in the Association community are trying to figure out ways to deliver on the member value proposition. With economic challenges, increased competition from other groups, we must use our collective brainpower to figure out new and innovative ways to do this.
Being that I live in the online world and have been working [...]

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