Texas Hill Country: Austin, Dripping Springs, Fredericksburg, Round Rock, San Marcos 1. Austin is bigger and better than ever as a dynamic meeting destination. Among the many hotel openings slated for the next few months is the citizenM Hotel in downtown. The ‘affordable luxury’ hotel will feature 344 rooms in a 17-story tower as well as a rooftop pool and bar. 2. Host an event at one of the outstanding venues in the Live Music Capital of the World for an authentic Austin experience. Once you’ve decided on a venue, the Austin Music Office is there to work with planners to book talented local b ..read more

By Autumn Quarantotto-Caruso ISTOCK.COM/CAIAIMAGE/MARTIN BARRAUD EVENTS HAVE EVOLVED significantly, transitioning from exclusively virtual affairs to a dynamic blend of hybrid, virtual, and live experiences. This shift underscores the paramount importance of achieving attendance goals, irrespective of event scale. Whether it’s a small-scale member meet and greet aiming for 100 participants or a grand annual show with a target of 3,000 attendees, the common denominator is the drive to maximize participation. However, a prevailing trend post-COVID reveals that in-person attendance rates have pl ..read more

ISTOCK.COM/SRDJANPAV I recently attended an exciting tournament event called the 501(c) Games. It was held at a local sports bar, and members were encouraged to sign up teams from their offices. This allowed us to get coworkers involved who had never attended an association meeting before. Competing as teams in a relaxed setting like darts, pool, shuffleboard and Jenga turned out to be a blast! It introduced new people to the association in a fun way, while the friendly competition between teams really boosted engagement and membership participation. Events like this are a great example of new ..read more

By Belinda Moore ISTOCK.COM/PAPERKITES I’VE JUST WRAPPED up a couple of interesting projects seeking to understand how associations can engage better with younger members. Strategic Membership Solutions took a deep dive into the needs and preferences of the younger demographic and their needs from professional associations. From this work, following are the six key strategies we identified for enhancing engagement and fostering a more inclusive environment for these younger members. Digital Engagement: More than Just a Buzzword In our digital age, a kickass online presence is not just nice to ..read more

The annual Celebration Luncheon was held on December 14, 2023 at the Renaissance Austin Hotel. TSAE members looked back on a wonderful year, celebrated the season, engaged with each other at festive activity stations, and enjoyed a meal and local musical entertainment together. Attendees gave back to a local charity by collecting donations for The Settlement Home for Children, a non-profit organization that provides a continuum of care, support, and resources for children, young adults, and families. The 2023 event also featured TSAE’s first-ever Silent Auction! The Silent Auction made a sign ..read more

By Dave Will ISTOCK.COM/SENG KUI LIM ARE YOU READY to work some magic on your member retention rates? Well, you’re in for a treat because we’re about to reveal some astonishing secrets inspired by none other than the “Business Magician” himself, Kostya Kimlat! You may have seen Kostya on the hit TV show “Fool Me with Penn and Teller,” where he left audiences stunned with his mesmerizing magic tricks and sleight of hand. But what you might not know is that Kostya is not just a magician; he’s a master of customer experience and knows how to make customer friction disappear. And guess what? We c ..read more

By Amanda Lea Kaiser ISTOCK.COM/YURI_ARCURS IT IS ALL fine and good to spend 10, 15, or 30 minutes with each new member on the phone when a few members join every week. But what do you do when there are hundreds, even thousands? In this episode of ‘Ask Amanda,’ Erica asks Amanda: We have more than 150,000 members. Any advice on how to engage or onboard new members on a large scale? This is another excellent question! Associations are so varied that one size does not fit all. Sometimes, people ask me, “What does an optimal new member onboarding program look like?” My answer: “That depends.” Re ..read more

CEO Premium Membership ISTOCK.COM/DEAGREEZ SAVE 15% ON CEO Programming and Membership Costs when you bundle! CEO Premium Membership includes: Full year of Membership to TSAE | membership through April 2025 Registration to the CEO Forum | March 4-5, 2024 | Fort Worth, TX Registration for BOTH participants to the CEO/Volunteer Leader Workshop | May 7-8, 2024 | Austin, TX Registration to the New Ideas Annual Conference | Sept 15-17, 2024 | The Woodlands, TX Premium Membership Price: $1695 ∗15% savings compared to purchasing each item individually. Already renewed your membership and want to tak ..read more

By Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, Esq. ISTOCK.COM/UTAH778 AS GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, continues to evolve and become more commonplace, many trade and professional associations are turning to AI technology to enhance their operations and decision-making processes and benefit their members. However, as with any emerging technology, the use of AI by associations raises a number of important legal issues that must be carefully considered and worked through. Data Privacy One of the primary legal issues associated with the use of AI by associations is data privacy. AI system ..read more

By Belinda Moore ISTOCK.COM/HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/PLARGUEDOCTOR/ IN FALL 2023, Strategic Membership Solutions presented our “Navigating the AI Revolution: The Impact of AI on Associations and the Sectors they Represent” webinar and presented on AI at the Association Leaders Retreat. We’ve had a fantastic response and it’s not surprising – AI is about to transform the world in ways we can only begin to imagine. Here are the main takeaways from these sessions: AI is Inevitable, and Change is Imminent Artificial Intelligence is about to revolutionize our world. A June 2023 report by McKinsey ..read more