Matrix Group International

Category: Association Management Software

  • Seven Top Association Management Systems for Small and Medium Trade Associations in 2025

    Seven Top Association Management Systems for Small and Medium Trade Associations in 2025

    Summary

    What are the best association management systems for small and medium trade associations in 2025? The top AMS platforms for small and medium trade associations in 2025 include MatrixMaxx, MemberClicks, Novi AMS, GrowthZone, Cobalt, Wild Apricot, and StarChapter. These systems are built to support organization-based memberships, complex dues structures, company directories, industry-specific data, and advocacy tools. When choosing an AMS, trade associations should prioritize a company-centric data model, integration flexibility, scalability, and strong vendor support. This guide outlines key features to look for and highlights platforms that align well with trade association needs and budgets.

    Choosing the right association management system (AMS) is a critical decision for any organization, but it’s especially important for trade associations, where organizational membership structures and complex industry data requirements set them apart from other types of associations.

    Many AMS platforms position themselves as “all-in-one” solutions, capable of serving both professional societies and trade associations. And while it’s true that most systems offer similar core functionality like membership management, event registration, dues billing, etc., their underlying data structures and feature priorities often reveal their original design intent.

    Professional societies typically focus on individual members, their professional development, certifications, job boards, and academic resources. Their data models are optimized for tracking individual qualifications, career paths, and educational progress. 

    Trade associations, on the other hand, represent companies or organizations within a specific industry. This means tracking company-level information, product data, legislative issues, and potentially more complex, tiered membership structures where a company is the primary member, and individuals within that company are secondary contacts.

    Here’s a breakdown of what to look for in an AMS built specifically for a small to medium trade association, and some systems that tend to cater better to these unique needs:

    Key AMS Features for TRADE Associations:

    When evaluating an AMS, a trade association should prioritize systems that handle the following:

    • Organization-Centric Data Model: This is paramount. The system should naturally handle “company” or “organization” as the primary member type, with individuals linked to those organizations. This means:
      • Company Profiles: Robust fields for company size, industry sector, products/services, revenue, and other industry-specific data.
      • Hierarchical Relationships: Easily define parent-child relationships between companies, or track multiple locations for a single member company.
      • Contact Management within Organizations: Associate multiple contacts with a single member company, each with their own roles and permissions, and track interactions at both the company and individual level.
      • Dues based on company attributes: The ability to set dues based on company size, revenue, number of employees, or other industry-specific metrics.
      • Organizational vs. Individual Members: Can you easily track and report on companies as your primary members, and then individuals associated with those companies, often serving in specific roles (e.g., primary contact) with your organization?
    • Industry Data & Statistics Management
      • Customizable Data Fields: Can you add fields specific to your industry (e.g., types of machinery, materials produced, regulatory compliance status)?
      • Survey Tools to collect and report on industry data
    • B2B Networking & Directory
      • Enhanced Company Directories: More than just contact info; searchable directories that highlight company services, products, and certifications.
      • Supplier/Buyer Matching: Tools to help member companies connect with each other for business opportunities.
    • Meeting/Conference, Exhibitor and Sponsorship Management: Tradeshows and sponsorship opportunities are often critical revenue streams and engagement points for trade associations. Look for systems that handle:
      • Strong Meeting Registration tools offering validated member discounts based on company affiliation.  Can you offer group or bundled registration functionality? (Often, a coordinator is the one registering conference attendees, not the attendees themselves!)
      • Booth Sales & Management: Track booth assignments, payments, and exhibitor details.
      • Sponsorship Tiers: Manage various sponsorship levels and associated benefits.
    • Product/Service Tracking (beyond just events/dues): If your trade association offers specific products, publications, or services relevant to the industry, the AMS should handle this.
    • Advocacy Tools: Trade associations often have a strong advocacy arm. Look for a system that offers some level of support in this area, and/or can integrate with the various specialized systems available.

    By focusing on these trade association-specific needs, you can select an AMS that truly supports your mission and helps your member companies thrive.

    Key AMS Features for SMALL Associations:

    Before diving into the top contenders, it’s crucial for small to medium trade associations to identify their specific needs and priorities. Here’s what to consider:

    • Core Functionality: At a minimum, your AMS should offer a foundational breadth of tools, particularly for membership, meetings, and basic commerce and communication.
    • Ease of Use: For smaller teams, an intuitive interface and user-friendly design are critical. You want a system that staff can quickly learn and adopt without extensive training.
    • Scalability: While you might be a small association now, you’ll want an AMS that can grow with you. Look for modular add-ons, or the ability to handle an increasing number of members and activities.
    • Integration Friendly: In today’s interconnected digital world, no single system does everything perfectly. Look for an AMS with a robust and flexible API (Application Programming Interface). This allows for seamless integration with “best-of-breed” solutions for website content management, marketing automation, online communities, learning management systems (LMS), and other critical tools your association may need. 
    • Affordability: Budget is always a key factor. Consider not just the initial cost but also ongoing licensing and upgrade fees. Will the fees change if you add a staff member? If the AMS is upgraded will you need to pay to bring your customizations along with the upgrade, or is it included in your basic licensing.
    • Cloud-Based Accessibility: A cloud-based AMS offers flexibility, allowing your team to access data and manage operations from anywhere, anytime. This is vitally important for distributed teams and remote work.
    • True Partnership: Small organizations rely on vendors who really know their business. How do you figure out which software vendors will truly be a partner to you and your organization? Look for a team who gets to know you and stays with you. Is the implementation team different than the maintenance team? Big yellow flag there. When you make that shift, the new team has no idea if you specialize in apples or electrical wiring, and they won’t take the time to find out.
    • Reporting and Analytics: Data-driven decisions are essential. Your AMS should provide a variety of easy reporting options, including 1-click charts and reports, advanced searches, and exports.

    Let’s now explore some leading AMS platforms for small and medium trade associations in 2025…

    AMS Platforms Built With Small and Medium Trade Associations in Mind

    While many AMSs are adaptable, some have a stronger heritage or direct focus on the unique needs of smaller trade associations. Here are some association management systems that generally cater well to trade associations and are budget-friendly for small to medium organizations. It’s important to request demos and specifically ask how they handle company-centric and industry data for your specific trade association.

    MatrixMaxx

    MatrixMaxx was one of the first natively web-based association management systems. MatrixMaxx is often cited for its strong focus on a company-centric data model, which is fundamental for trade associations, as well as the product’s breadth of functional modules, including meetings, commerce, sponsorship, donations, surveys, and advocacy. It provides robust capabilities for managing organizations as primary members, allowing for detailed tracking of company information, multiple contacts within each company, and complex membership structures that often exist in trade associations. The system’s flexible API ensures it can connect with specialized marketing, community, and advocacy platforms to build out a comprehensive ecosystem for industry engagement. 

    As part of the software division of Matrix Group International, MatrixMaxx offers the somewhat unique feature of being able to partner with its custom services division to provide custom applications and integrations as part of their soup-to-nuts solution.  

    MemberClicks

    MemberClicks (by Personify) specifically offers a solution called “MC Trade” which is tailored for organization-based member types. It is designed to handle complex administrative tasks with approachable financial management and automation tools. Its strength lies in managing company-level data and supporting the unique workflows often found in trade associations, including potentially more involved invoicing and financial relationships tied to member companies. 

    Novi AMS

    Novi AMS was built from the ground up with trade associations in mind, especially those heavily utilizing QuickBooks for accounting. Novi’s data structure natively handles organizational memberships, allowing for detailed company profiles and streamlined management of individual contacts within those companies. Their focus on the specific financial workflows of trade associations (e.g., industry-specific invoicing) and a commitment to understanding this niche makes them a strong contender. 

    GrowthZone

    GrowthZone is widely adopted by chambers of commerce and trade associations. While it serves a broader market that just associations, its features for managing business relationships, member companies, and associated individuals are strong. Its marketing automation capabilities can be particularly useful for B2B outreach and industry-specific communication. The modular nature and focus on membership growth align well with trade association goals, and its API allows for extension into advocacy and industry data management systems.

    Cobalt

    Cobalt focuses on CRM-based AMS solutions, and their “Engagement Dynamics” platform is built on Microsoft Dynamics 365. This makes it well-suited for trade associations that need to manage complex relationships at the organizational level, track detailed company data, and integrate deeply with other Microsoft business systems. Their emphasis on a purpose-built CRM-based AMS indicates a strong understanding of how to manage relationships from a business perspective.

    Wild Apricot

    Best known for its affordability, Wild Apricot was traditionally focused on individual-based memberships typical of smaller professional societies and clubs. However, it has evolved to better handle “organization” member types. Custom fields can be configured to manage small trade associations, too. Its API becomes particularly important here, allowing trade associations to integrate with more specialized systems for complex industry data, advocacy, or B2B community features that might not be as natively robust in Wild Apricot’s core offering. For smaller trade associations just starting out, it can be a good entry point if budget is a primary concern, provided they plan to leverage integrations for deeper industry-specific functionality.

    StarChapter

    StarChapter stands out for its integrated approach, covering event planning, membership databases, and website management specifically for local chapters. StarChapter offers built-in website management and content tools, providing a cohesive online presence for chapters and ensuring consistent branding and functionality across the organization. Its flexible API allows chapters to extend functionality by connecting with external marketing systems, specialized community platforms, or advanced learning management systems, tailoring their digital ecosystem.

    Finding the Best AMS for YOUR Trade Association

    Finding the right AMS is not about chasing the most features or the flashiest interface; it’s about choosing a system that aligns with the way your trade association operates. Start by mapping your core processes, identifying your data priorities, and asking the right questions during demos. With the right fit, your AMS won’t just support your day-to-day operations, it will strengthen the value you deliver to your member companies and the industry you serve.

    Whether you’re upgrading from spreadsheets or switching from an individual-focused AMS, the platforms listed above provide strong options tailored to the distinct needs of small and medium trade associations in 2025. Be sure to explore each one thoroughly, and choose the partner that understands your structure, your mission, and your members.

  • Why New Member Onboarding is So Critical to the Member Journey

    Why New Member Onboarding is So Critical to the Member Journey

    Welcome Aboard Life preserver Imagine this. A person (or company) has made the decision to join your organization. What happens afterward? Does she get a giant welcome packet that she won’t read? Does the packet contain current or outdated information? Does he get nothing for a few weeks while you process the application and add him to lists? Does he immediately begin to get all the newsletters and promotions for the various products and services you offer?

    Last week, I did a webinar with the wonderful Jonathan Cooper from the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES), a longtime Matrix Group client. Just over a year ago, NAES replaced its paper welcome packet to a digital onboarding campaign for new staff at member AND non-member Episcopal schools.

    NAES used its existing membership database, MatrixMaxx (from Matrix Group, yep, my company), and MailChimp to welcome new staff with carefully crafted messages over a 90-day period that introduce the association, the staff, the Biennial conference, key publications, the staff, consulting services, the daily meditation, and so on. The emails are NOT all about selling. They are meant to welcome new staff and show them how NAES can help them in their jobs.

    What kind of results is NAES getting on this onboarding campaign?

    The emails are getting amazing opens and clicks. One email gets close to a 90% open rate! Yes, the list is small, but they never previously got this rate of opens on other emails.

    NAES members regularly email back after receiving an automated email. The key here is that the emails are really well-written, they are warm, and they sound authentic.

    NAES is seeing increased use of their library and increased registration at featured meetings. For example, a webinar designed for new Rectors usually get 7 or 8 attendees. This past year, this webinar had 19 attendees!

    Marketing automation is extending the reach of this small-staff association. To me, well-crafted automation actually ends up being more high-touch because members get more frequent, relevant, customized communications. There’s simply no way that NAES could send out this level of communications if the messages were manually crafted and sent out.

    AssociationsNow did a nice write-up of the webinar. You can read it here.

    What happens in the first 30-90 days of a member’s journey with your organization matters. Really matters. Because it’s during those first few days, weeks, and months that your new member decides to engage with you in a meaningful way. They made the decision to join. Now it’s up to you to help them make the decision to stay.

  • Don’t Pile on the Tech Debt by Developing in an Old Platform

    Don’t Pile on the Tech Debt by Developing in an Old Platform

    I blogged recently about the dreaded tech debt. I blogged about how to identify it and describe it. We all know that tech debt sucks!

    But what do we do about the tech debt we’ve got and how do we prevent it from happening in the future?

    My number one piece of advice is to STOP piling on the tech debt by continuing to develop in your old software or platform. Think you’re not doing it? Here are some examples:

    1. You have an old version of your content management system. You don’t have budget to upgrade to the latest version, but you really need new functionality that won’t cost very much to implement, so you go ahead and approve the work. Why this is bad: When it comes time to upgrade your CMS, this new functionality will likely need to be redeveloped, thereby adding to the upgrade cost.
    2. You have an old version of your membership database and it’s not in your budget to upgrade this year. You need to bring a new Learning Management System ( LMS) online and you want to implement single sign-on between the membership database and the LMS, so you approve the project to integrate with the old membership database. Why this is bad: You’re probably not using the latest SSO protocols, and you’ll need to upgrade the SSO when you upgrade your membership database.

    I know that in the real world, we can’t keep everything upgraded. But we should be upgrading and maintaining our mission-critical systems since they are the most dynamic and most used.

    Make 2020 the year you burn down that tech debt!

  • Matrix Group’s Favorite Tech Tools for Staff Productivity

    Matrix Group’s Favorite Tech Tools for Staff Productivity

    hand with tool coming out of laptopLast week, a group of Matrix Group staff hosted a Tech Talk on our favorite tech tools. The Tech Talk was inspired by a conversation with a client who wanted to know more about Slack, one of our favorite tech tools.

    At Matrix Group, we use a lot of tech tools to do our work, stay organized, stay productive. Here are some of our favorites:

    Password Managers

    We handle hundreds of passwords for our clients. It would be downright irresponsible not to have a way to manage these passwords, so we use Secret Server from Thycotic. The rule is: the minute you get a new password, you enter the credentials into Secret Server. And if a client happened to email you the info (we ask them not to, but you know how it goes), we immediately delete every email that contains the info. With Secret Server, we have multiple access levels, a great search, and an audit trail.

    For personal passwords, we like LastPass and Dashlane. It’s work to get it set up, but once the majority of your passwords are in, the convenience of passwords auto-populating and syncing across devices is life changing.

    Speaking of passwords, we sang the praises of two-factor authentication. At the enterprise level, we use Duo and love that we get a push whenever we’re trying to log into a service or website that requires two-factor. Jaime said it best when he said, “I sleep at night knowing that even if the bad guys got my username and password to something, they still wouldn’t be able to hack my accounts because they wouldn’t have access to my second factor, which could be a code or a swipe in an app.”

    Slack

    Slack is a collaboration tool on steroids. To call it instant messaging isn’t quite right.

    • We use it for instant messaging, document sharing, group chats, group calls, and screen sharing. Maki’s IT team uses Slack for their team meetings and screen sharing with staff.
    • We have governance around when to use and when not to use.
    • We’ve integrated with some of our other tools, e.g., Google docs and Jira.
    • We have a channel for every client and functional team to promote collaboration.
    • We allow a bit of fun through emojis, funny gifs and our watercooler channel.

    Did I mention that we seriously love Slack?

    Document Management Through G Suite

    About a year ago, we migrated our file server to Google Drive and never looked back. We love having access to all of our files, from anywhere, on any device. And since our Google Drive is protected with two-factor authentication, we’re confident that our data is as secure as it can be.

    • We have team and client folders.
    • When creating a document, we don’t save to our personal drives. We saved to the proper directory in the shared drives.
    • Everything goes into Drive: contracts, proposals, project specifications, user personas, site maps — everything!

    Document collaboration has been a dream in Google docs and Google slides. On a regular basis, four of us will work on a presentation together and get so much done because we could all access the document at the same time.

    Zoom

    Zoom has fundamentally changed our meetings with clients and remote staff. Although we had Webex before, Zoom is just easier to use, the recordings are easier to download, and it integrates nicely with our new conference room.

    Zoiper

    When we moved to our new office, I asked staff if they wanted a physical phone handset. Very few people raised their hands, so we didn’t buy any. Instead, we gave staff who wanted a phone a license to Zoiper and a Bluetooth handset. This way, staff can make and take calls from their own extension from anywhere, as long as they have their laptop turned on. This means staff who are working from home, at a conference, or at a coffee shop are easily available via their extension.

    And for the folks who don’t have Zoiper? Turns out most staff members don’t really take or make business calls on their own. They are either in a meeting in a conference room (all of our conference rooms have nice speaker phones) or they are with a project manager who has a Bluetooth speakerphone. For the rare times we need to call specific staff members, we use Slack.

    Brave Web Browser

    Jaime sang the praises of Brave, a fast, lightweight and privacy-obsessed web browser. Brave blocks trackers, which means you won’t get tracked by Google Analytics, advertising networks, heat mapping trackers, email trackers. Not so great for marketers, but great for you!

    We talked about many tech tools we love, but these were the most important. How about you? What are YOUR favorite tech tools? How are they changing your work and your say?

     

     

  • GDPR: Do You Really Want to be Forgotten?

    GDPR: Do You Really Want to be Forgotten?

    Guest post by Tanya Kennedy Luminati, MatrixMaxx Product Manager

    caution cone on computerWe’re almost two months past the GDPR deadline, and we’re all still alive! (Well, mostly.) Just because the deadline has come and passed doesn’t mean the fun is over, though. As I’m sure you’ve heard, California has a new GDPR-inspired privacy law coming down the pike, and many organizations are into the real-life situations of members asking for copies of their personal data. And some are even asking to be forgotten!

    To make matters even more interesting, several of our clients have reported getting fake GDPR deletion requests via email. Yikes! FYI, from what we’ve heard, the subject is always “Data Removal Request,” and the body text is always “I hereby withdraw my consent for you to … ” Please keep your eyes out for messages like these!

    This underscores the recommendations that many of you (especially our MatrixMaxx clients) have been hearing from us since we started diving into GDPR and GDPR compliance: You shouldn’t just delete someone based on a voicemail or email. Always call and ask: “Do you really want to be forgotten?” This is a great chance to open a conversation with this individual, learn more about why they want to be forgotten, warn them of possible negative repercussions, and perhaps help your organization improve future communications. And, you know, save yourself and your organization from a potentially disastrous situation.

    Here are our recommendations for vetting requests to be “forgotten”:

    • Call and ask if the request is valid, and try to learn more about why they want to be forgotten.
    • Offer them a copy of their Personal Information. Perhaps all that they really want to know is what you know about them. This would be a combination of the info in your AMS (like MatrixMaxx) as well as any other systems in which you hold data.
    • Review the individual’s profile and warn them of potential issues that would come with being “forgotten.” For example, their meeting history will be gone… this could be important for their access to presentation slides or CEU history! Or, if they are actively on a committee, this action will effectively remove them from that committee … is this what they really want?
    • Do the needful to comply with their request, if it’s valid.

    By the way, if you’re a MatrixMaxx client, our recent 18.2 release was packed full of new features to help you manage Personal Data and Privacy for GDPR compliance. Have ideas for other enhancements that could help you in your journey? We’re here for you, and all ears!

    PLEASE NOTE:

    This is one of Matrix Group’s installments on GDPR, Privacy, and Security. We at Matrix Group are not lawyers or GDPR consults; these are simply our recommendations for how to best meet your organization’s needs and member’s needs.

  • The Checkbox War is Over: How to Pick a New AMS Partner

    The Checkbox War is Over: How to Pick a New AMS Partner

    checklist on clipboard graphicI was talking to my friend Ben Muscolino at Benel Solutions. Ben’s company does netFORUM implementations and other AMS integrations. Matrix Group has several clients in common and we love working with Benel Solutions.

    Anyway, we were talking association management software (AMS) companies, how the space is pretty crowded, and how difficult it is for associations to choose between vendors. At some point, Ben quipped, “well, the checkbox war is over, so how do clients choose their platform?”

    The checkbox war is over.

    I think Ben is absolutely right. The AMS market has reached such maturity that nearly all the platforms (MatrixMaxx from Matrix Group included) are able to check off the boxes in the RFPs that we receive. Yep, we let associations manage individual and company-based memberships, meetings, tradeshows, publication sales, digital downloads, sponsorships, subscriptions, fundraising, yada, yada.

    So how on earth does an association pick a platform? I think the answer is you don’t. You pick a partner instead.

    A partner that can help you:

    • Rethink your member experience
    • Work well with the other vendors in your digital universe
    • Guide your business process transformation
    • Get creative with your budget and needs

    Is YOUR AMS partner doing all this for you?

     

  • What is GDPR and What Does it Mean for My Organization?

    What is GDPR and What Does it Mean for My Organization?

    Guest post by Tanya Kennedy Luminati, MatrixMaxx Product Manager

    There is a new acronym taking the world by storm right now: GDPR

    If you’re in Europe, you’ve probably heard of this. If you’re here in the United States, you may not have heard it … yet. But the concepts of Privacy and Security that it champions are moving to center stage all over the globe, so it is important we all pay attention and start our process shift now.

    What is GDPR?

    The nations of the European Union (EU) take privacy very seriously, and each country previously had its own laws. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was approved by the EU Parliament in 2016 in order to unify the various data privacy laws across Europe.  The EU has a dedicated website where you can read the full GDPR details, and it is quite a long read.

    Who does GDPR apply to?

    If you hold and process any Personally identifiable information (PII) in any of your systems for anyone living in the EU, this impacts you.

    PII is any data that can be used on its own or with other information to identify a particular individual: name, phone, email, address, etc. Processing is just about anything you do with that data. Any type of marketing, for example, is considered to be processing. The GDPR states that you can’t process PII data unless you have lawful grounds to do so. The GDPR affects your systems, your processes, your data, your customers/members, your 3rd party vendors, and your partners.

    Doesn’t GDPR only apply to European-based Companies?

    No. It applies to any organization offering goods/services to EU residents. The EU refers to this concept as Increased Territorial Scope (extraterritorial applicability).

    When do these new regulations go into effect?

    GDPR actually started 2 years ago. However, enforcement doesn’t begin until May 25, 2018. So as the humans we are, everyone has waited until the last minute to grasp these new regulations with both hands.

    What are the key facets of GDPR?

    You must have grounds for the lawful holding and processing of data. These include:

    • Consent
    • Fulfilment of a contract
    • Legal obligation
    • Necessary for interests of the individual or for the greater public good

    Consent is getting a great deal of attention as marketing now requires explicit “provable consent” in order to be considered lawful under the GDPR. For example, if you haven’t explicitly asked an EU resident in your database if they’d like to hear about some of your upcoming events, you probably can’t lawfully market to this person!

    Other important facets beyond the concept of lawful processing and consent include:

    • An individual may request access to all of their personal data. This may include any information stored in your main database, including contact information, login tracking, clickthrough tracking in a 3rd party marketing system, transaction data, etc.
    • An individual may request that their personal info be removed. (a.k.a. The Right to be Forgotten), meaning that they can request that their records be deleted or anonymized in such a way that it is no longer personally identifiable. (This includes data in backups and in any 3rd parties systems that may have acquired the data from you.)
    • Data Breach Notification to certain authorities and individuals within particular timeframes.

    Are Membership Organizations (Trade Associations, Professional Societies), Not-for-Profits, and Non-Profits exempt from GDRP?

    No. They are not exempt.

    But … Wouldn’t someone joining my association as a member be implicitly giving me lawful grounds to process their data?

    Not necessarily. If they join as a member, it would probably be lawful processing to send them a confirmation of their membership, but you can’t start marketing association products and services to them without consent. This is an area where a GPPR consultant could be useful to you, if you have a lot of EU residents in your data or you actively market/appeal to persons living in the EU.

    How is GDPR going to be enforced?

    The penalties and fines, which will kick in starting May 25, 2018, are steep. There are obvious ways that EU-based organizations and foreign organizations with EU locations can be penalized. The question of how external organizations will be held to GDPR compliance is being discussed in a variety of articles and posts.

    Next up, we’ll discuss how to become GDPR compliant. Stay tuned!

     

    This is the first of severalMatrix installments on GDPR, Privacy, and Security. Please note: we at Matrix are not lawyers or GDPR consults; do not take this info as absolute. Use this information as a starting point in:

    • Gathering the documentation, processes and tools you need to assess and support your obligations under GDPR
    • Planning for a future where respect privacy and security are implicitly baked into our all our processes and systems, regardless of country

     

  • Lessons from a CIO on Work, Senior Staff Engagement and the Permission-Based Economy

    Lessons from a CIO on Work, Senior Staff Engagement and the Permission-Based Economy

    At AMS Fest a couple of weeks ago, I got a chance to sit down with Reggie Henry, Chief Information and Engagement Officer at the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).

    I always ask Reggie “what’s new?” and “what are you thinking about?” Reggie *never* fails to impress me his insights and curiosity. Here are some of the things he’s been pondering lately:

    We need to change how we work. Reggie says there isn’t a shortage of tools out there to facilitate work and collaboration, but we’re still too focused on the tools themselves, whether it’s Microsoft Word, or Slack or Skype. Instead, he says the tools should be secondary to the goals and the work, which is why he loves Office 365.

    He gave me a tour of how ASAE uses Office 365 and it’s breathtaking. Every team has projects and each project has notes, conversations, reports and so much more. Staff work within each project to share information, ask questions, author documents, etc. They make great use of Teams, Planner and Delve and I have to admit to being really jealous!

    Senior staff need to use the tools. Reggie says organizations are innovating and investing in fabulous tools and systems, but senior staff are not using them and that’s a mistake. Senior staff need to show their staff that they, too, are interested in the tools, that they are part of the conversations, and willing to try new things.
     

    Be wiling to forget what we know to design the future. Reggie and I talked about how “experts” are often the enemy of innovation because experts think something can’t be done, what can go wrong, what has gone wrong, etc. But how many awesome things have happened because someone didn’t believe it couldn’t be done? I’m thinking about the fabulous badge builder that a junior staff person created in MatrixMaxx. He asked his Product Manager what her dream functionality was and then he just did it.

    How prepared are you for the permission-based economy? We’re moving toward the day when organizations need to get permission for nearly everything they do with member and customer data, from location services, to cookies, to purchase history, to demographics. Is your organization ready to handle this level of granularity in your handling, storage and use of your customer data?

    Many thanks to Reggie for his insights!

  • Why There is Still Room for a Small, Local Player in the AMS Space

    Why There is Still Room for a Small, Local Player in the AMS Space

    Last month, some of the largest AMS (association management software) companies (YourMembership, Abila, Aptify and NimbleAMS) joined forces to create Community Brands, which they describe as “a powerful and unified family of brands and a connected eco-system of software and services to better serve associations, nonprofits and government entities.”

    One can quibble over whether or not Community Brands will be a “family” of complementary or competing brands. But for a company like Matrix Group, with our web-based MatrixMaxx AMS, the big question is: In this age of mega-mergers, is there still room for a small, local player? Can we compete with the big guys for clients and talent?

    I’m confident that the answer is a resounding “Yes!”

    Many years ago, the book club at Matrix Group read Small Giants by Bo Burlingham, Editor-at-Large at Inc. magazine. In the book, Bo writes about 14 companies that are small and growing or small and choosing to stay small. In all cases, they have chosen excellence over growth.

    Excellence over growth has always been my mantra. If growth made sense in any given year, we went for it, but never at the expense of technical excellence, customer service, customer intimacy and terrific user experience.

    Sure, in many ways, being small, niche and custom is anti-trend. Aren’t we all shopping at Amazon and big box retailers? Aren’t we most impressed by the companies that have big, booming growth and huge total revenue numbers (often ignoring net income; we rarely hear about that). But on the other hand, there’s a movement to support small, local businesses. Think of the millennials who prefer independent coffee shops, bookstores and clothing shops.There’s a reason they prefer small and local and I’d wager it’s because they get a more personalized, friendly, and tailored experience.

    I spoke with a few clients over the past few weeks and they told me that they like working with Matrix Group because:

    • We have an amazing staff
    • Our work is of very high quality
    • We offer superior technical solutions on the AMS and custom sides of the business
    • We are easy to work with, easy to reach
    • We listen and respond to their needs
    • They never feel like just another client among hundreds or thousands
    • We have a track record of success
    • They know we’ll do what it takes to help them be successful
    • They get customized, personal attention and ideas

    While small companies don’t have a monopoly on the above characteristics, somehow, smaller companies are more likely to take the time to really get to know their customers.

    As for the war on talent, I absolutely love this opinion piece by columnist Gene Marks in Inc. Magazine. He talks about why it’s better to work for a small company over a large company. In fact, I have refugees from large firms who tell me they enjoy have a large voice in the company, having an outsized impact on clients’ success, and easy access to senior leadership.

    For sure, going up against a behemoth like Community Brands will be challenging. But I gotta stay true to my core belief that we can compete with any company and help our clients make the world a better place. I know that Matrix Group and the MatrixMaxx AMS can compete based on technical solutions, customer service, price and customer intimacy. No question about it.

     

  • Mining Your Membership Database for Business Intelligence

    Mining Your Membership Database for Business Intelligence

    Man looking at web pagesI had the pleasure of co-hosting a webinar on business intelligence with Wes Trochlil, President of Effective Database Management earlier this week. Wes is a terrific speaker, he runs a great association consulting practice, and I love that he’s passionate about business intelligence (BI). Wes speaks and blogs tirelessly about BI. His main message during the webinar: BI can be a powerful tool to increase revenue, decrease costs and spot member trends.

    Wes’ definition of BI is pretty simple: Business Intelligence is a management process for using data to make decisions. He shared case studies of organizations that analyzed their membership and meetings data to learn which member segments are most engaged, most likely to renew their membership, and most likely to register for meetings. For example, one association measured member engagement across 36 variables. The association found that companies in the top 30th percentile of engagement renewed at 100%, while the bottom 30% were not likely to renew. Even more profound, the engagement variable that mattered most were related to serving on a committee, writing a paper, or presenting at a conference. So the association developed a strategy to encourage more participation in the areas that seem to matter most when it comes to member retention.

    The case studies were incredibly compelling. So why don’t more organizations invest in BI?

    Wes says most organizations are fearful of BI and are reluctant to become data-driven because of FEAR: Fear of not doing it right, Fear of making mistakes and getting in trouble for it, Fear of data contradicting conventional wisdom, Fear of having to change behavior. Here’s where leadership comes in. Strong leaders need to have the courage to see the data for what it is, allow staff to experiment with new initiatives based on what the data is telling you, acknowledge that mistakes will happen, and not let conventional wisdom get in the way of innovation.

    So how do you go about creating a data-driven organization? Wes and I shared our tips:

    • Identify the data that is MOST useful to your organization, have a plan for collecting that data and make sure you actually ACT on that data
    • STOP collecting data you’re not using!
    • Identify what data you have, who manages it now, and where that data is kept
    • If data is in multiple sources (it almost ALWAYS is), determine your process for getting key data from those multiple sources into a single source for analysis
    • Involve your membership database or CRM vendor; ask your vendor what reports are available and what other organizations are doing
    • Revisit all your processes at least once annually

    The irony is that while most organizations fret about the data, most already have the reports and searches they need to get started with BI. Changing an organization’s culture to pay attention to the data and then acting on it can be time-consuming and most definitely requires a culture and process shift.