Whether you’re setting annual performance goals, making changes to association programming, or moving into a new membership service, no decision should be made without first examining the previous years’ data.

Oftentimes, associations will entrap themselves in the mindset of establishing long-term marketing or membership-service objectives with just a “gut feeling.”

Lucky for you, your association may have been collecting useful information through their association management system (AMS), customer relationship management (CRM) software, or data management tools without even realizing it.

For most associations, adopting a new technology—particularly omni-channel marketing automation platforms—is all about shepherding legacy mindsets out the door. The biggest challenge comes down to large-scale adoption of new methodologies and practices that organizations may have never used before. Or even worse, failed to successfully implement in the past. 

With any major adjustment, there are common pitfalls: expectations aren't accurately set; adaptation is rushed; or the organization isn't culturally and mutually owning their newly acquired technology. 

I'm a Millennial. And I can say with confidence, that even though my generational brand says I have the attention span of a goldfish, I have enough of it to write this blog 😜

So what do these generational labels really mean? How accurate are they? More importantly, how much do they come into play when it comes to your marketing efforts?

Our recent Spring VirCon 2021 session, You Sound Just Like My Mother—1.21 Gigawatts of Gen Z, which I had the fortunate opportunity to participate in, explored these questions and more, in a multi-generational, multi-disciplinary panel discussion. 

Breaking up can be hard. Whether you’re ending a romantic relationship or a friendship that’s no longer serving you, saying goodbye to something or someone that feels familiar is uncomfortable.

The same can be said for breaking up with data. Holding onto data, even if it’s outdated or ineffective, can feel familiar and comforting. Your mind might start racing: What if I delete it today and I need it two weeks from now? What if there is value there I just haven’t found yet? What if I delete too much and then I'm left with gaps?

If you’re feeling that way about parting with your data, you’re not alone. 

"Our stacks are mismatched to our future," said Reggie Henry, Chief Information and Engagement Officer at ASAE. 

The controversial albeit thought-provoking statement kicked off our HighRoad Spring VirCon 2021 virtual event last month, where Ron McGrath, HighRoad's CEO, interviewed Reggie in an exceptionally data-forward keynote. 

In the talk, the two industry leaders riffed on the definition of digital maturity as it becomes more and more synonymous with organizational success.