Client Spotlight: Nebraskans for Workers’ Compensation Equity & Fairness

Sharing more about our clients has been a blast so far and we are excited for you to get to know another! The Nebraskans for Workers’ Compensation Equity & Fairness (NWCEF) joined us in 2018. This organization was set in place to analyze workers’ compensation laws and issues, and to seek equitable means of providing workers’ compensation coverage. The goal of NWCEF is to promote balance to workers’ compensation in Nebraska.

Members of NWCEF strongly believe in their mission. Their dues help NWCEF defend against trial lawyers and union initiatives, keeping insurance rates as low as possible. They also receive up to date information on Nebraska’s workers’ compensation system to better prepare them for any challenges. Members are provided members-only information, are able to participate in members-only discussions online, and are able to attend the annual seminar at no cost.

Here at Impact, we work hard to ensure things run smoothly for NWCEF. Our mission is to support their mission. Heather is the Executive Administrator for NWCEF and manages NWCEF’s inbox, financials, website updates, meetings, and member communication. Heather understands the needs of NWCEF and keeps an open line of communication in order to fulfill those needs.

6 Ways to Make your Next Conference Call More Efficient

Conference calls can be a great way for the Board of Directors to meet without coming to one central location. The convenience of them saves time and energy that in-person meetings might exhaust. Conference calls, however, can still often get derailed and take longer than necessary. Below are a list of ways to make your next conference call more efficient.

1.     Test the program. It is important to test the software before beginning a call. Make sure all participants are provided the dial in codes and ensure everything is running properly before the call. This step of preparation will keep the calling running smoothly and will avoid the risk of wasting the time of other participants if difficulties arise.

2.     Prepare an agenda. This is another step that can and should be taken before beginning the call. Write out an agenda that outlines the necessary talking points. You should also include a list of attendees that will be on the call. This eliminates the guessing game of trying to piece together who is talking. Things might not go exactly as planned but at least you can double check that everything that needed to be covered is covered.

3.     Be on time. The time is set based on the participants availability. Because of this,  you should be free to join the call and the start time. If you are late, you could be running into the time that other people are not available. It can also cause a disturbance at the beginning of the call. The participants may not know how long to wait for you before getting started and an interruption of you joining the call and needing to be caught up can slow things down. Be ready to go right at the start time and encourage others to do the same!

4.     Find a quiet place. There is nothing worse than hearing a tv blasting, a dog barking, or a kid crying on the other end of a conference call. Find the quietest place in office or home and block out all noises for the length of the call.

5.     Know when to mute and when not to mute. Speaking of quiet, do not forget the mute feature on your phone. Once you have introduced yourself, put your phone on mute to eliminate background noise. Be sure to keep up with whether you are muted or not. When asked a question, be ready to un-mute yourself and answer in a timely manner.

6.     Focus. It is easy to find yourself zoning out or working on other tasks while on the call, however, the call should be your number one priority. The call is in place for a reason and should be as important as an in person meeting. Providing your full attention is respectful and will keep you better informed.

Following these simple steps should keep things on time and well-organized.

Client Spotlight: Pharos Alliance

Pharos Alliance is an executive advisory firm that specializes in strategic planning, organizational and leadership development for entrepreneurial organizations. The team at Pharos Alliance feels that if a business has a need, they have a solution. Pharos Alliance has done everything from helping a business establish a new culture and set of values to taking on leadership changes.

Dr. Lisa M. Aldisert is the president of Pharos Alliance Inc. She has over 35 years of experience that have prepared her for her position with Pharos Alliance. This experience includes corporate conglomerates, privately held businesses, and owning her own business.

Pharos Alliance joined Impact in 2018 and has smoothly transitioned under our care. Tammy Foshay is the Executive Administrator for Pharos Alliance. She regularly handles email and database management. Tammy also communicates with Dr. Aldisert weekly to strategize and plan out administrative tasks. The two are in frequent communication to ensure they are on the same page and doing all that needs to be done for Pharos Alliance.

This partnership has grown tremendously since it was formed and we are excited to see what else we can provide for Pharos Alliance.

To learn more, visit https://pharosalliance.com/

Converting Guests into Members

Marketing your organization’s events to guests is always a good idea. You might, however, find that these guests continue to pay the guest price rather than ever joining the association. We have a few suggestions that could be just what your guest needs for that last push into membership.

Follow up with your guests.

Reach out to your guests via email and let them know how much you appreciate them visiting. In this email, you could include links to the website as well as a list of upcoming events. Once they are to your website, they will be able to see member benefits and more. The email will also make them feel valued and will make them more likely to sign up as a member.

Shine a light on guests through social media.

Take pictures at your event and make sure to get some photos of guests. Let them know that the pictures will be on the organization’s social media page. This might make them more inclined to visit the social media page and get more of a feel for the association. It also allows them to feel special and as if they are already a part of the organization.

Consider discounts.

If you are not opposed to docking the price of membership or events a little bit, discounts are always a strong motivator. In the email you send to guests, let them know that if they sign up for membership before the meeting, they will get a free ticket to the next event or a discounted membership price. Setting the deadline will pressure the guest to sign up. Also, who doesn’t love a nice discount?

Survey.

Along with a follow up email, you could also send or call for a survey of the event. Ask the guests what they enjoyed? What do they want to see at future events? Were they welcomed? These answers could not only help your organization in recruiting future guests, but also force the guest to consider all the positive experiences they had at the meeting. You could then invite them to join the organization and cross your fingers.

Converting non-members to members is always the goal. These guests that sign up for events are already familiar with the organization and interested in the industry. A quick moment of reaching out could make all the difference.

Saving Time with a FAQ Page

Do you find yourself answering the same questions concerning your association every other day? If so, save yourself some time by adding a FAQ page to your organization’s website. This allows your members and potential members to quickly find information. Once you have decided to add this section to your website, start to compile a list. If people are asking you how much dues are per year, add it to the FAQ page. Even if the information is on another page of your website, it will not hurt to duplicate the information. Here are some questions to get you started!

·         What does your organization do?

·         How much are membership dues?

·         How do I join?

·         How do I access my account?

·         How can I renew my membership?

·         How can I sign up for the email newsletters?

·         When are the meetings?

·         Can I attend meetings and events without being a member?

Providing a place for people to quickly get their answers will save you many emails and phone calls and will make the organization seem more established. If people cannot find the answers, they may also give up. You can always add questions or make revisions as things change in the organization. You won’t regret taking the time to set this up for your organization.