[ { "post_id": "706", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "Just a Minute: Getting board minutes right in associations and not-for-profits", "post_content_short": "Most boards don't have a minutes problem until they need them. Then they find twelve pages of who said what, or three lines that record\n\tnothing at all.\n", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/706\/Image-Business-Meeting.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/just-a-minute\/", "post_date": "2026-10-08 23:45:32" }, { "post_id": "704", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "What Insurance Do We Need to Reduce Risk for Associations & NFPs?", "post_content_short": "Risk management is one of those areas that every association and not-for-profit Board knows is important - but it can sometimes become\n\tlittle more than a risk register reviewed once or twice a year.\n\n

Insurance can be treated in much the same way.\n

\n\tThe organisation receives its annual insurance renewal, the premium is approved, the policy is renewed and everyone assumes the organisation\n\tis covered.\n", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/704\/a-slow-motion-shot-of-a-manager-denying-a-customers-insurance-claim-application-SBI-350495079-(1).jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/what-insurance-do-we-need-to-reduce-risk-for-associations-and-nfps\/", "post_date": "2026-09-23 06:50:45" }, { "post_id": "703", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "Who Really Decides Where Your Next Conference Is Being Held?", "post_content_short": "A practical look at volunteer governance, operational decision-making and what the events industry needs to understand about\n\tassociations.<\/em>\n", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/703\/MEETING-OF-MEMBERS.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/really-decides-where-your-next-conference-is-being-held\/", "post_date": "2026-09-23 06:09:00" }, { "post_id": "697", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "A $900 Membership Fee — And a Red Flag for Associations", "post_content_short": "Nick Koerbin has spent many years working with professional and industry associations, and he has developed a simple habit: whenever he\n\tmeets a professional, he often asks whether they belong to their association — and whether they believe the membership is worth it.\n\n

\n\tA recent conversation with a young allied health professional raised some important questions about membership value, relevance and the\n\texpectations of the next generation.\n\n

In this article, Nick shares that conversation and challenges association leaders to consider a simple but confronting question:\n

Would the next generation of professionals in your sector believe your association is worth joining?<\/strong>", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/697\/patient-receives-dental-advice-from-a-dentist-in-a-modern-clinic-during-a-routine-chec-SBI-356669351.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/a-900-membership-fee-and-a-red-flag-for-associations\/", "post_date": "2026-09-20 10:58:52" }, { "post_id": "689", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "The Four Decisions That Will Keep Your Association Alive in Five Years", "post_content_short": "What kept associations running ten years ago will not carry them through the next five. Four decisions now separate the boards that\nadapt from the ones that run out of options.<\/em>", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/689\/IMAGE-WOMAN-WITH-FILES.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/the-four-decisions-that-will-keep-your-association-alive-in-five-years\/", "post_date": "2026-08-26 00:17:00" }, { "post_id": "679", "post_category_id": "29", "post_title": "Four Things Every New Association CEO Must Know", "post_content_short": "The association sector is in the middle of a leadership handover.
\nAcross Australia and New Zealand, CEOs and Executive Directors are moving on. Some are retiring. Some have gone to larger organisations.\nSome have left because the relationship with their Board ran out of puff. The reasons vary, but the movement is noticeable, and Boards are\nappointing replacements.
\nThe encouraging part is the calibre of the people coming in. Many are genuinely well suited to the job — capable executives with strong\nrecords behind them. A good number are stepping into an association CEO role for the first time.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/679\/irritated-annoyed-woman-with-crossed-hands-looking-back-at-man-choosing-furniture-sigh-SBI-351246650.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/four-things-every-new-association-ceo-must-know\/", "post_date": "2026-07-26 09:46:00" }, { "post_id": "677", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "Why Do People Really Join Your Association?", "post_content_short": "Most associations can provide a long list of membership benefits. They may include professional development, advocacy, networking, industry\ninformation, events, resources, accreditation, discounts and access to specialist advice. However, a list of benefits does not necessarily\nexplain why someone makes the decision to join.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/677\/bigstock-Business-Technology-Internet-397759532.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/why-do-people-really-join-your-association\/", "post_date": "2026-07-16 01:21:00" }, { "post_id": "676", "post_category_id": "33", "post_title": "How to manage the Association Director that takes up all your energy.", "post_content_short": "While every Board is different, the same governance issues appear time and again. One of the most common is allowing one person’s behaviour\n\tto dominate the Board table.\n\n

\n\tAlmost every Board has experienced it at some point. One director who seems to consume more time and energy than everyone else combined.\n", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/676\/Board-Weakenesses.jpeg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/how-to-manage-the-association-director-that-takes-up-all-your-energy\/", "post_date": "2026-07-16 01:00:58" }, { "post_id": "672", "post_category_id": "28", "post_title": "Your renewal letter is asking members to invest in the future. Write it that way.", "post_content_short": "A renewal invoice is not a request for last year's money. It is a request to pay for next year's benefits. The moment a member — individual\n\tor corporate — opens that invoice, they make a decision: renew, or walk.\n", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/672\/young-girl-working-with-documents-in-modern-office-skilled-professional-female-adminis-SBI-350990783.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/your-renewal-letter-is-asking-members-to-invest-in-the-future-write-it-that-way\/", "post_date": "2026-06-23 12:42:00" }, { "post_id": "671", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "When does an association need to rebrand itself?", "post_content_short": "If your association is thinking about a rebrand because the colours look dated or a Board member doesn't like the typeface, stop. That's not\nthe question worth asking. The real question is harder: does your organisation still represent the sector it claims to lead?", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/671\/Logo-bRAND.png", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/when-does-an-association-need-to-rebrand-itself\/", "post_date": "2026-06-23 12:25:27" }, { "post_id": "670", "post_category_id": "31", "post_title": "Your New Association Website Is Not an IT Project. It’s a Governance Decision.", "post_content_short": "A website project is a governance decision with a technology component, not the other way round. The associations that get it right are the\nones that invest in discovery, requirements, and contract scrutiny before a single pixel is designed. The ones that get it wrong skip\nstraight to the demo, fall for the referral, and find out about ownership, integration, and total cost when it is too late to do anything\nbut pay.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/670\/AI-WEBSITE.png", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/your-new-association-website-is-not-an-it-project-its-a-governance-decision\/", "post_date": "2026-06-22 11:33:49" }, { "post_id": "669", "post_category_id": "33", "post_title": "Why Every Association Needs an Independent Returning Officer", "post_content_short": "A Returning Officer is an independent individual appointed to oversee the election of Board Directors and ensure the process is conducted\nfairly, transparently and in accordance with the association's Constitution, By-Laws and any Board-approved election procedures.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/669\/Returning-Officer-1100x.png", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/why-every-association-needs-an-independent-returning-officer\/", "post_date": "2026-06-22 11:08:00" }, { "post_id": "665", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "Member Magazine Worth the Trouble?", "post_content_short": "A lot of associations produce a magazine — hard copy or electronic — as part of the member benefits package. And for many of them, pulling\n\ttogether each quarterly edition feels arduous, thankless, and disconnected from any real return.\n", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/665\/secretariat-services-260225.png", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/member-magazine-worth-the-trouble\/", "post_date": "2026-06-15 05:31:24" }, { "post_id": "664", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "What every membership manager must know before the next Board meeting", "post_content_short": "
Membership growth is not a membership problem. It’s a governance one.<\/blockquote>", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/664\/business-people-group-on-meeting-image.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/what-every-membership-manager-must-know-before-the-next-board-meetin\/", "post_date": "2026-06-15 05:04:00" }, { "post_id": "658", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "The Membership Fee Increase: A Conversation Most Association CEOs Avoid", "post_content_short": "The membership fee strategy is not an accounting exercise. It is a leadership decision. And if your Board is setting fees based on what\nfeels comfortable rather than what the organisation needs, you are already behind.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/658\/business-people-group-SBI-300808843-(2).jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/the-membership-fee-increase-a-conversation-most-association-ceos-avoid\/", "post_date": "2026-05-26 03:03:15" }, { "post_id": "657", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "The Members You're Missing", "post_content_short": "How to capture new members for your database ", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/657\/iStock-654019478.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/the-members-youre-missing\/", "post_date": "2026-05-25 11:26:33" }, { "post_id": "654", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "Only one assessment tool tells you how your entire association is really performing. AES built it.", "post_content_short": "An overview of the self assessment benchmarking tool for assessing the performance of an association ", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/654\/review-increase-rating-performance-and-classification-concept-businessman-draw-five-gr-SBI-301984713.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/only-one-assessment-tool-tells-you-how-your-entire-association-is-really-performing-aes-built-it\/", "post_date": "2026-05-24 02:52:30" }, { "post_id": "651", "post_category_id": "5", "post_title": "Technology in Associations - AES 2026 Sector Report", "post_content_short": "This report aims to help associations better understand the technology landscape and make informed decisions about their digital future.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/651\/Screenshot-2026-04-24-163428.png", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/resources\/free-resources\/technology-in-associations-aes-2026-sector-report\/", "post_date": "2026-05-15 05:13:00" }, { "post_id": "647", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "The photo with the Minister is not an advocacy strategy", "post_content_short": "“Government doesn’t remember associations that show up. It remembers the ones that show up with something to say.”<\/em><\/strong>\n", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/647\/HUNT-PHOTO.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/the-photo-with-the-minister-is-not-an-advocacy-strategy\/", "post_date": "2026-04-24 01:43:59" }, { "post_id": "646", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "Is your association actually talking to its members — or just invoicing them?", "post_content_short": "\"What an undecided member needs isn't another email — it's a conversation.\"<\/em>
", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/646\/office-workers.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/is-your-association-actually-talking-to-its-members-or-just-invoicing-them\/", "post_date": "2026-04-24 00:45:00" }, { "post_id": "640", "post_category_id": "28", "post_title": "Thinking About Increasing Your Membership Fees", "post_content_short": "There is one financial decision that shapes your organisation's future more than almost any other. And most association CEOs handle it badly\n— not because they lack the numbers, but because they lack the nerve.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/640\/business-woman-opening-the-floor-for-questions-SBI-328457388-(1).jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/thinking-about-increasing-your-membership-fees\/", "post_date": "2026-04-22 12:30:17" }, { "post_id": "638", "post_category_id": "34", "post_title": "Overview of Pay Day Super - The Basics for Associations", "post_content_short": "Watch our Pay Day Super webinar.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/638\/Screenshot-2026-04-22-135701.png", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/overview-of-pay-day-super-the-basics-for-associations\/", "post_date": "2026-04-22 03:58:03" }, { "post_id": "637", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "From Sponsorship to Partnership – Steps to increase your Association’s Revenue", "post_content_short": "One of the main revenue streams for many associations is their annual or biannual conference. Anyone who has planned one knows that securing\n\tsponsorship is often the most time-consuming and frustrating task.\n", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/637\/Strategic-planning-MAY-2023.png", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/from-sponsorship-to-partnership-steps-to-increase-your-associations-revenue\/", "post_date": "2026-04-13 04:53:15" }, { "post_id": "632", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "Engaging an Association Consultant to Drive Change: What Boards Need to Get Right First!", "post_content_short": "Hiring a consultant for a specific task is fundamentally different from engaging one to drive organisational transformation.\n

\n\tBoards often recognise the need for change when membership stagnates, governance weakens, strategy stalls, or momentum declines. Engaging a\n\tconsultant at this point is a sound decision.\n", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/632\/business-people-group-on-meeting-image.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/engaging-an-association-consultant-to-drive-change-what-boards-need-to-get-right-first\/", "post_date": "2026-04-09 03:22:20" }, { "post_id": "630", "post_category_id": "27", "post_title": "Want to Start a New Association? Here Are Some Key Steps", "post_content_short": "We’re seeing a growing trend. More and more groups are reaching out to start new associations.\n

In most cases, the reason is the same: \"Our current association isn’t delivering.\"<\/strong>\n

That may well be true. Starting a new association is a serious commitment, not just a reaction. Let me be clear:", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/media\/website_posts\/630\/Image-Business-Meeting.jpg", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.associationexecutiveservices.com.au\/newsletter\/want-to-start-a-new-association-here-are-some-key-steps\/", "post_date": "2026-03-25 04:32:39" } ]