5 Ways Working With a Custom Media Company Will Save You Money

Organizations like yours are likely extraordinary at a couple of things: providing a service, manufacturing a product, building advocacy or creating value in any number of ways. Is publishing and managing media one of those things that you do better than anyone else?

It's not just a matter of identifying your core competency. It's a matter of cost.

Here are the five ways working with a custom media company will save you money: staffing/overhead savings, printing and production savings, consolidation savings, innovations savings and revenue generation. Learn more about these ways and how a custom media company can help you cut costs:

The Top Benefits to Associations From Using Social Media Tools: Results from the Angerosa Research Foundation

Many association executives we talk to are interested in social media and how other associations are taking advantage of social media tools. A report recently released by the Angerosa Research Foundation provides some data and benchmarking for this in their study "How Associations are Tapping Social Media." The report covers a range of related information including overall trends, wikis, blogs and strategic issues.

Probably of the most interest to many executives are what benefits associations are reaping from these social media efforts. Here are the top seven benefits from the report for associations who are using social media tools:

3 Social Media Questions Associations Should Consider in 2009

We've shared with you five social media resolutions for this year, and now here are three follow-up questions every association executive should consider, whether your association is new to social media or you're a Web 2.0 veteran. Here's our list:

1. How will you incorporate social media into association events?
Events provide associations a perfect opportunity to leverage the power and excitement of social media. There are so many ways an association can engage its members before, during and after an event with social media tools.

We recently received an award for the event work we did for our client the National Federation of Independent Business on their 2008 National Small Business Summit website. We used tools like Flickr, YouTube and Twitter to engage the Summit attendees and non-attendees through the creation of a dynamic site. We took unique advantage of social media and also provided a central place for all event-related content.

2. How will you measure the effectiveness of the association's social media marketing efforts?
It's great your association is experimenting with social media, but how will you know if your efforts are successful or what tweaks you need to make? Are members participating? Are there certain member groups that are more receptive to social media than others? Are you providing incentives? Are you connecting with potential member groups?

Just like your other marketing and communication campaign, an association's social media efforts must be measureable. If you haven't already established metrics, set some now. If you need help, contact us.

3. Should you partner with an outside media company to help meet your association's social media goals for the year?

The economic environment we are in presents many associations with numerous challenges. Some of you are struggling with limited internal resources, tight budgets and employees without social media expertise. Meanwhile, your association has lofty communication and social media goals for the year. To solve these problems, many businesses and other associations are looking to partners like Hammock who can help you meet your goals for 2009.