How big a role are websites and social media playing in generating interest in the annual convention?
Kirsch: Way back you could just mail out the brochure, then came faxes and then e-mail was the silver bullet. Social media is another platform. You have to use them all. Some people will want the brochure, some will want to be invited through Facebook. We’re advising associations to find where their members are already. Business groups may be more adept at LinkedIn, while social groups may prefer Facebook. Spend your time where your members are. If an association is not investigating the new media, they will fall behind. Drake: More and more, we’re seeing clients who don’t do any print at all. Some of our members are 55 years of age on average—and even they do mostly electronic. It not only saves on paper, but on cost. Postage is high. We are using Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn a lot. I recommend to all our clients that they at least get their name on all three of these. It’s like the race for domain names on the Internet—you’ve got to protect your brand. Graham: There’s been a huge s
