Skip to content
MYB company logo.
  • HOME
  • SERVICES
    • Guide New Strategic Direction
    • Evaluate Performance of Current Offerings
    • Grow Organization Value + Revenues
  • SUCCESS STORIES
  • ABOUT
    • Meet The Team
    • NewThink
  • BRIGHT IDEAS
  • MYB BLOG
TALK TO US
TALK TO US
MYB company logo.
  • HOME
  • SERVICES
    • Guide New Strategic Direction
    • Evaluate Performance of Current Offerings
    • Grow Organization Value + Revenues
  • SUCCESS STORIES
  • ABOUT
    • Meet The Team
    • NewThink
  • BRIGHT IDEAS
  • MYB BLOG
At the root of every association, there is one underlying goal: to move your organization toward its mission. A key component of this is a strategic plan. While most organizations have a systemized process to maintain progress in this direction, there are a number of pitfalls we’ve seen that get in the way. One of those is bridging the gap between strategy and tactics. What is strategy? Think of strategy as a long-term or big-picture guide. Leadership typically develops strategy to determine a path for the organization. Each strategic objective is supported by initiatives to bring it to fruition. It is like a bridge over a gap. Knowing you need a bridge to take you to your next destination is the first step. From there, you figure out the bridge’s design, what expertise you’ll need to plan, and the predicted volume of usage. It is a path forward that aligns stakeholders around a common idea for how to overcome an obstacle or challenge. What are tactics? Tactics are actions. They are the finite “to-do’s” and steps that help carry out the strategy. Ideally, they are assigned to a specific person or committee, with regular check-ins. This helps measure and ensure progress to completion. In the bridge scenario, tactics are the details: sourcing and delivering the materials, the work plan schedule to make it happen, and the opening day coordination. What does all this really mean for associations? Take these two examples of associations that had been experiencing continuously declining membership revenue: Example 1: Tactically focused Association 1 knew that they had a problem, so the Board got to work. In their planning process, each member contributed their ideas for reversing declining membership. They landed on 3 ideas: Add more benefits to each tier of membership Send out more reminder to renew emails Create a member only listserv to increase engagement Example 2: Strategically focused Association 2 went through a similar process and took a close look at their current membership. Some key findings included low member satisfaction with educational offerings, had low awareness of member benefits, and that the online renewal process was confusing. They developed the following strategies: Develop a refreshed content strategy which addresses the various needs of members. Revamp communications strategy and messaging with more focus on the tangible benefits of membership Improve the online user experience for membership So which is best? Both strategy and tactics have their merits. Association 1 has come up with a definite action plan but doesn’t have a full view on what they’re tackling. Association 2 used their current standings to outline strategies but hasn’t begun to consider how to make it all happen. While each organization is making moves to fix the same challenge, they each miss out on effectiveness by not having both strategy and tactics. At the end of the day, knowing the big picture helps the pieces fall into place more easily. How do you move the needle on advancing your association’s mission? With a careful balance of evidence-based strategy and smart tactics. From membership to meetings to education and beyond, measured and measurable efforts are the key to moving toward that golden goal.

Is Your Association Developing Strategy or Tactics?

Leave a Comment / Associations, Growth & Strategy / By MYB

At the root of every association, there is one underlying goal: to move your organization toward its mission. A key component of this is a strategic plan. While most organizations […]

Is Your Association Developing Strategy or Tactics? Read More »

How Does NEW THINK Help Associations?

How Does NEW THINK Help Associations?

Leave a Comment / Associations, Growth & Strategy, NEWTHINK, Research / By MYB

Have you ever labored over a perplexing problem and unexpectedly had an epiphany? A random magazine advertisement or a friend’s offhand comment triggers a brilliant “Aha!” moment. Suddenly all the

How Does NEW THINK Help Associations? Read More »

MYB Welcomes Kevin Hinton, MBA to Leadership Team as Executive Vice President of Strategy

MYB Welcomes Kevin Hinton, MBA to Leadership Team as Executive Vice President of Strategy

Leave a Comment / Growth & Strategy / By MYB

We are pleased to announce that Kevin Hinton, MBA has joined our Leadership Team as Executive Vice President of Strategy.  For full details, see the full press release announcement.

MYB Welcomes Kevin Hinton, MBA to Leadership Team as Executive Vice President of Strategy Read More »

MYB Works with Gilbert, Arizona to Increase Tourism

Leave a Comment / Destinations / By MYB

Gilbert looks to resident’s to be advocates for the destination and also puts plans into place for a convention center to draw corporate business. Read more about the town’s plan

MYB Works with Gilbert, Arizona to Increase Tourism Read More »

Greater Palm Springs Reveals Development Plan

Leave a Comment / Destinations, Research / By MYB

Greater Palm Springs (visitgreaterpalmsprings.com) reveals new destination development plan to grow tourism from 12 million to over 16 million by 2026. MYB partnered with Convention Sports & Leisure to focus

Greater Palm Springs Reveals Development Plan Read More »

https://youtu.be/vhTYQuqzFKU?si=-xEewrf0C79o-78y

HX Tops the Charts in NYC with a revamped and re-imagined trade show

Leave a Comment / Corporate & Hospitality, Meetings / By MYB

HX: The Hotel Experience – Rooms to Restaurants makes the top 100 list of events held in New York City as reported by BizBash.  The show was ranked #1 in the

HX Tops the Charts in NYC with a revamped and re-imagined trade show Read More »

Those were the days…

Leave a Comment / Meetings / By MYB

Katie Callahan-Giobbi recently had the opportunity to attend the MPI-CAC board meeting. As a past president of the organization, she reflects on how times have changed, however in many aspects

Those were the days… Read More »

5 Quotes Every Meeting Professional Should Consider This Week

Leave a Comment / Meetings / By MYB

Last week, more than 650 attendees came together for the 2015 PCMA Education Conference in Fort Lauderdale. With a wide range of experts, inspiring keynote speakers and meetings industry leaders

5 Quotes Every Meeting Professional Should Consider This Week Read More »

Making Sense of Millennials

Leave a Comment / Meetings / By MYB

MYB Executive Vice President, Karen Hamilton, CMP consulted MeetingsNet in October to help them make sense of the Millennial generation with their report, “4 Secrets to Meeting Millennials Love”.  Born

Making Sense of Millennials Read More »

MYB brings NEW THINK to another association

Leave a Comment / Associations, NEWTHINK / By MYB

MYB was fortunate this past year to work with the leadership of the American Anthropological Association and help them evolve with an evidence-based comprehensive communication strategy. As reported by Ed

MYB brings NEW THINK to another association Read More »

Post pagination
← Previous 1 … 5 6 7 Next →

Copyright © 2025 Minding Your Business, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy
Built by AlylaTech, LLC