Here is one exhibitor’s experience at an association event.  It is not an AMDA or state chapter meeting.  His perspective can help you make your own exhibitors experience a good one and bring them back year after year.

 I sit here in my booth as other exhibitors bowl in the nearly empty aisle. What a lousy show. Six more hours (and two more days) to wonder why I came here.

Since I’ve got time on my hands (again), I’ll jot some notes on how to treat exhibitors. I worked for an association. I served on the board of our industry association. Maybe my ideas would help improve some shows.

Return on investment. I have more marketing options than budget. I look for programs (not just shows) that give the biggest bang for my buck. Even with an acceptable ROI, I may not return to your show because I can get a better return elsewhere. Give me a great ROI, and I’ll be back.

Fewer, but dedicated, hours. Don’t make me compete with other activities. It’s not the number of hours that matters, it’s the number of quality exhibit hours. This show is seven to eight hours per day for three days, with a major speaker each morning. Guess where your attendees are? I’d rather spend the morning working in my hotel or making sales calls than sit in my booth with no traffic. Another show began on Sunday with no competing activities except a spouse tour. Guess where the attendees went? Yep, with their spouses instead of the exhibits.

Exhibitors prefer fewer hours (and days) dedicated to the show. Remember, each day also increases our hotel and meal expenses. And I like to attend your workshops and seminars to better understand your needs to serve you better. I can’t do that if they conflict with show hours.

Get your people on the floor. Do your members understand how much they’d have to pay to attend your meeting if you had no exhibitors to help underwrite the cost? Why do they treat us like lepers?

Exhibitors are looking to do business. I serve a niche market; not everyone is interested in what I do, but a percentage is. A percentage of many people is better than the same percentage of few people. And I’ll help! I’ll do a preshow email or mailing to woo people onto the floor and to my booth if you’ll just share the contact info.

Enforce the rules. Most shows don’t allow exhibitors to stand in the aisles to accost attendees. At my last show, not only did my neighbors do just that, but the conference management had a pleasant conversation with them as they did it! Other attendees had to go wide of them in the aisle, so they missed my booth.

Exhibitors don’t complain about our neighbors because, well, we have to live next to them. You set the rules; enforce them.

PAs don’t work. I’m talking to a visitor in my booth when you make an unintelligible announcement over the PA system. Hello—I’m trying to do business!

Thank us. In person. While we exhibit. Survey us to make your show better and then use our feedback.

A recent show emailed a postshow survey to exhibitors. On page one, I was asked for my name and badge number. Are you kidding? Do you really believe I saved my badge as a memento? I deleted the survey.

Remember, you’re selling. When you ask me to exhibit, you are not bestowing a privilege. You want me to spend limited budget dollars on your event. So understand my needs and do your best to meet them.

Some shows are great and I return. Some shows have the perfect audience, but I don’t return because of the above points. I just do a 10-by-10-foot booth, as do most of your exhibitors. Remember, it’s easier to sell to existing satisfied customers than to find new customers.

Well, writing this down killed some time. Only five hours to go. This could have been a great show. I’ll submit this for publication; maybe someone will actually read it and make their show better. It can’t hurt—and it can’t get any worse than this show!

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How do we keep members in these turbulent times? Association members—of all ages and experience levels—want to be presented with opportunities to help others and their professional organization. Here are seven strategies to drive retention, derived from findings from the American Society of Association Executives’ (ASAE) Decision To Join and Decision To Volunteer research studies.

Fact 1: The Professional Benefits of Volunteerism Go Both Ways

According to the studies, professional benefits are important to volunteers at every experience level; 63 percent of members with entry-level positions rate professional benefits as important, and 75 percent of members at upper levels of management rate them as important. The twist is understanding that members are pro-social, meaning they are looking to not just gain professional benefit but to give back as well.

Volunteers also serve their association “out of a sense of personal responsibility or civic duty,” “to pursue a personal interest in the cause,” or “out of a desire to learn new skills,” according to the studies.

Use this information to your advantage. Create targeted development activities related to members’ motivation. For example, tie programs like mentoring or community service to the organization.

Fact 2: The “Direct Ask” Wields Power

Like donors, volunteers respond best when approached directly with meaningful tasks. Participants cite the “direct approach” as the number-one way they are drawn to volunteer.

The challenge  is to understand that an active ask is face-to-face or phone-to-phone. A passive ask is any “sent” communication, such as email, posting, advertising, or a call for volunteers. An effective ask is a request that is specific, such as a task, a timeline, a time commitment, an expected outcome, or an explanation of how it benefits the organization and the person.

Consider setting up a talent scout position for your chapters. Think of this position as a matchmaker. His or her job is to personally match members with volunteer roles that suit them. The talent scout will need to know all the possible small and ad hoc roles, not just the key positions.

Fact 3: The Younger Generations Want to Get Involved

According to the studies, involvement in volunteering varies depending on the various stages of an individual’s life. Numbers show that the differences in rates are more of a reflection on preferences rather than the activity of volunteering itself. In fact, the youngest respondents agreed more strongly than older respondents on the importance of volunteering.

Thus, engaging younger volunteers is more about creating the right opportunities. Identify and communicate the ways your association meets volunteers’ needs throughout their life courses. Chart the path by identifying the key ladders in your members’ career paths, defining the needs and wants for each, and then matching volunteer positions.

Fact 4: Ad-Hoc Volunteers are Critical and Must be Recognized as Such

Volunteers who serve the organization in ad-hoc capacities—for example, as writers for association publications or teachers in various courses—require additional organizational effort to track, support, and recognize their efforts. If they are not recognized for their efforts, they may feel less appreciated than those in governance roles. The studies show that 59 percent of volunteers are in the ad-hoc category. Another 23 percent are local leaders, and 18 percent are shapers.

Recognize that activities critical to the organization’s success are “covered” by ad-hoc volunteers. Recruitment strategies for these unsung positions are often overlooked. Recognition is both a front- and back-end activity

It may be useful to build ad-hoc volunteers into succession leadership plans. By focusing on these positions from the beginning, you’ll be sure to put the right level of attention, training, and recognition to keep these volunteers involved.

Fact 5: Volunteers Desire a “Meaningful” Experience

The studies found that association volunteers expect a chance to work with like-minded people, network, keep skills sharp or learn a new skill, pass on knowledge, and contribute to a cause. Above all, they expect to be involved effectively. The study found that the volunteer experience is meaningful if it “helps others” or if it’s done “for a profession or cause that is important” to the volunteers.

Understand the role of your association’s cultural environment. Begin the conversation, address attitudes, and begin the process of a healthy, cultural mindset to the value of volunteers. One size will not fit all, and associations must design flexible and multiple volunteer activities.

Fact 6: Your Organizational Structure Must be Built to Support Volunteerism

Interestingly, respondents in the studies indicated that many of the reasons they have not volunteered for their professional association are within the organization’s power to address. In fact “lack of information about volunteer opportunities” topped the reasons cited by respondents for not volunteering, followed by:

• Poor follow-through;
• Forgetting to thank volunteers;
• Poor communication;
• Lack of support or training;
• Unclear roles;
• High transportation expenses.

One way for an association or chapter to overcome some of these obstacles is to be diligent in exposing your barriers. Conduct a member assessment of your volunteer program, then use the results to make specific corrections and improvements.

Fact 7: Association Members are Highly Engaged

Respondents are more heavily engaged in volunteering than community volunteers: One half of respondents volunteer for one or two organizations, while the other half volunteer for three or more. Yet the study also notes that “two thirds of those individuals who already volunteer, but not for the cosponsor, are sill looking for opportunities to connect their volunteer work to their professional world, especially to build their skills.”

That association members volunteer for multiple organizations and are identifying an unmet need for connecting volunteer work to the professional world suggests there is an untapped potential to increase your volunteer base by recruiting from among your members.

For More Info

Peggy Hoffman, CAE, is immediate past chair of ASAE & The Center’s Component Relations Section Council. She also is president of Mariner Management & Marketing LLC, in Laurel, Maryland. Email: phoffman@MarinerManagement.com

What have you done recently to help keep more members engaged?

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All state chapters struggle with leadership development, but some have found that these efforts can be easier if they partner with other organizations.

For example, the Florida Medical Directors Association (FMDA) recently participated in a program run by the Florida Health Care Association (FHCA).  “FHCA presented a day-and-a-half program with a strong motivational speaker. They invited a representative from each of their 16 Florida districts, as well as some of their own state board members and representatives from the affiliated long term care associations such as FMDA,” says FMDA Executive Director Ian Cordes, MBA, NHA. He explains, “In all, 28 participated in a series of lectures, dinner programs, and group/team building exercises that challenged each of us to be the best we could be. The result was a highly charged group of committed, energized FHCA members and supporters who all enjoyed the program and its impact.” The program charged up Cordes and got him thinking about the possibility of a Board retreat or other program for his chapter “where we could look at developing some short- and long-range plans.  We have an excellent complement of dedicated Board members, but we could use some new blood to help lead FMDA into the future.” Perhaps leadership training exercises during a FMDA meeting or event could help identify potential future leaders.

In California, Executive Director Jolene Fassbinder’s organization—the California Association of Long-Term Care Medicine—puts on an annual one-and-a-half-day educational event with an emphasis on leadership education. Elsewhere, she says, “We use our CALTCM Executive Committee as our ‘leadership advisors’ for the organization. We have monthly conference calls where we work with our marketing and education committee chairs to provide guidance on planning and promoting our educational and revenue generating events. These monthly calls also help our new leaders transition into their roles.” She adds, “Because the CALTCM executive office is linked to UCLA’s Multi-campus Program in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, our board members also receive information about and have the opportunity to attend UCLA leadership events.”

 -How do you identify members who you think would make good leaders? What qualities do you look for?

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Just electing a chapter member to your Board or a committee is no guarantee that he or she will be a strong leader. Leadership training is important to making the most of volunteers and providing them with positive, enriching, and satisfying experiences.

Organizations spend millions of dollars on leadership training every year. These efforts can vary from lectures to interactive programs that entail retreats, mountain climbing, and even river rafting.  In general, leadership programs work best if they use a multi-tiered approach involving personal growth, skill building, feedback, and conceptual awareness.   Personal awareness involves putting leaders in touch with their passions and what they want to accomplish through their leadership efforts. Skill building turns leadership into a practical, teach-able reality that identifies and teaches key leadership skills such as conflict resolution, time management, and delegating authority. Feedback-based programs often ask participants to rate themselves and each other regarding their strengths and weaknesses. Conceptual awareness programs help people intellectually understand the distinctions between leadership and management.

For leaders to work effectively, they must be able to relate their expectations, goals, and actions to the organization’s philosophy or purpose. A good starting point for state chapter leadership development is to hold a conference call during which the organizational mission and philosophies can be discussed and leaders have an opportunity to think and talk about how their roles relate to these.

Diane Dixon’s leadership column in Caring for the Ages can serve as a useful resource for leadership development efforts. Among them are:

• Call to Improve LTC Leadership Development (http://www.caringfortheages.com/article/S1526-4114(07)60246-7/fulltext)
• Leading Change: Start by Looking for the Leader Inside Yourself (http://www.caringfortheages.com/article/S1526-4114(08)60068-2/fulltext)
• Preparation Is Key to Maximizing the Meeting (http://www.caringfortheages.com/article/S1526-4114(06)60069-3/fulltext)

-What have you done to train or develop leaders in your chapter?

-What programs, activities, or exercises do you utilize to train leaders? What resources have you found helpful?

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Because it is oftentimes seems a mystery, CPT Coding is a popular topic at AMDA programs and state chapter meetings. Chapter members—especially those who are new to long term care—have many questions about CPT coding; and—with AMDA’s help—you can answer all of them via conference sessions, Web pages, or newsletter articles.

“The most common questions I get about CPT codes involve a wide range of issues, including billing for the work of non-physician practitioners and how to tell which code to use in various situations,” says AMDA Director of Government Affairs Kathleen Wilson. “Physicians often ask me if they can bill for telephone calls,” she adds.

In CPT coding can be mystifying for even the brightest and most experienced of physicians. preparing a program about CPT coding for members, consider the following tips and resources:

• AMDA members can look at answers to questions already asked and ask questions on the “Ask the Expert” Web site at http://www.amda.com/members/managementtools/QA/searchQuestion.cfm.
• Several AMDA members have expertise on coding and are available to speak at state chapter meetings on this topic. For a list of these individuals and their contact information, contact kbieg@amda.com.
• Len Gelman, MD, CMD, will present a Thursday intensive program, “Everything You Wanted to Know about Billing and Coding in Long Term Care,” at AMDA’s 2009 Annual Symposium in Charlotte, NC.
• Much CPT coding information is proprietary information and copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Be careful not to use information verbatim from the coding manual without express consent to do.
• Especially if your audience includes physicians who are relatively new to long term care, be prepared to present the basics and have an expert available to answer more advanced questions.

“Presentations on the basics are always popular at AMDA meetings; and participants go away feeling more confident about this issue,” says Wilson. She notes, “We encourage state chapters to use the many resources AMDA has on this topic to help educate their members.”

Coding Q&As You Can Use

AMDA offers the following sample CPT Coding Q&As you can use in your newsletter or as part of a conference program.

Q: Can I bill for prolonged service without a face-to-face encounter?

A: According to CMS’s MedLearn Matters article MM5972, yes, but the service must meet two criteria. One, the service must have been time-based, meaning the counseling and/or coordination of care represented more than 50% of the total time a physician or qualified NPP spent with the patient—either face-to-face or on the floor. Two, you may only report prolonged services with the highest code level in that family of codes as the companion code.

Q: When can I use prolonged service codes?

A: According to CMS’s MedLearn Matters article MM5972, you can only bill the prolonged service codes (99356 and 99357) with the relevant companion code if the total duration of all physician or qualified NPP direct face-to-face service (including the visit) exceeds the typical/average time associated with the appropriate CPT E/M code by a minimum of 30 minutes.

Does your chapter have speakers on this topic that should be included on a possible speakers list?

What are the questions that seem to be asked frequently in your state?

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In terms of continuing medical educa­tion (CME), the guidelines call on pharmaceutical ­companies to separate their CME grant-making functions from their sales and marketing activities. Subsidies to attend CME meetings should not be giv­en directly to physicians, according to the guidelines. Instead, any funds should be given directly to the CME provider who can use the money to reduce fees for all at­tendees. Companies are also not allowed to provide meals directly at CME events.

Note from AMDA:  It is recommended that you contact each company directly to see whether they are using the guidelines and if so, how they are being interpreted by their company.  The guidelines are voluntary, but many companies will be adhering to them.

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The rules for obtaining funding from the pharmaceutical industry for state chapter meetings and other initiatives seem to change constantly. This presents a challenge for chapters seeking grants. However, opportunities still exist for those that are organized, informed, patient, and efficient.

Valerie Okrund, MA, CCMEP, AMDA’s Director of Education, suggests the following:

• Follow the online application process for the CME offices maintained by most large pharmaceutical firms. “Most have a detailed CME-grant process, and there is a link to this on the company Web sites,” she says. Key words to look for on the site to locate the pertinent page include “education grant,” “therapeutic areas,” and “grant opportunities.” Try to locate contact information by searching for “grant office,”  “education office,” or “grant contacts.”
• Do your homework. “Take a look at therapeutic areas of potential funders and educate yourself about these. Then consider how you can implement these areas into your meetings and how education on these topics will benefit your members,” she notes.
• Follow the specific company’s application process closely. “Be prepared to submit detailed needs assessment data—why you are planning education on this topic, how this education will benefit the audience, and so on,” she explains. “Some funders will want to know about outcome measures from education, that is, the impact of your educational initiative. Currently, ‘measuring change and physician behavior’ are huge buzzwords,” she suggests.
• Plan initiatives, versus ad hoc projects. “Consider pitching a meeting with follow-up activity based on the meeting’s output,” she says. This follow-up might include a monograph or tool that extends the shelf-life of the educational information. “Be prepared to submit a detailed budget,” she adds.
• Don’t try to negotiate or bend the rules to your needs or interests. “Grant offices must adhere to all regulatory guidelines. They—and you—have to be in compliance with these,” she says.
• Do educate yourself about these regulatory guidelines. See www.accme.org or ama-assn.org (under professional resources for PRA credit rules).
• Think outside the box. “When you’re pitching an idea for a grant proposal, think of your audience beyond geriatrics or long term care. Remember that most of your members also are primary care physicians with community practices. This broader scope will be of greater appeal to potential funders,” she suggests.
• Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your application. It can take an average of between 45 and 90 days to get an application approved. “Don’t miss deadlines, but don’t submit an incomplete application.”
• Consider creating an online grant database to track the processes, requirements, key therapeutic areas, and deadlines for each company. Chapters also can use this to track communications with different companies. Include key phone numbers, letters of agreement, and contact information.

  Regs Say…

   

  To help understand the rules with which pharmaceutical companies must comply, consider these guidelines form the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA):

   

  • Speaker fees must be “reasonable.” Travel and accommodation can be provided.
  • Venues should be “conducive to the scientific or educational objectives and the purposes of the event or meeting.” These shouldn’t be “extravagant.”
  • Refreshments or meals must be incidental to the event’s main purpose. They should be “moderate and reasonable as judged by local standards.”
  • Companies are not allowed to pay for stand-alone entertainment or “other leisure or social activities.”  

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Dan Haimowitz, MD, CMD, has worked on several resolutions that have passed the AMDA House of Delegates; and he knows the best way to make sure that resolutions don’t get lost in the shuffle or dismissed. He offers some tips from his extensive experience for other state chapter leaders:
• Start with an issue that you are passionate about and that is of national—not just regional—import or concern.
• Don’t assume someone else will address or has addressed the issue. (See http://www.amda.com/governance/papers.cfm for a list of resolutions that have passed the House through March 2008.)
• Always be thinking about issues that could/should be addressed in a resolution. Ask about potential issues at state chapter meetings.
• Seek input on your ideas and your drafted resolutions from leaders and experts outside of your chapter.

Dr. Haimowitz also suggested some “don’ts” that could kill a resolution before it gets started:
• The resolution addresses an issue that is not of national interest.
• The fiscal impact of the resolution makes it unfeasible.
• The resolution itself is not actionable (for example, it requires the support of a broad array of organizations or it presents an unpopular issue or point that is not supported at the state or national level).
• The resolution is too wordy and/or the action unclear. “The ‘whereas’ section paints the picture and sets the tone, but it virtually disappears after the resolution is passed; so you really have to make sure that the action—‘be it resolved’—provide a clear action,” Dr. Haimowitz said.

Dr. Haimowitz urged state chapter leaders to reach out to him or others who have worked on successful resolutions. These individuals can help chapters develop resolutions that have the best chance of passing the House of Delegates and becoming part of AMDA policy.

Do you have any questions for Dan?

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“If you have evolving changes in your area that you think need national attention, this may be the place,” Leonard Hock, DO, FACOI, CMD,said of resolutions to be submitted to the AMDA House of Delegates. Dr. Hock, AMDA House of Delegates Chair, discussed the how-tos of creating and submitting a successful resolution during a recent conference call with state chapter leaders.  

There are several keys to resolution success, said Dr. Hock. These include effective formatting, without which, he stressed, a resolution cannot move forward. “Resolutions begin with background information and conclude with a specific proposal,” he noted. Background information follows the term whereas, while the proposed course of action is set forth by the term “therefore, be it resolved….” The background information provides the rationale for the course of action; the “whereas” statement should lead readers to the conclusion.

 In writing the “whereas” statements, Dr. Hock advised, begin with an introduction to the resolution’s topic. “Be factual rather than speculative. For the ‘resolved’ portion of the document, keep it short and to the point. Limit it to 2-3 statements and 2-3 lines in length. Bear in mind that it is only the resolved portion of the resolution on which action is taken, so it must be capable of standing alone,” he said.

 Dr. Hock stressed that AMDA leadership and staff will work with state chapters to make sure that resolutions are well crafted before they go to the House of Delegates. When it comes time to submit the resolution, it is essential to follow the instructions detailed on AMDA’s Web site at http://www.amda.com/governance/papers.cfm. “The rules for submission are strictly applied,” Dr. Hock emphasized.

 Dr. Hock urged state chapter officers to take the lead on developing and submitting resolutions from their states. AMDA President Charles Crecelius, MD, CMD, added, “We get excellent ideas, actions form the state chapters and it is very important for them to present their ideas, problems, concerns, issues in form of a possible resolution.”

What issue(s) are you facing that might warrant a resolution in 2009?

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It’s Friday afternoon. You’re ready to leave your office when your assistant says a reporter from a national magazine is on the phone for you. What do you do?

If you ask your assistant to tell the reporter you’ve already left for the day and to take a message (that you know you won’t return), you’re making a mistake. As intimidating, upsetting, or inconvenient an interview may be, it also can do much to promote your facility and your profession in a positive way.

There are tips for handling press inquiries that are win-win for both you and the reporter. Follow these and you can take that next call with confidence:

• Find out specifically what the reporter wants. What is the subject of the article or segment? Who else is being interviewed? What is the purpose of the article or segment?
• Don’t agree to an impromptu interview. Find out the reporter’s deadline and agree on a time for her or her to call back. Even if the deadline is in an hour, ask for 10 minutes to pull your thoughts together. If possible, have the reporter send you questions in advance.
• Don’t agree to talk about topics you feel ill equipped to address. If possible, refer the reporter to a colleague or other individual who has expertise on the topic. Decline such interviews politely, and tell the reporter what topics you would be willing to discuss.
• Prepare notes (including talking points—see below) for the conversation.
• If you work for a facility with a community/media relations staff member, have this individual present during the interview.
• If the interview involves your chapter, discuss it with your executive director or board prior to the conversation. If possible, have another chapter leader present during the interview.
• Most publications will not let you review the article before it goes to press. If you are concerned that a reporter has misunderstood something you’ve said, ask him or her to repeat it back to you.
• If you have real concerns that a reporter is determined to produce a negative story or that he or she misunderstands what you are saying, it is okay to terminate the interview and request that your comments not be used. Do this firmly but politely.

Boost Confidence with Talking Points

AMDA has produced talking points on a variety of popular and important topics that you can use during your conversations with reporters. These talking points offer facts and figures, consensus opinions, and key details about issues such as assisted living, the role of the medical director, end-of-life issues, consumer health education, and other issues.

Prior to an interview, read through the talking points and determine which you want to emphasize. Keep them handy during the conversation and refer to them when necessary.

The preceding article is a sample of talking points on hospice care. You can use it as a guide for developing talking point on any topic.

Do you have any suggestions for working with the media? What has your own experience been with interviewing?

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