And Just Like That...

Twenty years have gone by. Like many accidental entrepreneurs, it started on a rough note in 2003 after the boutique PR agency where I worked for 12 years was gobbled up by an international marketing firm. Let’s just say I wasn’t around for long after. What was a devastating event at the time led to an amazing 20-year journey of working with talented people to develop communications strategies that navigate crisis situations, elevate brands and position thought leaders.

Forever grateful

When other agencies scaled back during the pandemic, CS-Effect continued to grow. Over the last two years alone, we have experienced 60 percent growth and our client retention continues at an average of six years. Our client partnerships are what drive us and make us successful. We gain as much from them as they do from us.

We have reached many milestones over the past 20 years including partnering with new organizations; rebranding to CS-Effect; becoming certified as a women-owned business. A few of our fondest memories include:

• Driving around in a Volkswagen Beetle with a “Beetle Buster” logo decal on the side! We created the “Beetle Buster” campaign to educate Chicagoans about the dangers of the Asian Longhorned Beetle! 

• Promoting Tuscany in Chicago via high profile events, including a fashion show with body painted models wearing jewels from Tuscany (I guarantee we couldn’t pull this off in 2023!)

• Launching the rebrand of the Oak Park/River Forest Food Pantry to Beyond Hunger, receiving widespread media coverage knowing that we are positively impacting lives.

• Filming Queer Eye for the Straight Guy with our client Mooseheart!

• Sharing my accidental entrepreneur adventure in front of 50 Girl Scouts at the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Camp CEO. 

• Securing Still Alice author Lisa Genova as a keynote speaker for NorthShore University HealthSystem’s Center for Brain Health’s launch event.

• Receiving a Golden Trumpet Award from the Publicity Club of Chicago (PCC) for our work on the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s Back to Work Safely initiative during the height of the pandemic. The initiative  resulted in the Backtoworksafely.org guidance documents being downloaded more than 1.5 million times, featured in over 60 stories in national and international media outlets, including the WSJ, USA Today, and even referenced by the CDC, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and governors’ offices throughout the country.

• Rebranding Communication Strategies Group to CS-Effect.

• Giving the toast about how far we’ve come at our 10th anniversary!

 A Team Effort

Early on I knew I didn’t want to go it alone. I needed colleagues that complement my skill set to brainstorm with. We have had an incredible team over the years of people who have been with us for years, as well as those who have taken time off to have children, etc. I want to thank all of them, including Katie, Karen, Kiera, Jennifer, Maggie and all of our former employees and interns. A special thanks to Lynda Carlisle who joined the team nearly 18 years ago, after leaving the American Cancer Society. She was looking for an agency with flexibility, and she’s been an incredible partner ever since. She was here when I left the country to adopt my now 13-year-old daughter. What I thought would be a 2-3 week leave ended up taking 4 months – living in Nepal while working through a lot of red tape to bring my daughter home. The business wouldn’t have survived without the greater team and such supportive client partners.

Many of us are parents who understand the need to be flexible; children get sick and doctors aren’t scheduling visits after working hours. We’ve grown together and supported each other through child rearing, caring for elderly parents, divorces, family deaths, teenage years and more. We’ve celebrated our personal triumphs, marriages (including introducing a couple to each other who are now celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary) and dreams. I believe, now more than ever, in a flexible workplace allowing people to accomplish what they need to professionally and personally.

Looking Ahead

Clients are more sophisticated and understand that communications is an integral component of a comprehensive business growth plan. Data analytics help us more effectively inform our strategies that are ROI driven with quantifiable results.

Like many industries, communications has and will continue to face major disruptions with the advent of new technologies. How we communicate continues to evolve. It wasn’t long ago that our clients were focused on securing media coverage. Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter have forever changed how we communicate.  As the world of artificial intelligence quickly develops and weaves its way into communications, we are ready to evolve with this latest technology.

No matter how advanced technology becomes, there will always be a need for us to craft and share our own stories in the most authentic way. I am looking forward to continuing to build our talented team and diversify our client base, mentor young people in the industry, get more involved in our professional societies, and take CS-Effect to the next level (and planning a few vacations in between).

We can’t wait to see what the next 20 years will look like!

Looking for a Few Good Mentors for Chicago-based Project OneTen

We are thrilled to partner with Project OneTen, a Chicago-based organization dedicated to strengthening the academic foundation for boys of color during their transition from 8th grade to high school. Our team will work with Project OneTen to elevate awareness of the program and help recruit mentors.

According to Dirrick Butler, founder and executive director of Project OneTen, “For boys of color in Chicago, the transition from eighth grade to high school often carries additional pressures and stressors that impact their ability to build a solid foundation for academic success.”

Project OneTen’s investment in communications will be matched dollar for dollar with our pro bono time, with a focus on recruiting mentors who play crucial roles in the lives of the students. Our team will also be working closely on thought leadership activities.

“We fully support Project OneTen’s vision to create a community where boys of color have the power to drive positive change and thrive academically and personally,” said CS-Effect CEO Candice Warltier.

Project OneTen’s Freshman Success Program is a year-long cohort-based program held during the participant’s first year of high school. This selective program provides each student with a dedicated mentor, an academic coach, a supportive cohort of peers, a community of volunteers and partners from across the city all actively rooting for their success.

Goodbye, 2022, Hello New Year!

Evolving our partnership with ACOFP

We are excited to be partnering again with The American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) and helping them to increase and grow their memberships, build on engagement strategies, and reaching new audiences. ACOFP is a professional medical association that represents more than 20,000 practicing osteopathic family physicians, residents, and students throughout the United States. ACOFP supports its members by providing resources such as education, networking, and advocacy. Now until the end of the year, we will be working diligently with ACOFP to drive exceptional results with our communications plan.

We are beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such an amazing organization that caters to providing high quality care, improving patient outcomes, and reducing health disparities. We thank you for entrusting us to further develop ACOFP.

New Intern Alert: Welcome, Areonna!

CS-Effect is delighted to welcome Areonna Dowdy as our new intern for our Fall 2022 internship program. Areonna is a 2nd year graduate student at DePaul University and will be receiving her masters in sports journalism. Areonna will be responsible for drafting communications materials, assisting with administrative activities, and providing support with client, business, and firm management projects.

Areonna graduated with her bachelors from Marquette University in 2019 and decided to continue pursuing a career in journalism. Areonna has written stories for Urban Milwaukee and Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. In 2020, she started her own sports blog called The Ari Assist where she highlights women in sports, conduct interviews with athletes, and talk about pressing issues beyond sports. This year, Areonna had the opportunity to cover the WNBA All-Star weekend in her very own city, Chicago.

Areonna is the secretary on the board of DePaul University Association of Black Journalists. This is her second-year being on the board after serving as the treasurer during her first year.

We welcome Areonna, with her deep passion for journalism and can’t wait to see the wonderful work she produces.

Advice from an Accidental Entrepreneur

As an accidental entrepreneur, I was not seeking to start my own company but after being laid off when an agency I worked for was gobbled up by an international company, a client asked me to continue to help them manage their public relations. It was an AHA moment and I decided to give it a try. Since then, a lot has changed. Our team has grown and we are celebrating our 18th anniversary of CS-Effect, a strategic communications agency.

I’ve learned a lot along the way but here are a few pieces of advice.

Don’t Go it Alone

Find talented, trustworthy people who complement you to join your team! The most successful entrepreneurial leaders understand they don’t have to be the best at everything. They just have to identify and appreciate the differences people bring to the table and know how to put them to use. It’s especially important to listen to different opinions and respect your team members who push back. A diverse group of opinions leads to better outcomes.

Navigate the Ebbs and Flows

It won’t always be easy but being flexible and understanding that there will be ebbs and flows along the way will benefit you in the long run. My philosophy has always been to do whatever I could to retain talent even when times were rough.  That means budgeting correctly and proactively looking for new opportunities even during the Flows.

Build a diverse portfolio

Diversify. Diversify. Diversify. You hear it from your portfolio manager for a reason. By diversifying your client base you can reduce the risk of significant loss. Many companies that had a large percentage of healthcare companies as clients didn’t fair well as a result of COVID.  However, those that maintained a diverse portfolio of clients representing many industries, non profits as well as govt contracts were able to sustain their revenue and in some cases grow.

Realigning Strategies to Better Serve Members in the Pandemic

This article first appeared in the Forum Magazine on October 27, 2020.

COVID-19 thrust a professional association’s members into the national spotlight.

By Candice Warltier

After COVID-19 hit, it was clear that 2020 was not going to be the same for associations. In fact, according to a study conducted by CS-Effect and Researchscape, 66% of association executives indicated they converted their live event to a virtual meeting this year, with another 12% canceling altogether. Many quickly learned the challenges of developing virtual programming and focused on engaging members through webinars (84%) and more frequent e-communications (75%), according to the survey.

66% of association executives indicated they converted their live event to a virtual meeting this year, with another 12% canceling altogether.

While associations continue to struggle with engaging members in new ways, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) has turned the challenges of COVID-19 into an opportunity to connect and develop a renewed sense of energy for its 8,500 members. It hired CS-Effect to help shift focus from programming to supporting the profession and demonstrating value. In many ways, AIHA leveraged COVID-19 to become more introspective and realigned its strategies to serve its members in ways never possible before the pandemic.

AIHA is an association for scientists and professionals committed to preserving and ensuring occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) in the workplace and community. Founded in 1939, the association supports members with expertise, networks, comprehensive education programs and other products and services that help them maintain the highest professional standards. AIHA serves as a resource for people employed across the public and private sectors, as well as for the communities in which they work.

AIHA members were among the first professionals to see the impact of COVID-19 when the pandemic infiltrated companies. Many members were forced to develop risk mitigation plans to keep employees safe from COVID-19 while continuing to work.

As Richard Fulwiler, Sc.D, CIH, FAIHA, instructor at Harvard School of Public Health explains, “We need to leverage this opportunity. Most people have never heard of PPE [personal protective equipment] until now, and OHES [occupational health and environmental services] professionals are the experts in understanding the proper use of PPE.”

Dr. Fulwiler was not the only member to express interest in leveraging this unique opportunity. AIHA received calls from members — who were spread out across the nation and represented all industries — indicating their frustration with the national news miscommunicating the proper use of PPE. As a result, AIHA launched a national campaign to educate the public about a variety of issues. That included proper use of PPE, guidance on cleaning and disinfection, engineering controls to improve indoor air quality, reopening protocols for buildings closed due to the shutdown and more.

AIHA proactively reached out to journalists, encouraging them to speak with AIHA members. A group of members volunteered to serve as spokespeople representing specific industries and various expertise. These experts shared their experiences and knowledge at a time when previous exposure to mass media was limited at best. AIHA recognized this opportunity to share with the world what they realized all along: Workplace health and safety are a systemic force toward economic security. Safe and healthy workplaces maximize output and minimize risk (and all that comes with it). 

According to AIHA CEO Lawrence Sloan, “COVID-19 has put a spotlight on our profession and positioned many of our members front and center as experts in occupational health in their workplaces and in the forefront of the country’s public eye.”

As a result, AIHA secured national news stories in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and more. However, positioning AIHA members as experts in PPE was only the beginning. AIHA was interested in developing industry-specific guidelines on how companies could reopen their businesses safely. Members generously dedicated hundreds of hours to develop valuable resources for employers seeking to reopen their buildings and protect their workers and customers from COVID-19. The Back to Work Safely Task Force consisting of 25 members, plus a COVID-19 ad hoc committee of approximately 30 volunteers, formed in April and were charged to work with already-established committees such as the Indoor Environmental Quality Committee and the Non-Ionizing Radiation Committee to develop guidance documents, infographics, white papers and fact sheets.

“COVID-19 has put a spotlight on our profession and positioned many of our members front and center as experts in occupational health in their workplaces and in the forefront of the country’s public eye.” — Lawrence Sloan, CEO, AIHA

One major initiative that these committees undertook was the Back to Work Safely project.

The committees worked together to develop guidelines (backtoworksafely.org), including recommendations on ventilation, personal hygiene, physical distancing and enhanced cleaning. The target industries, services and facilities include:

• Amateur sports

• At-home service providers

• Bars

• Business services

• Childcare providers

• Construction

• Dentistry

• General office settings

• Gyms and workout facilities

• Hair and nail salons

• Houses of worship

• Institutions of higher education

• K–12 schools

• Libraries

• Massage therapy

• Museums and collecting institutions

• Physical and occupational therapy

• Retail

• Restaurants

• Rideshares, taxis, limos and other passenger drivers-for-hire

• Small manufacturing and maintenance shops

• Small entertainment venues (e.g., mini golf and arcades)

• Small and medium sports facilities

• Small lodging establishments

• Street vendors and farmers markets

• Transit systems

• Warehousing/transportation

In addition to authoring guidelines, AIHA received requests for members to speak at virtual conferences on COVID-19-related topics, including Chain Store Age’s SPECS virtual conference. Here, AIHA secured a member volunteer, David Krause, Ph.D., MSPH, CIH, immediate past chairman of the AIHA Indoor Environmental Quality Committee, to share his expertise on best practices for retailers, including how specific changes to the operation and filtration of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems can reduce airborne exposure to COVID-19 and other viruses.

The global pandemic has proved to be a driving force in engaging members who had never volunteered. AIHA reflected on its priorities and recognized the need to make changes midcourse. Staff and volunteer leaders pushed their established strategies aside and instead elevated the needs of the profession. In doing so, this association demonstrated strong action and responsiveness to its members during an unprecedented time and undoubtedly increased the loyalty, affinity and engagement among its members.

While leading an organization during a pandemic raises new and difficult challenges, in the case of AIHA, it has also produced some of Sloan’s most rewarding experiences.

“I am so proud of our volunteers for their invaluable input and action to help make the world a healthier place during this uncertain time,” he says. Sloan believes the future is bright for AIHA members, which means a bright future for everyone’s health and safety as well.

Welcome, Nathan!

CS-Effect welcomes Nathan Branch, our new communications assistant. Nathan is a public relations student at Columbia College Chicago, graduating in the Spring of 2021.

Nathan possesses strong PR/Communications skills that will be valuable in our work with clients. "I am looking forward to continuing my personal and educational growth while strengthening my skills set and making new connections to build sustainable relationships,” he said.

He is passionate about global impact and sustainability initiatives and advocating for the environment and all of us who live here. We're excited to get to know and work with Nathan and have no doubts about his future success. 

Congrats, and welcome to the CS-Effect family!

IT’S TIME TO THRIVE

By Candice Warltier, Founding Partner, CS-Effect

(this article first appeared in the January 2021 issue of Association Forum magazine)

 Forget simply surviving the pandemic. See how one organization got stronger by growing its relationships with members and sponsors.

Corporate and association leaders will never forget when a global pandemic shut down businesses with great uncertainty about reopening. Many associations brought together leadership teams to contact host sites and vendors and renegotiate contracts, frequently canceling live events entirely. Others quickly adopted new technology to host virtual events or work with sponsors to identify creative solutions to reach and communicate with members.

Chicago Innovation was no stranger to 2020’s challenges: The association hosts—and relies on —events year-round for people to share ideas, find opportunities and build relationships with innovators in and around Chicago. And, to be sure, most associations in general rely on these sorts of meetings to generate revenue. The top two revenue streams for associations are membership dues (44%) and events (33%), according to a survey conducted by market research firm Researchscape and CS-Effect. Nearly three out of four associations named exhibiting at a conference as the primary sponsor benefit.

Given the pandemic’s effect on the organization’s business model, Chicago Innovation had no choice but to, well, innovate. Their business transitioned from solely hosting live events to producing virtual events while increasing event registrants, strengthening relationships with sponsors and even gaining new sponsors.

How It Unfolded

Early last year, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker made the announcement that all schools and large events were banned due to COVID-19. The Sport of Innovation, one of Chicago Innovation’s largest events with 600 attendees, was supposed to kick off just three days later. “We canceled the event, and everyone was understanding, including the site vendor and caterer who gave us a full refund,” says Luke Tanen, executive director, Chicago Innovation. “In early April, we didn’t know when things would return to normal, so we planned to reschedule and thought that by June we would be doing in-person events again.” In mid-April, the team realized COVID-19’s impact would be more serious, with live events canceled indefinitely.

Chicago Innovation leaders came together to quickly plan and schedule virtual events, identifying timely topics that would resonate with its audience and help them through this difficult time. Chicago Innovation had also originally planned to host the Chicago Student Invention Convention (CSIC) in April with more than 1,000 students and educators. Chicago Innovation leaders pivoted to an all-virtual event and secured more than 100 people as judges. Encyclopedia Britannica, a sponsor of the in-person event, had a program called LumieLabs that allowed for the substitution of traditional trifold display boards that students used to share their inventions.

When the entire CSIC program transitioned to a virtual event, videos became an essential component for students to communicate their inventions with judges. “The CSIC team has been a great partner, and we felt a kinetic synergy between our teams right from the start,” says Sal DeSpirito, senior vice president of marketing and business development, Britannica Group. “It was an absolute pleasure to partner together and help shape this competition to accommodate the current environment.” The partnership proved more than successful. Ultimately, Chicago Innovation had over 1,600 people watch the virtual CSIC — 600 more people than the traditional in-person event, Tanen says.

A New Value Proposition

Before the pandemic, Chicago Innovation had never hosted a virtual event. For the first virtual event, the Chicago Innovation team chose a timely topic: Innovation Is Survival. The event focused on how organizations need to embrace innovation more than ever — not just to compete, but to stay in business. Approximately 350 people registered, which was slightly more than projected for an in-person event.

Other topics included how to lead during a crisis as well as helping companies navigate the Paycheck Protection Program, which featured Ed Wehmer, founder of Wintrust Bank. “We chose topics for the virtual events that people needed to hear about right now,” Tanen says. “We are all writing this playbook together and learning together.” Another key virtual event element was ensuring a high degree of audience engagement and interactivity. Chicago Innovation created events where the audience could ask questions and interact, including incorporating polling so the panelists could react to the sentiments of the audience. All events were put together within three weeks and hosted via Zoom.

By hosting these virtual events, the association was able to offer two events per month rather than the typical one event a month. Tanen says that prior to the pandemic, Chicago Innovation would have never operated at this speed given that in-person events take a lot more time to secure a host site, caterer, vendors and speakers.

 The Sponsor Pitch

Chicago Innovation’s success is highly dependent upon its relationship with sponsors, so leaders were quick to communicate to all sponsors and reassure them that Chicago Innovation was continuing forward, just changing the method. There were three keys to success in maintaining and increasing sponsorships during this time, Tanen says.

First, the organization’s mission and programs remained the same. Second, Chicago Innovation leaders reassured sponsors that events would continue to attract large crowds and that sponsors would have the opportunity to showcase services and products to the Chicago Innovation community. Virtual events also provided a platform to reach an even larger audience.

“We can reach more people because it’s easier to get people who are in the suburbs and in other cities to tune in,” Tanen says. “When we return to normal, we will offer both in-person and virtual events.”

Lastly, and the biggest challenge, was creating an environment for networking, which is a top priority to Chicago Innovation members. “It’s not the same as an in-person cocktail reception, but we now host networking sessions via virtual break rooms, and we share the guest list and LinkedIn profiles before and after the events,” Tanen says. “It’s worked. We’ve had nine sponsorship conversations and all have returned. The value proposition is still high, and they know we will do everything we can to meet their needs.”

Another key takeaway is that the success of a sponsored partnership is highly dependent upon the relationship. “A lot comes down to the relationship we had going into this,” Tanen says. “We have always focused on relationship building with sponsors and partners. Not just meeting them once a year, but always checking in with them and seeing what we can do to help. This enabled us to become partners with them. That foundation was already there.”

Wintrust Bank has been a sponsor of Chicago Innovation since 2013 and is part of a larger element of branding that focuses on small business and economic development. Wintrust saw the impact of the virtual events and approached Chicago Innovation to be its technology partner. Despite the pandemic, the financial institution decided to increase its investment with Chicago Innovation by 25%. “We support organizations that help people start new business, especially during challenging times,” says Matthew Doubleday, chief marketing officer, Wintrust. “Chicago Innovation was one of the first to pivot to virtual events and do it well, keeping the audience engaged.”

“It is a clever example of how a typical relationship with a sponsor can be transformed,” Tanen says. “If there is a lesson to be learned, it is to understand that sponsors have new needs that are totally different than in the past, and you may be able to add value in new ways that you didn’t before.” In addition to strengthening relationships with existing sponsors, Chicago Innovation secured new sponsors during the pandemic, including Walgreens — now one of the organization’s largest sponsors — and Molex, a manufacturer of electronic, electrical and fiber optic connectivity systems.

The 2021 Push

As association executives look to the future, 49% indicate they feel neutral, according to the Researchscape and CS-Effect survey. “One of the biggest barriers to innovation is uncertainty about the future,” Tanen says. “For my team, we realized the rules have radically changed overnight, and we have to now operate in this new set of norms. The quicker we accepted it, our innovation took off.” With the future unknown, it’s best to begin strategizing with your sponsors and plan for both in-person and virtual events. “This year, whether virtual or in person, we will be ready for all of it,” Tanen says.

My time at CS-Effect

I knew that my time with CS-Effect would offer many learning opportunities: not only was I starting a new internship in a small-but-mighty communications agency, I was starting the experience entirely remotely in June 2020. I could never have anticipated the amount I learned about public relations and communications in such a tumultuous year.

From virtual event planning to media relations work, I collaborated with the team at CS-Effect to deliver results for clients in major ways. Under the guidance of Candice and Lynda, I enjoyed many opportunities to develop content and messaging for clients in a variety of industries as we all tried to navigate a new, strange “normal.” The changes in all of our lives required strategic, thoughtful planning and sometimes some quick pivoting for our clients. Being actively involved in implementing such changes was truly amazing.

As I transition to my new position at a healthcare technology company, I feel empowered by the real-life skills and insights gleaned from this internship. My time at CS-Effect will never be forgotten—both in knowledge gained and circumstances navigated. I’m so grateful for this internship experience!

"Impact of COVID-19 on Association Revenues” Focus Group Insights

View fullsize

CS-Effect hosted a focus group with six association leaders to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on their association events and sponsorships and to share critical learnings as a result. Here are a few of the insights gained.

• Virtual meetings may entice those members who did not attend conferences in the past to now participate. “We never had a virtual meeting before; we will never not have a virtual meeting in the future.”

• A virtual platform and a non-person experience does not get the lead generation sponsors are looking for, so there is a need to find other ways to meet sponsor needs.

• Rethink sponsorship packages. Some participants included sponsorship commercials between sessions. A few gave their sponsors the option to cancel their sponsorship or roll the dollars into the next year. One association decided to return all money to sponsors and participants.

• Consider maintaining sponsorship levels but pivot on the benefits and what is offered to sponsors, including recorded videos that were then presented to all attendees.

• Create new programs to replace the in-person event including a virtual career fair that people could peruse to search for employment opportunities.

• Many are looking at how to move away from transactional sponsorships to annual sponsorships. They are interested in learning more about sponsored content and other ways to build value for sponsors.

• A full day event with presentations is too much; It is much better to have a half day meeting and make the content available afterwards.

• Don’t always put the top leadership as the first speaker if they are not engaging.

• Association budgets should be re-forecasted for revenues based on virtual meeting realities and expenses based on hybrid virtual/in-person costs. Expenses will exceed revenues; need new non-dues revenues to fill money gap.

• Need to identify new ways for sponsors to engage with members and secure the leads that they did during in-person events.

• Authentic relationships must be cultivated at the highest leadership levels.

• The annual meeting is no longer a driver of revenue due to virtual meeting pricing; work with sponsors to create a new, sustainable reason to engage with big ROI.

Put to the Test

Having a blast at our holiday party - a cooking demo with Chef Carrie, author of The Ashville Bee Charmer cookbook (and previous client). Honestly - there was cooking involved!

EDITOR’S NOTE: As the Founding Partner at CS-Effect, Candice has fearlessly led our team since 2003. She is modest in her self-acknowledgement, so we wanted to ensure that she knew how much the team appreciates her support, encouragement and genuine interest in us as individuals.

By Candice Warltier

If there ever was a year when leadership skills were put to the test it’s 2020. 

Effective leadership is creating a culture in which colleagues thrive, enjoy their work, feel confident to share their concerns and contribute to the growth of the company. It is important to me to create a culture that’s open, inclusive, and flexible so each employee grows professionally, which directly impacts our clients and their successes. Ironically, though this has defined the CS-Effect culture for the last 18 years, many larger companies are just now adapting to these cultural values due to COVID. I’m not saying we knew it all along, but…we as leaders have all been challenged this year, even if we had it ‘right’ from the start.

When the pandemic hit, maintaining our culture and optimism about the future didn’t seem as easy given the stress of COVID-19, its impact on clients and added stresses of our personal lives (realizing why we choose communications rather than teaching grade schoolers became apparent very quickly.)  To pile it on, I personally had these worries and concerns that I didn’t necessarily want to bring to work, but it eventually was unavoidable. Having fun and sustaining culture can be a lot of work. But I can assure you, it’s worth all the effort.

Together my team is the heart of the company. They keep it beating. As a leader it is very important to me personally and professionally to keep them happy and motivated at work.

The need for a flexible schedule is by far one of the most important benefits. Most of us have young children and even in a normal year it is a challenge finding the time to take our kids to lacrosse or drama. With the kids and dogs working alongside of us it seemed insurmountable.

 Since we haven’t seen each other in the office since March, and Zoom calls only go so far, I wanted to find ways to keep my team engaged, improve our collaboration and have fun! Here are a few ways we accomplished that:

Virtual Field Trip

In early April, I surprised our team during our regular morning meeting with a virtual visit to the Full Circle Farm Sanctuary. We had a personal tour virtually and met the cutest – and luckiest – farm animals. The money went to supporting the animals at the sanctuary.

Care Packages

I remember feeling so happy when my mom sent packages to me when I was at summer camp. To put a smile on my colleagues’ faces, I sent care packages filled with goodies to make the stress of the pandemic easier – a wine glass, mask, COVID-19 face mask, spa facial mask, chocolate and silly putty! For Thanksgiving, I sent them hand painted, decorative shells to thank them for their commitment.

Virtual holiday party

We ended the year by celebrating together over a virtual cooking class. We teamed up with a former client, Chef Carrie, who sent us the menu in advance so we were prepared with all the ingredients. We made a donation to Urban Collective Growers on behalf of Chef Carrie.

 As I look to what’s ahead, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. It might be small, but it’s there. I can’t wait for a vaccine and hope we can soon be back in an office, meeting clients in person and traveling for business events.

The one thing I’ve learned is that if we can make it through this pandemic together, as one cohesive team, then we can handle any type of situation in the future, Our trust and faith in each other has grown, and we’ve come to appreciate each other’s unique skills and talents (as well as some of the opportunities for growth) that are often magnified during challenging times. And equally as important, no matter what is in store for us, I am committed to ensuring each of my staff feels important. Because they are.

Creativity, swift action and passion for a profession catapult one association into the spotlight

We pride ourselves on our team’s talent to pitch a newsworthy story and engage with reporters and producers that eventually lands our clients in the headlines.  But behind our success in a recent campaign was an association membership’s passion for their profession.

AIHA’s members are scientists and professionals who specialize in occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS), so when the pandemic hit they witnessed firsthand the impact of COVID-19 on companies across the globe. While COVID-19 left many organizations stuck in uncertainty about the future, we recognized the global crisis as an opportunity to share vital information and position AIHA members as experts on PPE, back to work guidelines and more.

AIHA members were frustrated with the national news miscommunicating the proper use of personal protective equipment and lack of information for consumers. CS-Effect and AIHA partnered to bolster AIHA members’ expertise when the world needed it most.

We developed and launched a national campaign to educate consumers and business owners about the proper use of PPE, Back to Work Safely guidelines, guidance on cleaning and disinfection, and engineering controls to improve indoor air quality. We reached out to national news organizations and secured coverage in CNBC, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, AARP, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The traffic to aiha.org increased and thousands of downloads of the Back To Work Safely guidelines.  

Key Learnings

We learn right alongside our clients. Each project gives us a few points of growth to bring with us on our next endeavor. In this case, we learned: 

·      Passion for a profession is the ultimate motivator

·      One way to increased loyalty and engagement: listen to concerns, reflect thoughtfully, and take swift action

·      Reaching a producer or editor during a pandemic is a lot easier when you have something they want!

Face-to-Face in the Digital Space: A Case Study

CS-Effect’s Lynda Baldwin interviews artists from the American Craft Exposition in their studios and galleries across the country.

Conducting business during a pandemic has impacted each of our clients in different ways. For the American Craft Exposition (ACE) benefitting NorthShore University HealthSystem, whose revenue and sponsorship base depends on an annual, in-person art exposition, we had to reimagine the concept of the event with the goal of maintaining ACE relationships with its attendees, sponsors and artists many whom have been involved with the exposition for years. Additionally, ACE has raised a cumulative $1.13 million for NorthShore University HealthSystem for mental health services.

When the pandemic hit, ACE board members made the necessary decision to cancel the live event scheduled for October 2020. We quickly pivoted our marketing and communications strategy to keep the public interested in ACE and strengthen its relationships with artists and sponsors.

Our solution: a live-streamed interview series. 

The series “ACE Artists: Face to Face”, featured four live interviews via Zoom with artists who exhibited at previous ACE events. ACE attendees were invited to grab their favorite beverage and sit down to meet the artists in a virtual setting, getting to know them on a more personal level as the artists discussed their work, creative processes and inspirations. CS-Effect’s Lynda Baldwin hosted the program, and the CS-Effect team designed the structure and produced each of the interviews. With each experience, ACE supporters interacted with their favorite artists, asking questions and getting behind-the-scenes tours of their studios and galleries – something new for them, despite the pandemic.

Ultimately, “Face-to-Face” brought people together into an online community of art appreciation, along with additional benefits. Event registration filled quickly, with more than 90% of attendees staying online until the very end of each interview. The ACE social media channels saw a major increase in engagement, and the tagged artists also reaped benefits through an increase in traffic on their digital platforms. The new ACE YouTube channel increased audience engagement after experiencing a long hiatus from new content, and the new content was added to the ACE website to encourage returning visitors.

No matter the space in which we are nurturing the arts next year, we are excited to continue to connect ACE artists and art enthusiasts, and we were happy to play a role in driving that continuity.

Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on Association Revenues

CS-Effect partners with many associations on membership communication and engagement, and relationships with corporate sponsors. Over the past 6 months, we have witnessed the impact of COVID-19 on association revenues, and wanted to better understand how sponsorship funding has been affected by the pandemic.

We partnered with Researchscape, a market research firm, to conduct a national survey of associations entitled the “Impact of COVID-19 on Association Revenues.”

We discovered that in a world of uncertainty and unpredictability, corporate leaders and executives have had to make a number of accommodations to adapt to this ‘new normal.’

Survey results revealed that nearly 80% of associations were conducting ‘business as usual, only remotely.’ Additionally, while nearly 60% expected their annual sponsorships to remain unchanged in 2021, more than half of survey participants indicated that it is too early to tell just how their 2020 sponsorships will be affected. In other words, executives are assuming their roster of sponsors will continue to support them through 2021, but of course, nothing is certain.

Interestingly, associations’ top two revenue streams are membership dues (44%) and events (33%). Nearly three out of four associations named exhibiting at a conference as the primary sponsor benefit. With the ensuing challenges of declining member engagement, the added element of cancelled annual conferences requires new revenue strategies to address the quick shift to a more diverse revenue stream.

Leaders are saying ‘we don’t know what the future holds, but at the same time, we expect our sponsors will still be there next year.’ While there is a level of uncertainty about the future of conferences and sponsorships, this is not the time to pause activity, nor to get comfortable. Association leaders must use this time to grow creative solutions to increase revenue, especially through corporate partnerships.

Read the full details on the survey and access an infographic you can share on social media.

CS-Effect Welcomes New Communications Expert-In-Training

CS-Effect welcomes Maggie Wenzel as the new Communications Expert-In-Training. Maggie graduated from DePaul University earlier this June, where she majored in Public Relations and Advertising and Music Performance. While in school, she was a member of DePaul PRSSA and a cellist in the Symphony Orchestra. Before her start at CS-Effect, Maggie worked as a PR and Marketing intern at Academic Approach and Universal Wellness Source. Passionate about creating and sustaining brand relevancy for healthcare companies and nonprofits, Maggie will work with the CS-Effect team to support digital and media outreach and social media initiatives for CS-Effect clients. This includes developing media materials including news releases, fact sheets and social media messages and securing media coverage for clients.

“I am looking forward to the many opportunities I will gain in working at an agency like CS-Effect. Strategizing alongside such experienced PR professionals will provide the experience I need for my future career.”

Moving Forward!

As we bid adieu to our Communications Intern Allison Harris, we asked her to share a few parting thoughts with us…

“I have had the pleasure of interning at CS-Effect for the past seven months. As a rising senior, I started at CS-Effect eager to expand on my public relations knowledge and become prepared for my future career in the field. Looking back on this experience, I can say I did just that!

I realized on my first day how beneficial this experience would be when I was immediately involved in a media training session with a client. Being so client-facing was something I had not had the chance to experience in previous internships and I am grateful I was able to have that opportunity before I graduated. Under Candice and Lynda’s leadership, I have also become more confident in media relations and writing social media copy and communications materials.

I graduated this month from DePaul University and am leaving CS-Effect to begin my career in public relations! I will soon be starting my new role as an assistant account coordinator at an agency, here in Chicago.

I am so grateful for my internship at CS-Effect and the invaluable experiences I gained from it. Thanks for everything!” ~ Allison Harris

5 Points in Communicating through the COVID-19 Journey

In a time with increasing anxiety and fear, companies are scrambling to adjust to the cautionary recommendations to keep their employees and members safe, while balancing the requirements to keep their business running. People’s opinions of proper protocols, responses and prevention vary, as the issue heats up.

The coronavirus has added stress – at a minimum – to the lives of us as communicators. There are a few key points to keep in mind as we communicate through this experience to prevent an issue from turning into a crisis.

1. Transparent and proactive communications ease anxiety.

Whatever the news, it’s better that it starts with you, rather than lands on your desk (or in your Inbox) to now mitigate damage control. Communicate the facts, even if you don’t have everything yet – share what you do know, acknowledge what is still developing. Anticipate initial questions that your audience may have, and build that into your messaging. The point is, even if you don’t have all the answers right now, that’s ok. Knowing that you’re working on it, and recognizing your audiences’ concerns, will help during the transition.  

2. Co-present your decision.

Odds are, you did not make the decision to cancel your event/restrict unnecessary travel/mandate closings on your own. This decision was likely made under the consultation of Board members, executive leadership, and the like. Therefore, when announcing said decision, do so with your fellow decision makers. Confident leadership from the top will help assure your members and employees.

3. Set your message – and stick to it, confidently. 

The last thing people need during times of uncertainty is a wishy-washy leader. Make your decision, and communicate that one message far and wide. And, keep saying it. Just because you sent one email out does not mean your message was received. Send another email next week, with an update. Let your audience know you are in this for the long haul, and have their best interests in mind.

4. Meet them where they are.

What is the best way to reach your audience with this important information? For some, email may reach only a segment of your audience, once it gets through firewalls or Spam filters. Consider the most effective means of reaching your audience, including the demographics of each of your audiences. Leave no channel unturned. Share on your social channels, your intranet, your e-newsletter, your website, and on your lunchroom refrigerator.

5. Engage ambassadors. 

Invite those around you – other leaders, colleagues, members – to spread the word by sharing your message. Engage influencers, and create easy ways to share your messages. Maybe it’s a social graphic that outlines your key messages, or a video that can be shared easily on mobile devices. The easier it is to share your messages, the more likely accurate information will be communicated. Be direct with your request – “Please share this with your network” or “Share this post to make sure we are reaching everyone” – as a crystal clear call to action.

BONUS ROUND: Establish a point of contact.

Does that “info@” email actually go to someone? Is your company or association Twitter handle or Facebook page being monitored closely to respond quickly to concerns and comments, or offer support? Establish a protocol for addressing audience responses and questions, and discuss how the communications and responsibilities will flow. Just as the transparent and timely communications is important, your response to inquiries and concerns is equally as important in managing an issue from becoming a crisis.

CS-Effect Launches Corporate Sponsorship and Industry Engagement Service

CS-Effect launched a new service “Corporate Sponsorship and Industry Engagement” designed to assist associations with identifying and implementing new approaches to increase revenue, engagement and ROI. 

Last year, membership dues accounted for only 30 percent of revenue for professional associations, according to the American Society of Association Executives.  Declining memberships due to retiring members and millennial members seeking opportunities elsewhere has caused associations to seek other revenue streams. 

To address this issue, CS-Effect has developed a 3 phase approach to corporate sponsorship and industry engagement that includes an Industry Audit to determine the association assets; the development of the detailed corporate sponsorship and industry engagement plan and implementing the recommendations. 

Learn more about the service here.

CS-Effect Announces Practice Leader of Corporate and Industry Engagement

We are proud to announce that Bryn Reese has joined CS-Effect as Practice Leader of Corporate Sponsorship and Industry Engagement. Bryn will lead CS-Effect in launching a new line of client service focused on increasing non-dues revenues for associations and nonprofit organizations, effective February 2020.  

“Bryn is the right person to lead CS-Effect in launching this new line of service to our clients, given her strong command of engaging corporations, developing long-term industry relationships, and delivering significant revenue results for associations and non-profit organizations,” said CS-Effect Founding Partner Candice Warltier.

Bryn has significant experience developing new revenue opportunities for a wide range of regional, national and global institutions including the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago Academy of Sciences, Metropolitan Family Services, Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital, and Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana. Bryn will also continue in her role as the Director of Professional Relations at the American Academy of Periodontology where she had been since 2015.