Christmas is a time to take a break from work, be with your family and celebrate the year’s successes. Although, the run-up to the break can be quite a hectic period for professional membership associations. Managing end-of-year tasks, member communications, and organising the next year’s calendar can feel like trying to sled uphill!
Plan your Schedule
There is still time to avoid any unnecessary stress by planning ahead. Create a schedule, making sure to cover:
- Office closure and team availability
- Key deadlines of end of year membership renewals and reports
- Any events you may be running, either face-to-face or virtually
Top Tip: Make sure to include your Christmas shutdown dates in your email signature!
Communications
Don’t make members feel like they’ve been left out. Make sure you’re sending out communications to your members so that they don’t feel forgotten about – include:
- Christmas wishes
- End of year updates
- Out-of-office autoresponders
Top Tip: Use email scheduling to plan ahead – set it and forget it!
Wrap up Tasks
Before putting your feet up for the rest of the year, take care of all the essential administrative tasks for your organisation:
- Finalise all reports for 2024, and make sure to finalise 2025 budgets
- Review 2024 membership reports, identifying any trends and opportunities to focus on next year
- Complete any compliance requirements, such as upcoming license expirations
Top Tip: Mark key 2025 dates in your diary now!
Christmas Events
You may be in charge of organising this year’s Christmas party, networking event, or get-together – if you are, make sure to:
- Stay in touch with the event venue – ensure you’ve provided them with all the information they need
- Communicate event details ASAP
- Delegate tasks to your peers if you’re feeling overrun – it may be that they have some spare time they can use to help you
Top Tip: Remember to take photos of your Christmas event to upload to your association’s social media channels and website!
New Year Prep
While the end of the year certainly is a milestone for your association, you cannot afford to forget about 2025 – it really is just around the corner.
- Plan key dates for the next year, including events
- Outline goals for the new year, including member growth and retention
- Organise a board meeting for the new year, so that you can reflect on 2024 and brainstorm improvements
Top Tip: Make sure to thank you team and show your appreciation for the volunteers you work alongside!
Christmas doesn’t have to be a chaotic time in the office. Celebrate the year’s successes but remember that just a small amount of planning for next year will go a long way.
If you need help planning your associations activities and getting organised, feel free to get in touch with Cygnul!
