Conversations about dues increases usually aren’t fun. If not handled carefully, they can lead to board conflict—or worse, a membership mutiny.

But understanding what underlies the debate could make the decision to raise dues (or not) a little easier. More thoughts on that in today’s Social Media Roundup:

Thawing the Dues Freeze

Are you hesitant to raise dues? Let's think that through… my guest post for @GreenfieldSrvcs http://t.co/17EQlsvNwJ #assnchat #csae

— Meredith Low (@LowMeredith) October 27, 2014

Sometimes there are good reasons to keep your dues at the same rate year after year. Other times, the reason looks a lot more like an excuse.

In case you have trouble spotting the difference, Meredith Low can help. In a guest post on Greenfield Services’ blog, the management consultant breaks down the difference between a good reason (say, a weak economic situation for your industry, a struggle to prove your value proposition) and a bad one (challenges within your board, general inertia).

If the decision not to raise dues is made for the wrong reasons, says Low, it can threaten your association’s strengths.

“Not raising rates handicaps your ability to throw money at any of your problems,” she writes. “Good organizations can wind up starved for the funds they need to do what they need to do. Raising rates is a completely viable option if you need to raise funds for the strategic options you want to pursue.” (ht @LowMeredith)

Build a Stronger Voice

Check out "The Voice"…No, not that "The Voice"; the one that helps assocs w/ social media http://t.co/hmoMhhytlf via @socialfish #assnchat

— Incline Marketing (@InclineMktg) October 27, 2014

In written communication, voice can be the difference between audience engagement and confusion. So why not focus on building up a strong one at the organizational level?

Over at SocialFish, Twilio’s Ryan Crowe argues that creating a social media voice document is essential to encourage everyone speaking for your organization to do it the proper way.

“People in your organization are going to be connected to social somehow. It’s inevitable,” Crowe writes. “You can either ban them from speaking on behalf of the company, or teach them that should they be in a position to speak on the company’s behalf that there is a right way.”

But creating such a document can be more complicated than you might think. For one thing, Twitter decorum is different from Instagram decorum. It’s important that your staffers know the difference.

Read Crowe’s article for more tips. (ht @InclineMktg)

(iStock/Thinkstock)