Your association’s mass of data is hiding a lot of things.

Among them, the nonprofit technology firm Abila explains, is the makeup of what it calls “super members,” those who are not only engaged with your association but who also interact in ways that draw new people to the organization, make veterans want to stay, and help you achieve your business goals.

In a post on the company’s Forward Together blog, marketing manager Kim Sorin highlights thoughts from Abila’s director of product marketing, Amanda Myers, on the importance of using data touch points in discovering the kind of members that make your association the best it can be.

After gathering your data points comes the crucial task of zeroing in on the important ones, as opposed to poring over piles of information.

“Each association is going to have its own definition of critical touch points, but some suggested guidelines for good measures of engagement include metrics related to an objective comparison between members, valuable insights to member preferences, data applicable across time, and a robust index allowing for identification of changes,” Sorin writes.

Check out the full post to find out the other keys to discovering super members.

Interesting Strategy of the Day

https://twitter.com/flattrplus/status/727475209981272064

Ad blocking is a hugely controversial practice in some quarters, especially those related to media outlets. But companies that offer ad-blocking software keep trying to make the practice more palatable.

The latest strategy worth watching comes from AdBlock Plus, which has joined forces with the micropayments startup Flattr to offer a way for people using the software to pay for the content they read. The approach, called Flattr Plus, will automatically track the content AdBlock Plus users are reading and then pay out funds to publishers accordingly—a strategy similar to how Spotify works.

In an interview with TechCrunch, AdBlock Plus’ Ben Williams says the company hopes to raise half a billion in revenue for publishers through the program next year. We’ll see how it pans out.

Other Links of Note

“Acknowledging that things change during a project is critically important to the success of the project,” says Effective Database Management’s Wes Trochlil.

Looking for a webinar or three? Check out Deirdre Reid’s list of upcoming webinars, which should make your lunch break a little more interesting.

Get ready for longer waits. The New York Times reports that budget crunches at the Transportation Security Administration and fewer screeners are among the factors that could lead to hours-long delays at the airport.