Oh, Game of Thrones. Whether you watch the show or not, you can’t deny the HBO drama’s ability to captivate an audience and get people talking.

In honor of the series finale, Colleen Bottorff from the MemberClicks blog shares key takeaways inspired by the show’s last season:

1. Follow through on your promises. “Many fans were disappointed by the number of loose ends the show left,” Bottorff says. “Don’t ever leave your members high and dry. That’s a surefire way to lose a member’s loyalty and, well, their membership.”

2. Be mindful of imagery. One of the most talked-about scenes of the last season had nothing to do with the show’s plot and everything to do with a modern-day coffee cup that was accidentally left on set. The lesson: “Be careful with any imagery that your organization uses and intentional about the vibe it conveys,” she says.

3. Share what you love about your association. Many of the Game of Thrones cast and crew shared heartfelt messages and behind-the-scenes images on Instagram. Your organization should follow suit.

“Share that ‘behind the scenes’ content of your own to show prospective members what they’re missing,” Bottorff says. “And when it comes to your members … well, your story is their story, too. Involving them in certain planning processes and decisions will encourage them to stick around for the long haul.”

4. Stick to your mission. “Many fans felt that the writing in the final leg of the saga veered away from what drew many to the show in the first place,” she says. “Every decision you make should be in line with your mission, first and foremost. And if you’re holding true to your mission, and recruiting members who believe in it, you should have no trouble keeping them happy.”

In Two-Factor Authentication We Trust

Google's own data shows even the most basic SMS two-factor can prevent the very vast majority of account hacks. https://t.co/0GSPFfV1a6

— TechCrunch (@TechCrunch) May 20, 2019

Wondering how to best secure your accounts? Turn on two-factor authentication.

“Ask almost any cybersecurity professional and it’ll likely rank as more important than using unique or strong passwords,” writes Zack Whittaker on TechCrunch. “But don’t take my word for it.”

Whitaker cites new data from Google that he says “shows how valuable even the weakest, simplest form of two-factor can be against attacks.” The research, in one example, proved that having a text message sent to a person’s phone, a key step in two-factor authentication, prevented 100 percent of automated bot attacks and 96 percent of phishing attacks.

Other Links of Note

The secret to the perfect elevator pitch: pretending you’re talking to a fifth grader, says Joanna Pineda on the Matrix Group’s blog.

Cultivating a positive workplace culture can be challenging when these seven habits are commonplace, from the HubSpot blog.

Is the enterprise making a sharp swing toward best-in-breed technology? CMSWire makes the case.

(HBO)