Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

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My most recent posts

Blog post themes over 20 years…

By Wes Trochlil | August 5, 2026

Blog post themes over 20 years… I’ve been writing blog posts for nearly 20 years now. WordPress tells me I’ve written over 1,200 posts. So I asked AI to analyze my 1,200+ posts and give me my top three themes. Here’s what it came up with: Data management and data quality – these posts emphasize that data management is […]

Lots of feedback is a GOOD thing!

By Wes Trochlil | July 29, 2026

Lots of feedback is a GOOD thing! A client in the middle of their AMS implementation said to me: “I’m getting a LOT of feedback from staff about what the system can and cannot do. Is that good or bad?” My response: “Feedback means they’re actually in the system and using it! That’s a good […]

Doing the reps…

By Wes Trochlil | July 22, 2026

Doing the reps… I’m helping a client with the implementation of a new AMS. During a recent call, their internal project manager said “I’m still not as familiar with the system as I’d like to be. I need to get in there more often and play around.” I responded: “That’s exactly right. I suggest you […]

Add one, remove one

By Wes Trochlil | July 15, 2026

Add one, remove one In the world of home-organizing, there’s the “one in, one out” rule. Simply put, for every new item that enters your home, one similar item must leave, helping to maintain a constant level of possessions and prevent clutter accumulation. This would be a great rule for database managers when considering adding new fields […]

Spring cleaning, all year long

By Wes Trochlil | July 8, 2026

Spring cleaning, all year long I talk frequently about “weeding the garden,” the idea that proactively managing your data, consistently, over time, is a better practice than trying to clean up the data in one big effort once every couple of years. But beyond the data itself, weeding the garden should also include making sure all […]

Older Posts

Sales is about emotion

September 3, 2015

When you are selling your association products, whether its membership, sponsorships, or exhibits, are you connecting with your buyers at […]

Simple Business Rules Make for Easier Data Management

September 2, 2015

Over the years of working with hundreds of clients, I’ve discovered that one of the biggest challenges associations have with […]

Have you tested your backups?

September 1, 2015

  I recently spoke with a small association about the possibility of them acquiring a new data management system. In […]

Two New Articles Posted – What could possibly go wrong during selection and implementation?

August 31, 2015

[et_pb_section][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] What could possibly go wrong during the selection and implementation phases of […]

New Article Posted – Association Data Management Trends for 2015

June 18, 2015

Over the course of the past 16 years of consulting, I’ve had the opportunity to work with hundreds of associations, […]

Annual Informz Email Benchmark Report Now Available

May 21, 2015

My clients always ask me about how they’re doing on email as compared to other associations. Ask no longer! Informz […]

New Article Posted – You Have to Actively Manage Your Database

May 20, 2015

I encounter people (often executive staff!) who perceive association management software (AMS) to be similar to other software products like […]

There's still time to participate

May 19, 2015

There’s still time to participate in my industry-first benchmarking study of association data management practices. You can participate here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/EDMBMSURVEY

New Article Posted – Using SMART Objectives to Manage Your Database

May 6, 2015

According to Wikipedia, the SMART mnemonic was developed by George T. Doran in 1981. I was first exposed to it […]

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