Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

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My most recent posts

Data management is improvisation

By Wes Trochlil | September 16, 2026

Data management is improvisation I was listening to a podcast recently featuring TV writer Rob Long. During the podcast he said (I’m paraphrasing) that, in order to be successful, one needs to learn to improvise, because nothing in life ever goes as planned. One of my favorite sayings is, “If you want to make God […]

Who own the AMS company is like the weather…

By Wes Trochlil | September 9, 2026

Who own the AMS company is like the weather… When I work with clients to find a new AMS, one of the most common questions I get is: “Is the software company owned by private equity or is it privately owned?” While I think this is a legitimate question to ask and have answered, it […]

“As good or better than me.”

By Wes Trochlil | September 2, 2026

“As good or better than me.” I was recently speaking with a software developer working on AI and we were discussing using natural language querying in an AMS. I told him, “The biggest challenge you face is that the first time the AI is wrong, staff will never use it again.” He agreed but then added: “The […]

Documentation is insurance

By Wes Trochlil | August 26, 2026

Documentation is insurance In a conversation with a client about their data management needs, the client pointed out that if they lost one or two key staff members, so much institutional knowledge would go with them that the association would have real difficulty managing their AMS. I recommended that they should document all of their key processes so […]

It all comes down to fundamentals

By Wes Trochlil | August 12, 2026

It all comes down to fundamentals I’m preparing for a webinar that I’m presenting in a couple of weeks, on using data to improve marketing and communications. This is a presentation (in one form or another) that I’ve made for nearly 20 years, and it includes an excellent case study of one association that dramatically improved their […]

Older Posts

Short-Term Gain May Cause Long-Term Pain

November 4, 2011

When it comes to managing our organization’s data, we too often allow our staff some short-term gains which create long-term […]

Are you doing the work, or just talking about it?

November 2, 2011

I’ve worked with well over 100 associations in my years as a consultant. In my experience, those of my clients […]

You Have To Do Some of the Work! – A True Story

October 31, 2011

I once met with an association executive director to discuss the challenges she and her association were having with their […]

No job satisfaction at your non-profit?

October 31, 2011

According to a recent article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, “two reports…show a disconnect between what nonprofits provide to their […]

Inward vs. Outward focus of your AMS

October 27, 2011

One of the most significant changes in association management software over the past decade is the change in functionality focus […]

What are your database success metrics?

October 25, 2011

How do you know if you’re being successful with your existing data management system? For most organizations, the primary metric […]

SaaS CRM Market Set to Triple according to AMI

October 18, 2011

A recent article at destinationCRM.com discusses research from AMI-Partners that suggests that the software-as-a-service (SaaS) CRM market is set to undergo […]

New Article Posted – Five Significant Trends in Association Management Software

October 17, 2011

I’ve posted a new article on my website. The world of technology never stops changing, and certainly the same is true […]

25 Most Important Lessons in Membership Marketing

October 12, 2011

Tony Rossell at the Membership Marketing blog has listed the “25 Most Important Lessons in Membership Marketing” based on their […]

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