The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
In a two-part series (part 1 and part 2) on Association Adviser, Jeff De Cagna, FRSA, FASAE, executive advisor for Foresight First LLC, writes about building a future-ready association. Notice he didn’t say “future-proof”—he explains why. He also describes how the behavior and mindset of association staff and volunteer leaders must shift if they are to understand, anticipate and prepare for the future.
WBT Systems says three years is too long between need assessment cycles. They advise associations to “rethink how you approach needs assessments if you wish to develop and deliver relevant, useful education that meets existing market needs and anticipates future needs.”
Your new member onboarding shouldn’t just be show and tell, says Billhighway. They suggest working with your chapters on an onboarding plan that helps you learn about new members’ needs, introduce them to the chapter and association, and guide them onto the most relevant membership path.
Dan Hickey at DelCor describes the seven steps your association should take when building a technology project team. He shares good advice about getting the team’s buy-in, discussing the level of commitment required, positioning their involvement as an opportunity, and much more.
Some quick hits before we get to next week’s free webinars:
- Get this for your daughters! A new AR app puts women back in the history books. (Fast Company)
- Take one minute to fix Chrome’s serious security issue. (Seer Interactive)
- Think your sandwich is too expensive? Here’s why. Look ma, no profit! (Corey Mintz)
- Cauliflower is the kitchen chameleon. This cauliflower bake is like a loaded baked potato without the potato.
- Even tastier, a beet and farro salad. Looking forward to the last of it for lunch today, er, that will be yesterday when you read this.
Now for the educational events scheduled for next week. If you have any free webinars or events coming up, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not product-centric.
Tue 3/26 at 8:30 a.m.* – Improving Member Engagement (Coffee Talk – Alexandria VA)
Your focus is on your members and it can be challenging to compete for their time. Do you have a strategy to keep them coming back to you – for content, resources and to take action? At this Coffee Talk, we’ll share strategies for building deeper, year-round engagement through your digital channels – web, mobile, email and social. 1 CAE credit. Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.
Host: Results Direct
*All times are Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Tue 3/26 any time from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Why Associations Matter: Photo Essay Event (Alexandria VA)
Teaming together, Association Chat and DC photographer Geoff Livingston are taking studio portraits of association employees who can tell us “why associations matter.” We want to tell your story! These studio portraits will surpass the standard evenly exposed shot featured on the average corporate website, and help show the world who these amazing people are. Participants in our photo essay can use the high-end professional portraits however they like, whether it be to update their LinkedIn profiles, work headshot, or for personal use. Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth, and host, Association Chat
Tue 3/26 at 12 p.m. – Reducing the Loss of Corporate Sponsors/Partners (Brown Bag Lunch Idea Exchange, Washington DC)
How are associations losing corporate supporters? Let me count the ways: not renewing, key contact person departs, company merges or is acquired, company “goes dark” and doesn’t activate benefits, or company “goes rogue” and arranges its own event for members during the association’s conference. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Organizer: Bruce Rosenthal, Partnership Professionals Network
Tue 3/26 at 12:30 p.m. – Young Members: What’s Affordable?
Learn about the programs and engagement tactics most influential in establishing a strong perception of value with young members, the median price of membership and how it squares with what we know of the financial burdens millennials and Gen Z are facing, and actionable steps associations can take to eliminate cost as a barrier to joining – or renewing. More info/register.
Host: Personify
Tue 3/26 at 12:30 p.m. – Integrating Your AMS & LMS: Bridging the Gap
Learn how to bridge the gap between your AMS and LMS by identifying key integration points and how to work with multiple vendors to accomplish a successful integration. More info/register.
Host: Web Courseworks
Presenter: Chris Green, Senior Application Analyst at Association Technologies, Inc.
Tue 3/26 at 1 p.m. – Web Accessibility for Associations
Did you know that 23% of web accessibility related litigation and settlements since 2000 happened in the last five years? Find out what defines accessibility in 2019, how accessibility impacts associations on the web, and discuss tools your association can use to stay on top of the latest trends. More info/register.
Hosts: Unleashed Technologies and Siteimprove
Tue 3/26 at 2 p.m. – 3 Ways for Your Organization to Maintain Tax-Exempt Status
Learn what your treasurer needs to know about IRS 990 forms for tax exemption, which forms you may need to file, and when, and exactly what information your nonprofit will need to file your 990. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Wild Apricot
Presenter: Elena Dedman, tax e-filing expert and nonprofit industry leader at TaxBandits.com
Tue 3/26 at 2 p.m. – Volunteerism in the Digital Age
More and more volunteers are looking for ways to use technology to support the missions they hold dear. With the rise of digital volunteers, nonprofits need to have systems and practices that encourage, validate, and support this new trend. Hear about ideas and strategies that other nonprofits have used to capitalize on the digital volunteer, a good plan for utilizing small aspects of social media for large impact, and ways to engage volunteers with different time requirements. More info/register.
Host: TechSoup
Presenter: Tim Edingfield, Non-Profit Community Leader, Kintone
Wed 3/27 at 1 p.m. – Your Risk Management Playbook
Understand four standards to meet the duty of care for meeting and event professionals. Gain insights into how to involve key stakeholders and achieve buy-in from decision-makers. Know how to involve first responders and vendors in the risk management process. Learn the six critical elements to include in a customized risk management playbook for your organization. 2 CMP credits. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Presenter: Brenda Rivers, JD, CIS, HMCC
Wed 3/27 at 2 p.m. – AMA on Data Privacy & Information Security (Association Women Technology Champions Meetup – Bethesda MD)
91% of consumers are more likely to purchase from brands who recognize, remember, and provide relevant offerings. With personalization comes increased storage and use of data, and an increased expectation from members that their data is safe. Figuring out what you and your association need to do ensure the security and privacy of member data can be complex and headache inducing. Join us for this Ask-Me-Anything panel where three experts will be on hand to field your questions and help you make sense of information security in the data economy. Location: Bethesda MD. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Presenters:
- Eileen Lewis, Manager of Network Services, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Katherine Matthews, Business Intelligence Analyst, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
- Bill Murphy, President and CEO, RedZone Technologies
- Tori Liu (moderator), Director of Information Systems, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Wed 3/27 at 2 p.m. – Data Intelligence Fuels Personalizing the Member Life Cycle Experience
Hear about real-world examples of organizations that integrate, automate, and coordinate systems like marketing automation, online communities, and their AMS for improved member insights and reporting. Learn how multiple organizations are using good data for every stage of the member life cycle experience. More info/register.
Host: Impexium
Presenters:
- Patrick Dorsey, Executive Vice President of Marketing at Impexium
- Mitch Eisen, Vice President of Product Management at Higher Logic, formerly a founding partner of Real Magnet
Wed 3/27 at 2 p.m. – How to Engage Members and Monetize Your App
Learn how to monetize your app. Hear about some compelling reasons to support a mobile strategy and tangible recommendations on how to use the app to drive non-dues revenue. More info/register.
Host: enSYNC Corporation
Presenters:
- Billy Barnes, Account Executive of Clowder
- Charles Popper, President of the Wyman Company
Wed 3/27 at 2 p.m. – When Digital Meets Physical: Effective Congress Fly-Ins
Learn how to host an effective fly-in—including preparing your advocates for legislative meetings, maintaining post-event momentum, and engaging advocates who aren’t able to attend but are still interested in participating. More info/register.
Host: Phone2Action
Presenters:
- Carleen Pickard, Ethical Campaigns Specialist, LUSH Cosmetics
- Brittany Meyer, Associate Director, Public Policy, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
- Zoe Aldrich, Advocacy Specialist, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
- Kristen Prather, Director, State Grassroots Advocacy Program, Credit Union National Association
- Erik Rosedahl (moderator), Head of Stakeholder Alliances, Phone2Action
Wed 3/27 at 2 p.m. – Investing in Your Future with Planned Giving
We all know that planned giving is a vital source of contributions for the nonprofit sector. And while it can present challenges, there are simple things you can do to create or enhance your organization’s gift planning efforts. Learn eight reasons to be a planned giving “opportunist,” why you should invest more in planned giving vs current giving, and tips to boost your planned giving results. More info/register.
Host: SEI
Presenter: Michael J. Rosen, President of ML Innovations, Inc.
Wed 3/27 at 2:30 p.m. – Why “Association Hustle” is Your Best Resource for 2019
Does your organization need an innovative approach to membership growth, sponsorship sales, communications, or your advocacy and public affairs efforts? If so, then Association Hustle is your very best resource to help strengthen those aspects of your organization. Host and new author, JP Moery will highlight his top growth strategies from his first book. More info/register.
Host: The Moery Company
Presenter: JP Moery, founder, The Moery Company
Wed 3/27 at 4:30 p.m. – Association Women Technology Champions Happy Hour (Bethesda MD)
Join us for Happy Hour after the AWTC Meetup. All are welcome at our happy hour events, including men. Location: Bethesda MD. More info.
Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions
Thu 3/28 at 8:30 a.m. – Improving Member Engagement (Coffee Talk – Reston VA)
Your focus is on your members and it can be challenging to compete for their time. Do you have a strategy to keep them coming back to you – for content, resources and to take action? At this Coffee Talk, we’ll share strategies for building deeper, year-round engagement through your digital channels – web, mobile, email and social. 1 CAE credit. Location: Reston VA. More info/register.
Host: Results Direct
Thu 3/28 at 1 p.m. – Engage Association Professionals with Microlearning
Learn how your organization can successfully offer micro-learning sessions while ensuring that accreditation, peer-to-peer engagement, and knowledge retention goals are met. Participants will be able to determine if microlearning is right for their organization and ideas for its implementation. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Healthcare Community Committee
Presenter: Jon Boyd, CTBS, Director of Certification & Online Learning, American Association of Tissue Banks
Thu 3/28 at 1 p.m. – How To Create Content That Improves Your Brand’s SEO
Hear practical, actionable advice on how to create content that moves the needle on your search engine rankings, as well as how to demonstrate real results from your content marketing efforts. Learn about the types of content you need to create for an SEO-focused strategy, the tech and tools that will help, metrics to monitor success, and ways to maximize success. More info/register.
Hosts: Influence & Co. and BizIQ
Presenters:
- Lexi St. Laurent, Director of Marketing at BizIQ
- Brittni Kinney, VP at Influence & Co.
Thu 3/28 at 1 p.m. – 10 Tips to Boost Software User Adoption
It doesn’t matter how much time, effort, or expense you put into selecting the right software and migrating your data to it if nobody on your staff uses it. Between the burden of having to learn a new system, the muscle memory of bad habit, and simple fear of change, there are any number of obstacles to user adoption. Let us teach you the expert tips and best practices to ensure that your staff will embrace the new software with open arms. More info/register.
Host: Idealware
Presenter: Joshua Peskay, Vice President of RoundTable Technology
Thu 3/28 at 2 p.m. – Increasing Membership Engagement via Effective Learning Strategies
Associations are facing an increasingly competitive landscape, and the need to clearly differentiate to show value to members has become the number one priority. Providing membership with on-demand access to innovative learning experiences can be that differentiator. Learn how to turn members into advocates by providing continuous, self-directed learning opportunities no matter where they are and what device they are using. More info/register.
Host: D2L
Presenter: Kerri Manorek, Learning Strategy Consultant, D2L
Thu 3/28 at 2 p.m. – Meeting Planner Ethics: Issues Under Scrutiny
Even with codes of conduct for CMPs and within most companies and associations, there is still uncertainty about whether certain practices are acceptable or unacceptable. Issues such as commission payments, vendor relationships, meeting points/rewards, and other types of non-monetary gifts or items of value, continue to raise concerns. In this interactive session, we will use realistic scenarios to present and discuss the issues that can compromise professionalism, reputation, and job security—ethical standards can help us all determine the proper steps to take to remain in good standing and out of the news. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: MeetingsNet
Presenter: Joan Eisenstodt, Principal, Eisenstodt Associates LLC
Thu 3/28 at 2 p.m. – Work Hard, Play Harder: The Secret Sauce for Hosting an Epic Team Builder
Whether your group is looking to increase collaboration, improve communication or simply get along better, a team builder should be fun, inclusive and engaging. In this webinar, Topgolf will share their secret sauce for hosting team builders that bring groups closer together and provide ROI for companies. More info/register.
Host: Smart Meetings
Presenter: Tiffany Holton, National Director of Tournaments & Fundraising at Topgolf
SOLD OUT: Fri 3/29 at 12 p.m. – Harnessing Your Strengths to Become a Successful Female CEO (Washington DC Idea Swap)
Learn more about how to identify and leverage your natural strengths to rise to the top of the association leadership ladder. Carol will explore these factors and more in this one-hour lunch and learn. Women attendees will learn more about how to forge their own successful path; and men will learn more about how to manage and mentor women association executives. 1 CAE credit. Location: Washington DC. More info/register. (SOLD OUT)
Organizer: ASAE Greater Washington / National Capital Community
Presenter: Carol Vernon, founder and principal, Communication Matters: Executive Coaching & Training
Tue 4/2 at 12 p.m. – Reducing the Loss of Corporate Sponsors/Partners (Brown Bag Lunch Idea Exchange, Arlington VA)
How are associations losing corporate supporters? Let me count the ways: not renewing, key contact person departs, company merges or is acquired, company “goes dark” and doesn’t activate benefits, or company “goes rogue” and arranges its own event for members during the association’s conference. Location: Arlington VA. More info/register.
Organizer: Bruce Rosenthal, Partnership Professionals Network
That’s it for now. If you can’t attend a live webinar, go ahead and register if the topic interests you. Most webinar hosts send registrants a link to the recording.
Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If your organization offers free professional development for the association community, please send me the link via email or Twitter.
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