The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Return to virtual. With the Delta variant ruining plans for in-person conferences and scientists offering bleak pandemic forecasts, WBT Systems shares advice for returning to virtual. Instead of getting caught off guard like last year, they suggest preparing for anti-digital bias, making a virtual Plan B (but a better version than last time), investing in the right technology, and aligning your org chart and skill sets to the new reality.
Sponsorship strategy. Companies have dozens of options for spending their marketing dollars. Bruce Rosenthal and Jeffrey Schottland advise associations to offer exclusive content and lead generation opportunities to sponsors. They describe how the American Public Transportation Association’s Knowledge Hub delivers sponsored educational content to members.
Integration woes. Rick Bawcum at Cimatri gives quite a primer on the association technology integration challenge. After reading this, you’ll understand why integration is such a touchy (expensive) topic and why it’s so hard to get simple answers from software companies. He describes some solutions on the market now and where he thinks we’re headed.
86 Robert’s Rules. Dave Bergeson, PhD, CAE, at the Association Management Center explains why associations should stop using Robert’s Rules of Order in board meetings. His examples are classic: the Rules interfering and stopping good discussions, and hiding or masking “serious board dysfunctions by facilitating a false sense of professionalism or effectiveness among the board or staff.” Motion to dismiss, indeed!
Quick hits
- Content distribution: everything you need to know right now. She’s not kidding. (Jodi Harris, Content Marketing Institute)
- ‘Shoulds’ are the death of creative spark. Try focusing on your wants instead. (Sloane Miller, Creators Hub)
- The ten best tools to stay mentally sharp at work. (Scott H. Young)
- Misfortune in small doses can cast a glittering light on the rest of life. (Ann Patchett, New York Times)
Good eats
Skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer takeout.
- Our chest freezer is bursting, so I’ve been trying to cook out of it on the weekend. I had two pounds of yellowfin tuna in there, so I made my uppity version of tuna noodle casserole. I used elbow mac instead of egg noodles, and broccoli stems instead of asparagus. On the side, broccoli rabe with red onions and slow-roasted tomatoes.
- Earlier in the week, pan-fried flounder with bacon and sweet corn—enjoying the last of the sweet summer yellow goodness. On the side, roasted broccoli with garlic and parmesan.
- The next night, baked catfish with a chipotle fig glaze. I started with fig jam made by my sister-in-law who gave me a fig sapling for my birthday. I hope it survives and bears fruit once it’s all grown up.
Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product centric.
Fri 9/17 at 12 p.m.* – How to Elevate Your Personal Brand and Gain Visibility
Get advice and simple tools to create a personal brand that positions you as a leader in any industry. Learn the importance of including an effective DEI approach to any social responsibility strategy. The way you choose to show up for the world can dramatically affect how you are perceived and even your bottom line. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (possible fee for MPI non-members).
Host: MPI
Presenter: Keneisha Williams, Founder, Speaker, Consultant, Black in Events
*All times are Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 9/17 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat
A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.
Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting
Fri 9/17 at 1 p.m. – How to Design Your Events around Diversity and Inclusion
Learn about key tips and strategies for executing an event with purpose, inclusion and authenticity at its core. Find out how every angle of planning an event (promotion, speaker selection, etc.) impacts an individual’s ability to feel included, tips for avoiding the pitfalls of outdated thinking, and opportunities you can use to ensure vibrancy at your events. More info/register.
Host: American Marketing Association
Presenter: Nathan Chin, Senior Product Manager, Cvent
Fri 9/17 at 4 p.m. – How to Use Neuroscience to Get the Results You Want
Learn three, simple, sure-fire tricks you can put into place right now to change the trajectory of your success. Based in neuroscience with a leadership coaching spin, we will discuss how your brain sabotages you when you are working toward your goals, how feelings and urges derail your energy, how just a handful of words can completely tank your results, and what to do about all three. More info/register (must join for free before registering).
Host: Fridays@4
Presenter: Kathleen Zwarick Shanley, PhD, CAE, ACC, ELI-MP, executive vice president for the American Urological Association
Mon 9/20 through Fri 9/24 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Virtual LeaderCon
Virtual LeaderCon will bring together 40 true thought leaders in leadership and both personal and professional development over five days, all in live sessions. You will learn from the experts, but also from the insights, experiences, questions and camaraderie with other learners—your peers—around the world. More info/register.
Host: The Kevin Eikenberry Group
Mon 9/20 at 1 p.m. – International Chapter Leadership of a US-based organization (Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia)
This series of 15- to 20-minute videos covers hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. New episodes are posted around 1 p.m. every Monday. Check out Cecilia’s Nonprofit Executive Spotlight series too.
Guest: Sanja Kecic
Hosts:
- Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
- Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman
Tue 9/21 at 11 a.m. – DEI Doesn’t Belong on a Checklist: How to Embed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Your Organization’s Core Values
Learn about the importance of leadership commitment to creating a culture that’s equitable and inclusive; why effective DEI efforts require us to think outside the box and approach things differently than we have before; strategies to make your organization, industry and community more diverse, equitable and inclusive; how effective communication plays a role elevating and reinforcing DEI practices among your staff, members and community; and how Hispanic/Latinx association professionals are leading the way this Hispanic Heritage Month. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Gather Voices
Presenters:
- Juan Amador, CAE, Director, Constituent Engagement at the Association of American Medical Colleges
- Victor Cora Nazario, Chief Operating Officer at SOAR Community Network
- Abigail Bayer, Strategic Marketing Manager at the American Association of Veterinary State Boards
- Michael Hoffman, CEO of Gather Voices
Tue 9/21 at 11 a.m. – Advocacy: 5 Effective Strategies for Managing Fast-Moving Issues
Using COVID lockdown rules as an example, we provide suggestions for how to track and advocate on legislation and regulations that can come up in any town or state at a moment’s notice. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Presenter: Erik Rosedahl, Phone2Action
Tue 9/21 at 12:30 p.m. – Meetings of Membership Minds
These impromptu, casual discussions about membership concepts, issues, and challenges are conducted live online and open to membership professionals to comment and offer insights. More info/register.
Hosts: Dan Ratner, The Business of Membership, and Scott Oser, Scott Oser Associates
Tue 9/21 at 12:30 p.m. – Masterclass: Virtual Townhalls
Are your townhall sessions lacking dynamic interaction? Hear ideas, tips, tricks and best practices for creating engaging, effective townhall sessions. More info/register.
Host: Remo
Tue 9/21 at 1 p.m. – Technology Ecosystems (Association TechTalk: Ask the Experts)
Technology ecosystems: it’s more than just best of breed or need, it’s how all the elements work together…or don’t. More info/register.
Host: Loretta DeLuca, CEO, DelCor
Guest: Reggie Henry, CAE, Chief Information and Engagement Officer, ASAE
Tue 9/21 at 1 p.m. – Advocacy and Beyond: Amplifying the Impact of DEI Initiatives
Hear from a panel of association leaders who are at the forefront of advancing DEI efforts with both policymakers and their own members. From working to reduce health disparities to increasing the diversity of the veterinary profession, academic medicine, and beyond, these leaders will share case studies, best practices, and hard-won lessons learned that you can apply within your association to amplify the impact of your DEI efforts. 1 CAE credit. More info/register. <link wasn’t working on Thu 9/16, event might be cancelled>
Host: ASAE Government Relations and Advocacy Professionals Advisory Council
Presenters:
- Lisa Greenhill, Senior Director for Institutional Research and Diversity, American Association of Veterinary Medical College
- Juan Amador, CAE, Director of Constituent Engagement, Association of American Medical Colleges
- Pam Yuen, Director of Government Relations, YWCA USA
- Danielle Baron (Moderator), Staff Vice President, School Nutrition Association
Tue 9/21 at 1 p.m. – Association Fundraising Brown Bag
For association fundraising professionals (or not yet professionals) who are responsible for fund raising and donor development within membership associations, come together in a free-flowing environment to share your lunchtime and discuss relevant topics. More info/register.
Tue 9/21 at 1 p.m. – How to Increase Your Reach with an On-Demand Webinar Strategy
According to the ON24 Webinar Benchmarks Report 2021, over a third of all webinar attendance was on-demand, not live. Learn how to repurpose webinars after the live date is over, create on-demand webinar content for each stage of the buying cycle, build Netflix-style on-demand content hubs, and use on-demand webinars to fuel personalized experiences. More info/register.
Host: American Marketing Association
Presenter: Mark Bornstein, VP of Marketing at ON24
Tue 9/21 at 2 p.m. – Tips for Better Tracking Your Membership Engagement Efforts
Learn how to effectively track your membership engagement efforts through your AMS and Google Analytics so you know what’s working, what’s not, and what you need to do differently. Find out what you should be tracking, ways to integrate your AMS with Google Analytics, how to capture the data, what reports you should run, and how often, and what to do once you have the data. More info/register.
Host: Matrix Group
Tue 9/21 at 2 p.m. – What Does Hybrid Mean to PCMA?
PCMA has held a virtual component to their major annual meetings, Convening Leaders and EduCon, for years. However, this year, hybrid took on a new meaning for our organization. In the past, we typically streamed on-site sessions to the digital audience and were sure to have support from our team on the digital platform in the form of chat moderators and assistance where needed within the platform. The pandemic grew the need for a digital presence and for digital support for both our speakers and audience. Hear about the meaning of hybrid events to PCMA now vs. the past and how we plan to plan our events in the future. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenter: Tonya Almond, Vice President, Knowledge and Experience Design, PCMA
Tue 9/21 at 3:00 p.m. – The Path to Association Business Development is Paved with Subject Matter Expertise
Customers are looking for guidance and partnership when making investment decisions in your projects, membership, sponsorship or event. Join leading association revenue producers as we discuss the importance of subject matter expertise in your team’s development. Learn how to be a resource for your client’s decision making, and why developing your subject matter expertise is crucial for both new and existing relationships. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Professionals for Association Revenue
Presenters:
- Christopher Ware, Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Initiatives, NAIOP
- Ben Ledyard, SVP, Sales, Media & Events, MCI
- Sean Soth, Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair, Professionals for Association Revenue
Wed 9/22 at 12 p.m. – How to Use Tiktok, Instagram and Facebook Insights: Propel Your Content Strategy
Find out how to tap into social conversations that are taking place on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook to take a data-driven approach to consumer and market intelligence and discover insights and identify critical trends. Learn how to use emerging social trends to inform your strategy, what to look for from key audience segments and their interests, and how to use popular organic content to inform your media strategy. More info/register.
Host: American Marketing Association
Presenters:
- Harvey Ranola, Global Head of Media Intelligence, Netbase Quid
- Mike Baglietto, Global Head of Product Marketing, Netbase Quid
Wed 9/22 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter
ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.
Wed 9/22 at 1 p.m. – The Future of Meetings Is Here
The future is coming, and at a faster rate than you can imagine. Hear about trends impacting the meetings industry, the continuing impact of virtual relationships, the evolving opportunities in face-to-face meetings, managing the emotional aspects of all this change, and steps you can take today to rock your meetings in the future. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Presenters:
- Speaker, executive coach and advisor Don Phin
- Futurist, speaker and best-selling author Scott Steinberg
- Tyler Davidson, vice president and chief content director of Meetings Today
Wed 9/22 at 1 p.m. – Nonprofit IT Staff Training How-To and Why
Training is a security, cost-saving, and productivity measure. Learn real-life examples of technology training that saved clients money or helped them realize they were already paying for the software solution they were looking for. Hear tips for integrating continuous training and ideas on making it fun and productive for staff. Learn how to reward staff for learning and save your organization time and money in the long run. More info/register.
Host: Community IT
Presenters:
- Johan Hammerstrom, CEO, Community IT
- David Deal, co-founder and Partner at Build Consulting
Wed 9/22 at 2 p.m. – Cybersecurity 101 for Remote and Hybrid Workplaces
Now is the opportune time to protect yourself against bad actors trying to corrupt and steal your confidential and proprietary information. Making a shift in your mentality to build your cybersecurity plan with the remote worker in mind is imperative for success. Learn cybersecurity basics, how to foster a security mindset throughout your workforce, and become familiar with basic best practices for establishing and maintaining your cybersecurity in a remote and/or hybrid work environment. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Achurch Consulting
Presenters: Achurch Fractional CIOs Tammy Marko, PMP, and George Rears, MBA, PMP, CSM
Wed 9/22 at 2 p.m. – Content Governance: How to Manage Your Digital Content for Success
A concrete, detailed content governance strategy will ensure that every piece of content your organization creates is part of a larger system. Learn how to formulate the perfect content governance plan for your organization as well as the four key components of content management, both online and off, put together the right team of content governors, and develop a content governance strategy document. Hear how Auburn’s content governance plan helped them become more efficient and strategic. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Mighty Citizen
Presenters:
- Andrew Buck, Content Strategist, Mighty Citizen
- Jennie Powers, Digital Project Manager, Auburn University
Wed 9/22 at 3 p.m. – Making Sense of the Job Market and What It Means for Your Association (Scribble Chat)
Join a discussion about the current state of the job market, what it means for your association, and how associations can do more with their technology to help engage members in a valuable, meaningful way. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Web Scribble
Facilitator: Alexey Gutin, co-founder and CEO of Web Scribble
Wed 9/22 at 4 p.m. – From The Bard to Britney Spears
Hear the takeaways from the 9/15 conversation between Don Neal (founder of 360 Live Media) and Simon Godwin (the artistic director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company) through a practical and actionable lens. We’ll look at Simon’s advice for adapting performances for online viewing and enticing audiences back to in-person, and pair it with tips and tricks that you can use for your own events. Nothing has been reinvented more than Shakespeare and, after this digital event, you’ll have practical ideas and strategies that you can immediately apply to your events. More info/register.
Host: 360 Live Media
Thu 9/23 at 11 a.m. – Building Communities Around Your Events
This Tech Talk will explore how to create an online community around your events with a deep dive into current thinking around subscription business models and how these can work for events. There is no doubt that the technology is now available to make online communities a painless and enjoyable experience for both members and community owners, but it’s key to make sure the tail isn’t wagging the dog, the business and community model comes first and the tech then supports that. More info/register.
Host: Virtual Events Institute
Presenters:
- Luke Bilton, Chief Growth Officer, ExpoPlatform
- Cheri Keith, Head of Strategy, On24
- Franz-Josef Schrepf, Strategic Partnerships Manager, Product Partnerships, Hopin
- RD Whitney, Founder, Community Leaders Institute
Thu 9/23 at 11 a.m. – Top 10 Tax Issues Facing Associations
Hear about tax topics that are relevant for associations, including unrelated business income (UBI) tax, state payroll implications as a result of the increase in remote workers, and recent developments in sales and use tax nexus and taxability rules impacting associations. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Presenters:
- Stacy Cullen, JD, LLM, Tax Director, Aronson’s Nonprofit and Associations Services Group
- Michael Colavito, State & Local Tax Senior Director, Aronson’s Tax Services Group
Thu 9/23 at 11 a.m. – Global Policy Forecast: Trendspotting for the Next Six Months
We bring some of our leading specialists together to discuss policy shifts around the world and what you can expect for the next six months. Don’t miss this chance to hear from our team of global experts and gain insights into the geopolitical & policy shifts you need to be watching. More info/register.
Host: FiscalNote
Thu 9/23 at 12 p.m. – WANTED: Is Your Membership Model Dead or Alive? (Association Xchange)
Do your members want one price for full access to all membership benefits, or a pick-and-choose tailored approach? These decisions are often based on factors such as risk, feasibility and market desire. Learn about membership model trends and how the model you chose impacts recruitment and retention. Hear tips to how to assess your current membership model to ensure it’s in alignment with your mission and your organization’s future goals. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Xchange
Presenter: Camille Sanders, CAE, PCM, Director of Membership and Marketing, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
Thu 9/23 at 2 p.m. – What’s Next for Associations? How to Do More with Your Tech
Among the many changes brought on by the pandemic, association organizational structure and staff size changes are among the top. You’re probably wondering how you can do more with your technology when you don’t have the headcount. Learn how to do more with less by getting your tech to work for you, what every association must have in their tech toolbox (and why), and key considerations for new vendor evaluations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Higher Logic
Presenters:
- Katie Cammer, Senior Manager, Growth and Expansion, Healthcare Businesswoman’s Association
- Krystele Chavez, Digital Communications Specialist, BC Non-Profit Housing Association
- Beth Arritt (moderator), Association Strategist, Higher Logic
Thu 9/23 at 2 p.m. – Vaccine Spotlight Webinar: What Does the Law Say?
There was much confusion during the onset of COVID and the cancellations that followed. Should venues be flexible? Are planners obligated to fulfill their contracts although the event could not take place? With time, practices and rulings have been defined in the business of events. Hear about the responsibilities of all parties that now enter into an event contract from health and safety requirements to cancellation policies. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenter: Steven A. Adelman, Attorney, Adelman Law Group, PLLC
Thu 9/23 at 4 p.m. – Future of Association Meetings (ASAE Reston-Loudoun Idea Swap)
Learn how association executives are looking at the future, what 365-content means, how to keep professional development relevant, and lessons learned from the pandemic to help make associations more relevant. Hear an ISST-D conference case study. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Reston-Loudoun Idea Swap
Presenters:
- Mary Pat Hanlin, MPS, CMP, DES, Chief Executive Officer, International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISST-D)
- Joe Felperin, Cadmium CD
Fri 9/24 at 1 p.m. – Real-time Connections and Engagement at Webinars
Learn why webinars are not dead but need an upgrade, how to make your webinars engaging and increase retention rate, and the role networking and real-time conversations can play to drive sales and engagement at webinars. More info/register.
Host: Airmeet
Presenter: Nicholas Rhodes, founder and creative director, OutSnapped
Fri 9/24 at 4 p.m. – Creating an Elevator Pitch: Why & How
As an association professional our careers can often be difficult to explain to those outside the association world. Having a well-crafted elevator pitch is an effective tool for introducing yourself as you build your network and find that next opportunity to grow your career. Learn how to define a winning elevator pitch and build our own. More info/register (must join before registering).
Host: Fridays@4
Presenter: Alysa D. Lambert, Ph.D., SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Professor of Human Resource Management in the School of Business at Indiana University Southeast
Tue 9/28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – LMS Demo Day
Join us for the just-in-time virtual LMS demo day. The full day event will feature presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer LMS platforms. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Wed 9/29 at 2 p.m. – The Future of Work: Using AI to Reduce Meeting Fatigue
Explore the concept of adopting a Meaningful Meeting Mindset and learn how AI can move across multiple communication and data storage platforms to access the information you need on-demand, saving you the time and energy to concentrate on other tasks. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Achurch Consulting
Presenters: Johnny Clayton and Adam Hostetter from FUSE Search
Wed 9/29 at 4 p.m. – Mindful Networking with Caterina Luppi, PhD
Quick (45-minute), small group meetings with someone we think you should get to know, in this case, Caterina Luppi, PhD, Chief Information Officer of District of Columbia Bar. No formal presentations. This is a chance to intentionally expand your network, exchange ideas, and get some advice. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
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 by Wednesday afternoon.
Creative Commons photo of a familiar looking trail in Zion NP by Hunter James via Unsplash
Association Brain Food 