The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Liberal artsy types, you too can be a data analytics professional. In fact, any organization that wants to effectively use its data needs this person on their team: the analytics translator. Harvard Business Review says, “Translators play a critical role in bridging the technical expertise of data engineers and data scientists with the operational expertise of marketing” and other front-line managers.
WBT Systems explains how to motivate members to buy what you’re selling. If you’re selling online education or any other product or service, help members connect your product with their self-image, aspirations, and sense of belonging, in other words, sell them a better version of themselves.
Introducing a new conference format: long conversations. Get two speakers on stage in conversation. Then, every 15 minutes, swap out one for a new speaker. See it in action at the Smithsonian.
Engaging associations use words their members use, says Amanda Kaiser at Smooth The Path. You’re members expect you to be insiders like them, and insiders use the right words, as Amanda learned when she said “telephone pole” instead of “power pole.” She suggests ways you can learn how to speak like an industry insider.
A few quick hits before we get to this week’s list of free webinars:
- How New York’s post-WW2 female painters battled for recognition. (New Yorker)
- Researchers invent a new font that is scientifically proven to help you retain what you read. (Inc.)
- How to explain content marketing to anyone. (Content Marketing Institute)
- Lead generation: a beginner’s guide to generating business leads the inbound way. (HubSpot)
Off-topic: Check out my Grabbing the Gusto blog for posts about the recipes I’ve made recently or plan to make soon.
Here are the educational events scheduled for next week plus a few extra. If you host webinars, check out these two next Wednesday: “10 Ways to Extend the Reach of Your Webinar Content” and “How to Become a Superstar Webinar Presenter.” And, 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.
Mon 10/15 at 12 p.m.* – Let Your Voice Be Heard: Why Mid-Term Elections are Important to Associations (DC Idea Swap – Washington DC)
Nonprofit organizations are often cautious in speaking out about their causes and interacting with candidates in election years. Their concern is understandable: associations must comply with complex and sometimes contradictory tax, campaign finance, and lobbying, and government ethics laws and rules. But nonprofits don’t need to be silent. In fact, election years are perhaps the most critical time for nonprofit organizations to be heard — particularly when their most important issues are the focus of national debates and elections. Learn how nonprofits can advocate while avoiding advocacy pitfalls. 1 CAE credit. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Greater Washington / National Capital Community
Presenters: Jeff Altman and Jim Kahl, Partners at Whiteford, Taylor, Preston
*All times are Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Mon 10/15 at 2 p.m. – Q and A: Should You Outsource Your IT for Your Nonprofit?
With new cloud technologies and applications launching all the time, there are some real opportunities for your nonprofit organization to develop new capabilities to better achieve your mission. But when should you outsource, do it yourself, or mix the two? Listen to advice, perspectives, and case studies on how other organizations are finding success. More info/register.
Host: TechSoup
Presenters: Matt Jung, Director of Program Development, and Mona Raina, Director of New Services Development, TechSoup
Tue 10/16 at 8:30 a.m. – Association Coffee Talks: Web Usability Workshop (Alexandria VA)
Join this Coffee Talk to share and discuss strategies for improving your website—design, user experience, and personalization—and producing big results. Volunteer your own website for a live consultation or participate in the interactive discussion. Come prepared by thinking about your goals, user pain points, and measures of success. Location: Alexandria VA. More information.
Host: Results Direct
Tue 10/16 at 11 a.m. – The Secret Sauce on Creating Compelling Member Journeys
Learn how to craft a strategy to shape your member’s journeys and determine the tools you need to act on them, from website, to emails, marketing automation, member-get-a-member campaigns, personalization, and more. Hear about goals, strategies, and tools to use to create member journeys for new members, longtime members who are unengaged, encouraging a member to serve on a committee, new primary contact at a member organization, and getting your members to look at your products and services in a new way. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Hosts: Matrix Group and Review My AMS
Presenters: Matrix Group CEO Joanna Pineda and ReviewMyAMS Founder and CEO Teri Carden
Tue 10/16 at 12 p.m. – Gaining Board Approval for Budget for New Technology
Building the business case for a technology change starts early—well before you put a software contract in front of your board. It requires a review of the goals and challenges of your organization as well as the potential benefits a new membership management solution can have for your organization. Learn how to speak confidently and intelligently about why it’s time to invest in new technology. More info/register.
Host: YourMembership
Tue 10/16 at 12 p.m. – Moving On Up: Career Advancement for Government Affairs and Advocacy Professionals
Whatever your next step or long-term goals may be, advancing in government affairs and/or advocacy requires unique professional and leadership development to catch the eye of future employers and executive recruiters. Learn how association government relations and advocacy professionals can think about expanding upon their capabilities and achieving their career goals. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Government Relations Section Council
Presenters:
- Anne DeSeta DarConte, CAE, senior director, HillStaffer
- Vincent Randazzo, principal, Capitol Knowledge, LLC
- John Sigmon, founder and CEO, Sigmon Leadership Solutions
- R. Straub, partner, Russell Reynolds
- Tommy Goodwin, CAE (moderator), Government Relations Manager, Project Management Institute
Tue 10/16 at 2 p.m. – Succession Planning (Association Chat)
Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth
Guest: Gary LaBranche
Tue 10/16 at 2 p.m. – AMA on Analytics (Association Women Technology Champions – Washington DC)
We keep reading about data analytics, predictive analytics, machine learning, real-time data, but what exactly does it all mean and how do you get started? What do you need to know about the technology and tools that support data analytics strategy in your organization? In this interactive, Ask Me Anything (AMA) panel, three experts will answer your questions about data analytics. As always, we’ll be having a happy hour at a nearby bar after the meet-up. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Presenters:
- Christin Berry , CAE Senior Director, Business Analytics
- Katherine Matthews, Business Intelligence Analyst at National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and Founder, Compass Data Strategy.
- Julie Sciullo, CEO, Association Analytics
Tue 10/16 at 2 p.m. – Unforeseen Circumstances: When Digital Becomes Your Only Option
Learn how, faced with hurricane Florence, the Water Quality Association (WQA) converted its face-to-face conference, planned to take place in Hilton Head, S.C., into a digital event. During the digital event, water quality professionals were able to watch presentations and training sessions, as well as take part in board, committee, task force, and section meetings on their laptops. Find out how to assess the strengths and weaknesses of your event crisis safety and communication plan. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Tue 10/16 at 3 p.m. – Lean Startup Workshop for Associations (Washington DC and online)
Hear an overview of the Lean Startup concept, learn about barriers to adoption, and get a crash course in core Lean Startup methods and tactics. Participate in interactive exercises designed to help you apply Lean Startup practices to challenges in the non-profit and association space. Location: Washington DC and online. More info/register.
Host: Associations Catalyzing Entrepreneurship (ACE)
Presenter: Peter Dudka, lead organizer for the DC Lean Startup Circle
Wed 10/17 at 11:30 a.m. – 10 Ways to Extend the Reach of Your Webinar Content
Get practical tips on how to realize the potential of your future webinars and make that awesome content go much further. Gain insight into how to achieve high attendee numbers and drive engagement levels for your webinars, increase the value of your online events by utilizing on-demand webinar recordings in new and innovate ways, use webinars for lead generation, create better brand content with webinars, and drive engagement during your live webinars and beyond. More info/register.
Host: WorkCast
Presenter: Barney Brown, EVP, WorkCast
Wed 10/17 at 2 p.m. – How to Become a Superstar Webinar Presenter
A bored audience means low viewing time, low content retention, and, sometimes, total brand rejection. Learn how to find great webinar talent, how to prepare for your webinar, tips for directly engaging your audience, and new formats to spice up your webinars. More info/register.
Host: ON24
Presenter: ON24 VP of Content Marketing Mark Bornstein
Wed 10/17 at 4 p.m. – IT Security Incident Response for Nonprofits
Forewarned is forearmed, and if you haven’t been hacked yet, it never hurts to know what you would do. Get a worst-case scenario walk through of several possible breaches as well as the presenters’ experience responding to credential hacks and other situations. Review a checklist you should include in your security policies. More info/register.
Host: Community IT Innovators
Presenter: Community IT Innovators CTO Matt Eshleman and President and CEO Johan Hammerstrom
Thu 10/18 at 8:30 a.m. – Association Coffee Talks: Web Usability Workshop (Herndon VA)
Join this Coffee Talk to share and discuss strategies for improving your website—design, user experience, and personalization—and producing big results. Volunteer your own website for a live consultation or participate in the interactive discussion. Come prepared by thinking about your goals, user pain points, and measures of success. Location: Herndon VA. More information.
Host: Results Direct
Thu 10/18 at 11:30 a.m. – How to Make Video Marketing Really Work for ANY Association or Business (Alexandria VA Brown Bag)
Video marketing is one of today’s most influential marketing strategies. Get an explanation of the concept of content marketing and then delve deeper into examples of how the presenter’s clients are using video in their associations and businesses. 1 CAE credit. Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.
Facilitator: Talisa Thomas-Hall, ACS ALB, THE ASSOCIATION WHISPERER
Presenter: Nelson Duffle, CEO, Smart Content Marketing, LLC
Thu 10/18 at 1 p.m. – LMS Selection: Mastering the Process, Avoiding the Pitfalls
Hear about a time-tested process for selecting a learning management system and learn about the pitfalls to avoid. Get a clear understanding of how to lead your organization in choosing the right learning technology. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Hosts: Community Brands
Presenters: Celisa Steele and Jeff Cobb, co-founders of Tagoras
Thu 10/18 at 2 p.m. – Gen Z, Millennials & Gen X: Exploring Generations and Online Reviews
On an annual basis, 97% of consumers read reviews before making buying decisions. But some generations read reviews more often than others, and some generations are more trusting of online reviews. Discover how online reviews are beginning to make the leap from the consumer market to the B2B market, and the implications for employers, and sales and marketing professionals. More info/register.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth
Presenter: Jamie Notter the Co-Founder and Culture Consultant at Human Workplaces.
Fri 10/19 at 1 p.m. – Contracts: Security Concerns
Tragic recent events such as active shooters and natural disasters have put an exclamation point on the need for meeting planners, organizers, venues and others to be hyper-aware of security concerns before during and after an event. Learn how you can prepare for the worst and limit liability. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Presenters:
- Brenda Rivers, president and CEO of Andavo Meetings & Incentives
- Christian Hardigree, director and professor at the Michael A. Leven School of Culinary Sustainability and Hospitality at Kennesaw State University
- Glen Simpson, Director of Special Operations for Las Vegas Community Ambulance
Fri 10/19 at 2 p.m. – Why is Foresight the Future of Governing?
For associations, the future of governing must be different than its past, and now is the moment to begin creating it. Join a provocative and compelling discussion about these questions: Why is board attention the most important and finite resource every association must manage with care? How can boards and chief staff executives think in a new way about what it means to govern? What can associations do today to begin creating a different future of governing? More info/register.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth
Presenter: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor for Foresight First LLC and author of the new eBook, Foresight is The Future of Governing: Building Thrivable Boards, Stakeholders and Systems for the 21st Century
Save the dates: Wed 11/7 to Fri 11/9 – SURGE Virtual Conference
The goal of the twelve sessions is to celebrate and make possible the potential of our associations. The sessions have been designed to make our optimism a rational one: to prepare us for what the future holds, to provide us with the skills and resources to face it, and to carve out practical pathways to take us there. 1 to 15 CAE credits. More information.
Host: Association Success
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 by Thursday morning.
Creative Commons licensed photo by Trisha Downing via Unsplash.
Association Brain Food 