Your weekly list of free webinars and events for the association community…
Last week, after a day of hiking in Capitol Reef National Park, I got on Facebook to share some photos and learned about the consolidation of Aptify, Abila, and YourMembership under the new Community Brands umbrella. I was immediately riveted by the Facebook and Collaborate discussions about the news, but also concerned about friends who work for Aptify and Abila. The association tech market is a hot destination for private equity and many in our community think more acquisitions are likely to come.
While out on my morning walk yesterday, I listened to KiKi L’Italien’s interview with JP Guilbault, the president and CEO of YourMembership, who has been named president of Community Brands. KiKi also talked with Loretta DeLuca, Gretchen Steenstra, and David DeLorenzo from DelCor and other association community techies. If you’re bewildered by this news, check out her Association Chat podcast or webcast, or stay tuned for an upcoming post from DelCor.
Speaking of DelCor, while I was away, they published two good posts:
- Tobin Conley, CAE, explains how he came to love two-factor authentication and why you should too.
- David DeLorenzo and Mike Guerrieri discuss four association CIO archetypes.
Having worked for national and state homebuilders associations, I’m a firm proponent of healthy national/chapter (or state/local association) partnerships. One way to nurture that relationship is by offering joint membership. Billhighway explains how to build a case for joint membership and the issues you need to consider when implementing it.
Webinar hosts: check out the Why Did My Webinar Fail webinar on Tuesday.
If your organization has a webinar scheduled in the next few weeks, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.
Tue 4/18 at 11:30 a.m.* – How Are Organizations Using Marketing Automation?
Marketing automation is not just a buzz word for an updated approach to email marketing. Marketing automation is a marketing approach that focuses on nurturing one individual at a time through a buyer’s journey that allows your organization to quickly identify who is truly interested in what you’re offering and who isn’t. More info/register.
Host: C Systems
*All times are Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Tue 4/18 at 12 p.m. – Billhighway Chapter Roundtable (Washington DC)
Connect with fellow Component/Chapter Relations Professionals (CRPs) to network and discuss current chapter challenges. Breakfast/lunch provided. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register for the Washington DC roundtable.
Host: Billhighway
Tue 4/18 at 1 p.m. – Storytelling in 2017: It’s Not About Content, It’s About Engagement
Engagement is the goal of B2B marketers who use content to connect with their audiences and ultimately make a case for their value proposition. But what constitutes engaging, story-rich content has evolved. Learn about the variables in the B2B audience engagement equation and what resonates with customers, and why. Hear about delivery channels and methods with an emphasis on how the technologies that drive engagement also enrich prospect data. More info/register.
Host: BrightTALK
Presenters:
- Scott Abel, The Content Wrangler
- Phyllis Davidson, research director, SiriusDecisions
Tue 4/18 at 2 p.m. – Being Chuck Fazio on Life, Art, and the Meetings Industry Fund (Association Chat)
Chuck Fazio is the photographer at every big association and meeting industry event. Everyone who’s anyone has been photographed by Chuck or one of his entourage, most of them also following along on his adventures on social media as he travels around the globe in the Chuckwagon, shooting pictures, and being unapologetically himself. He’s won a lot of awards and gotten a lot of attention, but the thing he cares most about is the Meetings Industry Fund. Hear about Chuck’s unique views on life, art, and the Meetings Industry Fund. Watch/participate live or view the recording.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth
Tue 4/18 at 2 p.m. – The Effortless Experience: Conquering the New Battleground for Customer Loyalty
Find out what really makes customers loyal—and disloyal. Discover the key pillars of a low-effort customer experience backed by robust data, shocking insights, and profiles of companies already using them with great results. Learn how leading companies reframe customer success strategies by measuring customer effort, identifying issues and prioritizing customer service investments, creating a low-effort environment, and managing self-service and multichannel service. More info/register.
Host: Higher Logic
Presenter: Matt Dixon, author of The Effortless Experience
Tue 4/18 at 2 p.m. – Why Did My Webinar Fail?
Discover the simple things you can do to ensure a slam-dunk webinar, every time, including best practices for driving webinar registration, delivering engaging presentations, enhancing the audience experience, and getting the most out of webinar leads. More info/register.
Host: ON24
Presenter: Marc Bornstein, vice president of content marketing, ON24
Wed 4/19 at 7:30 a.m. – Billhighway Chapter Roundtable (Alexandria VA)
Connect with fellow Component/Chapter Relations Professionals (CRPs) to network and discuss current chapter challenges. Breakfast/lunch provided. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register for the Alexandria VA roundtable.
Host: Billhighway
Wed 4/19 at 11 a.m. – Data Driven Decision Making: Using Analytics to Guide Meetings Marketing
Like many associations, the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) and its 5 staff members faced the struggle of ambitious meeting goals with limited time and resources. To increase attendance, NAES needed to identify which campaigns and marketing efforts were the most effective to get the most bang for their limited small-association buck. Find out about their six-month long effort to meet their big goal in this case study style webinar. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Matrix Group
Presenters:
- David Schnabel, CAE, communications & events manager, NAES
- Joanna Pineda, CEO, Matrix Group
Wed 4/19 at 12 p.m. – Find Prospects and Drive Event Attendance with Geotargeting
Picture an event happening in your city that attracts a new market segment you’ve been trying to woo. You geotarget people specifically at the corresponding convention center, serve them a mobile ad, and instantly, your prospecting list soars. Find out how geotargeting works, how to develop a strategy, and how to pitch the idea to your organization’s leadership team. Learn how to grow prospect lists, impressions, conversions, and ultimately, event attendance. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Marketing Council
Presenter: Santana Innis, director of digital and social media, MDG Advertising
Wed 4/19 at 1 p.m. – How to Use Video for Event Marketing: Before, During & After
Learn how to use video to drive event awareness and boost attendance. Take a look at major trends and discuss best practices for successfully incorporating video into your event strategy. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Event Manager Blog
Presenter: Mark Robertson, founder of ReelSEO (now TubularInsights)
Wed 4/19 at 1 p.m. – The Attendee Experience: Making Your Show Count
Many meeting professionals are conservative and slow to adapt to new methods. But organizations that aren’t comfortable with the risk required to deliver a fresh approach may be left behind. If you aren’t adapting, participants may simply zone out, or worse, stop attending entirely. Learn how to secretly energize and relax you and your client; create environments for cohesion, collaboration, and creativity; and use the five-sensory nature science for a memorable meeting. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenter: Michael Owen, EventGenuity, LLC
Wed 4/19 at 2 p.m. – Drive Event Registration with Automated Campaigns
Learn how two associations significantly increased registration and revenue with changes to their email event promotions. See how an automated event campaign can give you the perfect balance of the right number of promotions sent at the right time. More info/register.
Host: Informz
Presenter: Alex Mastrianni, marketing manager, Informz
Wed 4/19 at 2 p.m. – Mastering the Relationship: Creating Partnerships to Improve Your Events
Learn how the client/vendor relationship is changing and how to create partnerships that lead to perfect events. Find out how to nurture relationships so they go beyond the one-time sale; important questions to always ask your venue, to ensure a smoother event process; smarter ways to source your vendors, and how to work with people you trust; the importance of smart proposals; and how to create the partnership you never realized you needed. More info/register.
Host: BizBash
Presenters:
- Jessica Berman, director of sales & marketing, The Manhattan Center
- David Adler, CEO and founder, BizBash
Wed 4/19 at 2 p.m. – Increase the Value Proposition of Your Live Medical Event: Innovation Success Stories
It’s more difficult than ever to draw healthcare professionals to come to your live educational events. Learn how to incorporate effective marketing tactics that engage potential healthcare professionals year-round; apply findings from event research and behavioral analytics to drive decisions; and develop engaging, experiential event content that has high interest among potential HCP attendees—and that can only be delivered in the live learning setting. More info/register.
Host: MeetingsNet
Presenters:
- Tristan Gorrindo, MD, director of education, American Psychiatric Association
- Glenn L. Laudenslager IV, president, Charge Ahead Marketing
- Diane Tiberio, director of conference & marketing, Reed Exhibitions
Wed 4/19 at 4 p.m. – Single Sign On (SSO) Security
Single Sign On (SSO) technology, when implemented correctly, can make your nonprofit’s cloud-based applications easier to use and enhance your security. Learn where SSO can be a successful part of your security strategy, the pros and cons, the available SSO products, tips on training staff on SSO, and the costs. More info/register.
Host: Community IT
Presenter: Matt Eshleman, chief technology officer, Community IT
Thu 4/20 at 7:30 a.m. – Billhighway Chapter Roundtable (Reston VA)
Connect with fellow Component/Chapter Relations Professionals (CRPs) to network and discuss current chapter challenges. Breakfast/lunch provided. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register for the Reston VA roundtable.
Host: Billhighway
Thu 4/20 at 12 p.m. – Be Chief Marketing Officer of Your Career
Savvy professionals understand how to leverage their skills and talents and strategically position themselves in their organization and industry as leading experts and sought-after thought leaders. Learn how to develop a reputation as the person to know and work with, in both your organization and your industry; leverage your skills and talents to create a specific niche in your industry; create a personal brand strategy that communicates your unique value; and implement tangible strategies right now to elevate your visibility. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Presenter: Jennifer Ransaw Smith, founding CEO, Brand id|Strategic Partners
Thu 4/20 at 12 p.m. – Extend the Value of Your Conference Content: The Planning Process for Streaming Meetings & Conferences (Alexandria VA Brown Bag)
Streaming content from your conferences can help your association reach an expanded audience and extend the value of your conference material by transforming educational sessions into online content. Find out how to plan the streaming process in a manner fitting your organization that engages with members and nonmembers. 1 CAE credit. Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Presenters:
- Jim Fiore, Corporate Events Online
- Vinnu Kudva (facilitator), APEX Meetings
Thu 4/20 at 1 p.m. – Is Your Association Website Stuck in a Time Warp?
Learn about the five critical areas you should examine and change to make your association site something you can be proud of, including personalization, search, responsive web design, photography/imagery, and content. More info/register.
Host: Vanguard Technology
Presenters:
- Chris Bonney, vice president of client experience, Vanguard Technology
- Pramila Devadas, content strategist, Vanguard Technology
Thu 4/20 at 1 p.m. – How to Create Awesome Value for Your Association Members: Lessons from Shark Tank and Successful Start Up Ventures
Adapting principles from the world of start up ventures and proven business models can better align your member’s real needs with the value provided by your association. Gain a deeper understanding of value proposition and how to assess if your association measures up. Find out how to capture the most pressing needs (including unmet needs) and problems facing your members and become a “Solutionary.” Learn how to identify unknown competition; transform your member benefit portfolio into an innovation roadmap; and build support for value innovation with your board and staff. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Digitec Interactive
Presenters:
- Wendy W. Scott, CAE, founder and partner, ReedScott
- Bob Reed, MBA, founder and partner, ReedScott
Thu 4/20 at 1 p.m. – 25 Free and Low-Cost Tech Tools for Nonprofits
You wear a lot of hats and have a lot to do. What tools can help you do and be your best on a nonprofit budget? Explore free and low-cost tools that range from photo editing and design apps to time management and collaboration tools. More info/register.
Host: Idealware
Presenter: Jeanne Allen, instructor in the Duke University Nonprofit Management Program and BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer
Thu 4/20 at 1:30 p.m. – Ask Us Anything with Wes Trochlil, founder of Effective Database Management and Teri Carden, founder of ReviewMyAMS
Whether you want to know the best way to go about selecting a new AMS, what you should know about the implementation process, or anything at all related to data management, now is your chance to ask two of the leading voices about AMS products. You’ve got questions, they’ve got answers. More info/register.
Thu 4/20 at 2 p.m. – Turn Your Website into a Membership Growth Engine
Even someone without any tech experience can turn their website into a new member recruiter — in just an afternoon. Learn about three website changes that will start attracting new members right away; how to get volunteers to easily make updates by themselves (even if they don’t have any tech experience); and how other organizations use their website to drive membership growth. More info/register.
Host: Wild Apricot
Presenter: Terry Ibele, growth specialist, Wild Apricot
Thu 4/20 at 2 p.m. – Health and Wellness Trends Making an Impact on Meetings
Tap into some of the hottest spa and wellness trends to make your next meeting healthier, more successful, and more inspiring. From wholesome culinary experiences to activities that will help your clients feel rested and refreshed to ideas for providing overloaded meeting-goers with the luxury of silence, several of the year’s biggest trends can help make your next event more productive. More info/register.
Host: SmartMeetings
Presenter: Julie Callaghan, editor-in-chief & publisher, American Spa Magazine
Thu 4/20 at 2 p.m. – Make Your Evergreen Content More Actionable
Evergreen content is search, traffic and lead-gen paydirt—the kind of content that keeps on giving. Learn how to think strategically about evergreen content; set bottom-line benchmarks and measure KPIs; optimize evergreen content for maximum search results; make your evergreen content enticing and actionable; and create an ongoing evergreen calendar that won’t overwhelm you. More info/register.
Host: ClearVoice
Presenters:
- Aaron Orendorff, founder, iconiContent
- Jacob Warwick, founder, ThinkWarwick Communications
Thu 4/20 at 2:30 p.m. – The Rising Tide: Marketing for Associations
Explore how high-impact marketing can help you achieve the dual benefit of growing your association while equipping members to grow their businesses. Learn how to add increased value to members, fully leverage your role as an industry authority, and develop a clear marketing strategy for your own association as well as your members. More info/register.
Host: Engage Software
Presenters:
- Lindsay Matush, founder and CEO, Vario Consulting
- Jason Stone, vice president of sales and marketing, Engage
Fri 4/21 at 3 p.m. – Using Marketing Automation to Grow
Inbound marketing is so new to the association market that it might make you feel like you’re back in elementary school where everything is new. So, we’re taking some of the standards of elementary school—keeping it simple, making it fun and creating a super positive learning environment where the only dumb question about inbound marketing and lead generation is the one you don’t ask. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: HighRoad Solution
Save the date: Tue 4/25 at 12 p.m. CDT – Billhighway Chapter Roundtable (Chicago)
Connect with fellow Component/Chapter Relations Professionals (CRPs) to network and discuss current chapter challenges. Breakfast/lunch provided. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register for the Chicago roundtable.
Host: Billhighway
Save the date: Thu 4/27 at 12 p.m. – National and Component Collaboration for Membership Growth
Learn how the Patio, Hearth and Barbeque (HPBA) developed a collaborative membership campaign that aimed at growing a specific membership type at both the affiliate and National level. Find out about challenges that arose through the process, how responsibilities were distributed, and how the campaign was implemented as a joint effort that overcame the barriers that can often divide affiliates and Nationals. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Billhighway
Presenters:
- Scott Oser, president, Scott Oser Associates, Inc.
- Kyle Bazzy, director of growth, Billhighway
That’s it for this week. 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 professional development for the association community, please send me the link via email or Twitter.
Association Brain Food 