The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
The digitalNow 2020 call for presentations is open. This is one of my favorite conferences, however, if you’re a consultant or vendor who provides products/services to associations, the only way you can attend is by becoming either a sponsor or speaker. The deadline for proposals is next Friday, November 15.
To alleviate pressure on their traditional line of business, colleges and universities are launching new credentialing programs for a larger target audience. WBT Systems describes how higher ed is now competing with associations in the lifelong learning market.
MemberSuite explains the differences between customization and configuration, why you should think twice about AMS customization, and how many systems are customized even when they’re not marketed as such.
Google recently announced that its deep learning powered natural language processing model, BERT, is now powering search queries. Christopher Penn at Trust Insights tells you what you need to know about BERT and SEO. Biggest (blessed) takeaway: “The keyword is dead. Long live the topic!”
Noah Buhayar and Christopher Cannon at Bloomberg describe how California became America’s housing market nightmare. “There is no solution to the California housing crisis without the construction of millions of new houses.” My former colleagues at CBIA have been singing this song for years. Will policymakers and planners finally listen?
Quick hits before we get to next week’s free webinars:
- In a historic shift, The Salt Lake Tribune gets IRS approval to become a nonprofit. Is this the way forward for newspapers? (Matt Canham, The Salt Lake Tribune)
- Research-backed tips for getting your content noticed on LinkedIn. (Sheilamary Koch, Multibriefs)
- The most futuristic developments we can expect in the next ten years. He’s not talking about housing. (George Dvorsky, Gizmodo)
- Thanks to Michael Gillespie, a programmer at a Nerds on Call repair store in Illinois, hundreds of thousands of ransomware victims have recovered their files for free. (Renee Dudley, ProPublica)
- If you’re a regular Airbnb user, you may have already heard about this nationwide scam, but if not, beware. Since this article was published, Airbnb has announced a crackdown and review of listings. (Allie Conti, Vice)
Good eats:
- Creamy mushroom and spinach orzo (with lots of parmesan cheese) from The Kitchn is supreme comfort food that reminds me of risotto.
- We received glorious, shiny yellowfin tuna in our seafood share last week so I made Thai tuna burgers. The tuna is mixed with ginger, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, Thai basil and fish sauce. I could have eaten the whole bowl raw, the mix was so good. These burgers have a much softer texture than meat burgers. You top them with quickly pickled cucumber and red onion as well as a ginger-lemon mayonnaise. I added sriracha to the mayo.
- Shishito peppers make a regular appearance in our CSA share. They’re a good emergency vegetable when you don’t have much time. I cut off the stems, leave them whole and sauté them, tossing frequently, in a hot oiled pan until blistered. I sprinkle the cooked peppers generously with sea salt and not as generously with lemon juice.
- Finally, fall has arrived. On a recent brisk night I made chicken and dumplings for the second time ever from Instantly Southern by Sheri Castle. I love this Instant Pot cookbook. So far, each recipe has been a success.
Here are 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.
Mon 11/11 at 7:30 a.m.* – AWTC Meet-Up at Community Brands Xperience (Orlando FL)
It’s 2019 and people interact with technology all day from their mobile device to systems at work to smart devices at home. Why do staff members and associations members keep saying ‘I don’t know anything about IT’ then? Join a panel of association leaders who have transformed their association’s culture to foster a technology savvy staff who consider technology as an enabler and resource. Location: Orlando FL. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Moderator: Gretchen Steenstra, Strategic Consultant, DelCor
*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.
Mon 11/11 at 1 p.m. – Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia
Check out this 15-minute web series covering hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. A new episode is posted every Monday by 1 p.m. More info.
Host: Rogue Tulips LLC
Presenters:
- Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman
- Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Tue 11/12 at 12 p.m. – The DOL’s New Rules for FLSA Classification: What a Nonprofit Needs to Know
The new Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulations are here at last, and they look very different from those proposed by the Obama administration. Learn about the impact of the new rules and the steps to take to prepare for the January 1, 2020 effective date. More info/register.
Host: Venable LLP
Presenters:
- Jennifer Prozinski, Partner, Venable LLP
- Karel Mazanec, Associate, Venable LLP
Tue 11/12 at 1 p.m. – How Nonprofits Can Make Their Fundraising Campaigns More Social
Social media channels can help you amplify the message of your fundraising campaigns. Hear about the latest trends in social media marketing and how they affect nonprofits. Learn how to use every social channel in your fundraising campaign and build a funnel for your social fundraising content. Take away best practices on making your fundraising more social and successful examples of using social media in fundraising. More info/register.
Host: Nonprofit Tech for Good
Presenter: Tereza Litsa, Social Media Manager at Lightful
Tue 11/12 at 2 p.m. – Association Chat on Twitter (#assnchat)
The original #assnchat Twitter chat is back. Join an online tweet chat with fellow association professionals by following the #assnchat hashtag on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. More info.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth
Tue 11/12 at 2 p.m. – Five Plays for Click-Worthy Email Marketing
From subject lines to segmentation to deliverability, hear about the top five plays to send your email performance through the roof. More info/register.
Host: eMarketer
Presenter: Mike Madden, head of commercial demand generation for Adobe Experience Cloud
Tue 11/12 at 3 p.m. – Chapters and Affiliates: For the “Swing” in Your Member Experience
What if we envisioned chapters to be a concrete way to experience the association? Like brick and mortar stores are evolving—not as the point of sale—but as providers of an experience you can’t get online. Chapters—which are closer to the ground—could let members take a couple of swings with association services and decide on the best fit. Join an open discussion on how associations and chapters can support and strengthen one another to advance the shared mission and their bottom lines. Location: online and Washington DC. More info/register.
Organizer: Associations Catalyzing Entrepreneurship
Presenters:
- Kerry Cosby, Chapter Relations Manager at IEEE Computer Society
- Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Wed 11/13 at 1 p.m. – Boosting Non-Dues Revenue: 3 Tactics to Increase the Engagement of Sponsors, Exhibitors, and Advertisers
Learn how to refine your value proposition and marketing collateral, improve your conversations with prospects, and increase your bottom-line results. Find out how to sell better by crafting, speaking about, and acting on the unique value proposition your association has to offer; better understand what supporters expect in return for their investment; and efficiently prioritize your actions for bigger topline results. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Hosts: MemberSuite and The Wyman Company
Wed 11/13 at 1 p.m. – How Data Quality Defines Your Organization
Learn how good data quality can have big fundraising and program impacts. Hear about the role of good data at your organization, tips on how to get everyone at your organization on the same page, and ideas for how to prioritize data for quality improvement. More info/register.
Host: Community IT
Presenter: Peter Mirus, Build Consulting
Wed 11/13 at 1 p.m. – Getting Started with Strategic Meetings Management
We’ll debunk the myth that Strategic Meetings Management (SMM) is incredibly complex by breaking it down into bite-sized pieces. Learn best practices and tried and true approaches. The size of your company doesn’t matter; SMM can be adopted by companies of any size. When it comes down to it, it’s about streamlining your event process to save time and money, while creating a better attendee experience. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Presenter: Julie Haddix, Director, Enterprise Marketing, Cvent
Wed 11/13 at 2 p.m. – Building a Member-Centric Culture with Online Community
Hear about effective methods for growing trust and enhancing member experiences with thriving online communities. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ACGI Software
Presenters:
- Lindsay Starke, Lead Community Strategist, Higher Logic
- Arj Devadas, VP of Sales & Marketing, ACGI Software
Wed 11/13 at 2 p.m. – 8 Common Myths of Event Design, and the Tools You Need to Get It Right
Explore some common myths about event design, and evaluate tools and design principles that can be leveraged to improve the dynamic—and ultimately help us deliver more impact for our business and audiences. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: MeetingsNet
Presenter: Timothy Simpson, Brand & Creative Engagement Chief Strategist, Maritz Global Events
Wed 11/13 at 6:30 p.m. – xAPI 101
xAPI (also known as ExperienceAPI and TinCan) is a powerful new way to record learning but its flexibility can also be confusing. This webinar demystifies what xAPI is and how it can be used. More info/register.
Host: Sprout Labs
Presenter: Dr Robin Petterd, founder of Sprout Labs
Thu 11/14 at 12 p.m. – Adding Snap, Crackle & Pop to Chapter Events
“We can’t get anyone to our chapter events. Everyone’s too busy.” Yes, people are busy, but according to ASAE’s Decision to Attend study, this is usually not the reason people don’t attend events. More often than not, it’s due to the event programming and planning. Learn how to tap into the desire members have (across generations) to attend live events, curate the right programming for your chapters’ audience that meets their need for continual learning, and create an event experience that leaves attendees amazed and ready to attend your next event. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management
Presenter: Peggy Hoffman, president and executive director, Mariner Management
Thu 11/14 at 12 p.m. – The Playbook for the Successful Chapter-Based Association
Dive into strategies on how to build a successful chapter model within your association that creates a positive member experience across the organization. Learn how CSTA applied best practices to maintaining their organization’s brand, vision and purpose while leveraging local presence and influence. Hear about common pitfalls to avoid, and strategies and frameworks that will keep you on track. More info/register.
Hosts: MemberNova and ReviewMyAMS
Presenters:
- Jake Baskin, Executive Director, Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA)
- Halle Asterbad, COO and Co-Founder, MemberNova
Thu 11/14 at 2 p.m. – Making the Future a Massive Open Online Game
Hear how McGonigal is pushing the futures thinking field from niche to mainstream by way of her new massively open online courses, which invite the public to game out hard-to-anticipate futures together. More info/register.
Host: Institute for the Future
Presenter: Jane McGonigal, Director of Games Research & Development, Institute for the Future
Thu 11/14 at 2 p.m. – Event Sustainability: People, Planet and Profit
Learn about environmental and social sustainability practices that also consider your business’s bottom line. Hear about sustainable practices and case studies in the events industry, and the steps necessary to propel sustainability initiatives forward. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenter: Mercedes Hunt, PhD, Founder/ Owner of Map & Compass Consulting LLC, and the Director of Undergraduate Business Programs at Granite State College
Thu 11/14 at 3 p.m. –Measuring Giving Tuesday Campaign Impact (Reston-Loudoun VA Idea Swap)
#GivingTuesday, held on December 3rd this year, is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Discuss how to position your brand and its cause for Giving Tuesday, define your organization’s measurable goals for a campaign, and measure those goals via both traditional and non-traditional measurement tools. 1 CAE credit. Location: Reston VA. More info/register.
Organizer: ASAE Greater Washington / National Capital Community
Presenter: Proof Strategies
Fri 11/15 at 1 p.m. – Ten Strategies for Pricing eLearning Content
Explore ten strategies for pricing and packaging your online education products that will generate non-dues revenue, drive your value proposition, increase learner engagement, and stand out in a world where everything online is free. More info/register.
Host: Blue Sky eLearn
Presenter: Kara Adams, M.Ed., CAE, Client Success Manager, Blue Sky eLearn
Tue 11/19 usually at 8:30 a.m. – Coffee Talks with Results Direct (usually in Alexandria VA)
Save the date and check their website for more information.
Host: Results Direct
Tue 11/19 at 2 p.m. – Anatomy of a Mission-Driven Website
Explore what makes for a successful mission-oriented website, from content to user flow to thank-you pages. Learn how to write clear hero messages that encourage your audience to take action. Find out how you may be creating confusion through your messaging, user experience and/or forms (and how to fix them). Take away tactical tips for quick website fixes that result in immediate improvements. More info/register.
Host: Mighty Citizen
Presenter: Mike Steckel, User Experience Director, Mighty Citizen
Wed 11/20 at 1 p.m. – Beyond the Course: Content Marketing Strategies for Continuing Education
With countless ways to promote and package instructional content, what’s the best way to invest your time and budget? Learn how to prioritize fluid customer education needs, build a convincing business case, and choose effective tools and technologies. Take away tips for quick deployment and continuous improvement, successful “lifecycle” content strategies, and metrics to evaluate program impact over time. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Talented Learning
Presenters:
- John Leh, CEO & Lead Analyst at Talented Learning
- Tiffany Mack, Sr. Marketing Manager of Careers & Education at Community Brands
Thu 11/21 usually at 8:30 a.m. – Coffee Talks with Results Direct (usually in Reston VA)
Save the date and check their website for more information.
Host: Results Direct
Thu 11/21 at 12 p.m. – The Value of Transitioning from a Sponsorship to a Partnership Program (Partnership Professionals Network Idea Exchange: Washington DC)
Sometimes the terms “sponsorship” and “partnership” are used interchangeably, however, they can be very different programs for associations and not-for-profit organizations. Participate in an in-depth discussion about more than 15 key differences between sponsorship and partnership programs, and learn the value proposition of each difference. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Organizer: Partnership Professionals Network
Thu 11/21 at 1 p.m. – Jump-Starting Revenue for Your Learning Business
Most learning businesses need to generate enough revenue to cover their operations and, in many cases, subsidize other parts of their organization. Hear about the building blocks of successful revenue growth and explore a range of techniques your learning business can leverage to significantly boost revenue from its current offerings. Walk away with concrete tips and practices you can put to work immediately to jump-start revenue for your learning business. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Tagoras
Presenters: Celisa Steele and Jeff Cobb, co-founders of Tagoras
Thu 11/21 at 2 p.m. – How Associations Are Enhancing Member Value with Data Analytics
See how easy it was for trade association 340B Health to set up member engagement scoring that included data from all relevant systems and in one year gain insights in the three areas that matter most to the typical association: member retention, new member acquisition, and conference registration. More info/register.
Host: .orgCommunity
Presenter: Rob Miller, CAE, senior vice president, Gravitate Solutions
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 before Thursday afternoon.
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