My Valentine wish: Love reign o’er all of you.
Before we get to the upcoming week’s webinars and learning events, here are a few of my favorite reads and some news from this week.
In her work with associations, Amanda Kaiser has talked with hundreds of members about their conference experience. Read about some of their gripes and her suggested solutions.
If you use online community software, please consider leaving a review on the new site, ReviewMyCommunity.net. If you do, you’ll be granted a lifetime subscription to read the reviews of others. The folks behind the site hope to hit a critical mass of 100 reviews soon. Once they do, you’ll be able to:
- Search and browse community software reviews without the interference of a bunch of other types of software cluttering your research.
- Analyze and review criteria tailored specifically for community software.
- Access the collective mind-hive of community managers outside your immediate social network about what they think of their community software.
Get in early on the start of something big and extremely valuable to the association community and beyond — ReviewMyCommunity.net.
Jeff Hurt discusses six disruptive 21st century issues that associations are having great difficulty responding and adapting to – any of them look familiar?
DelCor published two good posts in the last week – one suggests the questions you should ask the references provided by technology vendors. The other addresses a serious skills gap issue in association IT departments — the need for CIO-level thinking and strategizing.
Now, onto the list of this week’s free webinars and learning events. If you host webinars, check out the one scheduled for Wednesday at 2 p.m.
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 2/14 at 12 p.m.* – Video Event Marketing that Drives Revenue
Organize your video library before, during and after events to generate more leads, foster them through the sales funnel and spread the word about the excellence of your products, services and organization. Learn how to plan and execute a video marketing plan for your next event. More info/register.
Host: MPI
Presenter: Dave Toole, founder, MediaMobz
*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.
Tue 2/14 at 1 p.m. – Membership Marketing: Beyond the Basics
Learn how to implement new membership models, marketing methods, and analytics tools to boost the performance of your membership marketing programs. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: MGI
Presenter: Tony Rossell, senior vice president, MGI
Tue 2/14 at 1:30 p.m. – Behind the Scenes: Planning Convening Leaders
Ever wonder how PCMA puts on its annual event, Convening Leaders? Hear from the pros who made it all happen. Find out what worked well, what they learned from the experiments they tested, and what you can implement in your own meetings. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenters: Amanda Marijanovic (moderator) with panelists from PCMA, Freeman, the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Austin Convention Center
Tue 2/14 at 2 p.m. – What You Need to Know About the Power of Review Sites (Association Chat)
Watch/participate live or view the recording.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth
Tue 2/14 at 5 p.m. – How to Report Live from Nonprofit Conferences and Events
Real-time reporting from nonprofit conferences and events requires an advanced skill set, training, and a lot of practice. Tailored for social media managers, this webinar will highlight which skills are necessary for live reporting, which online tools work the best, and outline a 6-week plan that includes pre-event planning and post-event follow-up. More info/register.
Host: OnGood
Presenter: Heather Mansfield, Nonprofit Tech for Good
Wed 2/15 at 10:30 a.m. – Convert Supporters with Powerful Landing Pages
Great landing pages increase the likelihood that visitors will join, donate, register or engage with your nonprofit. Hear advice based on studying the best practices of hundreds of nonprofits, including what are landing pages and why you should care, the biggest landing page mistakes and how to avoid them, how to build perfect landing pages, and 13 types of landing pages your organization should have. More info/register.
Host: Firespring
Presenter: Jay Wilkinson, Firespring
Wed 2/15 at 11:30 a.m. – AENC CEO Luncheon (Raleigh NC)
This CEOs-only lunch and discussion will focus on strategies to generate member engagement, increasing membership and non-dues revenue. 1 CAE credit. Location: Raleigh NC. More info/register.
Host: AENC
Moderator, Rich Phaneuf, CEO, AENC
Wed 2/15 at 12 p.m. – Industry Trends: Why Associations are Adopting Marketing Automation
As marketing automation arrives in our industry, associations are asking for help in understanding the choices out there and how others are proceeding. Hear about options, considerations and examples of marketing automation.
Host: ASAE
Presenter: Suzanne Carawan, chief marketing officer, Highroad Solution
Wed 2/15 at 1 p.m. – The Ultimate Tech Hackathon: 30 Tools & Shortcuts to Use Technology More Effectively
Learn how to identify critical PC shortcuts and advanced mobile tips, manage the flow of news and information from the web more effectively, understand shortcuts to using social media for business more efficiently, and use websites and services to enhance Web searching and office functionality. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Presenter: Jim Spellos, meetings industry tech expert
Wed 2/15 at 2 p.m. – Keys to Driving Webinar Registration and Attendance
Learn about best practices that have helped companies build their webinar audiences from tens to thousands, including how to optimize your email invitations, how to use videos to drive registration, how to more effectively leverage social media, and how to build a long-term audience. More info/register.
Host: ON24
Presenter: Mark Bornstein, vice president, content marketing, ON24, Inc.
Thu 2/16 at 8:30 a.m. – China NGO Law Updates: Where Do NGOs Stand Now? (Washington DC)
Hear a high-level assessment of the current status of China’s recently passed foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGO) law and get a practical overview of the impact on association activities in China. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Presenters:
- David Livdahl, partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP
- Steven Basart, director, China, Kellen
Thu 2/16 at 11 a.m. – The Art of Developing CME Needs Assessments
A needs assessment (NA) demonstrates the need for instruction on a particular topic among physicians and other healthcare professionals. A well-written NA can serve as the foundation for educational interventions including instructional content and outcomes measurement. Learn how to reduce the gap in the field of needs assessment – due to no standard template or practice guideline – and to develop more effective needs assessments. More info/register.
Host: BeaconLive
Presenter: Ruwaida Vakil, freelance medical writer, communications specialist, and owner of ProMed Write, LLC
Thu 2/16 at 12 p.m. – Why Resiliency Matters for Association Professionals (Alexandria VA Brown Bag)
Resilient professionals have a stronger executive presence and can better handle day-to-day work and life stressors. Learn about the key resilient behaviors specific to association professionals, including setting appropriate boundaries, saying “no” so you can say “yes” to what matters most and where you bring the most value, and caring for yourself in ways that refresh and sustain you for long-term success. Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Presenter: Carol Vernon, certified executive coach, Communication Matters
Thu 2/16 at 1 p.m. – To CVB, or Not to CVB?
Discover 5 key insights to leverage your CVB partners for maximum benefit and help you better understand how they can assist you in the meeting search and planning process. Learn when to contact the CVB, why it matters, what you get, how they’re funded, and where to go to find them all. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: empowerMINT
Presenters:
- Terri Roberts (moderator), training and communication, empowerMINT
- Adam Sacks, president, Tourism Economics
- Gary Sherwin, CDME, Visit Newport Beach, Inc.
Thu 2/16 at 2 p.m. – Incorporating Social Media into Your Member Outreach
Learn how to implement a social strategy that engages, connects and benefits your members. More info/register.
Host: RealMagnet
Thu 2/16 at 2 p.m. – Wi-Fi: How to Make Sure You Have Enough Bandwidth at the Right Price
Learn how to determine your event’s Internet needs, know what to ask to gauge whether a venue can provide the Wi-Fi service you need, and get a review of the pricing models for Wi-Fi. More info/register.
Host: MeetingsNet
Presenters:
- Matt Harvey, vice president, client network services, PSAV
- Tim LaFleur, CMP, director, mobile strategy and global procurement, Suppliers, Meetings & Incentives Worldwide
- Sue Pelletier (moderator), content director, MeetingsNet
Thu 2/16 at 2 p.m. – Go on a Hardware Safari
Learn the first steps in assessing your organization’s technology needs so you can get started on your overall tactical technology plan. This technology audit overview will provide you with the foundation to spot, identify, and document what hardware your organization uses and useful tips on next steps to complete a full assessment of your IT infrastructure. More info/register.
Host: TechSoup
Presenter: Karen Graham, executive director, Idealware
Thu 2/16 at 2 p.m. – Creating a Culture of Volunteer Engagement
Learn how to identify how your organization’s current culture is shaping or limiting what volunteers do, and hear about steps you can take to start to create more understanding, respect, and appreciation for engaging volunteers. More info/register.
Host: VolunteerMatch
Presenter: Jennifer Bennett, senior manager of education & training, VolunteerMatch
Thu 2/16 at 4 p.m. – Information Management Basics
Learn effective ways to organize and utilize the large amounts of data you create and need at your organization, and how to change your information management mindset. More info/register.
Host: Community IT Innovators
Presenters: Kyle Haines and Peter Mirius, Build Consulting
Fri 2/17 at 12 p.m. – Ecommerce for Associations (Inbound Lunch Bunch)
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: Wed 2/22 at 7:30 a.m. – The Billhighway Road Show (Reston VA)
Join a gathering of liked-minded folks from chapter-based associations that face similar challenges to discuss ideas and solutions for measuring and increasing the health of chapters and how it can be done; best practices for chapter operations (volunteer tools, processes, etc.); and how to get the right statistics which will help prevent members, at both the national and chapter level, from leaving. Location: Reston VA. More info/register.
Host: Billhighway
Save the date: Thu 2/23 at 12 p.m. – Show Some TLC to Your Chapter KPIs
Explore the importance of lagging and leading KPIs to develop effective dashboards. Learn why the right KPIs are important to help you move the needle and then dive into examples of KPIs you should be tracking. The session will walk through a template on how to create your own top-notch KPIs and provide a demo of how to spin up your own dashboard. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: 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.
Creative Commons licensed image of Valentine swans by happymillerman
Association Brain Food 