The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Declining conference registrations. WBT Systems suggests strategies to reverse the decline in virtual and in-person conference registrations that many associations are experiencing right now. They describe the reasons behind this decline and offer solutions to overcome those barriers or engage the person elsewhere.
Learning subscriptions. At Leading Learning, Jack Coursen from ASHA describes the journey his team took on the way to a successful learning subscription business. He suggests dozens of questions you should ask before going down this road, walks you through the numbers, and explains why the pay-per-course model is hostile to lifelong learning.
Member/customer engagement. PropFuel describes a concept now being used successfully at many associations: conversational engagement. With this strategy, you draw people into a relevant conversation, identify their goals or needs, and respond appropriately—at scale, not individually. PropFuel makes it clear at the outset of this ebook that they’re trying to sell you on a mindset, not their technology. It’s a new way to approach communication and engagement with members and customers.
Association turnaround. The future looked bleak for the American Philatelic Society (APS), but in this instructive case study by Carolyn Shomali at the Professionals for Association Revenue, you can find out how APS erased debt, found new revenue streams, and rejuvenated membership.
AMS implementation. Impexium describes three often overlooked requirements for successful implementations. They explain how to get buy-in from staff—and why you need it—starting with the folks at the top of the org chart, how to deal with not having enough time to do everything else on your plate, and why you should focus on business outcomes (Why), not processes (How), along with sharing other implementation advice.
Membership marketing. Tony Rossell from Marketing General Inc. shares the seven deadly sins of membership marketing. Some of these sins may surprise you. He also suggests next steps to help you repent for those marketing sins.
Climate change. Shelly Alcorn is blogging again! She describes five things associations can do internally about climate change. They might not be what you expect, but they make a whole lot of sense.
Return to the office. As companies and individuals debate and navigate a return to the office, Rishad Tobaccowala points out issues you should keep in mind. Given the arbitrary nature of many management decisions about which days people work in the office versus which they work at home, his last section on in-person interaction versus returning to the office is required reading.
Quick hits
Another incredibly comprehensive guide from Rene Shonerd, CAE: How to create a vendor management program. (Cimatri)
What should be in meeting minutes? (Jim Slaughter, Law Firm Carolinas)
Fern launches an exhibitor success program. It will be interesting to see the impact of this training on exhibitor ROI and whether anyone will offer the same for virtual events. (Trade Show News Network)
The rise of the 15-minute meeting. Why not? It’s worth a try. (Megan Carnegie, Wired UK)
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 6/17 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
*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 6/17 at 4 p.m. – Job Search Series: How to Respond to Difficult Interview Questions
Anyone can interview well with a lot of preparation. Many times, candidates don’t think through which difficult questions might be asked in an interview. During an interview, you must communicate your skills and experience in a way that directly relates to the employer’s needs and how you can add value to their organization. This program will provide the tough questions and best way to answer for a successful interview. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Presenter: Shelly Trent, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CAE, JCTC, JCDC, HR and career development professional
Mon 6/20 at 1 p.m. – Marketing Maturity for Nonprofits (Nonprofit Conversations with Cecilia Sepp, CAE)
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: Rachel Clemens, chief marketing officer, Mighty Citizen
Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Tue 6/21 at 8:30 a.m. – China’s Legal Complexity: The Latest Developments and Impact on Associations in China
Hear about the complexity of China’s legal environment; the latest legal developments relevant to associations, particularly China’s Foreign NGO Law and its impact on associations operating as foreign NGOs in China since the Law took effect over 5 years ago; key developments in cyber security and data protection laws in China; challenges commonly faced by professional societies and trade associations in China; approaches taken by associations operating in China; and areas of activities that may raise concerns or require transition procedures. Get an understanding of the legal and political context of the law, and a perspective on China’s ongoing domestic association reform. 2 CAE credits. More info/register.
Hosts: Kellen and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Presenters:
- Steven Basart, Vice President, Asia for Kellen
- Amy Liu, China Council, of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
- Jerald Jacobs, Partner of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Tue 6/21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Community Platforms Demo Day
Join us for the just-in-time virtual community platform demo day featuring presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer community platforms. Community experts will be showcasing platforms and sharing their knowledge with the association market. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Tue 6/21 at 12 p.m. – Component Relations and Volunteer Management Crunch and Munch Session
Join the council for best practice sharing and idea generation. Come with your questions and goals and be ready to share your experiences with others seeking advice. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Advisory Council
Tue 6/21 at 12 p.m. – How to Host Stellar Retrospectives for Better Team Results
In an ideal world, we would give great feedback and evaluate every project in an efficient yet engaging way. Our teams would always learn from past mistakes and constantly improve. Learn about the power of retrospectives and how to set up meetings and processes that will help your team reflect, learn from each other and succeed. More info/register.
Host: Slido
Presenter: leadership coach Dave Bailey
Tue 6/21 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 6/21 at 1 p.m. – AP Automation: Processing Global Payments, Eliminating Fraud, and Segregating Roles and Responsibilities to Reduce Risk
Get an overview of challenges and trends impacting financial processes in Accounts Payable departments. Hear how automation can drive new levels of efficiency and how digital transformation can improve payment analytics and eliminate manual errors. Best practices to be discussed include processing global payments to any country in any currency, strengthening fraud prevention, and segregating roles and responsibilities to ensure corporate accounting compliance. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Presenter: Al Ladha, CEO and Founder, iCloudAuthority
Tue 6/21 at 3 p.m. – Mental Health and Wellness Today: Critical Perspectives from Organizations on the Front Lines
Many organizations are working to reduce the stigma of mental health and wellness and have brought the topic of mental health and wellness into the forefront. But are we doing enough? And what can we be doing to further the cause? Hear association and nonprofit executives who are leading the charge on critical issues related to mental health in society and the workplace will discuss: the role associations play in helping their members with issues around mental health and wellbeing, how national organizations can use their platforms and programmatic resources to influence and educate members and those they serve, ways associations and other nonprofits are advocating for mental health issues on behalf of the population as whole, and how associations can serve the needs of their own staff with respect to mental health and wellness. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Presenters:
- Dennis P. Stolle, Senior Director of Applied Psychology, American Psychological Association
- Nathan Monell, Executive Director, National Parent Teacher Association
- Schroeder Stribling, President and CEO, Mental Health America
- Richard Yep, CAE, FASAE, Chief Executive Officer, American Counseling Association
- Debra Zabloudil, FACHE (moderator), VP, Learning, ASAE
Wed 6/22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – UST Ed Symposium (Washington DC and online)
We have combined four dynamic sessions for an in-person one day event to learn, earn, & network with your peers: Everything you wanted to know about engagement scoring (but didn’t know to ask); IT Zen: how to create harmony across leadership, business and technology; Understanding the payments ecosystem of your association/nonprofit; and membership engagement: pass the pen. 5 CAE credits. Location: Washington DC and online. More info/register. Cost: $25. I’m making an exception by listing this paid event, but since it includes lunch and happy hour, it’s practically free.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Wed 6/22 at 12 p.m. – Membership: Let’s Solve It
According to the 2021 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report, 47% of associations are reporting declines in their total membership. Much of this is due to a decrease in membership renewals: this year, 45% of associations noted a downturn in renewals, which was nearly double what associations experienced in the previous year. We will address how to approach this riddle and present ideas you can translate to your own organization. More info/register.
Host: Juno
Presenter: Chris Vaughan, Chief Strategy Officer, Sequence Consulting
Wed 6/22 at 12 p.m. – Data-Driven Virtual Events
Peel back the mystery surrounding the massive data opportunity for virtual events. Learn about the key features and experiences that drive audience engagement and what data you should be paying attention to. Hear about tactics and technology to drive audience engagement, membership and marketing data to track to grow your show, and why being data-driven is your best investment for 2022. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: EVA
Presenters:
- Joe Colangelo, CEO, Bear Analytics
- Vinnu Deshetty, Event Tech Advocate, EVA
Wed 6/22 at 2 p.m. – Workplace Wellness – Why it Matters & What You Need to Know
Learn the latest and most significant trends in workplace wellness today, explore why this conversation matters (particularly regarding how it affects mental health at work), and the role of senior leaders and managers in helping their teams work better together in a remote/hybrid environment. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Achurch Consulting
Presenter: Laura Putnam, CEO of Motion Infusion
Wed 6/22 at 2 p.m. – Tapping Into a Destination’s Intellectual Capital
When evaluating a destination for meetings and events, planners often overlook a key resource: local universities and businesses. Thought leaders from these entities can be tapped to enrich an event’s education sessions and overall agenda, elevating the program to a higher level. Learn how CVBs can be a resource for connecting groups with local thought leaders and why local expertise should be considered in the selection process. Hear about examples of events that featured experts from universities and businesses. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Northstar Meetings Group
Presenters:
- Emily Scheiderer, Director of Education, Sales and Service, Destinations International
- Gregg Talley, President & CEO, Talley Management Group
- Lisa Grimaldi (moderator), Editor, Incentives and Destinations, Northstar Meetings Group
Wed 6/22 at 3 p.m. – Accessibility Today: Making Virtual and In-Person Events Inclusive for All
Despite ramped-up efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion to respond to warranted social and cultural pressure, organizations are still lagging in ensuring their events are accessible and inclusive to all. Hear ways to make events more welcoming and how planners can lead the way in becoming accessibility champions within their organizations for their events. More info/register.
Host: Event Leadership Institute
Presenters:
- Joshua Klipp, Esq., Certified Access Specialist (CASp), Principal & Founder, Made Welcome
- Christopher Lee, Vice President, CLO & IAAP Managing Director, The Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs
- Amy Lund, Teacher and Former President, Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired
- Paula Goldrich, Product Marketing Manager, Webex Events
- Howard Givner (Moderator), Founder and CEO, Event Leadership Institute
Thu 6/23 at 6 a.m. – On Driving User Adoption: Best Practices and Lessons Learnt from Nonprofit and Education Customers
Learn about Salesforce’s six principles for adoption: Change Management, Demonstrate Leadership Buy-In, Know Your End-Users, Be Meaningful & Drive Value, Commit to Simplicity, and Continually Iterate & Improve. Hear how clients have applied these principles in their organization and what they have learnt. More info/register.
Host: Salesforce
Thu 6/23 at 9 a.m. – In-Person Events Are Not What They Used To Be
Attendees are looking forward to shaking hands, networking by the coffee desk, and experiencing the beauty of the different venues at events. However, we are not jumping back to exactly where we were before. Learn how the pandemic changed the in-person experience and how to adapt to it, how to balance in-person and virtual components to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time, what mistakes to avoid when going back to in-person events, the top 5 things to remember when organizing an in-person event post-pandemic, and what we learned from virtual events and how to use them for the in-person experience. More info/register.
Host: 6Connex Marketing
Presenters:
- Maciej Ryś, VP at Proidea
- Cara Poole, Customer Experience Manager at 6Connex
- Barbara Kozanecka, Marketing Coordinator EMEA at 6Connex
Thu 6/23 at 10 a.m. – Journey to Net-Zero
What does it mean to be ‘Net Zero’? Can this realistically be achieved? And what does the journey look like for those just starting, and for those well on their way? This four-part mini-series of The C&IT Show will help event planners gain knowledge, successfully benchmark, observe real-life examples, plan for the future, and will take you on a journey that will result in change both for your organization and the industry as a whole. More info/register.
Host: C&IT
Thu 6/23 at 11 a.m. – Countdown to the Midterms: Summer Legislative Priorities You Can’t Afford to Miss
Learn about what’s driving the policy agenda this summer, how government funding will come into play, and what the 117th Congress’ priorities are as the legislative calendar works against them. More info/register.
Host: FiscalNote
Presenters:
- Jason Dick (moderator), Editor-in-Chief, CQ Roll Call
- Ariel Cohen, Health Care Reporter, CQ Roll Call
- Peter Cohn, Policy Editor, CQ Roll Call
- Kate Ackley, Senior Staff Writer, CQ Roll Call
Thu 6/23 at 11 a.m. – Advocacy and Impacting Change
Advocacy remains as important as ever for communicating the issues that matter most for your organization and driving positive change in your industry. Hear valuable insights for promoting your organization’s mission, drawing support for your cause, influencing policy change, and becoming a more powerful advocate. More info/register.
Host: CEO Update
Presenters:
- Reid Wilson (moderator), national correspondent, The Hill
- Leslie Sarasin, president and CEO, FMI, The Food Industry Association
- David Chavern, president and CEO, News Media Alliance
Thu 6/23 at 12 p.m. – PDAC Town Hall: Virtual Meetings Are Here to Stay: What You Need to Know
Join your professional development colleagues in a facilitated experience-sharing discussion on planning and managing virtual meetings, lessons learned along the way, and what your organization is looking toward in 2022 and beyond. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Professional Development Professionals Community
Facilitators:
- Hannah Andrews, CAE, Director of Digital Learning, Endocrine Society
- Rebecca Campbell, CAE, COO and CLO, Colorado Society for CPAs
- Jack Coursen, Senior Director of ASHA Professional Development, American Speech-Hearing-Language Association
- Kyle Lambert London, CAE, Manager, Leadership Development and Engagement, National Association of Realtors
Thu 6/23 at 12 p.m. – Marketing Your Career Center
Learn how to drive engagement within your career center and market your career center to increase traffic, all while driving new streams of non-dues revenue for your association. More info/register.
Host: Web Scribble
Presenter: Nicole Ouellette, Marketing Manager at Web Scribble
Thu 6/23 at 12 p.m. – 2022 Association Trends Study Big Reveal: The Future-Focused Member Experience
Hear a deep dive into the comprehensive findings of the 2022 Association Trends Study, including insights into why the powerful connection between innovative technology and member loyalty remains critical to modern associations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Community Brands
Presenters:
- Pam Loeb, Principal, Edge Research
- Tirrah Switzer, Senior Director of Product Marketing, Community Brands
Thu 6/23 at 12 p.m. – Grassroots Mobilization: What Your Organization Needs to Know (Washington DC)
Learn about the key rules nonprofits need to be aware of in order to communicate with confidence. Hear how various types of grassroots communications may trigger lobbying registration and reporting, campaign finance disclosures, and charitable solicitation registration, as well as the tax implications of grassroots advocacy and laws that may apply to communications in particular types of media. More info/register. Location: Washington DC.
Host: Venable LLP
Presenters: Janice M. Ryan, Partner, and Meredith K. McCoy, Counsel, Venable LLP
Thu 6/23 at 1 p.m. – Taking That First Step: How to Get Started with Your Website Redesign
How do you get started with a website redesign effort? If you’re challenged with taking that first step, hear about ways to move your website project forward and lay the foundation for success. Learn how to prepare your team and identify quick wins, prioritize high “bang for the buck” tasks, get started without knowing everything, and create a roadmap to maximize your ROI. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Results Direct
Presenters: Laura Johnson and Missy Sutton, CAE, experienced association advocates at Results Direct
Thu 6/23 at 1 p.m. – The Elements of Member Value
What members value from their association isn’t always obvious and can be psychologically difficult to pin down. However, universal building blocks of value can show associations opportunities to improve their performance and where to break into new opportunities. Understanding the elements of value can lead to stronger member loyalty, a greater willingness to participate with your association, and sustained growth. Learn about the Elements of Member Value and how associations can benefit from incorporating them into how you think about your association’s mission and what leads to a closer connection to members. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Altai Systems
Presenter: Moira Edwards, founder, Ellipsis Partners
Thu 6/23 at 2 p.m. – Take Charge of Your Content: Know What You Have and How to Improve It
The key to enhancing the effectiveness of your website content is combining hard data (analytics) with human analysis (you). Learn how to keep your digital content organized through a content audit and how to analyze your member’s behavioral and demographic data to identify what content is most valuable to which members. Combining an audit with data will help you uncover gaps in your content so you can make meaningful, strategic changes for improved member engagement. It will also allow you to stop creating content that’s doing nothing. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Analytics
Presenters:
- Andrew Buck, Associate Creative Director – Copy, Mighty Citizen
- Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, Association Analytics
Fri 6/24 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 6/24 at 4 p.m. – Return to In-Person Meetings and What to Consider
As most organizations navigate returning to in-person events, meetings, and conferences, what are leaders considering? Join us for a panel discussion on how three associations have transitioned back to in-person and/or continued virtual programs. Attendees will leave with knowledge of safety precautions to consider and ideas to support the development of protocols. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Presenters:
- Darlene Somers, CMP DES, Director of Meetings, International Association of Venue Managers
- Feborah Dixon, CMP, Conference Producer, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Andrea Massengile, CMP, Senior Meeting Planner, American Chemical Society
Tue 6/28 at 2 p.m. – Member-Centric Strategic Planning: The Mistakes Associations Make with their Members
Everyone in the association world thinks they are member-centric, but there are things associations do that get in the way of prioritizing their members. It’s time to examine the ways associations mistakenly take their members for granted and how to fix it. Learn how to align the goals of your board, executive director, membership manager and your members to create a robust membership program that serves members and brings revenue to your association. More info/register.
Host: Grype
Presenter: Carol Hamilton, principal, Grace Social Sector Consulting
Wed 6/29 at 2 p.m. – Exploring the Metaverse for Associations
We’ve heard about the metaverse in the news, but what is the metaverse and what impact could it have on associations? See a demonstration of the metaverse and hear from a panel of executives how their organizations are thinking about the metaverse and potential association use cases. Get a clear breakdown of the technology behind the metaverse, operational considerations, and the challenges of the metaverse, including critical legal and ethical risks. Get a chance to experience the metaverse first-hand during an informal happy hour in our own custom campus in the metaverse. More info/register.
Hosts: Association Women Technology Champions and ASAE
Presenters:
- Ryan Costello, Chief Strategy Officer, MemberSuite, and Co-Founder, Event Farm
- Dorothy Deng, Partner, Whiteford Taylor Preston LLP
- Barton Goldenberg, Founder and President, ISM. Inc.
- Reggie Henry, CAE, Chief Information & Engagement Officer, ASAE
- Amreetha Nagaraj, MS, CSM, Head Of Consulting – US East & Canada, Box
- Bill Murphy, CEO, RedZoneX Holdings
- Michael Potts, Metaverse Artist and Owner, M2 Studio, Inc.
- Jorge Luis Rivera, CAE, Director of Membership Development, National Roofing Contractors Association
- Prabhash Shrestha, MS, PMP, CAE, Group Executive Vice President, Chief Digital Strategy Officer, ICBA
- Bill Sweeney, Director of Business Development – North America, rooom AG
Thu 6/30 at 11 a.m. – A Global Approach to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Conscious Inclusion for Associations
What do we mean when we say Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)? How does this manifest in a global context? How can we leverage a Conscious Inclusion strategy as a systemic, integrated approach to the business of advancing DEI in the global association community? Explore key questions related to how associations can embrace DEI as agents of change. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Hosts: ASAE and ESAE
Thu 6/30 at 1 p.m. – Learning Subscriptions: A Win-Win for Members and Associations.
Explore how associations are repackaging education and certification programs into learning subscriptions to provide access to professional development training in a way that fits in with learners’ lifestyles and creates additional value and benefits for professionals in their industry, whether tied-into membership or sold separately. Learning subscriptions can create a recurring revenue channel for associations, helping to grow non-dues revenues more consistently. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Non Dues-A-Palooza
Presenter: Michelle Brien, Vice President of Marketing & Product Strategy, TopClass LMS by WBT Systems
Thu 6/30 at 1 p.m. – Nonprofit Leadership Roundtable
Leaders often struggle on their own to solve their challenges. But what if you could get coaching from your peers on your burning issue—not advice, but insightful questions that invite you to think about your challenge or opportunity from a different angle. Join us to be coached and to coach. Not only will you get help with the issues you are grappling with today, you will practice important leadership skills. More info/register.
Host: Carol Hamilton, principal, Grace Social Sector Consulting
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 licensed photo by Lukasz Szmigiel via Unsplash
Association Brain Food 