The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Listen in as DelCor Technology Solutions CEO Loretta DeLuca, FASAE, talks to MemberSuite CEO Natalie Cheney about the AMS provider’s acquisition of Event Farm, a “next-generation event engagement software company.”
Speaking of MemberSuite, they recently shared advice about taking a segmentation approach when marketing to membership prospects. Prospects have different membership goals, needs, and interests so don’t treat them all the same.
WBT Systems explains how to master the art of writing course and product descriptions for your educational programs. Not an easy task, I’m sure.
I never would have guessed this. When Gravitate Solutions analyzed client data, they found only 20% of member data is stored in the AMS. Rob Miller, CAE, writes about the shrinking footprint of the AMS, and says, “…if your organization is only evaluating activity being recorded in your AMS, you are missing a lot of potential trends and insights – and your vision is becoming narrower as other solutions generate volumes of data and your members become more active online.”
Some quick hits before we get to next week’s free webinars:
- Is a four-day workweek the next big thing? Imagine members having extra time to volunteer. (Paul Davidson, USA Today)
- The why, when and how of republishing blog posts. (Kim Moutsos, Content Marketing Institute)
- This is a little geeky for me, but it looks helpful. How to diagnose and maintain the health of a SaaS blog. (Jimmy Daly, Animalz)
Good eats:
- Not much to share this week on the menu front since we were away last weekend and I’ve been tossing things together without much thought, meaning, I’ve been relying on pasta made with leftovers.
- But I did make this quick and tasty blackened blackfin tuna one night. You could make it with any firm fish. Or, try chicken.
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.
And, if you’re in the DC area, RSVP for the special 10th birthday celebration of Association Chat on Tuesday, July 30—details below.
Mon 7/29 around 1 p.m.* – Strategic Planning (Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia)
Check out this new 15-minute web series covering hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. Check for new episodes on Mondays around 1 p.m., or subscribe for updates. 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
*All times are Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Tue 7/30 at 12:30 p.m. – Professional Development for L&D Professionals
Professional development is one of the biggest ironies for learning and development professionals. On one hand, providing professional development opportunities is literally what we do. On the other hand, despite knowing the importance, we often forget about prioritizing our own professional development. Hear about strategies for making your professional development a regular part of your work. Learn about the primary buckets of development for learning professionals, and the types of resources that can used to fill each bucket. More info/register.
Host: Web Courseworks
Presenter: David Kelly, Executive Vice President and Executive Director of The eLearning Guild
Tue 7/30 at 2 p.m. – The Convergence of Data and Events: Navigating Privacy and Security for Event Marketers
Explore the latest developments in attendee privacy protection and security. Take away a checklist for shoring up your own internal practices, as well as a road map for the legislative developments shaping tomorrow’s events. More info/register.
Hosts: Opus Agency and Trendline Interactive
Presenters:
- Brent Turner, SVP of Business Solutions for Opus Agency
- Chris Arrendale, Chief Privacy Officer for Trendline Interactive
- Howie Cockrill, Opus Agency’s Senior Corporate Counsel
Tue 7/30 at 3 p.m. – Rethinking Your Business Model with Digital Transformation (Washington DC and online)
Join us for a strategic conversation to bust the myths around digital transformation, discuss our readiness and the stumbling blocks, and figure out how we can get started on the journey – regardless of our association size or resources. This conversation would be ideal for small and large staff association C-suites involved in strategy, content, member services, learning, communications, and IT. Locations: Washington DC and online. More info/register.
Organizer: Meena Dayak, Associations Catalyzing Entrepreneurship (ACE)
Facilitators:
- Reggie Henry, Chief Information and Engagement Officer for ASAE.
- Heather Diehl, Principal Enterprise Architect for the International Monetary Fund.
- Duane Capuano, senior consultant with Tecker International and founder of Success Roads Consulting.
Tue 7/30 at 5 p.m. – Association Chat 10th Birthday Party (Arlington VA)
Come join Association Chat host KiKi L’Italien and friends to celebrate the spirit of Association Chat and its 10th year around the sun. Hear anecdotes from Jeff De Cagna about the very first #assnchat tweets and the hashtag’s legacy—and share your own stories. Pick up some of the best books written by authors in the community. Meet up with others in the association industry and enjoy some great food and beverages. Explore curiosity, creativity, community, new technologies, and marketing ideas for associations and talk with some really great people from the association community. Location: Arlington VA. More info/register.
Wed 7/31 at 9 a.m. – The Future of Event Networking: How to Connect Attendees in the Digital Age
Find out how digitization impacts the way people connect at events and why face-to-face interaction is more important than ever. Discover new strategies for using technology to boost networking at your event and creating an event design that helps attendees connect effortlessly. More info/register.
Host: EventMobi
Presenters:
- Thorben Grosser, EventMobi
- Maarten Vanneste, President of the Meeting Design Institute
Wed 7/31 at 11:45 a.m. – How to Increase Your Submissions and Grow Your Program (Washington DC)
Join an open lunch-and-learn conversation on how to increase your submissions and grown your awards, scholarship, grants, or abstract program. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: OpenWater
Facilitators: Alexis Rodriguez, Client Relations Manager, and David Lincoln, Brand Manager, OpenWater
Wed 7/31 at 1 p.m. – Data Analytics for Membership Professionals
Learn how data analytics can support the efforts of your membership department. Find out how to identify membership trends by implementing data snapshotting, dissect and target member and non-member interest clusters, identify your most (and least) engaged members, and demonstrate return on investment (ROI) to your members via total member value analysis. More info/register.
Host: Gravitate Solutions
Wed 7/31 at 1 p.m. – All or Nothing: Actionable Tips for More Diverse and Inclusive Events
How can we as meeting professionals create events that offer welcoming experiences to all of our participants? Discuss the different ways people differ from each other, discover next practices in welcoming diverse audiences and creating inclusive experiences, and brainstorm ways we can be more hospitable to the individuals we host. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Presenter: Lori Pugh Marcum, Manager of Global Education and Event Production Lead Manager with Meeting Professionals International
Wed 7/31 at 1 p.m. – The Science of Experience Design: Research Overview
Hear the results of an 1100-event professional research report that analyzes the current state of event experience design. Learn about the latest neuroscience research on connecting human beings for increased success so you can have a science-backed approach to creating meaningful experiences. Find out about technology that can help streamline experiences for event professionals. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Event Manager Blog
Presenter: Julius Solaris, Founder and Editor in Chief, EventMB.com
Wed 7/31 at 2 p.m. – Life After Launch
Approach “life after launch” with the same thoughtfulness as your technology implementation process. Properly planning and managing expectations for “life after launch” pays huge dividends in gaining user adoption and lasting confidence for the new software. Learn about tactics for setting your organization’s expectations after launch, steps to take during the implementation to ensure long-term success, post-launch processes that are essential for long-term success, ideas to keep staff engaged, and tips to ensure the end-user experience (member, donor, certificate, etc.) isn’t overlooked. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Altai Systems
Presenter: Rebecca Achurch, founder, Achurch Consulting
Wed 7/31 at 2 p.m. – How to Increase Traffic & Engagement with Better Trade Show Attractions
One of the most popular methods for boosting quality booth traffic is attractions, for example, technology, catering, SWAG, models, etc. Unfortunately, although popular, attractions often aren’t used as effectively as possible. Learn how to choose more appropriate attractions, hear implementation strategies to help you maximize their benefits, and find out about new, trendy attraction ideas that may work for you. CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Trade Show Summer School
Presenter: Robyn Davis, Trade Show Strategy Specialist @Exhibitor Education by WINH
Thu 8/1 at 12 p.m. – 7 Tips for Creating the Perfect RFP
Putting together a request for proposal (RFP) is a critical step in selecting a new AMS vendor. It can also be one of the most challenging. There’s a lot to consider and it’s easy to find yourself overwhelmed by the process. Learn seven tips to help your association put together the perfect RFP. More info/register.
Hosts: Euclid Technology and ReviewMyAMS
Thu 8/1 at 1 p.m. – Relevant Best Practices for Forward Thinking Events
Hear an overview of best practices that will elevate your events, and which are applicable across all industry sectors. More info/register.
Host: MCI Group
Presenter: Agnes (AC) Canonica, Global Accounts Director, MCI Group
Thu 8/1 at 3:30 p.m. – Structuring Website Content to Better Serve Your Membership/Donors
When associations and nonprofits are considering a website redesign, one of the major challenges is the conversation surrounding content—how to structure, retention plans, what to get rid of and what to keep. Learn how to prepare for and execute a proper plan with your content. More info/register.
Organizer: DC-Metro Association-Nonprofit Tech Network
Presenters:
- Justin Watson, CEO of Parsidio, President, AS Creative Services
- Sara Galcius, Director of Project Management, AS Creative Services
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.
Creative Commons image by Aleksandr Eremin via Unsplash
Association Brain Food 