The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Keynote speakers. In an intentionally contrarian mood, WBT Systems is causing trouble by wondering how much value keynote speakers bring to conferences and attendees. Do keynotes influence the decision to attend? They point out the usual problem with keynote selection and suggest other ways you can use your keynote budget.
Promoting credential value. MemberSuite recounts the value of certifications and certificate programs to the individual and their employer. They suggest ways to promote the value of credentialing to both audiences.
You are not who you were. Your employees and your members are not who they were before the pandemic, says Dean West, FASAE, of Association Laboratory in an entertaining, insightful post. “You are no longer burdened by the past—legacy work, relationships, or notions of your future. The old you is dead—the new you is yours for the making… If you had to invent your association today, what would be similar and different to your current association?” I agree. Don’t be a weenie craving for ‘normal.’ Become the association your members (not just your board) need now and in the future.
Online community. Speaking for myself, even lurkers appreciate online communities—it’s the membership benefit I value most. Nimble AMS lays out a useful plan for launching and managing an online community.
Job qualifications. Wes Trochlil of Effective Database Management calls foul on the four-year college degree requirement for some association positions, particularly database management. College is not the only path intelligent people take to successful careers, yet so many associations insist on only considering college graduates. Phooey.
iPaaS. Wonky technology can be really exciting when you get a sense of the potential it can deliver. That’s why I love seeing this article by Ernie Smith at Associations Now about integration platform as a service aka iPaaS. This will reduce costs and open up possibilities for associations of all sizes.
Must-have technology. Personify describes the five software platforms every association, even tiny ones, should have. They also advise what to look for when researching each platform.
Quick hits
Best practices on amending bylaws. (Jim Slaughter, Law Firm Carolinas)
Move your organization from wait-and-see to a chance-to-lead. (Daniel Burrus)
Good eats
Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.
Friday night, we started with steamed Pirate Pearls oysters. For a dipping sauce, I added lemon juice and hot sauce to browned butter. Then, for dinner, life just kept getting better with stuffed flounder. Not really stuffed, but topped with a mix of spinach, cream cheese, parmesan, parsley, garlic powder and Italian and panko breadcrumbs.
On Sunday, lamb stroganoff. Long ago, I started with this chicken stroganoff recipe but now make it with ground lamb. I use onion instead of shallot, unless I have shallot hanging around; add smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and Worcestershire sauce; and omit the tomato. I double the recipe so we can enjoy it more than one night and I can have it for a few lunches too—my usual Sunday strategy. On the side, broccoli roasted with garlic powder and then topped with lemon juice and parmesan.
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 5/20 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 5/20 at 4 p.m. – Making the Most of Your Network: You’ve Built Your Network, Now Use It
Join us as we discuss the next steps to take after you’ve built your network. I’ll share tips on how to utilize your network to benefit you. I’ve helped professionals at every level get over their “networking fears” and will share how you can too. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Presenter: Sara Bustard, CAE
Mon 5/23 at 1 p.m. – Compliance is the Starting Block, Not the Finish Line
In the 30-Minute Monday series, a subject matter expert and moderator sit down for a hard-hitting, jam-packed conversation about the topics you need to know to start your week. No slides, no long lectures, just facts, tips, and tricks to help you take your events and business to the next level. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: MPI
Mon 5/23 at 1 p.m. – SEO 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: Brian Loebig
Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Tue 5/24 at 11 a.m. – Ads & Email: Better Together
With the average email open rate—across all industries—hovering between 16-20%, it’s time to adopt new strategies and tactics to reach your audiences. Learn several ways you can do more with email and how ads and marketing automation tools can work together to support, enhance, and complement your email marketing efforts. Hear about the ins and outs of email mapping campaigns, sending automated emails triggered by website behavior and/or intent signals, and GDPR-friendly ways to reach your unsubscribers. More info/register.
Host: Aidan Augustin, President & Co-founder, Feathr
Tue 5/24 at 12 p.m. – Component Relations and Volunteer Management Section Council Crunch and Munch
This month’s topic is discussed in this Collaborate thread. We’ll feature different questions from our community and assist each other with best practice sharing and idea generation. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Section Council
Tue 5/24 at 12 p.m. – Town Hall Session: Applying ASAE’s Drivers of Change in Education Planning
Hear from the ASAE Foundation’s Foresight Works Advisory Group members about the Drivers of Change, research-based trends that are particularly relevant to associations and how are associations using them. Participate in a discussion about those most relevant to education planning. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Professional Development Advisory Council
Tue 5/24 at 12 p.m. – Now & Next: Attendee Trends & the Future of Events
Join us as we dig into data, showcase trends, and immerse event professionals into what’s emerging and what’s next in attendee behaviors, events, and shared experiences. Learn how data and trends are transforming and informing the future of events, tech options that are changing the face of events, and how to hit your benchmarks in a world of new opportunities. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: EventMB
Presenters:
- Joe Schwinger, Co-founder and Chief Product/Innovation Officer, MeetingPlay + Aventri
- Caryn Mambro, Chief Creative Officer, Opus Agency
- Ashley Anderson, Senior Strategist, Opus Agency
- Angela Tupper (moderator), Branded Content Editor, EventMB
Tue 5/24 from 12:10 to 3:00 p.m. – Event-Led Growth Summit
Everything we knew about the world—and the world of events—completely changed in 2020. We rethought work. We reimagined communication. And we aren’t going back. Your future marketing growth starts with events. Virtual and hybrid events not only help forge deep connections, but also have the power to impact your funnel, your pipeline, and the future of your business. That’s the power of Event-Led Growth, and we’re going to teach you everything you need to know about it. More info/register.
Host: Airmeet
Tue 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Prioritizing Policies for Remote Work Effectiveness
Like most organizations at that time, COVID-19 forced NACE to pivot from an in-person office to a fully remote workforce. As the pandemic lingered, Shawn saw the value of keeping their workforce permanently remote. As NACE intentionally transitioned to a fully remote team, Shawn knew updated policies and processes were critical to ongoing remote success. In this “fireside chat,” Shawn will share why NACE made the intentional transition to fully remote, why he prioritized updating NACE’s policies and processes, and what key policies he believes were most critical for his team’s success. Don’t miss your opportunity to ask Shawn questions and learn best practices you can apply to your organization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Achurch Consulting
Presenter: Shawn VanDerziel, Executive Director at the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
Tue 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Meetings Outlook
Given the reality of the current pandemic, meeting professionals are finding it nearly impossible to make decisions related to the business of events. What will the conditions look like in the next year? What will the new reality look like? And how are other meeting professionals overcoming current obstacles to grow business? Much is uncertain, but current projections can help. Deep dive into MPI’s most recent Meetings Outlook research and then discuss the trends that are most affecting you and your peers. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: MPI
Tue 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Why Every Association Should Consider a Docuseries
Hear key industry insights learned while designing, creating and executing an association docuseries content model. Learn how docuseries can increase your association’s recruitment, retention and revenue; position your association and members as leaders in your industry; and capture your association younger, fresh-to-the-industry audiences. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Presenter: Dan Stevens, President, WorkerBee.TV
Tue 5/24 at 2 p.m. – How to Get Ready for Google Analytics 4
If you haven’t heard, GA4 has turned Google Analytics on its head with changes to the user interface, data model, capabilities, implementation, and more. Learn about the key differences between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4, why you should install Google Analytics 4 now, how to transition from Universal Analytics to GA4, and what you need to do to get the most out of the powerful new features in GA4. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Matrix Group
Tue 5/24 at 2 p.m. – What The Next Generation of Members Want to Hear from Your Association
Learn what the data says about associations who have found ways to attract the next generation and those that have not. Hear about communication preferences and expectations of millennials, how a personalized and authentic approach to marketing will help associations reach these new potential members, and how to collaborate with your community to co-create content that resonates. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Gather Voices
Presenters:
- Colby Horton, founder and CEO of Association Briefings
- Frank Humada, Chief Business Development Officer at Association Briefings
- Michael Hoffman, CEO and co-founder of Gather Voices
Tue 5/24 at 3 p.m. – Benchmark your Employee Benefit Package to Retain and Attract Talent
Get an overview of benefits benchmarking and the impact your employee benefits can make on employee retention and talent acquisition. We’ll discuss, costs, plan designs and various other key metrics to be aware of. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Presenter: Dario Campolattaro, Regional Employee Benefits Platform Leader, Hilb Group
Tue 5/24 at 3 p.m. – Member Retention: Engaged Members Retain Themselves
Find out why retention is not a communication channel but an engagement channel, how to figure out the lifetime value of your members, how much to invest in your members to retain them, and how to engage members so that they retain themselves. More info/register.
Host: Grype
Presenter: Chris Vaughan, Chief Strategy Officer and Non Profit Membership & Marketing Consultant at Sequence Consulting
Wed 5/25 at 11 a.m. – Looking Forward 2022 (Solutions): The Association Strategies Essential to Success
Looking Forward® 2022 (Solutions) is yearly research that tests 120 strategies currently being implemented by associations. Get a first look at the key strategies associations believe are critical to success and why they are so essential to the future of associations. Hear about the principal challenges facing association strategy as the sector continues to change in relation to current events. Learn how to access the Looking Forward Dashboard, filter for the specific information you need, and download reports to share with your staff or board. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: Association Laboratory
Presenters:
- Artesha Moore, FASAE, CAE, President & CEO of Association Forum
- Donna Oser, CAE, CEO of Michigan Society of Association Executives
- Dean West, FASAE, president of Association Laboratory
Wed 5/25 at 11 a.m. – Putting Customers at the Center of Your Event Data Strategy with Sentiment Analysis
Traditional efforts to capture sentiment data that focus on one or two metrics like Net Promoter Scores can fail to be as customer centric as modern organizations need them to be. Learn how to use a combination of figures and open-ended feedback to gain more impactful insights about your audience, better evaluate event performance, and get stakeholders on board with your plans. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenter: Gary Coombs, CTO of IMEX
Wed 5/25 at 12 p.m. – MPI Association Professionals Hot Topic Chat: All Things F&B
Join MPI’s Association Professionals Community Council as we discuss all things food and beverage, including new F&B trends, creative ways to deal with price increases, COVID mitigation strategies and more. More info/register.
Host: MPI
Wed 5/25 at 12 p.m. – The Special Ingredient: Association Project Management The pandemic, the economy, Ukraine—there’s no doubt that associations are in the midst of a changing workplace. Members are asking for more with fewer resources. Handling this changing landscape and shifting priorities is a challenge in the easiest of times—let alone when we are thrown into crises. Learn how incorporating project management principles into association operations may help streamline even the smallest project. She will share resources and best practices to help you implement project management practices in your association. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association xChange
Presenter: Hannah Alleman, Executive Director of Ignite Solutions at the Household Consumer Products Association
Wed 5/25 at 12 p.m. – International Associations Advisory Council Book/Podcast Club: Netflix’s Emily in Paris
In our second installment, the Book/Podcast Club discusses the Netflix hit show Emily in Paris. This television series is a fascinating look at how cultural differences between France and America affect not only the workplace but also social experiences. Join us for a lively discussion about marketing and culture based on this TV series. Don’t have Netflix, no problem, everyone is invited. More info/register.
Host: ASAE International Associations Advisory Council
Wed 5/25 at 1 p.m. – The Alignment Conversation: Tools to Help You Align DEI Investments to Business Needs
Leaders often ask their teams to “make the business case for diversity” without fully grasping the concept. Even with data to support the investment of time, resources and money, they’ll delay commitment because Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is often perceived as the “right thing to do” rather than an innovative advantage. Learn about resources that assist with aligning your investments and business needs, the importance of stakeholder buy-in at all levels across the workforce, what it means to make the business case for diversity, and how to measure impact and application to achieve ROI. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Presenters:
- Zoe Moore, Diversity Practitioner, Consultant and Strategist, Hospitality Equity
- Greg DeShields, CDE, CHE, Executive Director, Tourism Diversity Matters
Wed 5/25 at 1 p.m. – How to Build Hype for a Can’t-Miss Event
How can you break through the noise and convince people that they need to make it a priority to register and attend your event? How can you build hype and ensure attendees don’t want to miss your event? Hear tried and true advice on the do’s and don’ts of event website design, tips for ticketing and pricing your events, perfecting your promotional mix, and reassuring attendees of safety as you return to in-person. More info/register.
Host: American Marketing Association
Presenters: Dara Burg, Senior Associate of Events Marketing, Robin Clark, Senior Manager of Event Marketing and Trade Shows, and Emily Dick, Director of Demand Generation, Cvent
Thu 5/26 at 8:30 a.m. – A World Beyond AMS (Washington DC)
Join a conversation around the future of association tech. Companies across the globe have benefited from unprecedented R&D funding in mainstream SaaS tools. Why are associations content with narrowly focused, proprietary, outdated technologies? Sidecar is charting a new course: building a component-based, integrated network of market-leading apps that are not unique to associations. The best part about this project? We’re giving away the blueprint for free. Open to association and AMC staff members. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Hosts: Blue Cypress + Sidecar
Thu 5/26 at 11 a.m. – Association/Nonprofit Board of Directors: Governance, Risk Management & Training
Learn how to better equip board members and directors for success in their roles and ensure the board continuously works to promote and obtain the mission of the organization. Hear about fiduciary duty considerations and challenges, and appropriate conflict of interest management. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Presenter: Rich Bar, Partner, Nonprofit Practice Leader, GKG Law
Thu 5/26 at 11:30 a.m. – The Crash Course in Event Tech Is Over. So, What’s Next?
Event professionals in the scholarly industry faced a steep learning curve these past two years. From learning about virtual conferencing on the fly, to shepherding presenters and attendees through brand new meeting platforms, this era of event management has brought no shortage of challenges. While “how to hybrid” is still an elephant in the room, the event tech environment has stabilized considerably in recent months. Get an honest look at the impact that the crash course in event tech has had on all of us. And we’ll pull out our metaphorical crystal ball in an attempt to predict the next big shift that scholarly meetings could face. More info/register.
Host: Ex Ordo
Thu 5/26 at 2 p.m. – Top 5 Digital Sponsorships That Engage Sponsors AND Members
Learn how much the needs of members and sponsors have changed—and for the better. The past was about brand advertising. The shift to content marketing has opened up models that are good for BOTH members and sponsors. We will review five models that are growing in popularity with associations and helping to engage members and grow digital non-dues revenues. More info/register.
Host: Non Dues-a-Palooza
Presenter: Dan Stevens, President of WorkerBee.TV
Thu 5/26 at 3:30 p.m. – Culture-Driven Technology Decisions for the Hybrid Workplace: Supervision and Accountability
As associations contemplate a return to the office, it’s tempting to start by talking about logistical issues. However, if we start with answering underlying culture questions, our technology decisions should be more sustainable, meaningful, and future-focused. In this workshop series, we will explore how four key culture decisions impact technology decisions for the hybrid workplace. What new systems will you create to manage supervision and accountability? How has the pandemic changed how you use your performance management system? 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Presenter: Maddie Grant, founder, Propel
Thu 5/26 at 5:30 p.m. – The Virtuous Cycle of Events and Community-Building (Arlington VA)
Events are a great place to build and strengthen community. But how do we craft events that foster community and how do we build communities that drive successful events? How do we adapt to online and hybrid gatherings or re-adapt to in-person events? How do we tweak events to turbocharge their effectiveness vis-à-vis community development, networking, learning and engagement? Join us for a fun, participatory and insightful session that blends effective best practices with actual hands-on demonstrations of ways to improve your own events and foster community at the same time. Location: Arlington VA. More info/register.
Host: CMX Connects DC
Presenter: Lee Gimpel, founder of Better Meetings
Fri 5/27 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
Wed 6/1 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Lunch Meet-Up (Bethesda MD)
Join an intimate, in-person (yay!) lunch with Cynthia De Jesus (Association Analytics), Diane Harris (Association for Financial Professionals), Gayathri Kher (FusionSpan), and Tori Miller Liu (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association). We’re keeping things small and capping registration at 12 people. We ask that you be fully vaccinated and we will abide by local masking policies. Lunch is on your own. Location: Bethesda MD More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)
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 Ann via Unsplash
Association Brain Food 
One thought on “Association Brain Food: 5.20.22”
Comments are closed.