The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Membership campaigns. Jason Cohen, senior manager, member services at ISPOR – The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research, invites your participation in a survey on membership campaign practices. After collecting and synthesizing the data, he’ll share a report summarizing the ideas submitted.
Engagement boxes. We all love receiving unexpected gifts in the mail. Maybe you received an engagement box from a virtual event you attended. WBT Systems explains how these boxes enhance the online course experience and provides ideas for box content and logistics.
Virtual watercooler. What do most people miss about going into the office, besides the occasional free donuts? I bet you miss chatting with colleagues. Achurch Consulting explains why it’s important to provide virtual watercooler moments to your remote team and suggests all kinds of ways to do it.
DEI initiatives. Glenn Tecker shares a different approach to association DEI initiatives, while pointing out the pitfalls of the usual tactics. He says, “Demography does not predict beliefs and behavior. Values predict beliefs and behavior. Appealing to shared values is a path to inclusion.”
Association role model. Learn from one of the best. Barry Barresi of Association Ventures interviewed Arlene Pietranton, FASAE, CAE, CEO of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, about purpose, curiosity, foresight, diversity, and taking others on the journey through change.
Quick hits
- A low-cost, low-effort way to connect members… from association CEO Lindsay Currie, CAE. (Lisa Boylan, Associations Now)
- Alleviate stress on the job and elsewhere with Tara Brach’s 4-step RAIN method. (by Bryan Robinson, Ph.D., Forbes)
- When an actor calls with a poem to share… A Paris playhouse launched a program of one-on-one “consultations,” delivered by its artists while the theater is closed. (Laura Cappelle, New York Times)
- The nerdy dopamine pathway: a well-traveled route if, like me, you get excited and energized by the possibility of learning something new. (Scott Barry Kaufman)
Good eats
Skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer takeout. If you’re a home cook, check out the weekly In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog.
- Last Thursday, I made a ground chorizo, sweet potato, and chard skillet which didn’t take that long to put together. The ingredients included onion, red bell pepper, garlic, herbs/spices (cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, chili powder), chipotle en adobo, chicken broth, black beans, corn, Monterey Jack cheese, and cilantro. I’ll share the recipe this weekend on Gusto.
- I forgot how much I love this jalapeño sauce. I covered striped bass fillets with it before baking. Yum. On the side, roasted Brussels sprouts with dried cranberries, ham, red onion, and garlic.
- On Sunday, India by way of North Carolina. Huh? Vivian Howard’s green curry collards—I added shrimp and jalapeño and served it over basmati rice. On the side, roasted aloo gobi russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cauliflower. Per the comments, I doubled the spices and added garlic powder.
Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link before Wednesday evening the week before it’s scheduled. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product centric.
Fri 3/5 at 10 a.m.* – Member ROI Simplified: Safeguarding Your Organization’s Future
The most important method for safeguarding your organization’s future is to research, embrace, and maximize your Member ROI. Learn how to measure your current ROI in actual dollar numbers, use the numbers for influencing the membership decision, grow your ROI, and prove beyond a doubt that membership in your organization is a good business decision. More info/register.
Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research
*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 3/5 at 3:45 p.m. – Ten Career Mistakes to Avoid (Part 1)
Learn about the top ten career mistakes to avoid. This fun, interactive session will help you dodge future career mistakes and be more proactive in managing your career. More info/register. (must join Fridays@4 first, it’s free).
Host: Fridays@4
Presenter: Caroline Francis, Ed.S, CPRC, CCC, BCCC, CCSP, Director of UK Alumni Career Services
Mon 3/8 at 11 a.m. – The ROI Member Recruitment Brochure: How to Crea8e Brochures That Positively Influence Membership Decisions
Learn to determine who should be membership targets, which features of membership should be highlighted, how to develop an effective brochure layout, decision motives for joining, and how to train your members to use the brochure. More info/register.
Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research
Mon 3/8 at 1 p.m. – Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia
This series of 15- to 20-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. New episodes are posted by 1 p.m. every Monday. Check out Cecilia’s Nonprofit Executive Spotlight series too.
Hosts:
- Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
- Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman
Tue 3/9 at 12 p.m. – Creating an Equitable User Experience through Digital Culture
This discussion will examine the intersectionality between the elements of change management, DEI principles, and online community management to design an equitable user experience. Learn about elements of change management, DEI principles, managing member experience balanced against strategic priorities, and building equitable experiences for your members. More info/register.
Host: Community By Association
Presenter: Ashleigh Brookshaw, M.A., Founder & CINO at C2M Digital, LLC
Tue 3/9 at 1 p.m. – How to Develop a COVID-19 Safety Plan
Hear about the precautions being taken for the 2021 Best Practices Summit in Plano, Texas and Meet Well Summit in Phoenix, Arizona later this year, including liability waivers and attendee agreements, on-site check-in procedures, attendee communications, meeting room setups, and safe food and beverage. More info/register.
Host: Prevue Meetings
Presenters:
- Desi Whitney, CEO of Emergency Concierge International
- Barbara Scofidio, Prevue Meetings
Tue 3/9 at 2 p.m. – Expanding Membership During the Pandemic (and Beyond)
Instead of shrinking in 2020, some associations expanded membership. Forward-thinking associations are creating digital hubs to plug members into the entire universe of benefits, including new methods of content delivery, enhanced online learning engines, elegant tools to connect members with one another and provide seamless access to virtual, hybrid and live events. Hear about the strategies and tools modern associations are using to supercharge member engagement. More info/register.
Host: CEO Update
Presenters:
- Ann Battrell, CEO, American Dental Hygienists’ Association
- Todd Hauptli, CEO, American Association of Airport Executives
- Todd Thibodeaux, CEO, CompTIA
Tue 3/9 at 2 p.m. – The Digital Revolution: Static Webinars Reimagined for Maximum Engagement
In this series, we provide the knowledge and tools you need to make sure that no matter what is thrown at you this year, you’ll be future ready. We’ll help you craft a total event program strategy that includes virtual and hybrid events and that gives you the flexibility you to need to handle the return of in-person gatherings. More info/register.
Host: Cvent
Tue 3/9 at 3 p.m. – Website Redesign and Management: Straight Talk and Things to Know Before Starting Your Next Project
Get straight talk, best practices and things to know or avoid before taking on your next website redesign project (or if you’re in the middle of one). Hear an overview of the redesign process and insight into key areas to make sure you get the advice you need to develop a project timeline, manage expectations for your new site, work effectively with your vendor, manage your website redesign project, launch your site on time and on budget, and plan for ongoing management and optimization. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Presenters:
- Ray van Hilst, Director of Client Results, Yoko Consulting
- Jessica Konrath, MA, CAE, Executive Director, Academic Pediatric Association, American Academy of Clinical Toxicology at Degnon Associates
Wed 3/10 at 11 a.m. – The ROI of Words: How to Write Website Copy That Will Drive Member Renewal and Recruitment
You can no longer depend on interns or web designers to write your member value copy for influencing renewals and retention. They do pretty, you must do effective. Learn how to write the kind of benefit (or what’s in it for me) copy that will influence the decision to join or renew. More info/register.
Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research
Wed 3/10 at 12 p.m. – Covid-19 One-Year Association Check-In: Executive Management Dialogue
It has certainly been quite a year. What we thought would last a couple of months has continued for over a year and it will be a while before we will feel that the events of the last year will be in our rearview mirrors. Join this conversation to hear from colleagues the impact the past year has had on their organizations and their plans for moving forward. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Presenters:
- Gregory J. Fine, FASAE, CAE, EVP/CEO of the CCIM Institute
- Sheri Sesay-Tuffour, CAE, CEO, Pediatric Nursing Certification Board
- Heidi Biggs Brock
- Heather L. Rhoderick, CAE
- Robert Mercure
Wed 3/10 at 12 p.m. – Community Building: The Importance of Creating an Inclusive Environment in Meetings
As experience creators, meeting professionals are tasked with much more than simply producing a meeting or event. The industry leaders are the individuals who have the skills to bring together a diverse group of participants to create a productive community, all while achieving stakeholder goals. Hear about the TMG meetings team’s approach to designing, facilitating, and cultivating the environment of community building. More info/register.
Host: Talley Management Group
Presenters:
- Stephanie Moyer, Meeting and Event Manager, Talley Management Group
- Maria Ramos, CMP, Meeting and Exhibit Manager, Talley Management Group
- Derrick Johnson, DES, CMP, Director of Event Strategy, Talley Management Group
Wed 3/10 at 12 p.m. – The Digital Revolution: Static Webinars Reimagined for Maximum Engagement
With heightened focus on virtual events and audience expectations demanding even more engaging content and interactivity, organizations must rethink how they remain relevant and keep audiences tuned in to their webinars from start to finish. Hear about new emerging ways to garner audience attention through enhanced production, content delivery, and captivating new strategies for packaging your entire webinar program. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Presenters:
- Myllisa Patterson, Senior Director, Event Cloud Demand Generation, Cvent
- Alyssa Peltier, Cvent
Wed 3/10 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter
ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.
Wed 3/10 at 1:30 p.m. – Solutions In Action
Meet the experts who can solve your technology challenges. Get answers to your virtual event, data analytics, video, e-learning, or AMS questions and challenges. Watch interactive demos of cutting-edge products. CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: .orgCommunity
Wed 3/10 at 2 p.m. – New Ways to Keep Your Online Attendees Engaged
Hear creative ways to deliver educational sessions, how to encourage more interaction between attendees, and strategies for keeping your audience engaged and involved. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Northstar Meetings Group
Presenter:
- Tammy Dickerson, Founder and Lead Planner, tbg Events
- Joe Schwinger, Co-Founder and CEO, MeetingPlay
- Meredith Shottes, Chief Experience Officer, Miller Tanner Associates
- Alex Palmer (moderator), deputy editor, Northstar Meetings Group
Thu 3/11 at 11 a.m. – PCI Compliance Workshop 101 for Associations
Get a basic overview of PCI Compliance and what it’s designed to achieve. Hear nine practical tips to implement immediately to ensure a more secure payment environment. Learn about the annual Self-Assessment-Questionnaire requirements. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Presenters:
- David Schlum, Co-Founder and Software Architect at Added Innovation LLC
- Julie Duncan, Association Practice Leader, UST
- Wade Tetsuka, CPA, President, UST
Thu 3/11 at 11 a.m. – Philosophy, Purpose, Platform: Creative Strategies, Concepts and Activations for Audience Engagement
Harnessing creative strategies for the new power of live-online-on-demand event communities. The panel will share their thoughts and ideas around creativity, playfulness, audience activation, experience and community. For all the technology, our audiences are still human. Stock up with new ideas and add human values to our on-demand future. More info/register.
Host: Virtual Events Institute
Thu 3/11 at 11:30 a.m. – Live Meetings Updates 2021
Hear about the safe return of in-person meetings and events, including the duty of care of meeting professionals, health security measures, privacy concerns, and more. More info/register.
Host: Meeting Sites Pro
Thu 3/11 at 12 p.m. – What to Offer Your Corporate Sponsors
Your association shifted from live to online events last year and you struggled to secure sponsorship revenue. Now your organization is drafting plans and trying to figure out if virtual, hybrid, or what your events will look like. The uncertainty does not make it easier. So how will you adjust and what benefits will you offer to your sponsors? If you are seeking solutions to boost your sponsorship income, join us for this session. More info/register.
Hosts/Presenters:
- Lewis Flax, founder, Flax Associates
- Scott Oser, founder, Oser & Associates
Thu 3/11 at 12 p.m. – Association Advocacy and Ethics in 2021: Navigating a Changing Landscape
In 2021, advocacy is the top priority for many associations nationwide. At the same time, several political controversies have created a challenging environment for association leaders and government relations and advocacy professionals alike. Hear from a panel of ethics experts, association leaders, and advocacy professionals who will discuss the latest front-page developments, explore real-life case studies, review the ‘rules of the road’ for advocacy professionals, and lead a discussion of best practices for navigating ethical challenges during these heightened political times. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Government Relations and Advocacy Professionals Advisory Council and the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics
Presenters:
- Sherry Stanley Whitworth (welcome), Managing Director, FiscalNote
- Tom Susman, Strategic Advisor, American Bar Association
- Paul Miller, Board Chair, National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics
- Meredith McGehee, Executive Director, Issue One
- Nabil El-Ghoroury, PhD, CAE, Executive Director, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (Chair of ASAE Ethics Committee)
- Chad Lawler (moderator), Executive Director, Madison Area Builders Association
Thu 3/11 at 1 p.m. – The Surge of the Third Sector: Implications for Your Learning Business
Learning now contributes more to GDP and productivity than technology. That shift is driving dramatic growth in the third sector of education—the sector serving the millions of adults who continue to learn in the decades following their secondary and post-secondary education. Explore five key developments that have contributed—and continue to contribute—to the growth of the third sector. Examine the implications of that growth and unpack what a fuller awareness of the sector might mean for your learning business’s strategy. More info/register.
Host: Leading Learning
Presenters:
- Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders of Tagoras and Leading Learning
- Liam O’Malley, vice president of association solutions at Blue Sky eLearn
Thu 3/11 at 1 p.m. – Ultimate Member Engagement: The Power of Data-Driven Decision Making
Learn how to leverage visualizations and analytics to better understand the data, mine the right data to improve your member’s experience, and determine a successful ROI on your collection and analysis of member data. More info/register.
Host: Impexium
Thu 3/11 at 1:30 p.m. – Solutions In Action
Meet the experts who can solve your technology challenges. Get answers to your virtual event, data analytics, video, e-learning, or AMS questions and challenges. Watch interactive demos of cutting-edge products. CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: .orgCommunity
Thu 3/11 at 2 p.m. – Live Case Study: How a Small Staff Association Produced an Engaging and Successful Virtual Meeting for 500 Attendees
How do you take a conference that’s built to be intimate and meditative, providing education, community, worship, spirituality, and goodwill, and make it virtual, without losing the feeling of the event? How do you provide space for community and connection virtually that is reverent, but also exudes the palpable energy that the conference is known for? Especially when your whole organization is a team of 5? Many would say it can’t be done, but the National Association of Episcopal Schools proved everyone wrong. More info/register.
Host: Matrix Group
Thu 3/11 at 2 p.m. – All Together Now: New Roles for a Changing Events Landscape
In this series, we provide the knowledge and tools you need to make sure that no matter what is thrown at you this year, you’ll be future ready. We’ll help you craft a total event program strategy that includes virtual and hybrid events and that gives you the flexibility you to need to handle the return of in-person gatherings. More info/register.
Host: Cvent
Thu 3/11 at 3 p.m. – Intelligent Engagement to Drive Customer Loyalty
Learn how to increase reach and participation over traditional methods, build smart customer journeys to maximize conversions and hassle-free automated workflows that drive specific actions, and build and leverage customer engagements across your technology ecosystem for long term customer loyalty and satisfaction. More info/register.
Host: Association Analytics
Presenter: Dave Will, founder, Propfuel
Fri 3/12 at 12 p.m. – WEC Grapevine: How We Did It – Digital Event Strategy & Considerations
Discover the strategy behind MPI’s design of the WEC Grapevine Digital Experience. Learn why and how critical decisions were made, and their impact on the digital participant. Consider the challenges and opportunities of going live, and how you can make the best technology decisions for your participants. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (fee for MPI non-members).
Host: MPI
Presenter: Jessie States, CMP, CMM, MPI Academy Director, MPI
Fri 3/12 at 3 p.m. – CAE Information Rap Session
Join state society executives, CAE study group leaders and long-time CAE instructor Susan Radwan, CAE, ARM to learn more about exam preparation, effective study strategies and what to expect day of the exam. More info/register.
Host: Wisconsin Society of Association Executives
Fri 3/12 at 3:45 p.m. – Ten Career Mistakes to Avoid (Part 2)
Learn about the top ten career mistakes to avoid. This fun, interactive session will help you dodge future career mistakes and be more proactive in managing your career. More info/register. (must join Fridays@4 first, it’s free).
Host: Fridays@4
Presenter: Caroline Francis, Ed.S, CPRC, CCC, BCCC, CCSP, Director of UK Alumni Career Services
Tue 3/16 from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. – Design-a-thon: Co-creating the Future of Events
A different kind of event, you’ll find inspiring keynotes coupled with small group workshops led by industry veterans. Come with your biggest challenges and we’ll work together to come up with solutions. More info/register.
Host: Hubb
Tue 3/16 at 12 p.m. – Crunch and Munch Monthly Chat
We’ll feature different questions from our community and assist each other with best practice sharing and idea generation. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Section Council
Tue 3/16 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.
Host: Dan Ratner, The Business of Membership, and Scott Oser, Scott Oser Associates
Tue 3/16 at 1 p.m. – Pandemic Compliance & Safety at Live Events (Part 2)
Our mission is to bring humans together to ignite change, and even though last year we fulfilled that mission virtually, this year we need to start rethinking what that will look like as organizations return to a new normal and begin hosting hybrid and live events. Let’s bring events back together safely. Learn from public health experts, hear best compliance practices, and network and collaborate with fellow event pros. More info/register.
Host: Event Farm
Presenters:
- Ryan Costello, Co-Founder, Event Farm
- TBA
Wed 3/17 from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. – Design-a-thon: Co-creating the Future of Events
A different kind of event, you’ll find inspiring keynotes coupled with small group workshops led by industry veterans. Come with your biggest challenges and we’ll work together to come up with solutions. More info/register.
Host: Hubb
Thu 3/18 at 11 a.m. – Learning and Leading beyond Crisis: How to Keep Going and Growing
In this panel discussion featuring four innovative association leaders, we’ll examine everything that 2020 brought with it: The good, the bad and the ugly. We’ll talk about the lessons learned, the mistakes made and the ways we’ll all be able to grow from here. More info/register.
Host: Sidecar
Presenters:
- Donté P. Shannon, FASAE, CAE, CEO of the Association for Equipment Management Professionals
- Lakisha Ann Woods, CAE, President & CEO of the National Institute of Building Sciences
- Sheri Sesay-Tuffour, PhD, CAE, CEO, Pediatric Nursing Certification Board
- Stefanie Reeves, FASAE, CAE, Executive Director of the Maryland Psychological Association
Thu 3/18 at 1 p.m. – Facilit8me: Lunch and Learn – Facilitation Soft Skills
Join a discussion focused on facilitating with difficult personalities. Whether it’s the passive-aggressive participant, the racist, the sexist participant, the loudest voice or the squeaky wheel, it’s clear that the people who attend our meetings and events can have a profound impact on both the process and the product of a facilitation. This thought-provoking focused conversation will leave you with new insights and takeaways you can immediately apply to your facilitation work. More info/register.
Host: Event Garde
Thu 3/18 at 2 p.m. – Member Content: Efficient and Effective Tactics
To effectively capture your members’ attention, you have to promote your content effectively and efficiently. Learn SEO basics for more effective content promotion. Discover how to personalize and automatically send email blasts with your recently published content. Understand the best ways to leverage your social media profiles and other free promotional channels. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Presenter: Erica Salm Rench, Director of Client and Market Success, rasa.io
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 Wednesday evening.
Creative Commons photo by Theo Eilertsen Photography via Unsplash
Association Brain Food 