The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Request re career section on association website. Does your association have a career section for people curious about entering your industry or profession? I’m looking for examples for a post I’m writing. I love this page from SEMI about the semiconductor industry. Please send me links if you have one or know of a good one. Thank you!
Open Space event design. After an informative discussion in ASAE Collaborate, TopClass LMS was inspired to introduce the Open Space event format to those who can’t access the forum. In this post, they describe the basics and the advantages Open Space has over the traditional conference session format.
Membership renewals. Impexium dives deep into membership renewals: the difference between retention and renewal, metrics, why members don’t renew (per research), and, best of all, solutions for those renewal challenges.
Mentoring program. “While starting a mentoring program isn’t rocket science, there’s certainly an art to it.” With 20 years of experience developing mentoring programs, Art of Mentoring knows both the art and science. They describe the seven steps of starting a successful association mentoring program from pre-evaluation and research to planning, design, recruitment, matching, training, support, and evaluation.
Association benchmarks. Association Adviser’s annual Association Benchmarking Report begins with an interesting look at association communication challenges and trends over the past 12 years Naylor has published this report. One difference this year: “For the first time in the survey’s history, the challenge of generating non-dues revenue topped all other obstacles faced by associations.” That explains the interest in communities like Non-Dues-A-Palooza and Professionals for Association Revenue. The report offers much to digest about communication, member engagement, events, staffing, outsourcing, and more.
Event design. Miguel Neves at Skift Meetings says, “While planners may acknowledge the uniqueness of in-person meetings, they don’t allocate enough time to reap their benefits.” I agree. Why travel to a conference if most of the experience feels like an online meeting? Why pay registration if the best parts happen outside the official agenda?
Marketing to younger generations. If you’re trying to figure out how to market to Gen Z and millennials, Mercury Creative Group explains how to build an association brand that attracts and retains younger members.
Also worth your time
Best practices for board meeting minutes. (Jim Slaughter, Law Firm Carolinas)
Stories and ideologies are bad for your intelligence: how historians (and others) make themselves stupid. (Ian Leslie, The Ruffian)
You never grow old at the table
Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.
You can’t go wrong with an Ina Garten recipe, including her roast chicken. I added chunks of russet potatoes to the carrot, onion, and fennel mix underneath the chicken. On the side, green beans sautéed with bacon, red onion, mushrooms, and garlic.
Our jalapeño harvest is in full swing right now. Last weekend, since a bunch of family unexpectedly came over, I made one of my favorite snacks for them: chorizo and smoked Gouda stuffed jalapeños. Addictive, especially with margaritas.
Another night, with a glorious chunk of bigeye tuna in hand, I made Thai tuna burgers with a cuke salad. I slathered mine with Japanese togarashi hot sauce from Tattoo in lieu of the recipe’s ginger-lemon mayonnaise. On the side, garlicky bok choy.
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’m happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.
Fri 9/29 at 1 p.m.* – So, You Have a Recorded Webinar… Now What?
Webinars are not just one-off presentations; they’re a substantial investment of your time, energy, and often, the goodwill of volunteers. The challenge lies in effectively repurposing this content to ensure you continue to extract value from your efforts. Hear about ten (or more!) ingenious ways to breathe new life into a one-hour recorded webinar; essential tools that streamline the repurposing process, making it both simpler and more efficient; and innovative strategies for leveraging webinar content to enhance engagement, both among your existing members and non-members. 0.75 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Blue Sky eLearn
Speaker: Dr. Kristen Wall, MA, EdD, Director of Learning and Development at Blue Sky eLearn
*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 9/29 at 4 p.m. – The Absolutes of Accountability
There is little debate about the importance of accountability in the workplace and in our personal lives. It’s a must at all levels of any organization and is the key to building trust with stakeholders. The pursuit of this takes a big slice of humble pie at times and a constant look in the mirror always. This session will highlight opportunities to elevate yourself and those around in focusing on accountability as an area of practice in every aspect of your life. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Speaker: April Tone, MBA, CAE, Sr. Manager, Technical & Engineering Communities Operations at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Mon 10/2 at 8 a.m. – Eliminate the Executive Committee! And Other Heresies (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)
Every week Rogue Tulips brings the nonprofit community intriguing guests discussing vital topics affecting nonprofit organizations around the world—and we have fun doing it! Episodes are published Monday mornings in both audio and video format, available on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast (to name a few!).
Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting
Guests: Michael Wyland and Michael Butera
Tue 10/3 at 12 p.m. – Checking All the Boxes: What to Consider When Planning Your Association’s Next Big Event
Hear about event planning elements essential for thriving in today’s dynamic industry. Learn tips for defining and prioritizing your event’s objectives, strategies for cost-effective budgeting, key factors to consider when making event choices, and best practices for marketing your event. More info/register.
Host: NXUnite
Speakers:
- Vinnu Deshetty, Event Tech Advocate/CEO & Founder at EVA
- Maria Ramos, Director, Meetings & Events at Talley
- Rachel Stephan, snöballer-in-chief at Snoball
- Rusty Williams, Co-Founder at AnswerStage
Tue 10/3 at 1 p.m. – Connecting to Your Creativity: How to Have an Ah-Ha Moment
Learn how the brain functions during the creative process, how technology—specifically AI–can assist with innovative thinking, how to get your creative juice flowing, and how this knowledge can work for you. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Sheri Singer, President, Singer Communications
Tue 10/3 from 3 to 5 p.m. – 2023 Data (Viz) Science Fair (Alexandria VA)
An old school Science Fair, with individuals showing off their data stories. Could be a viz, could be a project, could be anything that highlights how you’ve used data to make better business decisions. If you don’t feel like presenting, please come hang out, see some cool projects, and join us for some beer and networking after the event. Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.
Hosts: Data Analytics Network and Association Analytics
Tue 10/3 at 3 p.m. – Effective Financial Messaging for Nonprofit Organizations
Learn about the advantages of purpose-built financial messaging and how to help the board, staff, and other users of financial information have trust and confidence in your organization’s financial reports. Explore key concepts related to building out financial dashboards. Hear about optimization tactics and strategies to improve understanding of financial reporting through the use of pre-month-end closing meetings, finding small financial teaching moments, and displaying financial information in annual reports. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Michael Gellman, CPA, CGMA, Co-Founder at Sustainability Education 4 Nonprofits
- Paul Preziotti, CPA, Partner, Johnson Lambert LLP
Wed 10/4 at 11 a.m. – Coach Prime’s Key Lessons for Associations
Deion “Prime Time” Sanders was a force to be reckoned with as a two-sport professional athlete in the ‘90s. Now Coach Prime is not only reviving a lackluster college program, but he’s impacting the university as a whole and changing college football itself. Find out what associations need to learn from the example of Coach Deion Sanders. Learn the secrets of Coach Prime’s appeal to youth and how to employ similar tactics. Discover Deion Sanders’ principles for imparting a vision and getting buy-in from stakeholders. Prime Time maximizes the spotlight and creates buzz; association executives can do this too. Storytelling should be elevated and central to supporting an organization’s mission. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Jay S. Daughtry, M.Ed., Chief Communications Officer/Owner, CQbd
Wed 10/4 at 12 p.m. – Increasing Sponsorship Revenue During Uncertain Times
Your association shifted from live to virtual events and you struggled to secure sponsorship revenue. Now your organization is back to hosting in-person events and you are wrestling with your sponsorship plans. You know that you can’t turn the clock back three years, yet unsure how to adapt. So…what will you do to boost sponsorship income? Learn about strategies to boost your sponsorship results and how quickly a few changes can help raise additional revenue. More info/register.
Host: Association Insights in Old Town
Speaker: Lewis Flax, founder, Flax Associates
Wed 10/4 at 1 p.m. – Economic Headwinds: A Guide for Associations
In the midst of volatility, inflation, rising interest rates, and many other economic factors, the economy looks to be heading south quickly. At least that’s what we’re hearing, but what does the data say? Hear about real economic data that will help give a clearer picture of what to expect in the economy and strategies to overcome these coming obstacles. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Matt Haggerty, Senior Analyst, Nonprofit & Education, RSM
Wed 10/4 at 2 p.m. – Creative Sponsorship Ideas
Event sponsors are seeking more than simple brand recognition. They’re looking to engage with virtual and live audiences in unique and meaningful ways, while getting the most bang from their sponsorship dollars. Hear about fresh ideas for live-event sponsorships, digital sponsorship tactics that really work, and how to recognize sponsors before, during and after the event. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Northstar Meetings Group
Speakers:
- Dahlia El Gazzar, Tech Evangelist and Principal, DAHLIA+ Agency
- Aaron Miller, Vice President, Group Creative Director, Hargrove, LLC
- Alyssa Shipley, Director, Brand Events, Maritz
- Lisa Grimaldi (moderator), Editor, Incentives and Destinations, Northstar Meetings Group
Wed 10/4 at 3 p.m. – Finding Data Insights: What Would You Do If You Knew?
Finding insights and turning them into action is how associations stay relevant and valuable to members. And that’s what analytics is all about. Analytics shines a light on insights you would have never known about because you didn’t know to ask or where to even look. Learn some of the most useful insights to look for, the data that leads to those insights and how to take action. More info/register.
Host: Association Analytics
Speakers: Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, and Greg Pollack, SVP of Sales Enablement, Association Analytics
Thu 10/5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Data & Generative AI Day: From Vision to Value: Fueling Business Growth with Data and Generative AI
With generative AI, the power and potential of your organization’s data has never been bigger. From customer engagements and employee productivity to idea creation and innovation, generative AI has the ability to transform your organization. But as a leader, what does it take to harness the power of your data to deliver on the promise of this new technology? Hear from AWS experts, customers, and startups who are innovating with data and generative AI today. Learn how to foster innovation quickly and easily, while keeping security and privacy at the forefront. Get practical advice from leaders on how to approach the opportunities and challenges of this technology and what the future holds. More info/register.
Host: AWS
Thu 10/5 at 12 p.m. – The Community Check-In
A weekly community chat on Slack for black professionals working in the events industry. More info/register.
Host: Black In Events Network
Thu 10/5 at 1 p.m. – The True Implications of AI for the Association Industry: Part 1 – Managing the Risks and Disruption of Generative AI
Get a baseline explanation of generative AI for non-techies, and learn what this means for association leaders and how you should be thinking about the implications for internal and external disruptions. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Thomas Altman, Founder, Tasio
- Maddie Grant, CAE, Culture Designer and Digital Strategist, Propel
- Katherine Matthews, CAE, Assistant Vice President, Data & Analytics, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
- Juan Sanchez, Chief Information Officer, Inteleos
Thu 10/5 at 1 p.m. – Association Latinos Latina Equal Pay Day (Part 1)
At the end of 2022, Latina women earned 54 cents on the dollar compared to white men’s earnings, meaning Latinas must work an additional 11 months to earn what a white man earns in a year. Learn how your starting salary can impact your lifetime career earnings and the importance of negotiating salary and benefits when accepting a job offer or promotion. Hear how to manage a career change and decide when it may be time to leave a job in order to advance your career. More info/register.
Host: Association Latinos
Thu 10/5 at 2 p.m. – Super Spooky Cybersecurity Stories
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Halloween! Join us to hear some scary (and some not so scary) security tales. We will focus on real life stories from both associations and the insurance world, covering the latest developments in cyber security and tips to continuously shore up your association’s systems and promote a more secure future. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: 501 Works
Speakers:
- Villy Savino, Vice President of Technology Transformation for CoreNet Global
- Derek Symer, Principal, Senior Vice President, Director Non-Profit Practice for AHT Insurance
Thu 10/5 at 3 p.m. – The Virtual Stage: Association Marketing Tips
Embrace the future of association marketing and uncover the path to digital success. We’ll dive into effective online engagement, a must-know for associations aiming to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. Explore the strategies and trends powering digital transformation, with fresh insights into member outreach and virtual event marketing. More info/register.
Host: NXUnite
Speakers:
- Jessica King, Business Lead at Getting Attention
- Kerry McCreadie, Head of Content & SEO at EventMobi
- Leona Scott, President and Founder at JEP Marketing Communications
- Rusty Williams, Co-Founder at AnswerStage
Thu 10/5 at 3 p.m. – How to Boost Your Association’s Revenue with Sponsorships and Automated Marketing
Explore creative financial strategies to generate revenue for your association through automated marketing. Learn how to attract sponsors whose goals align with your association’s mission while maintaining member happiness with the power of state-of-the-art marketing tools. More info/register.
Host: Grype Digital
Speakers:
- Edward Byers, director of membership at the Canadian Society of Association Executives
- Lydia Israel, marketing manager at Grype Digital
Fri 10/6 at 10 a.m. – Artificial Intelligence | Coffee with Innovators: Association Design Circle
Every month, an association leader leads a conversation on an association innovation topic. Tom will lead us in conversation on artificial intelligence: How might AI disrupt associations? What opportunities and challenges do we foresee? What are the latest tools and how might they help us navigate change? More info/register.
Host: Product Design Community
Facilitator: Tom Lietz, veteran storyteller, community innovator, and thought leader at the intersection of storytelling and systems thinking
Fri 10/6 at 12:30 p.m. – Ask Me Anything: Personalization
Learn how to use personalization to improve member communications, engagement, and transactions. Let’s talk candidly about what’s standing in your way and how to overcome those obstacles. Bring all your personalization questions. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Speaker: Alex Mouw, CAE of Amazon Web Services
Tue 10/10 at 12 p.m. – Chapter Roundtable (Reston VA)
Designed exclusively for professionals from component-based organizations in your area, our roundtables are not lectures but jam sessions where you can share, learn from your peers, and gain valuable feedback on your ongoing projects and goals. Discover the power of collaborative networking, knowledge sharing, and inspiring discussions in a casual, low-key setting. This interactive experience will give you actionable ideas, fresh insights, and inspiration to apply immediately. Location: Reston VA. More info/register.
Host: Billhighway
Tue 10/10 at 1 p.m. – Association Latinos Latina Equal Pay Day (Part 2)
At the end of 2022, Latina women earned 54 cents on the dollar compared to white men’s earnings, meaning Latinas must work an additional 11 months to earn what a white man earns in a year. Learn how to negotiate your salary and benefits. Get tools on how to prepare and execute a salary negotiation. Hear about the panelists’ experience in navigating salary and benefit negotiations in the association space. More info/register.
Host: Association Latinos
Tue 10/10 at 2 p.m. – Expert Series: Be the Association Hero: Increasing 2024 Non-Dues Revenue
Hear about key strategies that will help you drive more non-dues revenue and build a true career growth destination for your members in 2024 and beyond. Learn how to drive incremental non-dues revenue without lifting a finger, create a competitive advantage over competitors to maximize your revenue, offer great member value, and stay connected with members. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Non-Dues-A-Palooza
Speaker: Mike Kumpf, Director of Enterprise Sales for YM Careers
Wed 10/11 at 9 a.m. – PAR Member Meet-Up: How to Approach Revenue Forecasts for 2024
Hear how associations plan and deliver revenue forecasts from the basic to the advanced. Join other PAR members as we share forecasting metrics and tips on how to include internal colleagues and departments in the process. 0.5 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Professionals for Association Revenue
Wed 10/11 at 11 a.m. – Transforming Associations: The Future of Productivity with AI
Discover practical applications of AI tools like ChatGPT in enhancing team productivity and operational efficiency within associations. Learn proven strategies to implement AI within your association, potentially boosting overall productivity by up to 40%. Get insights into the future of association workspaces, understanding how AI can transform your operations, streamline processes, and pave the way for innovation. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Bill McGlade, President, Community Leaders Institute & epIQ Creative Group
Wed 10/11 at 12 p.m. – Chapter Roundtable (Washington DC)
Designed exclusively for professionals from component-based organizations in your area, our roundtables are not lectures but jam sessions where you can share, learn from your peers, and gain valuable feedback on your ongoing projects and goals. Discover the power of collaborative networking, knowledge sharing, and inspiring discussions in a casual, low-key setting. This interactive experience will give you actionable ideas, fresh insights, and inspiration to apply immediately. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: Billhighway
Wed 10/11 at 1 p.m. – Transform Your Tired Conference; Create Something Amazing
Little has changed in the last 50 years when it comes to in-person event formats. You know the usual drill: keynote, sessions in large rooms, and an exhibit hall. But what attendees want has dramatically changed. Learn how to make your meetings better, no matter the scale, to provide more value and drive more connection and engagement. More info/register.
Host: Matrix Group
Speakers:
- Teri Carden, CEO & Founder of 100Reviews & Non Dues-a-Palooza
- Lee Gimpel, Founder and CEO of Better Meetings
- Joanna Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker of Matrix Group
Thu 10/12 at 9:30 a.m. – Small Staff Percolator
An interactive online coffee break format designed for you to discover more peers in our dispersed community, bring up a topic that’s brewing in the daily grind, and have a casual chat with others who know your lingo. More info/register.
Host: Qiqo
Thu 10/12 at 12 p.m. – Chapter Roundtable (Alexandria VA)
Designed exclusively for professionals from component-based organizations in your area, our roundtables are not lectures but jam sessions where you can share, learn from your peers, and gain valuable feedback on your ongoing projects and goals. Discover the power of collaborative networking, knowledge sharing, and inspiring discussions in a casual, low-key setting. This interactive experience will give you actionable ideas, fresh insights, and inspiration to apply immediately. Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.
Host: Billhighway
Thu 10/12 at 12 p.m. – Mastering Revenue Growth: A Strategic Framework for Your Certification Training Program
The shifting landscape of professional learning has made lifelong education a necessity for associations and their members. Hear about the revenue-driving opportunities available in the modern digital learning landscape, a strategic framework for associations to identify and effectively leverage these opportunities, how to evaluate and strategize your journey within the framework, how to progress from initial identification to successful implementation, and case studies of two organizations that successfully transformed their certification training programs into major revenue drivers. 0.5 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: .orgCommunity
Speaker: Ashish Rangnekar, CEO, BenchPrep
Thu 10/12 at 1 p.m. – The True Implications of AI for the Association Industry: Part 2 – Considerations for Adding AI to Your Tech Stack
AI functionality has been part of our tech stack for a while, but we’re about to see an avalanche of new tools, plugins and features from the big platforms we use every day (looking at you, Microsoft and Google). How do we manage this onslaught of shiny tools? How do we get proactive about researching and adding other new tools to evolve our tech strategy and tech stack? How do we keep on top of security risks? Bring your questions, ideas, and resources/links, and take away actionable resources from panelists and participants. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Rick Bawcum, CAE, CISSP, CEO and Founder, Cimatri
- Hilton Gray, Co-Founder, MemberJunction
- Tori Miller Liu, MBA, FASAE, CAE, CEO, The Association for Intelligent Information Management
- Rhoni Rakos, Director of Digital Strategy, fusionSpan
Fri 10/13 at 12:30 p.m. – Conversations with Champions
Each conversation features an AWTC leader or AWTC Award winner, followed by breakout rooms with changing topics (selected by our featured guest). These intimate, virtual conversations are a chance to form meaningful connections with other women and allies in the association technology community. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Guest: Amilie Parent, President at Showcare
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 by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.
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