The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
New education markets. How much more successful would member companies—especially industry partners—be if all their employees had a better understanding of what your members (their co-workers or clients) did every day and the challenges they face? WBT Systems suggests offering introductory industry education to industry partners and to support, operations and shared services staff at member companies.
Hybrid/remote workforce decisions. Achurch Consulting explains how to handle the decisions involved in going or staying remote or hybrid. They provide guidance on what to keep in the forefront throughout the process, how to involve and communicate with staff, and why you should expect things to remain in flux for a while.
AMS basics. If you’re new to association technology and haven’t quite wrapped your head around the association management system (AMS) concept, Personify shares a primer on what has to be every accidental techie’s favorite piece of software. There’s an AMS for every type of association, even tiny ones, so find out what should be in yours when you go shopping for one.
In-house lobbying. If you’ve worked in trade associations, you’ve likely seen members taking opposing stances on an industry issue. Trade association membership is essential, but sometimes companies have to go their own way on an issue, and when they do, they need legislative relationships in place. Quorum explains why companies might want to have their own in-house governance relations team, strategy and software.
New member engagement. Amanda Kaiser says size does matter. She reminds us that there are all kinds of new member engagement plans for all sizes of chapters and associations. Speaking of which, if you haven’t yet already, please participate in her second edition of the popular New Member Engagement Study. This research measures the effectiveness of various elements of new member onboarding, orientation and welcoming programs, and the survey report is more helpful than most.
Non-dues revenue. The pandemic taught many associations they need a diverse selection of non-dues revenue streams so they don’t rely too much on one source. In the old days, many associations relied on insurance programs as their membership “golden handcuff,” and suffered greatly when those plans disappeared. But there are still insurance options out there. Franklin Madison describes one that might interest your members.
Email open rates. Because of privacy changes to Apple’s operating system, “your open rates will show 100 percent, even if those readers don’t actually open those emails,” says Ashley Wucher at PropFuel. She explains why Apple made this change, how it works, and what it means for associations.
Good eats
Skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer takeout.
It’s been too long since I made pork Milanese—an excellent dinner and a satisfying lunchtime sandwich. Since it’s asparagus season, I made this pasta with asparagus and tomatoes recipe from Giada as a side. I added lemon juice (since many commenters said the dish was bland—mine wasn’t) and garlic chives, and sprinkled our plates with leftover bread crumbs I tossed with melted butter and garlic salt.
The bread crumbs were left over from muhammara (spiced roasted red bell pepper paste) I made as a topping for baked bluefish fillets. I went heavy on the spices. On the side, Brussels sprouts greens, yes, greens from our plants. The leaves remind me of collards. I sliced and sautéed them with ham, dried apricot, red onion, red bell, jalapeño, garlic and chicken broth.
A quick dinner: blackened black sea bass. My recipe includes smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried basil, dried oregano, cayenne pepper and black pepper. I served them with a side of cheesy grits made with chicken broth, cream, cheddar, butter and salt, along with pesto veggies—carrot, broccoli stem, red bell, and red onion.
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 4/22 at 11 a.m.* – Community (The Association Show)
Whether you realize it or not, community-building is core to what associations do and you can strengthen your mission through online communities. Learn how to foster community within your association. More info/register.
Host: EventMobi
Presenter: Marjorie Anderson, Founder of Community by Association
*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 4/22 at 12 p.m. – CMP Academy: Coffee & Conversation | Meet the Instructor & Chart Your CMP Path
Studying for your CMP? Grab a coffee and chat about how to chart your CMP study path. Learn more about our new CMP Academy course, which will be offered in-person at WEC and live-online. Learn about the tools and knowledge you need to help you navigate the CMP exam with ease and answer each question with confidence. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: MPI
Presenters:
- Nick Estrada, CMP, CAE
- Nancy Snowden, M.A., Manager of Educational Experiences, MPI
Fri 4/22 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 4/22 at 4 p.m. – Courageous Purpose: 3 Actions to Reclaim Yours
Are you doing what you love or what you have to do to survive? Do you feel compelled to do something different in your life or career, but aren’t sure you have the courage to try? Are you ready to live every day with greater passion and energy? If you’ve asked yourself any of these questions, don’t miss this workshop where you will hear about the biggest barriers to living your dreams, the secrets to reclaim your courage and purpose, and how to avoid a life of survival and regret. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Presenter: Vivian Blade
Mon 4/25 at 1 p.m. – International Aspects of Associations (Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia)
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: Jakub Konysz, Founder, Global Navigators
Hosts:
- Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
- Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman
Tue 4/26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – AMS Demo Days
Hear presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer AMS platforms. AMS experts will be showcasing platforms and sharing their knowledge with the association market. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Tue 4/26 at 12 p.m. – Measuring the Impact of Your Content Investments
Hear a new idea on finding if you’re successful or if you just needed to readjust your game. Learn how your content is discovered and consumed, and dive into the field of member engagement and ROI. More info/register.
Host: Association.TV
Presenters: Greg Pollack from Association Analytics and Dan Stevens from WorkerBee.TV
Tue 4/26 at 12 p.m. – Event Ecosystem: Your Secret to Mastering the New Event Landscape – Whitepaper Debrief
Throughout an onslaught on new event formats, new technologies, process changes, building last-minute contingencies into event design, and now navigating a return to in-person events, planners have repeatedly risen to new challenges. But as teams are stretched to their limits, as job roles expand and become more complex, the need is emerging for planners to have a new network of resources, expertise, and support. This event ecosystem can help fill skills and capabilities gaps and offers planning teams new avenues for successfully managing and executing their events. More info/register.
Host: MPI
Presenters: Mike Dietrich and Julie Haddix from Cvent
Tue 4/26 at 12 p.m. – 2022 Tech Trends Report Briefing: Web 3.0, Decentralization, Blockchain, Crypto & NFTs
Hear key findings from the Web 3.0, Decentralization, Blockchain, Crypto & NFTs section of FTI’s 2022 Tech Trends Report. We will begin with 30 minutes highlighting this year’s research and insights and follow with a 15-minute Q&A. More info/register.
Host: Future Today Institute (FTI)
Tue 4/26 at 12:30 p.m. – Marketing’s Seat at the Table: Obtain and Leverage Marketing’s Role in Organizational Strategy
Learn about the skills and abilities needed to become a CMO, what attributes CMOs need to be recruited—from a CEO perspective, the value of having marketing at the C-suite table, the barriers that prevent marketing from being a strategic contributor, and the obstacles and best practices for increasing the influence and impact of marketing on strategic decisions. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Marketing Professionals Community
Presenters:
- Eric O’Connor (moderator), Chief Growth Officer, American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology
- Paul Pomerantz, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer, American Society of Anesthesiologists
- Maureen Geoghegan, Chief Membership and Communications Officer, American Society of Anesthesiologists
- Veronica Purvis, MSM, CAE, Associate Executive Director, Skin of Color Society
Tue 4/26 at 1:30 p.m. – How to Create a Well-Functioning Organization That Allows You to Focus on Higher Impact Activities
Learn how to expand your personal comfort zone and turn challenges into opportunities, help your team function like a well-oiled machine that can solve its own problems so you can stop fighting other people’s fires, and build a culture of innovation, experimentation, agility and accountability that grows itself. More info/register.
Host: Propel
Presenter: Jamie Notter, co-founder, Propel
Tue 4/26 at 2 p.m. – Association Chat Open Chat on Zoom
Open to anyone who wants to catch up on association industry news. Our starter topic for this open chat is “Trust and Your Organization.” Jump in and let’s talk! More info.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, senior consultant, Tecker International
Tue 4/26 at 2 p.m. – How to Nurture the Next Generation of Meeting Professionals
Hear about the diverse opportunities, exciting career paths and meaningful work that await those who find their way to the ballroom. Learn a new definition for leadership, management tips for attracting and retaining young talent, and why the industry will ultimately come out stronger. More info/register.
Host: Smart Meetings
Presenter: David Peckinpaugh, President & CEO, New Maritz
Tue 4/26 at 2 p.m. – 5 Webinar Rules to Break
Webinars have been run the same way, for the same purposes, for ages. But modern audiences don’t want old school marketing, they want inspiring experiences, which means it’s time to break the rules and re-think what a webinar can be. Learn about new formats, no formats, any formats; rescheduling the schedule; building your binge-ability; and leads are boring, aim higher. More info/register.
Host: American Marketing Association
Presenter: Mark Bornstein, vice president, content marketing, ON24
Tue 4/26 at 3 p.m. – How to Keep Your Association Relevant: Re-Envision a Membership Model That Leads to Member Retention
Hear about ways the association business model is broken and out of date, rethinking your approach to membership marketing, digital transformation—an intersection between marketing and technology, and using digital trust strategies for improving member engagement and retention. More info/register.
Host: Grype
Presenter: Randall Craig, Author and CEO of Pinetree Advisors
Wed 4/27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – AMS Demo Days
Hear presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer AMS platforms. AMS experts will be showcasing platforms and sharing their knowledge with the association market. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Wed 4/27 at 9 a.m. – Strategic Lessons from Associations Operating in Europe
For years, Europe has been an important destination for many US associations interested in expanding their global reach with membership and events. Some associations have been successful, while others found Europe very challenging. Hear from senior US and European association executives, all based in Europe, about successes and lessons learned from associations working in Europe, and what US association executives need to keep in mind for long-term success. More info/register.
Host: ASAE International Associations Professionals Community
Presenters:
- Joyce Dogniez, Vice President of Community Engagement at the Internet Society, Member of the ASAE International Associations Advisory Council
- Mike Morrissey, Chief Executive Officer, European Cancer Organisation, President, European Society of Association Executives
- Robin Grossfeld, Senior Vice President of Global Initiatives, Association of Corporate Counsel
Wed 4/27 at 12 p.m. – Burnout or Burn Bright?
Burnout is a key factor affecting professional and personal productivity. Hear about risk factors leading to burn out, how to recognize the early warning signs, and how to develop tangible skills for improving resilience on both an individual and institutional level. Learn about resources that will help association executives learn how to recognize, manage, and mitigate burnout. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Xchange
Presenter: Anees Chagpar, MD, MBA, MPH, FACS, FRCS(C), Professor in the Department of Surgery at Yale School of Medicine
Wed 4/27 at 1 p.m. – Site Selection & Inspection: Rethinking the Basics
To select sites, negotiate well-considered, foundational contracts and plan programs and for contingencies is dramatically different. Yet, the basics remain. Review basics like demographics and budgets, along with new thinking about safety, security, laws and policies, staffing, service and charges. Consider what should be provided and asked in RFPs and responded to by venues (hotels, convention centers, conference centers) to provide the critical information that impacts meeting and event outcomes. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Presenter: meetings industry veteran Joan Eisenstodt
Wed 4/27 at 2 p.m. – How Alaska’s Largest Telecommunications Company Transitioned to a Hybrid Workforce
In March 2020, GCI sent most of their workforce home to work as they “waited out” the pandemic. After a few short months, they realized that many of their teams were just as or even more productive working from home. Seeing how successful their teams were working virtually, GCI leadership began considering additional benefits of switching to a remote-first hybrid work model such as recruiting top talent outside of Alaska. Learn how GCI approached such a massive undertaking and hear the lessons they learned throughout this transition and where GCI is headed as they look toward the future of work. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Achurch Consulting
Presenters:
- Brad Spees, Vice President & Operating Group Manager, GCI Business
- John Clese, Remote Workforce Strategist, Achurch Consulting
Wed 4/27 at 2 p.m. – Association Board Effectiveness in 2022
Hear the key challenges, trends, and best practices in board engagement and effectiveness from OnBoard’s annual Board Effectiveness Survey. Gain an understanding of the research and dive into association-specific results. Learn from a peer how the research translates into real world board activities. Ask and receive answers to your questions about board engagement and effectiveness challenges, trends, and best practices. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Presenters:
- Rashmi Bijai, Vice President of Marketing at OnBoard
- Ahava Goldman, Associate Director at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Wed 4/27 at 2 p.m. – Government Affairs During a Global Crisis: How to Prepare for the Unknown
Even in turmoil, there are concrete steps that can be taken to mitigate risk and hone your responses, regardless of the changing landscape a pandemic or conflict brings to your organization. Learn how to drive team alignment and mobilize stakeholders during a crisis, identify risks and opportunities amid a global crisis, and build your government affairs strategy to be proactive rather than reactive before a global crisis. More info/register.
Host: FiscalNote
Presenters:
- Jennifer Storipan, Vice President, Lot Sixteen
- Adam Miller, Head, Policy & Government Affairs, International Markets, Astellas
- Ann Davison, Director, Strategic Communications, Guidehouse
- Brittany Bolen, Senior Policy Advisor, Sidley
- Martina Bozadzhieva (Moderator), Chief Research Officer, FrontierView
Thu 4/28 from 12 to 5 p.m. – Community Lab
Community has become a buzzword for the corporate and consumer world over the past few years, but for associations and nonprofits, it’s always been at the very heart of what we do. Gather with fellow community builders to connect and discover how to capture the magic and chemistry of your existing communities and transfer them to a welcoming, protected online space where your members can continue growing together. CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: Personify
Thu 4/28 at 12 p.m. – 2022 Guide to Retirement: Exploring Key Issues Impacting Retirement Investors
Retirement needs and planning are changing, but are your benefit plans, investments and employee engagement keeping pace? Americans are living longer and retiring later. This webinar will focus on the complex needs your employees are facing and how you can educate and help them achieve their goals. Learn about your most important plan responsibilities and how best to tackle them, practical ways of what we’ve seen work to meet your obligations, and your retirement headwinds and how to navigate them successfully. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Presenter: Shelly Howard-Horwitz
Thu 4/28 at 12 p.m. – The Dues and Don’ts of Association Pricing Strategies
Is your association’s pricing set too high or too low? Or has your organization just avoided making any changes because of uncertainty? Setting the right price for your association’s offering can be confusing with all the constant changes in the world, but not adjusting it properly limits your organization’s chance to increase membership or revenue. Learn about the most effective pricing strategies through a focus on events, learning programs, career centers, and membership models. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Community Brands
Presenters: Michelle Schweitz, Marketing Director, and Tirrah Switzer, Director, Product Marketing, Community Brands
Thu 4/28 at 12 p.m. – Ready or Not: 5 Tips for Launching Your Digital Exam Prep Program Quickly
Regardless of where you fall in your digital learning journey, there are ways to mitigate the resistance you or your organization may feel when it comes to launching your online learning program. Learn why starting simple is the key to efficiency and getting to market quickly, actionable tips for launching your learning program, examples of organizations that launched quickly and what results they saw, and the benefits of having learning technology that is specifically tailored to your learning use case. More info/register.
Host: Training Magazine Network
Presenter: Emily Leary, VP of Professional Services, BenchPrep
Thu 4/28 at 1 p.m. – Non-Dues DIY: Spring Cleaning Your Corporate Sponsorship Proposals
Learn about proposal strategies that resulted in successful increases in non-dues revenue via sponsorship funding as well as resource support for associations and other purpose driven organizations. Hear feedback from corporate sponsorship decision makers as to what they look for in an optimal proposal as well as when a proposal needs a new coat of paint. More info/register.
Host: Non-Dues-a-Palooza
Presenter: Lori Zoss Kraska MBA, CFRE, Growth Owl, LLC
Thu 4/28 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, Grace Social Sector Consulting
Thu 4/28 at 1 p.m. – How Documentaries Are Disrupting the Future of Content Marketing
In this masterclass on the future of content marketing, hear key industry insights learned while designing, creating and executing association-centric docuseries models and why associations are clamoring for their spot on both the big and small screens. Learn how a digital documentary model can be a single tool that meets multiple objectives for your association’s recruitment, retention, revenue and advocacy and talent awareness goals. More info/register.
Host: .orgCommunity
Presenter: Dan Stevens, President, WorkerBee.TV
Thu 4/28 at 3 p.m. – 2022 Tech Trends Report Briefing: Artificial Intelligence
Hear a special briefing on key findings from FTI’s 2022 Tech Trends Report. We will begin with 30 minutes highlighting this year’s research and insights and follow with a 15-minute Q&A. More info/register.
Host: Future Today Institute (FTI)
Thu 4/28 at 3:30 p.m. – Culture-Driven Technology Decisions for the Hybrid Workplace: Defining Collaboration
As associations contemplate a return to the office, it’s tempting to start by talking about logistical issues—what days of the week should staff be in the office? What tech do we need? Should we redesign our meeting rooms? Let’s flip the conversation! If we start with answering some underlying culture questions, our technology decisions should be more sustainable, meaningful, and future-focused. Join this special workshop series where we will explore how four key culture decisions impact technology decisions for the hybrid workplace. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Presenter: Maddie Grant, expert digital strategist and culture change consultant, Propel
Fri 4/29 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 4/29 at 4 p.m. – Facilitated Open Networking Event
Host: Fridays@4
Tue 5/3 at 12 p.m. – Marketing Analytics
1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Data Analytics Network
Wed 5/4 at 11 a.m. – How to Increase Engagement Through Personalization
Each individual in your community, member or not, has their own set of needs that your association is trying to meet. Traditional marketing has us speaking to segments based on behaviors and transactions. And often, traditional broadcasts are about what the association has to offer rather than what the member actually needs right then and there. Instead of building campaigns around segments and broadcasting information, learn how “The Market of One” connects associations and individuals by asking questions regularly over time to understand and immediately act on member needs. Hear use case campaign examples for member recruitment/renewals, event engagement, and member profile building. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Presenters:
- Jemilah Senter, VP, Marketing and Communications, MCI
- Dave Will, Co-Founder and CEO, PropFuel
Wed 5/4 at 11:30 a.m. – Association Tips and Tricks to Leveraging Data to Increase Conversion, Engagement and Growth
Do you ever wonder what’s the magic sauce to growing your membership, engaging members or increasing conversions within your ecommerce flow? Hear what your association peers are doing with their data, their lessons learned and how you can utilize data to inform decisions and help your organization hit its goals. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Marketing Professionals Community
Wed 5/4 at 12 p.m. – Where’s the Interactivity, Bob?!
Some people assume there is a networking button to push during an online or in-person event, but there isn’t. Designing for people takes thoughtful consideration. Learn practical tips to increase engagement in your events and online communities. Find out why we need community, how to create a culture of sharing, how to design spaces for real people online and in-person, and how to help members build meaningful relationships. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Insights in Old Town
Presenters: QiqoChat co-founders, Sandra Nam and Lucas Cioffi
Thu 5/5 at 12 p.m. – IT Strategic Plan Roundtable
This ASAE member group will talk over approaches and tools for creating an IT strategic plan—coming out of this Collaborate thread. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Technology Professionals Community
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 Reed Geiger via Unsplash
Association Brain Food 