The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Billhighway and Mariner Management just released the 2019 Chapter Benchmarking Report. If your association has chapters, affiliates, or some other type of component, this is a must-read. The report provides benchmarking data as well as several association success stories related to that data and some strong opinions. Tim Ebner at Associations Now dug into the report, and talked to Peggy Hoffman and Peter Houstle of Mariner, about some of its findings.
MemberSuite describes how to meet the unique needs of student and recent graduates, particularly when it comes to membership models, career resources, events, and networking.
Do you wish your members would spend more time on professional development? Make it happen by planning now for a Professional Development Day during the holiday break. WBT Systems provides ideas on how to market and arrange an annual event that will help your members develop a year-round learning habit.
While we’re on the topic… How to ask your boss for time to learn new things, by Rachael O’Meara at Harvard Business Review.
A beautiful tribute to Poilane, the iconic French bakery, in a post from Seth Godin about sharing ideas, books and bread—having an abundance mindset.
Quick hits before we get to next week’s free webinars:
- How to generate B2B leads on LinkedIn. (Caroline Forsey, HubSpot)
- Data breaches devasted small businesses in 2019, with 10% having to close their doors as a result. (Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4)
- Like many things millennials “killed,” the dinner party has simply adapted for the post-recession era. It sounds like the kind of dinner parties I’ve always had—yikes, it’s been a while. (Nisha Chittal, Vox)
- A lovely homage to one of my favorite singers, Linda Ronstadt, by one of my favorite songwriters. Seeing him on Saturday! (Elvis Costello)
Good eats:
- Have I told you about this one before? Put a few fillets of fresh, local fish (in our case, speckled trout, so damn good) in a greased baking dish. Cover with a mix of melted butter, lemon juice and garlic chives (grow your own in a sunny window pot). Sprinkle with salt and Aleppo pepper. Bake. Marvel at how you never get sick of this recipe.
- Bojangles’ Cajun (chicken) Filet Biscuit with Pimento Cheese. Best road breakfast. I need lots of people to buy one so they’ll keep it on the menu.
- More fish. Dredge your fillets of fresh, local fish (yes, it’s a theme, this time, white grunt) in salted flour, then egg mixed with hot sauce (we’re partial to Texas Pete), and then cornmeal seasoned with your choice of spicy spices (like cayenne, regular or smoked paprika, or whatever peppery delight is in your cabinet). Pan-fry both sides in grapeseed (or peanut) oil. Squeeze some lemon over the filets once they’re out of the pan. Enjoy the leftovers in a tartar sauce inundated sandwich tomorrow for lunch.
Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. If you have any free webinars or events coming up, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not product-centric.
Mon 11/4 at 1 p.m.* – Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia
Check out this 15-minute web series covering hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. A new episode is posted every Monday by 1 p.m., or subscribe for updates. More info.
Host: Rogue Tulips LLC
Presenters:
- Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman
- Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
*All times are Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Tue 11/5 at 12 p.m. – Association Data Analytics Brown Bag (online)
This opportunity is for association professionals who are responsible for reporting analytics to leadership, Boards of Directors, and other stakeholders, to come together in a free-flowing environment to share their lunchtime and, this month, discuss data and departmental silos. Conversations will include presentations and attendees discussing challenges and key points on each topic. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Tue 11/5 at 12:30 p.m. – Recruiting Members at Trade Shows and Other Events
Exhibiting at a trade show or event is like testing out a new “fishing hole” for new membership leads and prospects. You can return home with stories about how “the big one got away” or bring home a bucket full that will sustain your organization’s family for months. Learn techniques and tactics (including the one question that works every time) for reeling in and landing new members at industry events and shows. 0.5 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: The Next Steps LLC
Tue 11/5 at 1 p.m. – Digital Literacy
Learn why a proactive approach to embracing technology is critical for your organization’s success, how technology is changing how we work, the advantages it provides, what kinds of digital skills nonprofit leaders need and how can they acquire them. More info/register.
Host: Idealware
Moderator: Karen Graham, Director of Education & Outreach for Tech Impact
Tue 11/5 at 2 p.m. – Association Chat on Twitter (#assnchat)
The original #assnchat Twitter chat is back. Join an online tweet chat with fellow association professionals by following the #assnchat hashtag on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. More info.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth
Guest moderator: Jeff De Cagna, Executive Advisor, Foresight First LLC
Tue 11/5 at 2 p.m. – Getting Started with Strategic Meetings Management
Hear a debunking of the myth that Strategic Meetings Management (SMM) is incredibly complex by breaking it down into bite-sized pieces. Learn best practices and tried and true approaches. The size of your company doesn’t matter; SMM can be adopted by companies of any size. When it comes down to it, it’s about streamlining your event process to save time and money, while creating a better attendee experience. More info/register.
Host: Smart Meetings
Presenter: Julie Haddix, Director, Enterprise Marketing, Cvent
Wed 11/6 at 11 a.m. – Best Practices for Live Tweeting
Learn how to use Twitter to join online conversations live and eliminate some of the fear of just “jumping in.” Hear about etiquette for live Tweeting during conferences/events, choosing the right conversations for your brand, ways to add value and not “sell” your brand, and considerations for putting this into practice within your organization. More info/register.
Host: National Institute for Social Media
Presenter: Jennifer Radke, SMS, CEO, National Institute for Social Media
Wed 11/6, sessions on the hour from 12 to 4 p.m. – SURGE Growth
SURGE is a free virtual conference where association professionals assemble from all corners of the world for productive conversations around innovation and change. During each session, a chat runs simultaneously, allowing attendees to contribute thoughts and talk with each other, as well as with speakers. The subject of sustainable growth is multi-faceted, and the industry can truly benefit from these conversations by carefully examining potential areas for expansion. SURGE Growth is about maximizing each of the major factors that influence sustainable development and doing so with the right professionals to maximize your takeaways and, ultimately, your associations’ progression. CAE/CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Success
Wed 11/6 at 1 p.m. – Cultivate Your Community for Content
Hear about the role of online communities in generating content and content ideas for associations. Learn to leverage your community to track what your members are truly interested in, and to develop publications and products to serve their needs. 0.5 CAE credit. First, join Content Forum. Then, get more info/register.
Host: Content Forum
Presenter: Luke Zimmer, principal, Skariphos
Wed 11/6 at 2 p.m. – The State of Advocacy & Lobbying 2020
The 2020 presidential election is fast approaching and the role of lobbying and advocacy is center stage. Learn what your organization can do to cut through all the noise and make sure your issues are heard in an election year. More info/register.
Hosts: FiscalNote and CQ Roll Call
Presenters:
- Marie Sylla-Dixon, VP of Federal and External Affairs, T-Mobile
- Bryan Zumwalt, EVP of Public Affairs, Grocery Manufacturers Association
- Tonya Saunders, Principal, Washington Premier Group
- Kate Ackley, CQ Roll Call Senior Lobbying Staff Writer
Wed 11/6 at 2 p.m. – Getting Started with Strategic Meetings Management
We’ll debunk the myth that Strategic Meetings Management (SMM) is incredibly complex by breaking it down into bite-sized pieces. Learn best practices and tried and true approaches. The size of your company doesn’t matter; SMM can be adopted by companies of any size. When it comes down to it, it’s about streamlining your event process to save time and money, while creating a better attendee experience. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: MeetingsNet
Presenter: Julie Haddix, Director, Enterprise Marketing, Cvent
Thu 11/7 at 11 a.m. – Tech Talk on Tech Tools
Listen in on a free-wheeling discussion about some hot tools and topics, specifically: password managers – our favorites and how to integrate them into your life; Slack – what it is, why we love it, how we use it; managing documents in the cloud – how to organize your docs and collaborate with your colleagues; and making remote staff feel part of the gang – video and other communication tools. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Matrix Group
Presenters: Matrix Group CEO Joanna Pineda, CTO Maki Kato, Front End Developer Jaime Quiroz and Project Administrator Maria Lima
Thu 11/7, sessions on the hour from 12 to 4 p.m. – SURGE Growth
SURGE is a free virtual conference where association professionals assemble from all corners of the world for productive conversations around innovation and change. During each session, a chat runs simultaneously, allowing attendees to contribute thoughts and talk with each other, as well as with speakers. The subject of sustainable growth is multi-faceted, and the industry can truly benefit from these conversations by carefully examining potential areas for expansion. SURGE Growth is about maximizing each of the major factors that influence sustainable development and doing so with the right professionals to maximize your takeaways and, ultimately, your associations’ progression. CAE/CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Success
Thu 11/7 at 12 p.m. – How to Accelerate Agile: Culture & Mindset
When an organization makes the conscious decision to go Agile, it faces a lot of challenges. One of the biggest obstacles is the resistance to change company culture and employee mindset, especially early on. Failing to get everyone on board can result in failed projects, wasted time and lost money. Learn how to shift culture and mindset to best support Agile, including the challenges companies often face and how to overcome them by changing the hearts and minds of your team that is resisting change. More info/register.
Host: xScion
Presenters: Bhavani Krishnan, Agile Expert, and Mason Chaudhry, COO, xScion
Fri 11/8, sessions on the hour from 12 to 4 p.m. – SURGE Growth
SURGE is a free virtual conference where association professionals assemble from all corners of the world for productive conversations around innovation and change. During each session, a chat runs simultaneously, allowing attendees to contribute thoughts and talk with each other, as well as with speakers. The subject of sustainable growth is multi-faceted, and the industry can truly benefit from these conversations by carefully examining potential areas for expansion. SURGE Growth is about maximizing each of the major factors that influence sustainable development and doing so with the right professionals to maximize your takeaways and, ultimately, your associations’ progression. CAE/CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Success
Tue 11/12 at 3 p.m. – Chapters and Affiliates: For the “Swing” in Your Member Experience
What if we envisioned chapters to be a concrete way to experience the association? Like brick and mortar stores are evolving—not as the point of sale—but as providers of an experience you can’t get online. Chapters—which are closer to the ground—could let members take a couple of swings with association services and decide on the best fit. Join an open discussion on how associations and chapters can support and strengthen one another to advance the shared mission and their bottom lines. Location: online and Washington DC. More info/register.
Organizer: Associations Catalyzing Entrepreneurship
Presenters:
- Kerry Cosby, Chapter Relations Manager at IEEE Computer Society
- Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Wed 11/13 at 1 p.m. – Boosting Non-Dues Revenue: 3 Tactics to Increase the Engagement of Sponsors, Exhibitors, and Advertisers
Learn how to refine your value proposition and marketing collateral, improve your conversations with prospects, and increase your bottom-line results. Find out how to sell better by crafting, speaking about, and acting on the unique value proposition your association has to offer; better understand what supporters expect in return for their investment; and efficiently prioritize your actions for bigger topline results. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Hosts: MemberSuite and The Wyman Company
That’s it for now. If you can’t attend a live webinar, go ahead and register if the topic interests you. Most webinar hosts send registrants a link to the recording.
Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If your organization offers free professional development for the association community, please send me the link via email or Twitter before Thursday afternoon.
Creative Commons image by Tara Evans via Unsplash
Association Brain Food 