The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
With so many event apps on the market, how do you even begin to find one? I’ll tell you: there just so happens to be a new peer review site to help you out, ReviewMyEventApp. It works on the pay-it-forward model: when you submit a review of an event app, you can see all the reviews on the site. If you don’t leave a review, you can pay to see all the reviews.
Haven’t we read everything there is to know about productivity? I know how to be productive but it’s a matter of doing, not knowing. Most productivity articles are repetitive clickbait. But every now and then I find one I want to skim, and maybe read—like this one about how to spend the first two hours of your day.
I know, morning productivity articles are the bane of the Internet but this one passes muster for me because I’ve succeeded at following its advice off and on during the past decade, and it makes a difference. It’s reminded me that I don’t need to catch up on news or reading for work when I first turn on my laptop in the morning. I can read poetry (poem of the day or daily poem) and write in my journal instead. I can also spend time meditating or reading a book before I move onto real work. News and work reading can wait until lunch.
Tim Ebner at Associations Now looks at the “passive member” (formerly known as “mailbox member”) problem. Most members don’t volunteer or attend in-person events, so how do you keep them engaged? How do they want to be engaged—that’s the question to ask them. And maybe “engaged” isn’t the right word. They may be satisfied by receiving a daily personalized newsbrief or lurking and learning in your online community—not exactly the typical definition of “engagement” but if it keeps them happy, good for you.
Some quick hits before we get to the list of free webinars:
- Got new technology on your mind? Get pointers on how to prepare a convincing business case for a new LMS or other technology. (WBT Systems)
- If you’re a regular reader of blog posts (bless you!), you’ll love learning about RSS readers, like my choice, Feedly. (Wired)
Way off-topic: Check out my Grabbing the Gusto blog for the list of recipes I’ve made this week or plan to make in the coming week, and my list of recommended fiction and non-fiction ebooks (including cookbooks) on sale right now.
Now, the main event: free professional development events for the association community. If your organization has a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not product-centric.
Tue 4/10 at 2 p.m.* – Innovation and Events
Hear insights from new brain research and case studies that show how changing the way you manage your consciousness and focus will improve how you design events. Learn the three specific cognitive strategies of “the high performance mind” and how to employ them in planning and executing event tasks. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenter: Denis Greene
*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.
Wed 4/11 at 12 p.m. – Leveraging Generational Strengths at Healthcare Associations
Recent discussion different generations—including their behaviors in the workforce—have become more divisive. But each age group brings its own strengths to your association’s staff team. Hear how healthcare organizations engage with the varied generations in the workplace, as well as their best practices and proven strategies. Learn how your association can benefit and learn from members of each generation. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Presenter: Sarah Sladek, CEO, XYZ University
Wed 4/11 at 1 p.m. – Big, Small, and Everything in Between – Tech Trends for All Events
Learn about event technology trends suited for events large or small and on any budget. Walk away with ideas you can implement right away, along with long-term strategies to integrate into your event planning. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Presenter: Brooke Gracey, Senior Mobile Events App Strategist, CrowdCompass by Cvent
Wed 4/11 at 2 p.m. – Keys to Driving Webinar Registration and Attendance
Learn about the best practices and secrets that have helped companies build their webinar audiences from tens to thousands. Find out how to optimize your email invitations, use videos to drive registration, more effectively leverage social media, and build a long-term audience. More info/register.
Host: ON24
Presenter: Mark Bornstein, Vice President, Content Marketing, ON24, Inc.
Thu 4/12 at 12:30 p.m. – Focusing on Resource Planning
Whether you are a creating a project plan or a staffing plan, resource planning provides you with the information you need to be confident you have the people resources you need to efficiently and effectively get the job done. During this session, we define resource planning, articulate the objectives of a resource plan specific to its use (project planning, staff utilization, etc.), describe the resource planning process, and provide templates to support your resource planning efforts. 0.5 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: .orgCommunity
Presenter: Sharon Rice
Thu 4/12 at 2 p.m. – Destination Selection: Overcoming Myth and Perception and Get to the Truth
When negative headlines and travel warnings create false perceptions about a destination’s safety and readiness, the effects are tremendous. In selecting a destination, how can planners balance sensational media reports with real information from trusted sources on the ground to get to the truth? What are the best strategies to address participants’ perceptions? More info/register.
Host: Smart Meetings
Presenter: John Iannini, CIS, CTC, Vice President, Business Travel & Meetings Melia Hotels International and SITE Foundation President
Thu 4/12 at 3 p.m. – What Every Association Professional Needs to Know about Sexual Harassment (Reston-Loudon VA Idea Swap)
Join a discussion on sexual harassment and what every association professional needs to know. 1 CAE credit. Location: Reston VA. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Greater / National Capital Community
Presenter: Jennifer Jackman, Esq., Whiteford Taylor Preston
Fri 4/13 at 1 p.m. – Create Revenue with an eLearning Business Strategy
Learn how to break down the task of creating an eLearning business strategy into four manageable steps, including practical methods to combine eLearning goals and business viability into one eLearning business strategy. Find out how to categorize educational offerings, create a learning-business vision, synergize learning and business goals, and get from where you are now to where you want to be. More info/register.
Host: Blue Sky eLearn
Presenter: Julie Stelter, Chief Creative Officer, Walden Group
Mon 4/16 at 1 p.m. – Growing Membership in the Digital Age
From social media outlets to email and telemarketing, hear what works for other associations and tips to determine what’s right for you. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Marketing General Inc.
Presenter: Rick Whelan, president, Marketing General Inc.
Tue 4/17 at 12 p.m. – Board Relations and Leadership DC Idea Swap (Washington DC)
Hear about some of the key issues and challenges facing association leaders and board members, including governance gaps, board leadership, development needs, fundraising and financial difficulties, and confusion over the Board’s role/responsibilities. 1 CAE credit. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Greater / National Capital Community
Presenter: Steve Worth, Senior Consultant, Worth Consulting, LLC.
Tue 4/17 at 2 p.m. – The Race for Relevance (Association Chat)
Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth
Presenter: Mary Byers, CAE, speaker, author, facilitator and consultant
Tue 4/17 at 2 p.m. – Chatbots and Events: Can an Industry That’s All About People Embrace the Virtual Assistant?
Meetings and events often lag behind the cutting edge of technology, so it’s no surprise that event chatbots are just now hitting the meetings trends lists. Learn what chatbots are, and how event planners can take advantage of them; the challenges and opportunities of using chatbots for events; and the future event capabilities of chatbots and virtual assistants. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: MeetingsNet
Presenter: Brandt Krueger, owner, Event Technology Consulting, and instructor, Event Leadership Institute
Wed 4/18 at 8:30 a.m. — Partnership Professionals Idea Exchange Meeting (Washington DC)
Join a discussion about the dozens of ways associations benefit from having corporate partners. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Partnership Professionals Section
Wed 4/18 at 1 p.m. – How to Build Successful Online Learning Experiences
Learn how to build a business case for moving in-person education online; what it takes to engage learners in an online environment; how to differentiate your organization through online learning; when to consider a custom platform that supports high-end learning experiences; and lessons learned in achieving internal buy-in, project momentum and organizational alignment. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Talented Learning
Presenters:
- John Leh (moderator), CEO and Lead Analyst, Talented Learning
- Stephen Flatman, VP Examinations, AICPA
- Seewan Eng, Sr. Director of Technology, New Teacher Center
- Edward Daciuk, Principal Learning Strategist, ExtensionEngine
Wed 4/18 at 1 p.m. – Exploring Solutions for Associations Run by Volunteers or a Small Staff
Join a discussion about the unique needs of associations that are run entirely by volunteers or with a very small paid staff. Together, we will explore how these organizations can maximize benefits of the limited time and funds available to them, with solutions that have the same power and flexibility enjoyed by large organizations with dedicated staff. More info/register.
Hosts: ClubExpress and ReviewMyAMS
Wed 4/18 at 2 p.m. – SEO Power – How to Reach Your Audience (Association Chat)
Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth
Wed 5/2-Fri 5/4 from 12 to 4 p.m. – SURGE Spring 2018
SURGE is an interactive virtual summit with a thesis: By joining together thousands of association professionals, we can harness collective knowledge and push our industry forward. CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: Associations Success
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.
Creative Commons licensed photo by Marcin Szmigiel on Unsplash.
Association Brain Food 