The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Event data ROI. EventMobi shares the stories of six professional society and trade association staff—CEO, membership, corporate partnerships, professional development, conference programming, and event planner—who leveraged event data to achieve their goals. You’ll get lots of ideas from these stories about innovative practices at six types of conferences/expos and learn what’s possible with the intel you get from event data.
Youthful insight. If your association is having trouble attracting and retaining young members, maybe you’re not listening to the right people. WBT Systems describes how a shadow board or advisory council of young professionals can tell you what you need to know about designing and marketing programs and content for the younger generations.
Websites. GrowthZone explains how non-techie staff can regularly (and quickly) assess an association website. They highlight areas that merit special attention, including website navigation, footers, SEO, and URLs. Their easy-to-understand instructions should dispel any uneasiness you have about getting a handle on your site’s strengths and weaknesses.
Event marketing. I hope your association isn’t relying on the same event marketing strategies and tactics you used before the pandemic because, says Meena Dayak at McKinley Advisors, your competitors are probably marketing more aggressively and effectively than you. Her post is a must-read wake-up call for event marketers—correction, all marketers—and covers data-driven marketing, expanding your target audience, omni-channel digital marketing, and leveraging social media ambassadors and influencers.
Age-related bias. Although it’s a job-seeker’s market, if you’re over 50, you may not agree. Amber Keister at The Diversity Movement shares infuriating data from AARP: two out of three workers between ages 45 and 74 have seen or experienced age-related bias. She also shares advice from career consultants and tips for a strategic post-50 job search.
Association podcasts. Launching a podcast isn’t as intimidating as it used to be, thanks to all the resources and people who can help you get started. Association Briefings explains how podcasts can benefit associations and their members and provides tips for starting an association podcast, including the steps in the planning process and issues to consider before you dive in.
Professional development and membership. WBT Systems dives into the latest Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report from MGI and shares what they’ve learned about the impact of professional development on membership recruitment, engagement and retention.
Quick hits
Improve virtual conferences and other educational events by designating chat moderators. (Amanda Kaiser)
Rebuild your data strategy without third-party cookies, whose death is on the horizon. (Jake Zarnegar, Hum)
Executives share the top seven leadership books that changed their careers—some usual suspects, some surprises. (Courtney Connley, Chief)
I never want to see jellyfish in the water. But in a video? So zen. (Moon Jelly live cam, Monterey Bay Aquarium)
Good eats
Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.
If you’re heading to Nashville for ASAE Annual, I highly suggest getting your hands on some hot chicken. In anticipation of that moment, I made hot catfish last week and served it over cheesy grits. This one is a keeper. Honestly, I no longer have a craving for hot chicken.
I halved Hank Shaw’s yellowfin tuna with roasted red bell pepper recipe—an excellent sauce for fish, chicken, pork, etc.
On the side for both fish nights, southern summer succotash—a recipe I adapted from this one and this one. Some notes: For meat, only add bacon. No sugar or cream. Add zucchini and jalapeño.
We’re harvesting eggplant, so I added some to a sausage ratatouille recipe and served it over polenta (Italian grits). I changed the recipe, of course: hot Italian pork sausage instead of turkey, and the addition of mushrooms and green bell pepper.
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 8/5 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
*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 8/5 at 4 p.m. – Influencing Up: Leading When You’re Not in Charge
Leadership requires influence, otherwise, you’re not leading, you’re managing. How do you make the shift from managing to influencing, especially those in more senior positions? Learn how to become a leader of influence, and strategies and techniques that will affect the behavior of those around you regardless of their position in the organization. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Presenter: Pamela J. Green
Mon 8/8 at 1 p.m. – Should You Say “I’m Too Busy!” (Nonprofit Conversations with Cecilia Sepp, CAE)
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: Cynthia Lockrey, Lockrey Communications
Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Tue 8/9 at 11 a.m. – Are You Safeguarding Your Organization? Guide To Fraud Prevention
Learn how to identify sources of fraud, limit your exposure to fraud, reduce the likelihood of internal fraud, implement best practices for fraud prevention, and probe weaknesses that leave you vulnerable to bad actors. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Presenter: Julie Broadway, President & CEO, American Horse Council & American Horse Council Foundation
Tue 8/9 at 11 a.m. – Learn to Create and Use PivotTables
PivotTables are an interactive way of taking a large amount of data and summarizing it in a user-friendly way. This tool can be used to quickly answer many important organizational questions. When you use a PivotTable you will calculate, summarize and analyze data that will then let you see patterns, comparisons and trends. Learn how to easily create PivotTables and use them to analyze and unveil critical data points for your organization. More info/register.
Host: Sidecar
Presenter: Clear Path Founder Dave O’Connell
Wed 8/10 at 11 a.m. – PCI Compliance Workshop 101 for Associations
Learn best practices for implementing PCI Compliance. Get a basic overview of what PCI Compliance is and what it’s designed to achieve. Hear nine practical tips you can implement immediately to ensure a more secure payment environment. Learn what you should know about the Self-Assessment-Questionnaire (SAQ). 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp. (UST)
Presenters: Julie Duncan, VP Sales, Association Practice Leader, and Wade Tetsuka, CPA, President, UST
Wed 8/10 at 11 a.m. – DES Expert Series: Digital Event Marketing + Communities
After months of preparations and investments in your event’s content and experience, don’t let your ROI be ruined by sub-standard marketing. Get a sneak peek into a new DES module on “Marketing + Communities” for your hybrid and virtual events. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenter: Rachel Stephan, Founder, snöball Event Marketing
Wed 8/10 at 11 a.m. – 2022 Appropriations Preview: What You Need to Know & Top Issues to Watch
As we race toward a fall deadline, key decisions approach on the size of the military budget vs. nondefense agencies, earmark requests, and a multitude of controversial policy riders. Hear about potential appropriations decisions, what they could mean for your organization, and how to stay on top of the appropriations cycle. More info/register.
Host: CQ
Presenters: Paul Krawzak and David Lerman, Senior Writers, CQ and Roll Call
Wed 8/10 at 12 p.m. – Mitigating Microaggressions in the Workplace
Have you faced microaggressions before? Are you able to recognize and mitigate microaggressions? In this workshop, expert speakers will help you understand microaggressions and provide insight on how to respond to microaggressions in the workplace. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Presenters:
- Mariama Boney, LMSW, CAE, President & CEO, Achieve More LLC
- Alexis Redmond, JD, MA, CAE, Managing Director, Legal, Risk & Compliance Community, Manufacturers Alliance
- Rhoni Rakos (moderator), Director of Digital Strategy, fusionSpan
Wed 8/10 at 2 p.m. – Competing for Non-Dues Revenue: How to Increase and Keep Corporate Sponsor Investment in Your Association
Association executives often believe their organization is the leading source of information and expertise for their members. However, companies and members have a wide range of choices when they’re seeking information and affinity. Learn who is competing with associations for exhibit and sponsor spend, the value a wide range of competitors is delivering to your association’s members and other stakeholders, and how to “flip” competition to create opportunities for association sponsors and members. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Professionals for Association Revenue
Presenter: Bruce Rosenthal, Corporate Sponsorship Consultant and Co-Convener of the Partnership Professionals Network (PPN)
Wed 8/10 at 2 p.m. – Redefining Wellness for Meetings and Events
Participants have come out of the pandemic more discerning about which events they will attend. Host organizations that build wellness into the agenda can get attendees off the fence and into seats. Learn how to keep people happy and energized at your meetings. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Northstar Meetings Group
Presenters:
- Laura Putnam, CEO of Motion Infusion and author of Workplace Wellness That Works
- Tracy Stuckrath, President and Chief Connecting Officer, Thrive! Meetings and Events
Wed 8/10 at 2 p.m. – How to Design Ads for Nonprofits
Learn about the different types of online advertising and how to improve or design ads for nonprofits. We’ll share plenty of examples and cover common sizes and specs, design dos and don’ts, tips for ad copy and CTAs, and tools and templates to save you time. More info/register.
Host: Feathr
Presenter: Aidan Augustin, President & Co-founder, Feathr
Thu 8/11 at 11 a.m. – The 3 R’s of Membership | The Second R: Retain | Mastering Engagement Scoring & Personas
Scoring member engagement is critical in any plans to measure and increase engagement for a modern association. Learn how to define an engagement scoring strategy for your association that supports your organizational goals, including how to identify and nurture future committee volunteers and leaders, encourage more activity in programs, and enhance loyalty, including fostering competition. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: iMIS by ASI
Presenters: Nathan Slovin, Director of Client Excellence Programs, and Paul Ramsbottom, Managing Director Asia-Pacific, iMIS by ASI
Thu 8/11 at 1 p.m. – Association Creative Marketing Masterclass: Email Creative
A course to help develop practical creative and copywriting skills, professional critique techniques, and balanced brand stewardship. Each instructor will share learnings from their career and evaluate real-life association marketing collateral, providing their recommendations, ideas, and concerns. In this session, Julie talks about email copy and design and the latest technologies and techniques she’s using to improve deliverability and click-through performance. 1 CAE credit per session. Thursdays through August 11. More info/register.
Host: Chris Gloede, Association Academy
Session instructor: Julia Fitzgerald, Chief Marketing Officer, American Lung Association
Thu 8/11 at 1 p.m. – Easy Steps for a DIY Tech Assessment
An organizational assessment focuses on the alignment of operations and strategy. While associations can certainly benefit from a professional, outside perspective, do-it-yourself (DIY) steps can generate immediate insights and lead to long-term effectiveness. Gain insights on aligning your strategic plan with your people, processes, and technology. Learn how to identify operational areas for inefficiencies and ways to improve, evaluate program offerings for potential changes and new opportunities, and motivate organizational change through staff buy-in. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.
Presenter: Vanessa Dennison, Principal/Owner, Dennison & Associates
Thu 8/11 at 2 p.m. – Chaotic Success: The Over-Thinker’s Path to Peaceful Career Transitions
Curb indecision, redirect rumination and move yourself forward with confidence and clarity. Stop overthinking your resume, the interview, and the negotiation. Learn how to simplify your career path in this straight-forward discussion about how the mind is designed to work, how we’re at odds with our understanding of it, and how we can move beyond perceived personal limitations. More info/register.
Host: Web Scribble
Presenter: Gary Stine, Principal Consultant at Inner Resources Development
Thu 8/11 at 3 p.m. – How to Budget & Price Your Hybrid Event
Learn about the key elements to consider when budgeting for a hybrid event and how to maximize the revenue while limiting expenses. Hear about the key hybrid expenses that need to be considered and allocated, creating a registration pricing strategy and an exhibits and sponsorship prospectus that maximizes revenue for a hybrid event, and minimizing expenses. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenter: Jennifer Kerhin, MBA, CEM, CMP, CEO, SB Events & Expo
Thu 8/11 at 7 p.m. – Interviews with Innovators #2
The world is changing more rapidly than ever, and innovators are leading the way. Join us for a special conversation with three key innovators in the association space to learn what innovation means to them, and what changes they see on the horizon for associations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Higher Logic
Presenters:
- Toni Brearley CAE, CEO of Australasian Society of Association Executives
- Michelle Lelempsis, Managing Director of Causeis
- Danielle Edwards, Membership & Professional Services Manager at Australian Dental Association
Fri 8/12 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Mindful Networking
Held the second Friday of each month, these intimate, virtual conversations are a chance to form meaningful connections with other women and allies in the association technology community. Each Mindful Networking will feature one of our amazing AWTC award winners, followed by breakout rooms with changing topics (selected by our featured guest). More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Guest: Megan Cottrell, director of digital strategy, CREW Network
Fri 8/12 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 8/12 at 4 p.m. – Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead (Book Club Discussion)
Join us for the next installment of the three-part summer book club series. We will discuss the book Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Tue 8/16 at 12:30 p.m. – Secrets of an Undercover Attendee
As we go back in person, it’s critical to understand how our attendees shop for events and what’s often missing from your marketing efforts. It’s time to think like an undercover attendee. Hear about the impact of COVID on the association world and how we got distracted from the mission of our associations. Learn about the sense of ownership across your organization, the tattoo exercise and how to apply it to your association, what makes your audiences passionate about your event, whether your history is holding you back, how to think about your event’s mission, how to create a secret attendee, common mistakes seen on event or show sites, what it means to show up alone at your event, how to maximize volunteers, and how to leverage your location to improve your event. More info/register.
Host: Personify
Presenter: Jay S. Daughtry, M.Ed., Owner, CQbd
Tue 8/16 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.
Hosts: Dan Ratner, The Business of Membership, and Scott Oser, Scott Oser Associates
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 Caleb George via Unsplash
Association Brain Food 