The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Content is everywhere and a good deal of it is crap. Over at Spin Sucks, you can learn a few ways to ensure your content stands out in the stream of mediocracy.
One of the most useful things you can do for your members or customers is to filter through all that crap and find the most valuable, relevant posts for them. The Content Marketing Institute has an excellent post on how to curate content like a pro—and it’s not a list of lame content curation tools, thankfully, it’s real advice.
Would you like to pull the plug on some of your legacy educational programs, but don’t know where to start? WBT Systems outlines the criteria and process for sunsetting educational programs.
In the last of their three-part series on AI for associations, rasa.io wraps up by explaining where to start if your organization would like to easily and affordably experiment with AI.
Almost every organization has them: employees who keep failing simulated phishing tests or worse—falling for phishing emails. Dan Lautman at DelCor explains how you can prevent this from happening in the first place and what to do if a few employees continue to put your association at risk.
Some quick hits before we get to the list of next week’s free webinars:
- Apple finally made podcast analytics available and, to everyone’s relief, podcast listeners are a great audience for advertisers. Has your association considered podcast advertising yet? (Wired)
- You can trick your brain into thinking you have more time in the day. (Fast Company)
- You may have seen this one before, I have, but we can’t see these type of posts enough: the top five regrets of the dying. Sink in, sink in, sink in. (The Guardian)
Check out my Grabbing the Gusto blog if you’d like to see the list of recipes I’ve made this week or plan to make in the coming weeks, and my list of other recommended fiction and non-fiction ebooks on sale.
Here’s the list of free professional development events for the association community scheduled for next week. If your organization has a webinar scheduled in the near future, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.
Tue 2/27 at 8:30 a.m.* – Engaging Your Association’s Staff and Board in Your Corporate Partnership Program (Washington DC)
Learn why and how to get your organization’s staff and board engaged in your program. Hear about some creative, persuasive, and (maybe) some Machiavellian strategies. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: DC-Area Partnership Professionals Network Idea Exchange
Presenters:
- Bruce Rosenthal, consultant in strategy and implementation of corporate partnership programs
- Barbara Armentrout, provider of personalized services for nonprofits
*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.
Tue 2/27 at 12:30 p.m. – Usability Tips for a Seamless LMS
Learn how usability testing can help drive significantly improved user experiences based on case studies and research. Find out what visuals are preferred by members when it comes to their user experience, how many events you should have on your events page, what type of language should be used in navigation items, what you are doing that is causing people to miss content, and what is confusing to your members and how you can make usability easier. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Web Courseworks
Presenter: Michael Hartman, Executive Experience Director, Sandstorm Design
Tue 2/27 at 2 p.m. – How Your Association Can Use Artificial Intelligence to Increase Member Engagement Right Now
Associations excel at engaging members deeply over the course of two or three days, once a year, at meetings with extensive educational programming. Between these enriching experiences, it is difficult to compel your members to interact on a regular basis. Learn how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an accessible tool your association can use to increase member engagement. Find out how AI can be easily leveraged in your communications with members. More info/register.
Host: rasa.io
Presenter: Amith Nagarajan, founder, rasa.io
Tue 2/27 at 2 p.m. – Steal Like a Fundraiser (Association Chat)
I imagine KiKi will ask Elizabeth and Sohini about their paper, Steal Like a Fundraiser: Innovations in Cause-Oriented Fundraising for Associations, which shares the secrets to charity fundraising success: building relationships with donors at all levels and how that relates to membership relationship building and management, creating and running outstanding campaigns, and attracting millennial/young professional supporters. Watch/participate live or view the recording.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth
Guests:
- Elizabeth Weaver Engel, CAE, CEO & Chief Strategist, Spark Consulting
- Sohini Baliga, communications expert from the charitable fundraising world
Tue 2/27 at 2 p.m. – LMS Discussion
Join an open discussion with others who are navigating the world of many LMSes and feel stuck. How did you decide which LMS to go for? Any horror stories? Any recommendations? What if you are a small association? Do I even need an LMS? More info/register.
Host: ASAE Learning Management System Community
Tue 2/27 at 2 p.m. – Meet Member Expectations with a Modern Website
Your website is your greatest asset, and it’s ultimately what converts your prospects into members. Learn where to start with a redesign project. Hear about clean design elements that capture the attention of new and existing members for increased engagement, user experience strategies that convert prospects into members, and a strategy for a successful website redesign. More info/register.
Host: YourMembership
Tue 2/27 at 2 p.m. – The Business Impact of Marketing Automation on Event Registrations
Hear how one association used inspiration from the retail industry to accelerate event registrations by 25% and drive over $72,000 in event revenue. Walk away with a new approach to crafting timely, targeted event campaigns that capitalize on the digital clues your members leave behind to increase conversions. Learn how to “market like Amazon” with strategic, automated messages, improve segmentation using digital breadcrumbs from members’ online activity, and ease concerns about over-emailing. More info/register.
Host: Higher Logic
Presenters:
- Beth Arritt, Staff Vice President, American Association of Airport Executives
- Vivian Swertinski, Manager of Strategic Services, Higher Logic
Tue 2/27 at 2:30 p.m. – How a Microlearning Program for Your Members can Boost Non-dues Revenue and Member Engagement
With professionals reporting only about five minutes per day to devote to continuing education, small bites of information are the easiest to fit into the days of your members. They can also be the most effective at keeping your association top of mind. Learn how creating a microlearning program within your continuing education program can help you boost non-dues revenue and member engagement. More info/register.
Host: Upability
Tue 2/27 at 2 p.m. – LinkedIn Bootcamp: Are You Making the Most of Your Profile?
Learn how to find practically anything you want in LinkedIn through specific search tricks. Understand how you can be found and optimize your searchability for clients, opportunities, or new jobs. Discover best practices for LinkedIn etiquette and building meaningful, long-term relationships. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenter: career management coach and LinkedIn guide Dawn Rasmussen, CMP
Wed 2/28 at 10:30 a.m. – Gain Insight on the Global Association Market (Washington DC)
Gain insight on the role Asia plays in the global business landscape and discover how U.S.-based associations can tap opportunities in this region. Hear about strategic ways Singapore can play a part in your growth and development strategy. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: ASAE International Section
Presenter: Lavan Thiru, Chief Representative, Monetary Authority of Singapore
Wed 2/28 at 12 p.m. – “CAEing” – Are You Ready?! Tips for Taking the CAE Exam
Learn about the entire CAE process from submitting your application to being approved to sit for the exam, studying tips and tools, and how your CAE designation will elevate your career and opportunities within the field. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Young Professionals Committee
Presenters:
- Lowell Aplebaum, CAE, CEO & Strategy Catalyst, Vista Cova, LLC
- Christina McCoy, CAE, Account Executive, AMPED Association Management
- Shawn E. Boynes, FASAE, CAE, Executive Director, American Association of Anatomists
- Jacob Wilder, CAE, Director of Communications and Technology, Building Owners and Managers Association of Georgia
Wed 2/28 at 12 p.m. – Discover Asia through a Global Health Perspective (Washington DC)
Gain insight on the role Asia plays in the global healthcare market and how your association can enter international developing markets. Learn about strategic roles that Singapore and other Asian countries can play in your growth and development strategy. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: ASAE International Section
Presenter: Tommy Zheng, Regional Vice President, Singapore Economic Development Board
Wed 2/28 at 1 p.m. – Powerful Social Media Strategy
Learn strategies for optimizing social media marketing for your meetings and events. Find out how social media can drive attendance and create engagement and save time and money. Hear about new measurement techniques. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Presenter: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth
Wed 2/28 at 2 p.m. – Power Up Your Networking
Learn how to move beyond the business card to developing a networking plan for success. Find out how to build a networking blueprint and social networking strategies, how to M.I.N.G.L.E., and how to turn contacts into contracts and connections. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Pathable
Presenter: Tarsha Polk, The Marketing Lady
Thu 3/1 at 12 p.m. – How to Create a Collaborative Chapter Marketing Movement
With the generational shift and rise of digital engagement, more chapter-based associations are starting to incorporate influencer models into their digital media marketing strategies. Unsurprisingly, many association leaders are looking to their chapters to help keep their marketing momentum going. Learn what other associations have done to drive membership engagement, particularly with younger generations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Billhighway
Presenter: Peggy Hoffman, CAE, Co-Founder & President, Mariner Management & Marketing LLC
Thu 3/1 at 1 p.m. – 6 Reasons Why Infographics Matter
People love infographics—but should your nonprofit love them enough to create them? Learn about the role infographics play in a healthy communications mix. More info/register.
Host: Idealware
Presenter: Laura Quinn
Thu 3/1 at 2 p.m. – Top Tips for Engaging Potential Attendees on Social Media
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even Pinterest and Snapchat can be combined with your website, blog and content strategy to build your audience and connect with the people who matter to you most. Get up to date on the popular social media networks and their latest functionality. Learn about best practices for building your following, and more importantly, engaging your audience through social media. More info/register.
Host: Smart Meetings
Presenter: Liz King Caruso, CEO, Liz King Events & techsytalk
Thu 3/1 at 3 p.m. – Facilitating Virtual Meetings (Reston/Loudoun County VA Idea Swap)
1 CAE credit. Location: TBD. More info/register.
Organizer: ASAE Greater Washington / National Capital Community
Presenter: Alice Waagen, Workforce Learning
Fri 3/2 at 1 p.m. – Know Your Persona’s Entire Buying Experience to Unlock Marketing ROI
Learn how to gain insight into what matters to real buyers. Find out how to align your marketing decisions—from positioning and messaging through content marketing and sales enablement—with your buyer’s most essential expectations. More info/register.
Host: American Marketing Association
Presenters:
- Adele Revella, CEO & Founder, Buyer Personas Institute
- Matt Dion, CEO, Mintent
Save the date:
Wed 3/7 at 12 p.m. CST – Chapter Roundtable in Chicago IL
Tue 3/20 at 12 p.m. – Chapter Roundtable in Washington DC
Wed 3/21 at 12 p.m. – Chapter Roundtable in Alexandria VA
Thu 3/22 at 12 p.m. – Chapter Roundtable in Reston VA
Connect with fellow Component/Chapter Relations Professionals (CRPs) to network and discuss current chapter challenges, such as how to measure and increase the health of chapters; best practices for chapter operations (volunteer tools, processes, etc.); and how to get the right statistics to prevent national and chapter level members from leaving. Lunch provided. 1 CAE credit.
Host: Billhighway
Location: Chicago IL. More info/register.
Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.
Location: Reston VA. More info/register.
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 professional development for the association community, please send me the link via email or Twitter.
Creative Commons licensed photo by JF Brou on Unsplash.
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