The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
New member onboarding survey. Dynamic Benchmarking and Kaiser Insights are teaming up again to launch the second edition of their popular New Member Engagement Study and would love your participation. Their research measures the effectiveness of various elements of new member onboarding, orientation and welcoming programs. Associations of all sizes and types have used the study’s insights to improve new member retention. If you never read the first edition of their report, you’re in for a treat—and I bet you’ll be eager to participate in this round.
For-profit professional development ideas worth stealing. WBT Systems scanned the news and discovered several interesting developments in the for-profit professional development world. Check out their ideas for program planning, partnerships, marketing, learning formats and pathways, credentials, and packages.
New member onboarding. If you don’t have a year-long new member onboarding campaign in place, start here with GrowthZone’s onboarding and touchpoint schedule. Don’t assume new members will figure it all out on their own. They might, but if you show you care, you’ll make a better impression than any list of benefits could.
Remote mentoring. One of the best things to emerge from the pandemic is the shift from in-person to online activities, saving lots of time and effort for everyone involved. Achurch Consulting explains how the move to remote/hybrid work has made the need for remote mentorship more important than ever, but it’s also made mentoring more accessible too. They offer tips on finding and working with a remote mentor.
Google Analytics. It’s natural to feel intimidated by the breadth and depth of data and insight residing in your website’s Google Analytics. But where do you even begin to configure and leverage it? Results Direct shares advice for making sense of Google Analytics and the possibilities it can unleash for your association.
New member journey. If you’ve got the basics of onboarding under your belt, it’s time to focus on the first 30-90 days of a new member’s membership journey. Matrix Group suggests thinking of yourself as a host who’s greeting new guests. They outline an effective strategy for onboarding new members, along with communication and content suggestions and an onboarding workflow.
Death to meetings. “Meetings are the mulch of middle management.” You will cringe in recognition when reading Ed Zitron’s helpful diatribe on the predilection pretty much every organization has for scheduling way too many meetings. He describes what drives this meeting mania and what you should do about it.
Quick hits
A road trip teaches four women leaders unexpected lessons—starring four CAEs: Christina Lewellen, Sara Wood, Nicole Araujo and Lindsay Currie. (Christina Lewellen, ASAE)
The last relationship-building event activity you’ll ever need—it’s a good one, promise. (Aaron Wolowiec, Event Garde)
You know how I love a nature web cam. Elizabeth Engel, CAE told me about the nest cam in the National Arboretum where Mr. President and Lotus live with their little chick.
Good eats
Skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer takeout.
Striped bass is delicious all on its own. All it needs is a little salt, lemon and butter. But feeling in a Southwest mood, I adapted my spiced breadcrumb topping by sauteing red bell and poblano peppers, onion and garlic along with cumin, cayenne and oregano, then adding melted butter and panko breadcrumbs.
Whenever I get striped mullet in my seafood share, I can’t imagine making anything but my southern pan-fried striped mullet recipe. Yes, that again. Dredge the fillets in flour, then a mix of buttermilk and hot sauce, and then cornmeal and panko breadcrumbs combined with smoked paprika and cayenne pepper. The leftovers make an excellent fish sandwich, especially if you combine mayo and salsa, slather it all over the bread, and add lettuce too.
A casserole recipe is merely a suggestion. When I made this taco casserole, I doubled the beef, added poblano and jalapeño pepper, and threw in some orzo too. Although I’m sure lettuce and tomato on top would have been nice, I served ours with avocado instead.
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 4/8 at 12 p.m.* – 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. In 2022, we are trying something new! Each Mindful Networking will feature one of our amazing AWTC award winners, followed by breakout rooms. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)
Guest: Melanie Starkey, 2021 AWTC Technology Leadership Award Recipient and Senior Vice President for Digital Marketing at the Urban Land Institute
*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 4/8 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 4/8 at 4 p.m. – The Life Wheel: An Exercise in Work-Life Balance
We all strive to achieve the ever elusive work-life balance. Join us for an activity that will help you evaluate how in/out of balance you may be. You will leave with a clear perspective on how to redistribute your time and energy. This session will include discussions on goal setting and time management. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Presenter: Regais Wilson
Mon 4/11 from 12 to 7:45 p.m. – Women Transforming Technology (WT2) Conference
WT2 is a consortium of companies and organizations in industry, academia, and non-profit sectors committed to building a community and tackling issues that are top of mind for women in technology. The theme of this year’s conference is “Elevate Joy.” Hear about mew technologies that are creating the greatest positive impact and excitement in the world today, and ways we are overcoming challenges and creating greater positive opportunities and experiences for ourselves and our communities, both personally and professionally. More info/register.
Mon 4/11 at 1 p.m. – Businesses: Rethink Performance through Human Factors (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: Dr. Tanimu Deleon, Tantalum LLC
Hosts:
- Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
- Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman
Tue 4/12 at 9 a.m. – Association Tender Process: Is There Room for Improvement?
We think it is time to reflect on the conference tender process of associations. A lot has changed over the years and with tender processes that are time consuming and where tons of stakeholders are involved, we dare to say that it is time to ask ourselves the question: will this process create the biggest success for your congress? Is it time that associations go from a reactive to a proactive approach? More info/register.
Host: Conferli
Tue 4/12 from 12 to 8 p.m. – Women Transforming Technology (WT2) Conference
WT2 is a consortium of companies and organizations in industry, academia, and non-profit sectors committed to building a community and tackling issues that are top of mind for women in technology. The theme of this year’s conference is “Elevate Joy.” Hear about mew technologies that are creating the greatest positive impact and excitement in the world today, and ways we are overcoming challenges and creating greater positive opportunities and experiences for ourselves and our communities, both personally and professionally. More info/register.
Tue 4/12 at 2 p.m. – Beat the Bots! Getting Your Resume Past the Applicant Tracking System
Most mid-size and larger organizations use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to pre-screen resumes. If your resume does not match 85% of the criteria from the job posting, your resume may never be seen by human eyes. This program will share tips and tricks to “get around” the ATS to land your resume in the “yes” pile and will also provide general resume advice. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Presenter: Shelly Trent, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CAE, JCTC, JCDC, HR and career development professional
Tue 4/12 at 2 p.m. – 5 Tips To Deliver A Better Member Experience: How To Present Your Member Benefits For Max Engagement
Learn about the biggest mistakes associations make with their membership site, the member engagement challenges that almost every association have—and how to overcome them, the single design mistake that is driving away your members, why your membership site is going to fail without these 5 features, and how to drive member engagement and member retention. More info/register.
Host: Grype
Presenter: Ronja Francoeur, Member Engagement Specialist
Wed 4/13 at 11 a.m. – Live Q&A: Hybrid Event Nightmares
Hybrid events are complex and sometimes things can go wrong. Other times they can go horribly wrong! Learn about some of the worst-case scenarios from our veteran hybrid event experts. Use their war stories to better prepare yourself, and plan meaningful contingencies, should things go unexpectedly. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: PCMA
Presenter: Chuck Crosswhite, Director of Operations, Falcon Events
Wed 4/13 at 12 p.m. – Host a Webinar Worth Talking About
Have you ever been to a webinar that has left you feeling uninspired—with little to no engagement, poor content, too long of a program, or some other reason? Find out what it takes to host a webinar that’s worth talking about. Whether you’re organizing a thought leadership panel, launching a new product, or another form of community building event, learn what practical steps to take when going through your webinar planning process and what pitfalls to avoid. More info/register.
Host: Hopin
Presenters:
- Priya Gupta, Field Marketing Manager, Hopin
- Sander Buitelaar, Marketing Campaign Manager, tray.io
- Kerrie Bond-MacInnes, Director of Global Events, Medallia
Wed 4/13 at 12 p.m. – The Buzz About Hybrid: Tools and Tips for Better Attendee Engagement
Learn what it truly means to be “hybrid-ready,” the importance of good relationships with tech partners, the value of 3rd party tools by seeing them in action, and new ways to create seamless hybrid engagement for all of your attendees. More info/register.
Host: Webex Events
Presenters:
- Nikki Heyder, Growth and Operations Lead, Vidcast at Cisco
- Nadia Vratna, Partnerships Manager, Slido
- Andrew Pearson, Chief Marketing Officer, Webex Events (formerly Socio)
- Miguel Neves, Editor-in-Chief, EventMB
Wed 4/13 at 1 p.m. – Mastering Membership
Running a mid-sized association successfully starts with having the right technology in place that sets the foundation you need to thrive, grow, and fulfill your mission, but it can be overwhelming and stressful to make the right choice. Learn when it’s the right time to make a technology change and best practices for approaching technology vendors. Find out how to evaluate your tech stack and gather requirements, review and buy technology, future-proof using scenario planning, and get your board onboard. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: MemberSuite
Presenters:
- Brian Birch, COO, SIMA
- Chad Stewart, founder and chief software adviser, Smart Thoughts
- Ryan Costello, chief strategy officer, MemberSuite
- Ana Loden, senior account executive, MemberSuite
Wed 4/13 at 1 p.m. – Meet Less and Accomplish More
To help reduce the number of meetings, leaders need to look at the quality of their meetings. Our webinar will help leaders focus on meeting quality, gain valuable insights into the pitfalls of unstructured meetings, and receive actionable tips for ways to reduce the need to meet in the first place. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Achurch Consulting
Wed 4/13 at 2 p.m. – Ask the Headhunter: How to Get a Better Job in the Meetings Industry
From March 2020, when available meetings jobs disappeared, to today, where candidates are asking for—and sometimes getting—higher salaries and/or creative benefits, the meetings industry’s job market has kept planners on their toes as they look for new positions. Hear what hiring officials are looking for and what planners are asking for. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Northstar Meetings Group
Presenters:
- Dawn Penfold, president of Meetingjobs.com, a division of Cadre
- Sarah J.F. Braley (moderator), Managing Editor, Northstar Meetings Group
Wed 4/13 at 5 p.m. – ASAE Young Professional Committee (YPAC) Virtual Happy Hour
Want to learn more about the ASAE YPAC? Applications to join the YPAC will open soon, and to commemorate the occasion, we’re bringing back our most popular event, Drinks & Discover. Meet some YPAC members, ask any questions you may have, learn more about the YPAC Committee, and have a better understanding of why we exist and why you might want to get involved. More info/register.
Thu 4/14 at 9:30 or 10 a.m. – Blending the Principles of Credentialing with Real-World Applications: How Does It Work?
Explore the central principles surrounding credentialing programs with a real-world scenario/case study and how to put them all together. The program kicks off with a brief level-setting discussion on the best practices in credentialing (from introductory to advanced topics), followed up by small-group discussions on applying these practices to a credentialing program that we all may encounter in our certification worlds. More info/register.
Host: Certification Network Group
Presenter: David Rozsa, CAE, ICE-CCP, ACA, founder and chief executive officer of Metacred
Thu 4/14 at 12 p.m. – Chaos to Calm: Leading In A Crazy World
There are good days and there are bad days. And, then there is every day. The stress of living today requires us to have stress reduction and focus techniques. Mindfulness teaches you how to be fully present in each experience to become your best self. Hear Holly bust myths and misunderstandings about what mindfulness is. Learn how stress reduction increases focus and happiness. Choose one applied mindfulness technique to use in daily living. More info/register.
Host: GrowthZone
Presenter: Holly Duckworth, CMP, CAE, CWMF, Owner, Leadership Solutions International
Thu 4/14 at 12 p.m. – Secure Your Non-Profit’s Fundraising and Financial Future
As the world makes a comeback from the impacts of COVID, financial planning will be key to your association’s longevity and viability in the post-COVID world. Learn how to secure outside and non-traditional revenue sources, revamp your revenue model in the post COVID world, and future-proof your finances and revenue sources. More info/register.
Host: Talley Management Group
Presenters:
- Marc C. Labadie, MPAS®, CFP®, AIF®, Executive Vice President, RTD Financial
- Ed Gorman, Director of Client Accounting, Talley Management Group
Thu 4/14 at 12 p.m. – Understanding New Global Sanctions and Restrictions and How They Impact Your Overseas Nonprofit Operations
Learn how the latest developments in sanctions, import and export controls, and other cross-border regulations may impact your overseas activities. Hear important tips and traps affecting international operations regarding the movement of goods, people, and resources and new concerns about international payments, and practical considerations to enhance your organization’s compliance with regulatory, contractual, and policy demands while mitigating any associated risks. Location: online and Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: Venable LLP
Presenters:
- Lindsay Meyer, Co-Chair and Partner, International Trade Group, Venable LLP
- Neha Dhindsa, Associate, International Trade Group, Venable LLP
Thu 4/14 at 12:30 p.m. – Accessibility and eLearning: The Association’s Guide to WCAG
A series of recent laws, guidelines, and court decisions have created confusion about how to remain compliant in delivering accessible online learning content to those with disabilities. Find out what it means to deliver accessible online learning content, analyze a user experience from the lens of accessibility and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2 will be released June 2022), and create a plan to determine next steps to ensure compliance with WCAG. More info/register.
Host: Association Universe
Presenters:
- Dan Streeter, Vice President of Learning Strategy and Design at BlueSky eLearn
- Eduardo Meza-Etienne, Director of Compliance and Accessibility Team Lead eSSENTIAL Accessibility
Thu 4/14 at 1 p.m. – Virtual Conference and LMS Integration: Extending Conference Content [Integration & Post-Integration]
Whether you are planning for a simple Sign Sign-On (SSO) or need sophisticated analytics for insights, there are a few critical steps that can make integration easier and more productive. Learn what it takes to have a successful integration and what needs to be top of mind after you integrate. More info/register.
Host: EVA
Presenters:
- Matt Peterson from MapleLMS
- EVA’s Event Tech Advocate Vinnu Deshetty
Fri 4/15 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 4/15 at 4 p.m. – Open Networking: So, You Want to Consult
Thinking of becoming a consultant? Hear from some of our members that have taken “the leap” into consultantship. Learn about what they have experienced on their road to starting their practice and building it to where it stands today. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Presenter: Kenjie Davis, The AMS Guy
Tue 4/19 at 12 p.m. – The Webinar You Need to Get Your Leaders Onboard with New Tech
See the new tech world from other perspectives so you can understand why it’s so tough to get everyone on the same digital page when it comes to tech solutions. Identify how you subconsciously approach new technology. Gain insight into other views of technology to find common ground to be more productive. Discover techniques that make new technology work better for you, no matter your Technology Psychology. Leave with new tech tool ideas that you can use right away. More info/register.
Host: Billhighway and Mariner Management
Presenter: Beth Ziesenis: Author. Speaker. Nerd.
Wed 4/20 at 1 p.m. – Developing a Strategic Plan in an Uncertain CE Environment
Learn about a methodology to develop a strategic plan in an uncertain CE environment. Discuss known trends and how you can use them to develop a future-forward strategic plan. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Professional Development Professionals Community
Wed 4/20 at 1 p.m. – Culture: Is Yours Working for You or Against You?
Is your culture an engine fueling strategic goals or is it ping pong tables and free lunch? The pandemic has laid bare the significant cost of misunderstanding culture and what it should be doing for your association.
Some organizations have been well-positioned to shift to the new requirements of a changing world of work, while others are struggling and will continue to struggle long term. Learn how to develop an intentional culture and harness the powerful role it plays in achieving your mission. More info/register.
Host: CEO Update
Presenters:
- Wylecia Wiggs Harris, CEO American Health Information Management Association
- Tom Bohn, CEO Association for Corporate Growth
- Jamie Notter, Co-Founder and Growth Strategist, Propel
Wed 4/20 at 2 p.m. – Can I Afford a Hybrid Event? Join the Discussion!
While hybrid sounds like a great option in theory—meet the event preferences of all your members at once—many organizations are struggling with hybrid. The costs can be astronomical, and it’s often double the work, or more, for your staff. Learn what hybrid looks like, what the options and considerations are, if you can afford it, and how associations, big and small, are coming up with creative ways to hold engaging, successful hybrid events that don’t break the bank. More info/register.
Host: Matrix Group
Thu 4/21 at 11 a.m. – Deep Dive: 2022 Membership Performance Benchmark Report
Take a deep dive through the recently released 7th annual 2022 Membership Performance Benchmark Report. Nearly 300 association professionals participated, with findings showcasing the latest member engagement and retention strategies, the impact of new technologies, the power of digital transformation, and the ongoing effects of COVID-19. More info/register.
Host: ASI
Fri 4/22 at 11 a.m. – Community (The Association Show)
By this point, we’ve discussed sponsorship and content, now we’ll learn how to foster community within your association and finish with a game show to test your knowledge of season two. More info/register.
Host: EventMobi
Presenter: Marjorie Anderson, Founder of Community by Association
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 Griffin Wooldridge via Pexels
Association Brain Food 
Thank you so much, Deirdre! Wishing you a happy weekend!
Amanda Kaiser Member Engagement Specialist Kaiser Insights LLC Blog: SmoothThePath.net Speaking: Topics akaiser@SmoothThePath.net 610-349-9035 Connect on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter
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