The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Looking for additional work. I’ve had a few writing projects finish recently and have room for more client work in my schedule. I usually work with association industry partners on blog posts, case studies, and other content marketing pieces, but am open to learning about other interesting projects outside that scope. Please email me if you have something to discuss. Thanks!
Pierre PARtnership Award deadline today. The Professionals for Association Revenue’s Pierre PARtnership Award celebrates the impact of business on association missions. Nominate your new product, member program, partnership success, or organizational change that propels your association toward its mission. Nominees will be part of a panel at the RevUP Summit in December in Annapolis MD. Nominate your association’s business success story here—the deadline is today.
Engagement marketing. Since the pandemic, people are making more time for their personal interests and less for their work interests. TopClass LMS describes how to convince your audience to invest in their personal growth and improve their lives by participating in association programs.
Chapter communications. Billhighway explains how to help chapter leaders become better communicators so they can more effectively run and promote their chapters. They describe how to first improve your communications (and relationships) with chapters so volunteer leaders are more receptive and aware of your messages and resources.
Board buy-in on tech. GrowthZone shares strategies for selling your board (or boss) on the need for a new AMS. Use these tactics when making a case for any new technology investment.
Association podcast. At Associations Now, Hannah Carvalho describes how a chapter of the American College of Physicians helped student members launch and run a podcast. Their advice for working with students would also work for podcasts involving regular members.
Office urgency. Association workplaces often suffer from the “everything is a priority” syndrome, especially when boards or members make requests. Dina Denham Smith at Harvard Business Review shares five tactics to combat a culture of false urgency at work.
Scientific society events. ExOrdo shares key findings from their interviews with 27 scholarly societies about event goals, programs, and challenges. They discuss the growth of international online audiences, challenges with online networking and engagement, online content libraries, and more.
Off-topic but worth your time
Ross Barkan asks if anyone cares about free speech, one of our country’s greatest achievements. He describes how both the left and right dismiss free speech when it’s convenient for them.
“He’s absolutely scathing towards Western media and academia, Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, the Netanyahu government. He excoriates all of them in equal measure.” True words from a Twitter review of historian Simon Sebag Montefiore’s article in The Atlantic, The Decolonization Narrative Is Dangerous and False: It Does Not Accurately Describe Either the Foundation of Israel or the Tragedy of the Palestinians. Don’t subscribe? Try this tool.
Jean M. Twenge says teens are in the midst of a mental health crisis because of phones and social media. The research proves it and alternative causes don’t pass muster.
Judi Dench was on The Graham Norton Show last week to promote her new book about her life and work with Shakespeare. After she makes the point that we quote Shakespeare daily without knowing it, this happened. What a treasure she is.
You never grow old at the table
Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.
I’ve always been an Emeril Lagasse fan (despite the Bam!) since his recipes are fantastic and he’s from my neck of the woods. I always have a batch of homemade Emeril Essence, his Creole seasoning, on hand. Last week, for Creole speckled sea trout, I sprinkled the fillets with Essence and then dredged them in brown rice flour—a new discovery. Put brown rice in a spare coffee grinder and process it until it resembles flour. After pan-frying the fillets, remove them from the pan and make a sauce with butter, green onions, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Excellent.
On the side, we had an asparagus sauté—yeah, I know asparagus isn’t in season, but they were on sale. I’m not always as food-virtuous as I’d like to be. In the sauté mix: carrot, red bell pepper, and red onion.
Another night, I made catfish with Portuguese chouriço, white beans, and spinach. I think of it as a Portuguese fish skillet—channeling Emeril. My dish is based on an old Eating Well recipe, but I add red bell, poblano, jalapeño, garlic, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and spinach, and do it all on the stove.
One night, when we go home late and I didn’t have time to cook, I pulled leftover pressure cooker spicy Korean pork shoulder from the freezer. I like it in tortillas with slaw.
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’m happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.
Fri 11/3 at 4 p.m. EDT* – Recognizing Burnout Before It’s Too Late
Hear from association professionals who will share their experiences with burnout and its effects on their professional and personal wellbeing. Participate in a moderator-led breakout session with a small group of fellow attendees for an in-depth discussion on how burnout is affecting you, your team, and your workplace. Leave with steps you can take today to address burnout before it’s too late. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Speaker: Alexandra Bradley, director of marketing and communications, American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery
*All events are online at Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.
Mon 11/6 at 8 a.m. – Content Creation and Repurposing (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)
Every week Rogue Tulips brings the nonprofit community intriguing guests discussing vital topics affecting nonprofit organizations around the world—and we have fun doing it! Episodes are published Monday mornings in both audio and video format, available on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast (to name a few!).
Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting
Guest: Cynthia Lockrey, Lockrey Communications
Tue 11/7 at 12 p.m. – Data Analytics & Generative AI (Data Analytics Network)
Discuss generative AI, how you should use it in your day-to-day work, what programs/products/services you should be considering for your organization, and how your members should be using it. Hear real-world stories and share your user stories. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Data Analytics Network
Guest: Conor Sibley, Chief Technology Officer at Association Analytics
Wed 11/8 at 11 a.m. – Creating Personalized Member Experiences with Your Data
What if you could elevate the experience of your own members and delight them with unforgettable moments? Using data-driven insights and AI can help you be invaluable to your members. Learn how break down the data silos and work towards a single source of truth, build trust and confidence in the integrity of your data, and make informed decisions using data driven and AI insights. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: iMIS by ASI
Wed 11/8 at 11:30 a.m. – Tapas Talks (Cyber & Security) in the Small Staff Association Marketplace
Always conversational and lively, a mixture of planned content and virtual f2f discussions with subject matter experts, plus the serendipity of talking through challenges with your peers. November’s theme is all things Cyber & Security. More info/register.
Host: QiqoChat
Guest: Brian Scott of ClearTone Consulting and 501CISO
Wed 11/8 at 12 p.m. – Everything You Need to Know About ChatGPT: The Hottest (and Scariest) Technology of 2023
Just a few months ago, the world as we know it changed forever. ChatGPT can write whole essays from a simple text prompt, formulate 100 social media post ideas from a single sentence, create computer code with just a description and compose poetry and songs in any artist’s style in milliseconds. With this type of AI tool, there are ethical issues, legal issues, bias issues, quality issues, creativity issues, copyright issues, issue issues…and issues we haven’t even considered. Get an in-depth look at ChatGPT and similar tools to discover how it works, what it can do, how it can help you do your job better, who it hurts, and, most importantly, how far it can go. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management
Speaker: Beth Zienesis, Your Nerdy Best Friend
Wed 11/8 at 12 p.m. – PAR Member Meet-Up: There’s No Playbook for That
Hear association teams share the craziest member, attendee or client experiences. Challenges help us grow—tune in and learn how association teams have solved their craziest moments and lived to tell the tale. PAR Member Meet-Ups are 30-minute sessions for industry professionals to collaborate on the ideas, skills and solutions our association teams need to move forward. More info/register.
Host: Professionals for Association Revenue
Wed 11/8 at 12 p.m. – Cybersecurity and AI: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
A recent ASAE survey revealed that while less than 25% of associations currently are using AI, most were in the planning stages and likely to implement plans, assessments, work groups, and seek advice about AI in the next year. One way associations could leverage AI is for cybersecurity. And the cyber threat to associations is real. It isn’t a question of if your association’s data will be compromised, it’s when. Hear how AI can be used to help associations prevent cyber threats. Learn about recent cybersecurity innovations associations might leverage to improve their cybersecurity. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Xchange
Speaker: S. Keith Moulsdale, Partner and Co-Chair of the Cyber Security, Information Management & Privacy practice at Whiteford Taylor & Preston
Wed 11/8 at 12:30 p.m. – Nonprofits and Artificial Intelligence: Important Legal Considerations Amid Ongoing Developments
Before leaping into the brave new world of generative AI, careful consideration should be given to the potential legal, contractual, and regulatory complications that business uses of AI can present. Can professionals ensure accuracy when using AI tools? What should a nonprofit do (or not do) to maintain control over its valuable data and content? How should staff and volunteers be instructed to manage privacy risks? Hear our panelists address these concerns and other best practices for nonprofits to thoughtfully embrace this evolving technology. More info/register.
Host: Venable LLP
Speakers: A.J. Zottola, Partner, Intellectual Property Transactions, and Channing Gatewood, Associate, Intellectual Property Transactions, Venable LLP
Wed 11/8 at 12:30 p.m. – Let’s Talk Fair Pay
There is a significant range of pay, depending on factors such as region, industry, job role, and experience. Let’s work together to gain a better understanding of the compensation landscape, the factors that influence pay, and the strategies for negotiation, so associations can work to attract and retain an engaged workforce. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Finance and Business Operations Professionals Advisory Council
Wed 11/8 at 1 p.m. – Event Revenue Mastery: Unlocking Your Full Potential in 2024
Learn how to craft seamless, memorable events that leave a lasting impact on attendees; the secrets behind effective event promotion, from pre-launch buzz to post-event engagement; the latest event technologies that can elevate both your event planning and marketing efforts; how to captivate and retain your audience’s attention throughout the event lifecycle; and how to gauge the success of your events and marketing campaigns, allowing for continuous growth. More info/register.
Host: Community Brands
Speakers: Michelle Schweitz, Senior Director of Marketing, and Jen Martin, Product Marketing Manager, Event Technology Solutions, Community Brands
Wed 11/8 at 1 p.m. – How to Build a Rockstar Webinar Program: Strategies for Success
Learn how to create a comprehensive strategy that will drive engagement, generate leads, and increase conversion rates. Our team of experts will guide you through the key steps in designing a webinar program that works for your business, including crafting an effective promotional plan, developing engaging content, and leveraging advanced tools and features. More info/register.
Host: American Marketing Association
Speaker: Emily Dick, Demand Generation Director, Cvent
Wed 11/8 at 2 p.m. – Election 2024: What You Need to Know, One Year Out
With 34 seats in the Senate, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, and the White House on the ballot, the 2024 U.S. elections have the potential to reshape legislative priorities, redefine regulatory frameworks, and redraw government relationships. Hear about the complex world of elections and the repercussions for various industries, the impact of the prolonged fight over the speakership, lessons learned from 2023’s off-year election, and predictions of what’s to come in 2024. More info/register.
Host: CQ
Speakers:
- Nathan Gonzales, editor and publisher, Inside Elections
- Daniela Altimari, reporter, campaigns and elections, Roll Call
- Mary Ellen Mcintire, reporter, House and Senate campaigns, CQ and Roll Call
- Jason Dick (moderator), editor-in-chief, CQ and Roll Call
Thu 11/9 at 9:30 a.m. – Small Staff Percolator
A new interactive online coffee break format designed for you to discover more peers in our dispersed community, bring up a topic that’s brewing in the daily grind, and have a casual chat with others who know your lingo. More info/register.
Host: Qiqo
Thu 11/9 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Fall Symposium (Washington DC)
An opportunity to engage with thought leaders and subject-matter experts who will guide us through the intricate and fascinating world of personal and professional development. Sessions:
- Rise Up Together: Navigating the Journey of Member Loyalty in Communities with Bill Mcglade, President, Community Leaders Institute & epIQ Creative Group
- A Magic Wand For Member Retention with Greg Pollack, SVP of Sales, Association Analytics
- Member Engagement is an Art and a Science. Do Both! with Brianne Wheeler, Director of Marketing at PropFuel
- Test Drive Your Shiny New Membership Model with Aimee Pagano, Senior Digital Marketing Advisor at HighRoad Solution
Location: Washington DC. 4 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Thu 11/9 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Fall Symposium (Virtual)
An opportunity to engage with thought leaders and subject-matter experts who will guide us through the intricate and fascinating world of personal and professional development. Sessions:
- Rise Up Together: Navigating the Journey of Member Loyalty in Communities with Bill Mcglade, President, Community Leaders Institute & epIQ Creative Group
- A Magic Wand For Member Retention with Greg Pollack, SVP of Sales, Association Analytics
- Member Engagement is an Art and a Science. Do Both! with Brianne Wheeler, Director of Marketing at PropFuel
- Test Drive Your Shiny New Membership Model with Aimee Pagano, Senior Digital Marketing Advisor at HighRoad Solution
4 CAE credits. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Thu 11/9 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. – MemberSips Workshop – Change Management: Unlocking Post Go-Live Success (McLean VA)
Explore strategies and best practices to ensure your organization’s transformation initiatives thrive long after the go-live date. Learn how to maintain the initial excitement and commitment to change; communication techniques to keep stakeholders engaged, informed, and aligned throughout the post go-live phase; the common sources of resistance to change and strategies to address them effectively; define, track, and evaluate the impact of post go-live changes using key performance indicators, and foster a change-centric culture where adaptability and continuous improvement are the norm. Location: McLean VA. More info/register.
Host: Impexium
Speaker: Rebecca Achurch, CEO of Achurch Consulting
Thu 11/9 at 12 p.m. – Top 10 Membership Strategies for 2024
Learn ten new strategies for recruiting sustainable new members, strengthening engagement, and increasing retention. More info/register.
Host: GrowthZone
Speaker: Shari Pash
Thu 11/9 at 12 p.m. – The Community Check-In
A weekly community chat on Slack for black professionals working in the events industry. More info/register.
Host: Black In Events Network
Thu 11/9 at 2 p.m. – Building a 365-Day Marketing Machine to Maximize Post-Event Impact
Hear key strategies for riding the wave of a successful event to maximize post-event impact and drive continuous success throughout the year. Learn how to ensure a clean, post-event marketing hand-off, repurpose event content to extend your reach, build engaged communities, continuously nurture event-generated leads, and sustain momentum long after your event is over. More info/register.
Host: Bizzabo
Speakers:
- Gianna Gaudini, Head of Events at Airtable
- Anthony Kennada, Cofounder & CEO, AudiencePlus
- Monique Ruff-Bell, Director of Events at TED
- Oren Berkovich, Head of Experience Lab, Bizzabo
Fri 11/10 at 12:30 p.m. – – Conversations with Champions
Each conversation features an AWTC leader or AWTC Award winner, followed by breakout rooms with changing topics (selected by our featured guest). These intimate, virtual conversations are a chance to form meaningful connections with other women and allies in the association technology community. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Guest: Katherine Schowengerdt, Director of Operations at American College of Sports Medicine
Fri 11/10 at 4 p.m. – Career Toolkit: Enhancing the Art of Powerful Storytelling in Interviews
Gain insight into how to share metrics-driven stories in a way that helps your interviewers feel more connected, intrigued, and inspired to hire you. Learn how to take your SOARS and STARS stories to the next level through the art of storytelling. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Speaker: Daphne Valcin, certified coach, speaker, and trainer
Mon 11/13 at 12 p.m. – ASAE Membership Mondays
This month we’ll have an open-forum discussion with the group divided into break out rooms to discuss: Membership Retention / Renewal / Win-Back; Member Recruitment / Acquisition; Membership Success Metrics; and Membership Models / Pricing. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Membership Professionals Community
Tue 11/14 at 11 a.m. – Developing a Business Mindset for Nonprofits
To increase your organization’s impact and further your mission, it might be time to adopt outside-the-box thinking and develop new strategies to catapult you forward. Learn about key synergies between the for-profit and nonprofit worlds and why they matter, the keys to entrepreneurial success and how you can adopt some of those same mindset to enhance how you run your organization, how to develop ‘intrapreneurialism’ and foster creative thinking within your organization to help find the next big thing for your success, and how to manage your financials to support growth and sustained success. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Brian Haney, Founder and CEO, The Haney Company
Wed 11/15 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. – VisionCSI Virtual Summit: Cybersecurity, Data Analytics/AI, and Mission-Driven Partnerships
Learn from the Fisher House Foundation’s success story, showcasing how technology can amplify impact and drive mission-critical success. Discover the transformative power of analytics with insights from the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology and Association Analytics. Understand how data can reveal authentic member voices and drive impactful decisions. Dive into the intricacies of Zero Trust with experts from designDATA and Arctic IT. Equip your organization with the knowledge and tools to navigate the evolving cybersecurity landscape. More info/register.
Host: designDATA
Wed 11/15 at 11 a.m. – The Pitfalls of Cybersecuity for Nonprofits
Hear about the common cybersecurity threats nonprofits experience everyday while working online. Learn how to identify threats, prevent them, and recover from a malicious attack. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers: Stacey Campbell, Director of Business Development, and Chris Rounds, Senior Solutions Architect, Express Info
Wed 11/15 at 12 p.m. – Visualizing the Digital Member Journey
While membership and marketing teams focus on optimizing campaign assets like email copy, landing pages, and adverting banners, sometimes it’s hard to visualize where your member is in the marketing funnel. Hear how to understand where your members are in their engagement lifecycle with you and the actual paths they’re taking across multiple channels before converting. More info/register.
Host: High Road Solution
Speakers: Aimee Pagano, Director of Programming, and Garra Swayne, Strategic Account Manager, HighRoad Solutions
Wed 11/15 at 12 p.m. – Nonprofit Matchmaking: Building Relationships with Corporate Partners
Discover the secret to unlocking your nonprofit’s full potential through powerful corporate partnerships. Learn about Tips fo effective partner selection, establishing trust and credibility in corporate-nonprofit partnerships, innovative strategies for collaboration, and common challenges and how to avoid them. More info/register.
Host: NXUnite
Speakers:
- Brooke Battle, Founder and CEO at Swell Fundraising
- Andy Howell, CEO at Uncommon Giving
- Lori Zoss Kraska, Founder and CEO at Growth Owl
- Mackenzie Burckbuchler, Partnership Success Specialist at Double the Donation
Wed 11/15 at 2 p.m. – Non-Dues Performance Leadership: Explore the Gaps and Opportunities to Success
Learn about key performance indicators of high-value non-dues programs, research results from the 2023 PAR Non-Dues Performance Survey, and how associations are successfully running, managing and staffing non-dues programs that their markets rely on. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Professionals for Association Revenue
Speakers:
- John Bacon, Vice President, Enterprise Sales, ASAE
- Teri Carden, Founder, Non-Dues-A-Palooza
- Jim Elliott, President, James G. Elliott Co., Inc.
- Sean Soth, Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair, Professionals for Association Revenue
Wed 11/15 at 2 p.m. – Cracking the Code: Corporate Sponsorship Demystified for Associations
Many corporations have sponsorship and partnership dollars specifically dedicated to supporting the industries, initiatives, and causes that your organization is founded on. Learn how to connect and form transformational partnerships with businesses that align with your organizational mission. Find out what corporate sponsorship decision makers look for from associations, creative ways organizations are structuring sponsorships, the importance of mindset in pursuing corporate sponsorship, and how to best engage and communicate with each decision maker type. More info/register.
Host: Matrix Group
Speakers:
- Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE, Founder of Growth Owl LLC
- Joanna Pineda, CEO and Chief Troublemaker of Matrix Group International
Wed 11/15 at 3 p.m. – Marketing AI in Action
Are you thinking about implementing AI but have no idea where to start? Are you a marketer who is ready to digitally transform your organization’s strategy? Learn about easy-to-use AI tools you can begin experimenting with right away at your organization, which are specific to the marketing, membership, and communications functions, such as: SEO/search optimization tools, email tools, content generation and inline editing tools, image and other content generation tools, and AI-powered audio editing tools. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Erica Salm Rench, MBA, COO, Rasa.io
Thu 11/16 at 11 a.m. – How to Merge Your Sources and Clean Your Data to Effectively Impact Your Members
Learn the difference between good and bad data and the impact both can have on an organization, how to employ automated processes to clean up your data and better connect with your members, and how to enrich and verify you data as part of an overall data governance strategy. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Sidecar
Speakers:
- Cameron Aubuchon, Co-Founder, PropFuel
- Hilton Gray, Co-Founder, MemberJunction
Thu 11/16 at 11 a.m. – Cybersecurity and Digital Defense
Are you ready to take your cybersecurity defenses to the next level? Stay ahead of the game with actionable insights from leading industry experts, empowering you to safeguard your digital assets and protect your organization from ever-evolving cyber threats. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers: Jim Begley, Chief Technology Officer; David DeCillis, CISSP, Senior Product Specialist; and Michael Shonholz, Chief Revenue Officer, ARG, Inc.
Thu 11/16 at 1 p.m. – Sponsorship and Member Engagement Mastery: What’s Shaping The Future
Sponsorship and member engagement trends are evolving every year and it is vital to keep up with the pace. Learn how to recognize the importance of actively engaging new members, identify the reasons why new members don’t engage after signing up, optimize association and sponsors insights to boost engagement, and merge sponsor expertise with association initiatives for high impact. More info/register.
Host: Grype
Speakers:
- Amanda Kaiser, Engagement Strategist at Kaiser Insights LLC and the author of “Elevating Engagement: Uncommon Strategies for Creating a Thriving Member Community”
- Bruce Rosenthal, Founder & Convener at Partnership Professionals Network
- Farhad Khan, CEO & Membership Strategist at Grype Digital
Thu 11/16 at 2 p.m. – The Future Is Now: AI and Automation in Association Software
Explore how artificial intelligence and automation are changing the way association professionals work, strengthening engagement, and enhancing member experience. Learn how to think of and work with generative AI tools like ChatGPT, and how big data and predictive analytics move needles. More info/register.
Host: Higher Logic
Speaker: Rob Wenger, co-founder and CEO, Higher Logic
Fri 11/17 at 12:30 p.m. – Ask Me Anything: Integration Platforms as a Service (iPaaS)
Warehouses, data lakes, and middleware OH MY! What is an iPaaS? Does my organization need one? Bring all your integration questions and join the AMA. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Speaker: Gayathri Kher, CEO and Co-founder, fusionSpan
Fri 11/17 at 2 p.m. – Virtual Networking Event for the ASAE Consultant Community
Meet and greet your fellow Consultant Community members and share ideas for improving business and building relationships. More info/register.
Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting
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 by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.
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