The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Workforce trends. Association Latinos requests five minutes of your time to get your thoughts on workforce trends in association management. This survey will help them assess inclusivity, equity, and overall well-being in our field. The findings will bridge existing gaps and provide benchmarks for professional development and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Membership. It’s pretty much impossible to renew a disengaged member, says Fíonta. Their useful advice on member engagement and renewal is bound to increase your association’s retention rate. Even if you don’t have sophisticated software, you can put these tactics to work.
Industry partner trouble. When a website development firm went out of business, several association industry partners jumped to the rescue and helped the firm’s ghosted association clients figure out their options for saving and restoring their sites. In an Association Tech Insider episode, they discuss how associations can better manage responsibilities and relationships with industry partners and what you should do to protect your best interests.
Association podcasts. After you add that episode to your queue, check out five podcast episodes that KiKi L’Italien enjoyed recently.
LMS selection. In recent years, thousands of entrepreneurs and for- and non-profit organizations started online learning businesses. The learning management system (LMS) market has exploded in response. To help you sift through the options, D2L’s buyers guide for associations offers advice on the LMS selection process and walks you through the different system features, capabilities, and support services you’ll encounter out there.
AMS selection. In organizing two Ven-Cons, 501Works has demonstrated their commitment to improving association and AMS partner relationships. They just published the AMS/CRM System Selection Process Survey Results, which shows what 200+ associations and their vendor and consultant partners experience during system selection. Use this information to plan realistic project timelines, learn from the experiences of others, select vendors, and assemble project teams.
Membership. Aptify shares 50 ways to boost member recruitment and retention. See if you can spot anything new that might work for your association.
Online attendee engagement. Workshop participants told Amanda Kaiser that online attendees are more challenging to engage than any other segment, so she’s sharing advice on hosting super engaging virtual meetings.
Member engagement. To understand and get close to your members, follow marketing technology trends. Huh? Yes, says .orgCommunity, because you don’t know what you can do with data unless someone on staff keeps up with what’s possible and knows how to take advantage of the tech you have.
Membership course. Association Brain Food readers can earn up to 10 CAE credits with Chris Gloede’s popular live 10-week Association Academy Member Growth Certificate Course for only $499 with Brain Food promo code ACADEMY (a $50 discount). Thanks to this course, over 1,000 association executives have learned how to conduct research, develop relevant benefits, establish member content gates, evolve recruitment and retention campaigns, and grow membership. See the full course syllabus for more details. The course meets Thursdays, 1-2pm ET from July 11 to September 12. Class size is limited and has sold out in the past, so please register soon.
You never grow old at the table
On a hot summer night, blackened catfish tacos hit the spot. I serve mine with salsa, avocado, and a simple no-mayo slaw (cabbage, carrot, red bell pepper, sweet onion, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, vegetable oil, and cilantro). The blackened spice mix includes smoked paprika, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, ground ancho chile, cayenne, black pepper, and salt.
On the side, nopalitos (cactus pads) with tomato and onion—an experiment with a jar of nopalitos. I added fresh cilantro and oregano to the recipe. Although I drained and rinsed the nopalitos, they still tasted too pickled for me, but my husband loved them. I prefer the fresh sautéed nopalitos I enjoyed at a Mexican restaurant (Oaxaca) in Sedona. Their flavor resembles green beans.
Sunday, we had a tailgate before the Outlaw Music Festival, which I highly recommend because Robert Plant and Alison Krauss are AMAZING. Lukas Nelson (sitting in for his sick dad, Willie) is also fantastic, and a much stronger singer than his dad these days, with some excellent songs of his own. Earlier in the day, I made spicy Korean pork BBQ in the pressure cooker and served it alongside leftover slaw in hamburger buns and tortillas. Thankfully, we had enough leftovers for another night because it’s sooooo good.
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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 6/28 at 1 p.m.* – Talk with CAEs
An online space for CAE candidates to ask questions about the CAE (e.g., exam preparations, eligibility, exam content outline, study strategies, practice questions, tips and advice, etc.) and current CAEs to share their knowledge and experience with the exam. More info/register.
Facilitators:
- Aaron Grau, CAE, President, Global Association Partners
- DeeJay Hastings, CAE, Executive Consultant, LEWIS, LLC
*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 6/28 at 4 p.m. – What Have You Done to Make Your Workplace Equitable, Accessible, and Open to the LGBTQIA+ Community
Join your association and nonprofit colleagues for an open networking discussion and best practices sharing about making our workplaces more inclusive for the LGBTQIA+ community. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Facilitator: David Falchek, CAE IOM CMP, Executive Director, Serving Seniors, Inc.
Tue 7/9 at 1 p.m. – Navigating the Data Frontier: Defining the Data-Driven Associations
Join a best-practice sharing session to learn from leading industry experts on fostering and building a data-driven organization association. Explore how data-driven strategies can enhance member engagement, inform strategic decisions, and drive organizational growth. Discover practical steps and best practices to transform your association into a data-driven powerhouse, poised for success in the digital age. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Speakers:
- Chantal Almonord, Chief Information & Engagement Officer, ISPOR
- Kraig Conrad, Chief Executive Officer and Contract Management Institute Chair, NCMA
- Wes Trochlil, Owner, Effective Database Management
Tue 7/9 at 1 p.m. – Advocacy for Associations: Keeping Members Engaged All Year Long
As the Congressional Management Foundation put it, “direct constituent interactions have more influence on lawmakers’ decisions than other advocacy strategies.” How do you activate your members for advocacy in 2024, when they can access all the world’s information and entertainment on a device in their pocket? Learn how to communicate with members to active them for advocacy, teach them to effectively engage lawmakers, and use social media and new technology to super-charge your advocacy efforts. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Michael Hoffman, Co-Founder and CEO, Gather Voices
Wed 7/10 at 11 a.m. – Mastering the Art of Partner and Sponsor Engagement: Strategies for Avoiding Being Ghosted
Hear about the challenges and uncertainties associations face when engaging with potential partners and sponsors. Learn strategies for implementing a multi-channel approach to connect with the right people, including leveraging social media, personalized outreach, and networking events. Discover effective techniques for building and maintaining long-term partnerships, promoting mutual benefits, and avoiding being ghosted by potential partners. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Marisol Garza, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Multiview
- Dianne Vance, Director, Sales And Business Development, American Occupational Therapy Association
Wed 7/10 at 12 p.m. – Getting On the Same Page & Making the Case
Learn how to measure the efficacy of your current internal communications and build a better strategy. Find out about the magic question that provides information re alignment, sentiment, and communication opportunities. Hear about common measurement data and why it may make sense for you to collect your own data, how to use a specific two-question survey to collect powerful data about what’s going on in your organization and a basic business case approach that enables a different type of conversation with leaders. More info/register.
Host: L-12 Services Corp.
Speakers:
- Mike Klein, MBA, FIIC, SCMP, Principle, Changing The Terms
- Lizabeth Wesely-Casella, Founder & CEO, L-12 Services Corp.
Thu 7/11 at 11 a.m. – Planning Like It’s Your Opening Day: Resources to Develop Your Next Annual Budget
Hear about a new approach to annual budgeting—one focused on how to grow revenue, relevance, and relationships, not on how to simply cut expenses. Learn about budgeting aligned to the mission and requirements within by-laws, examples of the budgeting process at all stages of development, and a plan for next year’s association budget built on an “opening day” mindset. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Lawrence M. Paska, Ph.D., CAE, Executive Director, National Council for the Social Studies
Thu 7/11 at 1 p.m. – Do You Trust Your Member Data? Break Your Data Silos with a Single Source of Truth
Data silos lead to inaccurate data, poor member experiences, and frustration for everyone involved. By establishing a Single Source of Truth (SSoT), you can avoid costly customizations, ensure seamless integrations, and create experiences that delight both members and staff. Hear how establishing a SSoT can transform your member-centric organization and allow you to trust your member data again. Learn how data silos alienate members and how to fix them. Find out how to create personalized, engaging member experiences, reduce reliance on IT, and free up resources. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: iMIS by ASI
Thu 7/11 at 1 p.m. – The Power of Connection: “Handling Difficult Conversations Effectively
Delve into the art and science of conversation and learn how to become an adept conversationalist. Learn how to hone active listening skills, foster empathy, and master the dynamics of engaging dialogue. Hear how to navigate challenging conversations and handle sensitive topics, conflicts, and diverse viewpoints gracefully. Find out how to refine your verbal and non-verbal communication to convey clarity, empathy, and understanding. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Kate Coffey, VP of Marketing and Events, US Transactions Corporation/UST Education
Fri 7/12 at 11 a.m. – Cybersecurity for Organizations
How do you improve cybersecurity within your organization? Hear about best practices, things to consider, and steps to take to improve your cybersecurity landscape. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Speakers:
- Brian C. Lynch, CLCS, MLIS, Partner & Asst. Vice President, Ames & Gough
- Audra Palmero, Sales Account Executive, Imperva
- Wendy Sahli, Director Of Technology, RAPS
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.
Creative Commons licensed photo by Aleksandra Boguslawska via Unsplash
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