The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Association Brain Food won’t appear next Friday, July 26, because I’ll be at the beach most of the week. The next edition will go live Friday, August 2.
Awards programs. Should your association have an awards program? Is it really worth the effort? Don’t look at your awards program as merely a nice thing to do, says OpenWater. A well-planned awards program delivers meaningful benefits year-round to members, your industry, and your association—and they explain how.
Associations Evolve. I enjoyed reading the 2024 Associations Evolve Journal. They’re now accepting submissions for the 2025 edition.
Association AI. Betty Bot’s Executive Guide to AI for CEOs and Boards explains how to make the case for AI to your board. The guide describes AI’s potential, like making personalization at scale possible, and reviews the challenges and concerns associated with adopting AI. The appendix includes an AI readiness survey and a 12-week AI adoption plan.
Membership renewals. Impexium dives deep into the details of membership renewals, such as the difference between retention and renewal, metrics, reasons members don’t renew, and, best of all, solutions for your association’s renewal challenges.
Association due diligence on vendors. Mark Wallach of Engagement Mobile Strategies describes three techniques for determining whether an industry partner (vendor) is seeking a mutually fruitful relationship with your association or merely a transaction. His advice will help you find partners who are known, liked, and trusted within the industry for good reason.
Member invitations. You can’t overstate the difference in impact between a blast email invitation and a personal invitation to a member about attending a meeting—or any other ask. Lowell Aplebaum of Vista Cova says you must invest time in crafting personal invitations that explain why that particular person has been invited.
Video marketing. VideoRequest describes how associations use videos to increase brand awareness, raise funds, engage volunteers, and promote events.
Extra credit
How did Silicon Valley turn into a creepy cult? Tech titans are now acting as philosophers and have bizarre theories about everything. In other words, God is a deliverable for the R&D team. | by Ted Gioia
Construction workers unearthed a life-size marble sculpture of Hercules buried deep in a Roman sewer. Stunning. | by Sarah Cascone, artnet News
Adventures on a $499 Amtrak rail pass through unfairly overlooked flyover America. [I have fond memories of sleeper car adventures across America—not as racy as it sounds.] | by A.M. Hickman
You never grow old at the table
An excellent meal for a steamy night: ribbonfish in choo chee Thai curry sauce with brown rice and roasted broccoli. A funny name for a keeper recipe from Nancie McDermott’s Quick & Easy Thai: 70 Everyday Recipes. My adaption includes red onion, red bell, coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, palm sugar, garlic chives, cilantro, and Thai basil. Man, I love this sauce. It’d be fantastic with eggplant, mushroom, zucchini, and yellow squash—on my menu for the coming weeks.
On Sunday, I made cold Lithuanian beet soup—Šaltibarščiai. How about those accent marks! To avoid heating up the kitchen so early in the day, I used the pressure cooker to make hard-boiled eggs and steamed beets. I adapted my recipe from one in a Lithuanian cooking Facebook group. Mine includes beets, cucumber, hard-boiled eggs, chives, dill, horseradish, cider vinegar, lemon juice, sour cream, and buttermilk. Quite a luminous color!
For dinner, chicken enchilada casserole, enough for a few nights. I had leftover red enchilada sauce in the freezer from the last time I made this. For the chicken, I dusted breast tenderloins in flour and sautéed them in oil in a skillet. I added poblano and garlic to the recipe and used frozen corn.
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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 7/19 at 12 p.m. – Cybersecurity Questions You Should be Asking
If you pay attention to cyber-news, you know the rate of incidents continues to climb. More data stolen, more companies extorted, more downtime experienced, and more reputations and brands tarnished. Learn what’s driving this surge in cybersecurity incidents, whether phishing really is that big of a risk and training is that important, what AI has to do with cyber risk, how you can understand if your IT team is doing the right thing, and how you know if you’re doing enough. More info/register.
Host: ClearTone Consulting
*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 7/19 at 1 p.m. – From Live to Lasting: Transforming Webinars into Engaging eLearning
Learn strategies to maximize the impact of your existing webinar content by transforming it into versatile, on-demand courses. Discover how on-demand learning can enhance accessibility and flexibility for your learners. Get acquainted with the tools and platforms essential for converting webinar recordings into comprehensive eLearning courses. Explore methods to add interactive elements such as quizzes, polls, and discussion boards to keep learners engaged. Understand how to break down webinar content into manageable, bite-sized pieces to facilitate easier consumption and ongoing engagement. 0.75 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Blue Sky eLearn
Speakers: Jordan Baker, M.Ed., Learning Solutions Advisor, and Dr. Kristen Wall, MA EdD, Director of Learning & Development, Blue Sky eLearn
Fri 7/19 at 3 p.m. – The Informal Consultants Networking Extravaganza
A monthly networking meeting for full-time consultants who work with non-profits and associations. It’s not an official ASAE event so you don’t have to be an ASAE member to attend. This month, besides news-sharing and advice-seeking, the focus is Business Development at ASAE24: Carrie McIntyre, founder of Navigate, will share tips for connecting, explaining what you do to a colleague (or potential client), and advice on following up. If you’re not attending ASAE this year, Carrie’s tips and advice will still have value as they are applicable throughout your business year. More info.
Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting
Fri 7/19 at 4 p.m. – Volunteers: the Good, the Bad, the Struggles, and the Victories
Bring your success stories, your sticky situations, and your questions. Together we can celebrate or find a path forward. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Facilitator: Fridays@4 board member Heather Story
Mon 7/22 at 8 a.m. – Legacy Conferencing (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: Matty Rubinstein
Tue 7/23 at 1 p.m. – Are Gen Zs Joiners? How to Engage the Next Generation of Members
62% of associations are experiencing flat or declining memberships due to their inability to recruit Gen Z. Learn proven strategies to engage young members, including how to identify the primary obstacles preventing next gen engagement and growth, increase your association’s value among young people, utilize the new ‘cycle to engagement,’ and create a culture of belonging. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Forj
Speaker: Sarah Sladek, CEO of XYZ University
Tue 7/23 at 2 p.m. – Level Up: Unlocking the Power of Gamification to Boost Event ROI
Discover the transformative power of gamification in enhancing your events. Hear about innovative strategies to boost attendee engagement, satisfaction, and event ROI. More info/register.
Host: Bizzabo
Speakers:
- Jeff Campbell, CEO/Founder, Incentli
- MK Granados, Director of Revenue Optimization, Informa
Wed 7/24 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Meet & Greet
Connect with new faces in the association tech community! Join us for a 30-minute welcome event to forge fresh connections and discover our vibrant Slack community. Attending ASAE Annual? Start networking early and get to know your AWTC colleagues. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)
Wed 7/24 at 1 p.m. – Continuing the Association Competition Conversation
Hear about the mindsets and strategies required to maintain relevance in a rapidly changing environment. Learn about the necessity of identifying and leading from your strengths, concentrating your resources, changing business models and dues structures, and getting the product and service mix right—and sunsetting programs when necessary. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Fonteva
Speakers:
- Mary Byers, CAE, CSP, Author of Race for Relevance: 5 Radical Changes for Associations
- Bruce Rosenthal, Corporate Partnership & Sponsorship Consultant, Bruce Rosenthal Associates, LLC
- Leonard Toenjes, CAE, President, Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Missouri
Wed 7/24 at 1 p.m. – Creating Events with AI
Learn how the event experts at Cvent are using AI to gain efficiencies in their event planning processes. Walk away with a new understanding of AI technologies on the market and how they can help you save time; how to use AI in the pre-event, live event, and post-event stages; and the value and impact of AI on your events 121%. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Speaker: Brooke Gracey, Marketing Director, Cvent
Wed 7/24 at 2 p.m. – Navigating Tomorrow: Association Business Teams of the Future
Explore the changing landscape of association business needs. Learn about the future of work for association business development teams, including the shifting roles, essential skill sets, and diverse talents required for success. From leveraging advanced technologies to fostering a culture of adaptability, discover how forward-thinking associations are redefining team dynamics to stay agile, innovative, and resilient. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Professionals for Association Revenue
Speakers:
- Dan Cole, Sr. Director, Exposition Sales, AVIXA
- Anthony Simone, Vice President, Development, The Bill of Rights Institute
- Sean Soth, Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair, Professionals for Association Revenue
Wed 7/24 at 2 p.m. – Membership Reset
Findings from our recent Membership Reset report reveal that associations have consistently faced downward membership trends, posing a significant risk to both member success and the sustainability of association business models. It’s time for a membership reset. Hear strategies to refocus your approach to membership, including actionable ideas for delivering on the promise of membership, the role membership can play in your association, and guidance on how to re-invest resources and attention to membership. More info/register.
Host: McKinley Advisors
Speakers: Caroline Baugher, Practice Director; Susan Davis, M.S., CAE, Senior Consultant; and Patrick Glaser, M.A., MPA, Chief Practice Officer, McKinley Advisors
Wed 7/24 at 2 p.m. – Creative Sponsorship Ideas for 2024 and Beyond
Event partners are looking to get more out of sponsorships than just their logo on a PowerPoint slide or a piece of signage. They want to be included, connect with the audience and reap the benefits of the event as much as any attendee. Hear about innovative ways to engage brands, incorporating partners into pre- and post-event marketing, and digital sponsorship ideas for hybrid events or webinars. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Northstar Meetings Group
Speakers:
- Karen M. Gonzales, CMP-F, CEM, Director, Global Business Development, IAEE
- Lizzie Wilcox (moderator), Associate Editor, Northstar Meetings Group
Thu 7/25 at 12 p.m. – Key Takeaways and Insights from MGI’s 2024 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report
Learn how successful associations are prioritizing new member recruitment, continuously innovating, and using effective marketing strategies to expand their membership. Find out how to apply insights from the report and drive growth for your association during this period of expansion. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Marketing General Inc. (MGI)
Thu 7/25 at 1 p.m. – 5 Things Every Speaker Should Know Before They Start Training
Are you ready to elevate your training sessions and leave a lasting impact on your audience? Hear about the five essential elements every speaker needs to know before stepping in front of their audience. Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or just starting out, this session will equip you with the tools and insights to deliver engaging, impactful, and memorable presentations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Event Garde
Speaker: Aaron Wołowiec, Founder & President, Event Garde
Thu 7/25 at 1 p.m. – Abstract Management Professionals Meetup
Join fellow AM professionals for a July networking chat and get together. More info/register (ASAE members only).
Host: ASAE Abstract Management Community
Fri 7/26 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
Fri 7/26 at 4 p.m. – How Are You Planning for Succession for Your Own Position and for Your Board
Join this open networking discussion to hear best practices about succession planning. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Facilitator: Shelly Trent
Mon 7/29 at 8 a.m. – A DEI Story (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: Samyuktha Neeraja
Tue 7/30 at 11 a.m. – AI Use Cases for Now and Later: Insights and Forecasts from Association CIOs
Pull back the curtain on artificial intelligence in action to discover how AI is reshaping member services, streamlining operations, and driving innovation in associations today. Our panel of association CIOs will share real-world examples of AI implementation, discuss challenges they’ve overcome, and offer their visions for AI’s future role in association management. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Gayathri Kher, President, fusionSpan
- Kapil Kher, Senior Vice President of IT at AVIXA
- Thad Lurie, Senior Vice President of Digital & Technology, AGU
Tue 7/30 at 1 p.m. – Top 5 Tips to Preparing for a Data Clean-Up Project
Data clean-up has the dubious honor of being both a vital strategic initiative and the project most likely to be postponed, reprioritized, or tabled. Hear about five best practices on how to prepare for a data clean-up project so that you can better position yourself and your organization for success. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Sidney Galati, Sales & Partnerships Manager, Bumblebee Data
Wed 7/31 at 12 p.m. – Increase Comms Engagement by 10% Today
Engagement scores suffering? Newsletter not getting traction? Learn what to keep, stop, and start doing in your emails to reach your target audience. Hear how to understand the big picture when you communicate, identify which details to drill down on and perfect in your newsletter, and use your newsletter to drive audiences to your intranet. More info/register.
Host: L-12 Services Corp.
Speakers:
- Amy Hager, CAE, IOM, CEO, Amy Hager Solutions
- Lizabeth Wesely-Casella, Founder & CEO, L-12 Services Corp.
Wed 7/31 at 1 p.m. – The End of Expertise and How Associations Must Adapt
Hear how industries are being disrupted by the public’s lack of trust in our institutions, how associations are being affected by this same trends, how associations are modifying their services to maintain their credibility and retain members’ trust, and what organizations are doing to keep their organizations safe spaces for facts, open discussion, and expertise. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Lindsay Currie, CAE, Executive Officer, Council on Undergraduate Research
- Matthew Hughes, President & CEO, World Affairs Council of America
- Joanna M. Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker, Matrix Group International, Inc.
- Tara Puckey, Executive Director, The Radio Television Digital News Association
Wed 7/31 at 1 p.m. – The Art of Persuasive Writing: Secrets from the Masters
Unlock the secrets of the greatest communicators and learn how to write with clarity, impact, and persuasion. Discover proven techniques to craft compelling messages that resonate with your audience. From mastering the active voice to using simple yet powerful metaphors, gain practical insights to elevate your writing and influence others effectively. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Bill McGlade, President, Community Leaders Institute & epIQ Creative Group
Wed 7/31 at 1 p.m. – Strategic Marketing for Associations: Communicate Your Value to Engage Members
Discover the distinct roles of marketing strategy and marketing planning and how they need each other to drive success. Learn about the six key elements to set the direction for your marketing communications, ensuring alignment with your strategic objectives. Get practical tips for crafting winning marketing communications plans. More info/register.
Host: Mercury Creative Group
Speakers: Cheri Quinn, Director of Brand Strategy, and Emily Youngblood, Director of Client Services, Mercury Creative Group
Wed 7/31 at 1 p.m. – Critical Contract Clauses
Learn about critical contract clauses that can make or break a meeting’s success, including force majeure clauses, food and beverage cost increases, security issues and dealing with controversial new laws. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Speaker: attorney Joshua L. Grimes, Esq., Grimes Law Offices, LLC
Wed 7/31 at 3:30 CDT – Invitation to AI Roundtable: Cutting Through the AI Clutter (Chicago IL)
There’s so much noise around AI, unending lists of AI tools, and ways to use them. Let’s cut through the clutter and focus on how we can use AI to drive member engagement, improve member benefits, and differentiate your organization. Be ready to bring ideas, and AI solutions you’re considering or already working on. Location: Chicago IL. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Thu 8/1 at 11 a.m. – Bringing Your Data to Life
In the age of AI, data is the fuel we use to feed our efforts to provide a truly personalized experience to our members. The more we know about our members, who they are, where they work, what they need, the better we can serve them. However, your members aren’t sitting still, they’re evolving in their interests and progressing in their careers. Your data needs to evolve with them. Learn strategies for bringing your data to life, making sure it stays up to date and relevant, and is continually being fed across your systems to meet your members where they are. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Cameron Aubuchon, Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, PropFuel
Thu 8/1 at 12 p.m. – 10 Awkward Questions to Ask your Tech Vendor
Learn how asking awkward questions will help you determine if you are investing in the right association management system to meet your association’s needs. More info/register.
Host: Ellipsis Partners
Speakers: Moira Edwards, CAE, President, and Jim Pearson, MS Ed, PMP, Senior Consultant, Ellipsis Partners
Thu 8/1 at 12 p.m. – Member ROI Group
The live discussions will be predominately in CAE education domains related to member ROI on the first and third Thursdays of the month with some exceptions. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Ed Rigsbee
Thu 8/1 at 1 p.m. – Fundraising and Sponsorships: Understanding Who you Are and How to Properly Expand to New Revenue Verticals
Learn essential strategies for identifying and articulating your organization’s unique value proposition, targeting the right sponsors, and diversifying your revenue streams. Through expert insights and practical advice, you’ll gain the tools needed to build sustainable financial growth and establish robust partnerships that align with your mission and goals. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: David Vardeman, Sr. VP, Department Head, Not for Profit & Global Business Development, Capital Bank
Tue 8/6 at 12 p.m. – Large Language Models for Associations (Data Analytics Network)
Engage in association peer-led discussions on topics related to data and analytics on the first Tuesday of each month. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Data Analytics Network
Thu 8/8 at 2 p.m. – Managing Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes in Association Projects
Discover how to better manage organizational change by empowering you and your staff with needed change competencies—the ability to react to and manage change repeatedly. Hear how a technology consulting firm developed a successful change process platform to help their association clients with technology adoption, which can also be used to help manage change in other key areas of your association. More info/register.
Host: 501 Works
Speakers:
- Joe Plasterer, principal, Starkweather Association Services and co-founder, Cirrus Change Readiness
- Melinda Starkweather, CMP, co-founder, Starkweather Association Services and Cirrus Change Readiness
- James Marquis, CIO, 501Works
Sat 8/10 at 4 p.m. – 2024 ASAE Annual Welcome Happy Hour (Cleveland OH)
Catch up with AWTC community members, expand your network, and find your people before navigating the next few days. This IRL opportunity, to socialize and network with your industry peers, is brought to you by the generous support of our sponsors. Location: Cleveland OH. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
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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Association Brain Food 