The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
ASAE Annual. I love meeting Association Brain Food readers at ASAE Annual, so if you see me there, please stop (or interrupt) me to say hello. If you’re an industry partner who needs help with content that educates your audience and enhances your reputation in our community, message me in the event app and we’ll find a time to talk while at Annual or after.
Association strategy. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Dean West at Association Laboratory says, “Stop designing your association for retired people.” He warns against relying on yesterday’s programs and generational stereotypes to guide your strategy. “Too many associations default to programs designed to serve existing audiences they know instead of learning about and serving future audiences that will be the heart of their industry or profession.”
Generative AI. Andy Fabian at Mighty Citizen explains what generative AI tools like ChatGPT can and can’t do for your content. “Generative AI can help you start your content or just fine-tune it… [but] it can’t write your final draft for you.” He says AI shouldn’t replace your writers (thank you!) because it’s not that creative, produces “meh” work, and can’t guarantee accuracy.
Microlearning. eLearningDOC describes why microlearning is an ideal learning format for busy professionals and how to add it to your association’s education portfolio.
Conference design. Dilhara Muthukuda at Event Garde calls out five program formats that kept her engaged at a recent conference. Although she’s describing an in-person conference, you can use them for a virtual conference too.
Technology assessments. .orgCommunity says periodic technology assessments connect your association’s abilities with your intentions. They explain why it’s so essential to conduct preventative and proactive assessments to ensure you have the best systems, processes, and people in place to achieve your association’s goals.
Membership app. Bulletin describes how a membership app improves engagement by providing a centralized communication channel on your members’ phones. Unlike social media channels, your association controls your app—a tangible daily reminder of membership value.
Micro-volunteering. Elisa Pratt recaps a recent association community discussion about micro-volunteering. Participants shared different takes on micro-volunteering at their associations, including practices that challenge common assumptions and difficulties they’re encountering.
Benchmarking reports. Mark Athitakis at Associations Now suggests associations conduct benchmarking studies to help members (and others) better understand your industry’s workforce development needs. Benchmarking reports are also an effective content marketing tactic for associations and industry partners. You don’t have to look far for examples in our community, like Billhighway and Mariner Management’s benchmarking report on chapter performance, MGI’s on membership, and the one Mark mentions, MCI’s on engagement.
AI vs humans. Seeing the encroachment of AI into the arts, communication, and marketing, Mark Schaefer reminds us of the “durability of human creativity” and “emotional connection to actual people.” With AI, competence is now a commodity. If you or your brand want to stand out in your market, you must become known, trusted, and loved. Lean into your human mind and heart when communicating with your audience.
Extra credit
Overly detailed board of directors’ minutes are a legal liability. | by Edward McMurray, Levin Ginsburg Attorneys at Law
After almost a century in print, Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People still has lessons to teach us. | by Kevin Dickinson, Big Think
We are in the beginnings of a new renaissance. 30 years ago, there weren’t any architectural firms specializing in sacred architecture. Now, they can’t keep up with demand. | by Jeremy Wayne Tate
Presence: culture is about calendars, not offices—how to intentionally design your team’s use of calendar time. | by Bruce Daisley
Teenage girls need Judy Blume more than ever. | by Kat Rosenfield, The Free Press
Why time slows down when we’re afraid, speeds up as we age, and gets warped on vacation. | by Maria Popova, The Marginalian
You never grow old at the table
I told you I’d return to this sauce soon. We’ve been enjoying a huge pan full of eggplant and vegetables in choo chee Thai curry sauce from Nancie McDermott’s Quick & Easy Thai: 70 Everyday Recipes. Here’s what you throw in the pan: eggplant, mushrooms, red bell pepper, red jalapeños, onion, garlic, coconut milk, red curry paste, chicken broth, fish sauce, soy sauce, palm sugar, garlic chives, cilantro, and Thai basil.
On the hunt for a corn recipe, I spotted this comment in my Word doc recipe for spicy Southern hot corn: “OMG, so damn delicious, the best corn dish I’ve ever had.” You know, it is pretty darn good. I used roasted red bell pepper and red jalapeños in addition to green jalapeños. Red jalapeños aren’t hot like their green brothers, but I’m adding them to everything since I have a surplus harvest.
Another night, another favorite sauce: catfish with sautéed red jalapeños, garlic chives, Herdez chipotle salsa cremosa, and cilantro. On the side, roasted Brussels sprouts, broccoli stems, carrots, red jalapeños, red onion, and garlic powder.
And an old favorite for the end of the work week: tilefish with spiced breadcrumbs. I added, what else, red jalapeños and poblano pepper to the crumb mix. On the side, sautéed red and green cabbage with bacon, onion, red bell pepper, red and green jalapeños, garlic, and chicken broth.
If you’d like to subscribe, please complete the form in the sidebar or at the bottom of this post. I won’t share or sell your email address.
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 8/9 at 2:30 p.m.* – Why Strategic Planning Fails and A New Approach
Hear the common reasons traditional strategic planning fails and a new way of looking at strategic planning that starts with a data-driven analysis. More info/register.
Host: Jon Bassford, CAE, MBA, JD, Lateral Solutions
*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 8/9 at 4 p.m. – The Future of Equity in Associations/Nonprofits
As an association and/or DEI professional, you may be familiar with the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) recent announcement that they are dropping the “E” from DEI to focus solely on inclusion and diversity. Our panel will discuss the future of equity as part of DEI in associations/nonprofits and share their opinions on SHRM’s decision, and if this is what the future holds for other organizations. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Speakers:
- Samantha (Sam) Evans, ICE-CCP, CAE, MBA, Certification Manager, International Association of Accessibility Professionals
- Haley M. Jones, CAE, Director of Member Engagement, American Staffing Association
- Sharon Newport, CAE, Principal, Sharon Newport, LLC
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
Mon 8/12 at 8 a.m. – The 250th Episode!! Legacy: What We Leave For the Future (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: Agnes Amos-Coleman, RE+ Events
Tue 8/13 at 12 p.m. – LGBTQIA2+ 2024 Community Call
This event is a unique and inclusive opportunity for association professionals across all career stages to connect and engage over lunch. It’s a space where you can openly share and discuss topics that are current and significant to the LGBTQIA2+ association community. Let’s come together to support, learn from each other, and build a stronger, more inclusive community. More info/register (ASAE members only).
Host: ASAE
Tue 8/13 at 1 p.m. – Enhance Your Marketing Strategy With Signals and AI
Signals and data provide insight into the buyer’s journey and help marketers identify, qualify, and convert customers. AI then analyzes these signals and suggests the next best actions to take, and when to act. Learn how to identify and use signals throughout the buyer’s journey, create demand using strategies that capture and act on signals, integrate AI to increase marketing and sales impact, and evaluate success using unified metrics across sales and marketing. More info/register.
Host: American Marketing Association
Speakers: Millie Beetham, Director of Revenue Generation, and Deeksha Taneja, Vice President of Growth & Optimization, ZoomInfo
Tue 8/13 at 2 p.m. – Think Like a Reporter: How to Make Your Press Release Enticing
Using examples from nationally award-winning campaigns, learn how to find story angles that your press release readers will love and that editors won’t want to pass up. More info/register.
Host: Notified
Speaker: Ann Wylie, Wylie Communications
Tue 8/13 at 5 p.m. – Becoming the Marketing Leader Your Company Needs
Learn how to assert ideas and shape marketing strategies—what you need to do to be heard, drive decisions, and get things done across your organization; what the difference is between marketing ICs and leaders and how to avoid common mistakes (that even mid-level marketers make) that hinder influence; and how to leverage your influence to optimize product launches, campaigns, positioning, and drive growth. More info/register.
Host: Maven
Speakers:
- Andy McCotter-Bicknell, Head of Competitive Intel at Apollo.io, previously ClickUp and ZoomInfo
- Julien Sauvage, GVP, Marketing at Clari, previously Gong and Salesforce
- Natalie Taylor, Head of Marketing at Capsule
Wed 8/14 at 9 a.m. – Using Behavioral Science in B2B Marketing
Explore how understanding the psychological factors influencing decision-making can transform marketing strategies. Hear insights on leveraging behavioral science to drive better customer engagement and conversion rates. A panel of B2B marketing experts will share real-life case studies and practical examples of how companies have successfully applied these principles to achieve remarkable results. More info/register.
Host: Adzact
Speaker: Nancy Harhut, author, Using Behavioral Science in Marketing
Wed 8/14 from 1 to 4 p.m. CDT – Hear From the Experts: Lessons Learned from Common Pitfalls Encountered in Credentialing Programs (Chicago IL)
We’ll tackle the key themes that align with roles in Governance and Operations, Test Administration, and Assessment Development and Delivery, covering the range of experiences and common pitfalls encountered in credentialing programs. Location: Chicago IL. More info/register.
Host: Certification Network Group
Speakers:
- Tara McNaughton, Associate VP Psychometrics and Assessment, American Osteopathic Association
- Eileen Odonnell, Project Manager, Dental Assisting National Board
- Willaim “Bill” Seifarth, Executive Director, CEO, National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
- Tara Whittington, Director of Marketing, National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators
- Kate Kahoa (moderator), Senior Psychometrician, PSI
Wed 8/14 at 1 p.m. – Green Meetings: Quick Wins
Explore a range of effortless green meeting initiatives that are easy to implement. Gain insights into scaling social impact initiatives to seamlessly fit into your event schedule. Learn how to integrate sustainability into your venue and transportation choices for a more eco-friendly approach. Discover effective strategies to collaborate with venues and F&B directors, reducing your meeting’s carbon impact. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Prevue Meetings
Speakers:
- Amanda Gourgue, Chief Meeting Revolutionist, Meeting Revolution
- Roger Lehner, Sr. Operations & Sustainability Executive, IMEX
- Rachael Riggs, CMP, DES, SEPC, General Manager, Environmental Strategy & WellBeing Leader, Maritz
Wed 8/14 at 2 p.m. – Expert Exchange: Using and Collecting Advocate Stories to Drive Impact
Your advocates have unique perspectives and powerful stories. But how can you effectively harness these powerful stories to make an impact on legislators? In this “Ask Me Anything” style webinar, get practical tips on using advocate stories to engage legislators and drive policy impact. More info/register.
Host: Quorum
Speakers: Natalia González, Senior Account Manager, and Craig Plazure, Vice President, Beekeeper Group
Wed 8/14 at 2 p.m. – 10 Tips for Creating Great Webinar Content that Drives Engagement
Whether in the form of compelling presentations or just great conversations, keeping your audience’s attention means telling compelling stories and delivering engaging and interactive experiences. Learn how to source and prioritize content themes, use AI to find inspiration and build content, turn content themes into compelling narratives, and architect audience engagement. More info/register.
Host: Content Marketing Institute
Speakers:
- Mark Bornstein, VP of Content Marketing, ON24
- Stephanie Stahl, Managing Director, Content Marketing Institute
Thu 8/15 at 10 a.m. – Legal Latte: Brewing Up Solutions for Common Issues Facing Your Non-Profit or Association
Hear about critical legal topics impacting your nonprofit or association, such as the new overtime law, expense management, and more. Get practical solutions and insights to help you navigate the complex legal landscape. We will also have dedicated time for Q&A, allowing you to address concerns and gain valuable knowledge from our panel. More info/register.
Host: Profound Leadership
Speaker: Edward R. McMurray, attorney at Levin Ginsburg
Thu 8/15 at 11 a.m. – Cut the Sh*t. Cue the Genius. Town Hall: Event Profs Unscripted
Hey there, eventprofs! Tired of swimming through a sea of “meh” projects and dodging client curveballs? Yeah, we thought so. It’s time to grab a seat and dish on the real! So, are you in? Drag your beautiful, stressed-out self to this no-holds-barred throwdown. We’re gonna laugh, we’re gonna cry, and we’re gonna figure this shit out together. More info/register.
Host: Dahlia El Gazzar
Thu 8/15 at 12 p.m. – Addressing Burnout: Strategies for Leaders
Burnout is the #1 reason employees are citing as they quit in record numbers. Learn the signs and components of burnout so you can assess how much it’s impacting you and your organization, the unique set of factors that have led us to this point and why action is needed now, and the strategies you can implement right away to help your organization thrive now and into the future. More info/register.
Host: Brain Aware Training
Speakers: Justin Reinert, VP of Partnerships, and Heloisa Vila, Director, Product & Learning Experience, Brain Aware Training
Thu 8/15 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 8/15 at 1 p.m. – Breaking Up with Your LMS: The Signs, The Search, and the Solution
Learn when it’s time to break up with your learning management system (LMS) by uncovering key red flags. Discover how unparalleled support, actionable insights, and scalable growth opportunities will ensure your organization’s success. Uncover how the right LMS can enhance learner engagement and drive better learning outcomes. More info/register.
Host: BenchPrep
Speakers: Evan Burton, VP of Sales, and Chris Titone, Sr. Customer Success Manager, BenchPrep
Thu 8/15 at 2 p.m. – Design for Impact: How to Increase Engagement Without Increasing Costs
How to transform your event vision into tangible experiences that drive emotional engagement, effectively use resources to reach your goals, and demonstrate the value of your events. More info/register.
Host: Smart Meetings
Speakers: Devon Montgomery Pasha, CMP, CED, director of North America for Event Design Collective
Fri 8/16 at 3 p.m. – The Informal Consultants Networking Extravaganza
This monthly networking meeting is for full-time consultants who work with non-profits and associations. Because it’s not an official ASAE event (and is organized by consultants, not by ASAE staff), you don’t have to be an ASAE member to attend. August’s main topic is ASAE24 Post Con: The Good, the Bad, and the Questionable. More info.
Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting
Fri 8/16 at 4 p.m. – Online Communities Series: How to Revive a Dying Online Community
Don’t shut down an unengaged community. There’s still hope! Learn how to identify key issues that are affecting your community’s performance, craft strategies to get things back on track, and measure the impact of your approach. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Speaker: Catherine Hackney, founder, Confident Communities Consulting
Tue 8/20 from 11 a.m. to 1:05 p.m. – Event Marketers Week: Resilience & Wellness
The only virtual gathering for top B2B event and experiential marketers, focused on your growth, wellness and overall betterment. We’ll tackle the unique challenges of one of America’s most stressful professions in a community setting that’s focused on you, while offering a platform for sharing insights to help you thrive both personally and professionally. Learn from experts in resilience and wellness, creativity and design thinking, and event leadership—all from the comfort of your desk. More info/register.
Host: Zuddl
Tue 8/20 at 2 p.m. – Renewals Reinvented: Leveraging Member Insights for Greater Retention
Learn how to use member data to supercharge your renewal strategy. Hear real-life success stories about creative ways to personalize your approach and make renewals more engaging. Whether you’re looking to improve retention rates, increase engagement, or simply refresh your renewal strategy, this webinar will equip you with fuel to reimagine your renewal process with insights from your members. More info/register.
Host: PropFuel
Wed 8/21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Event Marketers Week: Creativity & Design Thinking
The only virtual gathering for top B2B event and experiential marketers, focused on your growth, wellness and overall betterment. We’ll tackle the unique challenges of one of America’s most stressful professions in a community setting that’s focused on you, while offering a platform for sharing insights to help you thrive both personally and professionally. Learn from experts in resilience and wellness, creativity and design thinking, and event leadership—all from the comfort of your desk. More info/register.
Host: Zuddl
Wed 8/21 at 12 p.m. – Are You Talking to Me?! CPC vs EPC
While the definitions of “compliance” and “preference” are pretty clear cut, the email marketing world has often interchanged these terms in efforts to build member engagement and improve campaign performance. The goal of an EPC (Email Preference Center) is rooted in maintaining compliance and adhering to CANSPAM laws. With more emphasis now placed on creating personalized digital experiences and user journeys, the lines are getting blurry around what you need to provide to maintain compliance, and what you want to collect to personalize communications. Learn about the mechanics behind a Communications or Content Preferences Center, how it differs from the traditional EPC and what associations should plan for in the future. More info/register.
Host: HighRoad Solutions
Speakers: Maneesha Manges, CXO, and Morgan Mulgrew, Strategic Account Manager, HighRoad Solutions
Thu 8/22 at 11 a.m. – AI and Human Collaboration: Creating High-Quality Content Together
Learn how to use AI tools to build detailed audience personas from existing data, create and repurpose content with AI, and test content with AI to gauge audience preferences. Find out about the critical role of human oversight in maintaining content authenticity and creativity. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Adrian Speyer, VP Marketing & Community, Customer Leaders Institute
Thu 8/22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Event Marketers Week: Event Leadership
The only virtual gathering for top B2B event and experiential marketers, focused on your growth, wellness and overall betterment. We’ll tackle the unique challenges of one of America’s most stressful professions in a community setting that’s focused on you, while offering a platform for sharing insights to help you thrive both personally and professionally. Learn from experts in resilience and wellness, creativity and design thinking, and event leadership—all from the comfort of your desk. More info/register.
Host: Zuddl
Thu 8/22 at 1 p.m. – How to Grow Your Online Course Catalog with Third-Party Content
It’s through your catalog of products that you can improve the skills and knowledge of individual learners and hope to realize broad change in the fields, professions, or industries you serve. Ensuring your products are effective and of high quality is of paramount importance. But you don’t have to build everything in your catalog yourself. Learn about factors to consider when determining whether to create content or curate content, practical considerations for how to offer third-party courses to your learners, and specific existing online courses that might make sense for your learning business to leverage. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Leading Learning
Speakers: Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders of Tagoras and Leading Learning
Thu 8/22 at 2 p.m. – Data Strategy Workshop: Thinking Big with Data for Associations
Learn about the tools and strategies needed to leverage data effectively, ensuring you can make a greater impact on your mission. Discover the potential of big data and how it can drive innovation within your organization. Learn practical ways to bridge the gap between your current data capabilities and your data-driven goals. Participate in a hands-on exercise to map your big ideas to actionable data strategies. More info/register.
Hosts: Fíonta and Salesforce
Speakers:
- Nicole Adair, Principal Solution Engineer, Salesforce
- Ashley Goad, Director of Data and Architecture, Fíonta
- Lex Grace, Solution Engineer, Salesforce
- David Manuel, Manager, Technical Architect, Fíonta
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 Katarzyna Pe via Unsplash
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