The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Online workshops. TopClass LMS explains how associations benefit by offering virtual workshops or bootcamps that give members and industry professionals the specialized, focused learning experiences and credentials they need—and employers appreciate. They also suggest program elements to enhance the learning experience.
Mobile engagement strategy. Members live on their phones, especially younger ones. Clowder shares six steps for developing a mobile engagement strategy that encourages members to download your membership app, keep it on their phone’s home screen, and build it into their daily routine.
Education revenue. D2L suggests four factors to consider when developing a revenue strategy for your association’s education programs and five models for monetizing those programs. They also include tactics throughout the guide for improving the attractiveness and effectiveness of your online learning programs and portfolio.
Association outlook. What’s on your board’s radar? Find out if you’re overlooking anything by reviewing the executive summary and discussion guide for Association Laboratory’s environmental scan, Looking Forward® Impact. It identifies issues facing members of trade associations, professional societies, and global associations, including competitive factors and strategic challenges. In the appendix, you’ll find instructions on how to access Looking Forward® data via a customizable dashboard.
RFPs. Don’t send your request for proposals (RFP) to more than five vendors, says Wes Trochlil of Effective Database Management. Hundreds of association experts in our community agree. Wes explains why and how to narrow down your unwieldy prospective vendor or consultant list.
Small-staff membership marketing. YourMembership offers guidance on membership marketing for small associations, including tips on personalized communication, joining and renewing procedures, new member onboarding, online communities, and online career centers.
New member digital badges. Recently, I noticed a digital badge on LinkedIn from a new member of Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR). This morning, I saw one from new PAR member Jeff Hanlan who describes the reasons this new member onboarding tactic works so well for both the new member and the association. Kudos PAR!
Conference sacred cows. Michelle Russell of PCMA Convene interviewed event planners about sacred cows well overdue for slaying—“approaches to conferences which have stood the test of time but are as flat as stale beer.” She shares some of their “radical and ripe ideas to reinvigorate the events industry—and why it is slow to evolve.”
Extra credit
Better words for “webinar” per GURU Media Hub research. | via Nancy Harhut
Remote and hybrid association professionals—or those who want to be: did you know about the Virtual Association Network? It’s “a community of peers who understand what it’s like to operate in a virtual or remote environment, so you can get answers quickly and focus on making an impact for the organization you serve.”
Walking Hanoi. I love this pedestrian view of Hanoi, which looks like it hasn’t changed in the 17 years since I was there. | Chris Arnade Walks the World
Something to lift your spirit… A terrorist plot canceled the show, but we Swifties found each other on Cornelia Street. | Agnes Callard, The Free Press
You never grow old at the table
Last Friday, I took the morning off to go fishing with my husband. I caught the biggest catfish of the day! We threw a few back but ended up with seven for the freezer. Blue catfish don’t have the muddy flavor some associate with catfish. I pan-fried it with a creamy jalapeño sauce for dinner that night. Despite the name, this sauce has no cream or dairy. The emulsification of ingredients in the food processor gives it a creamy consistency.
On the side, a sauté bonanza of summer vegetables: eggplant, green beans, zucchini, red jalapeño, onion, tomato, garlic, lemon juice, and fresh basil.
On Sunday, I roasted a brisket low (250°) and slow, using the spice mix in this recipe for a dry marinade, although I added cumin and thyme. I lost track of how long it took to get the roast up to temp, seven or eight hours maybe. Next time, I might boost the oven to 275° if I don’t have all day.
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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 8/23 at 1 p.m.* – Building Bridges: Strategies & Best Practices for Working with Subject Matter Experts
Learn how to build bridges with your SMEs that result in high-quality content for your organization’s learning programs. Unlock the secrets to clear and effective communication with SMEs. Discover tools and techniques to keep engagements with SMEs on track and on time. Learn how to set and manage expectations to avoid common pitfalls. Explore strategies to make the learning content creation process smooth and efficient and tips and tricks to ensure your educational materials are top-notch and impactful. 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
*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 8/23 at 1 p.m. – Friend, Foe, or Bot? Decoding LinkedIn Invites
Ever get a LinkedIn invite and immediately wonder, “Is this a real connection or just another pitch in disguise?” We’ve all been there—trying to build a solid network while dodging the spam, the bots, and the endless pitchslaps. Hear about the good, the bad, and the cringeworthy when it comes to connection requests. Learn new strategies and share yours. We all want to make LinkedIn connections that are actually worth our time, don’t we? More info/register.
Host: Irene Koehler, LinkedIn Strategist for High-Profile Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders
Fri 8/23 at 4 p.m. – ASAE Conference Recap
Fridays@4 board member, Kenjie Davis, will facilitate a recap of the ASAE24 conference. Did you attend? What did you learn? What were the key takeaways? If you didn’t attend, find out what you missed. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Mon 8/26 at 8 a.m. – A Conversation with the Founder of USAE News (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: Ross Heller, Publisher, USAE (the only weekly community newspaper of associations, CVBs and hotels)
Mon 8/26 at 12 p.m. – Radical Respect: Building Better Team Dynamics and Trust
Giving and receiving candid feedback can be challenging, and when leaders get it wrong, it can significantly harm an organization’s morale, engagement, and productivity. Learn strategies to transform your feedback culture, ensuring it builds trust, drives performance, and fosters a more inclusive and psychologically safe environment, and to create a workplace where diverse perspectives are valued and everyone feels empowered to contribute. More info/register.
Host: Betterworks
Speaker: Kim Scott, the New York Times bestselling author of “Radical Candor” and “Radical Respect”
Tue 8/27 at 12 p.m. – Trends Talk: Leadership and Workforce Development
Not only is Camille championing workforce development efforts for ASAE, she herself has a fascinating background, having worked in leadership roles for numerous organizations and hosting a radio show on trends. In addition, Camille is the founder of a leadership development company. Earlier this year she interviewed me on the LeadHERship Bytes podcast. Listen to a discussion on trends in workforce and leadership development, as well as membership and associations. More info/register.
Host: Sarah L. Sladek, Founder and CEO, XYZ University
Guest: Camille Sanders, CAE, Senior Director of Career and Workforce Solutions, American Society of Association Executives
Tue 8/27 at 1 p.m. – Match Made in Heaven: 6 Ways an LMS Can Drive Growth for Your Business and Engage Your Learners
Supporting your learners on their journey to obtaining career-changing credentials is paramount. Learn how the right LMS will support the entire lifelong learner journey to drive business growth and learner engagement, tips for optimizing the digital learning experience, and strategies for effectively catering to a diverse array of learning preferences, needs, and styles. More info/register.
Host: BenchPrep
Speakers: Jessica Braid, Customer Success Manager, and Kevin Korinek, Senior Director of Customer Success, BenchPrep
Tue 8/27 at 2 p.m. – Future of Association Boards (FAB) Community Dialogue
Join a discussion with association professionals about why you should be involved in FAB, what we have learned in our first month, what we will discuss in September, and how you can get involved. More info/register.
Host: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC
Wed 8/28 from 9 to 11 a.m. – EventProfs Vision 2024 (Track 1)
It’s tempting to keep rinsing and repeating the same event playbook, agendas, speaker line-ups, etc. But over time, it has become increasingly difficult to engage participants and turn them into repeat attendees. They’ve come to expect the average run-of-the-mill session format. This event bridges the innovation gap and helps the industry collectively exchange ideas so you can create your own new event session formats. More info/register.
Hosts: Eventprofs VISION and Skift Meetings
Wed 8/28 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. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Wed 8/28 at 12 p.m. – Tides of Transparency: Communicating the Financial Information That Matters Most to Your Board
Learn how your finance team can support the onboarding and education of successful board members, especially those who do not have experience with financial statements. Find out how to draw attention to what’s important when preparing reports designed to help board members make good decisions and understand the financial picture. Using case studies, we’ll also illustrate ways to effectively convey the financial information that should matter most to your board. More info/register.
Host: Your Part-Time Controller
Wed 8/28 at 12:30 p.m. – End of Summer Report Card for Association Media & Publishing
A casual, open discussion about all things communication and publishing, bring any questions you’ve been wanting to ask other association professionals, for example, navigating bosses who bring up the printing vs. online debate, advertising sales this year, rising printing and mailing costs, new offerings that are working great, annual conferences in 2024, and planning for significant changes in 2025. More info/register.
Host: AM&P Next
Wed 8/28 from 1 to 2:45 p.m. – MasterTHIS: Content Strategy, Day 1
Sessions: Strategies to Scale Your Content Engine for Maximum Impact, 7 Steps To Document Your Content Marketing Strategy, and License the Internet: The Future of Marketing Campaigns. More info/register.
Host: Informa Connect
Speakers:
- Michael Brenner, Founder, Marketing Insider Group
- Analisa Goodin, Founder and CEO, Catch+Release
- Ariana Keil, Growth Marketing Manager, Canto
- Stephanie Stahl, Managing Director, Content Marketing Institute
Wed 8/28 at 1 p.m. – Roadmapping Your Organization’s Readiness for Emerging Tech
Hear about emerging technologies on the horizon and a framework for preparing your data, technology, and people to maximize organizational readiness and better support your mission. Take away a clear roadmap for ensuring successful adoption of new technologies within your organization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Fonteva and Protech
Speakers: Rhoni Rakos, Director of Digital Strategy, and Jessica Richardson, Senior Consultant, Marketing Strategy, fusionSpan
Wed 8/28 from 1 to 3 p.m. – EventProfs Vision 2024 (Track 2)
It’s tempting to keep rinsing and repeating the same event playbook, agendas, speaker line-ups, etc. But over time, it has become increasingly difficult to engage participants and turn them into repeat attendees. They’ve come to expect the average run-of-the-mill session format. This event bridges the innovation gap and helps the industry collectively exchange ideas so you can create your own new event session formats. More info/register.
Hosts: Eventprofs VISION and Skift Meetings
Wed 8/28 at 1 p.m. – Accessibility for All: Five Ways AI Can Improve Your Meetings’ Accessibility
While creating environments that are inclusive to all may seem a challenge, AI can provide solutions in every part of the event cycle that can help ensure no one is left out. Learn tips, prompts, and advice to avoid pitfalls in AI. Hear how to better foster accessibility in meetings and events. Find out the latest trends regarding meetings and events accessibility. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Speaker: Samantha Evans, certification director of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals
Wed 8/28 at 1:30 p.m. – Not-So-Everyday AI: 7 Tools Every Association Professional Should Know
Learn about the seven essential AI tools every association professional should know, including practical AI tools designed to enhance your team’s efficiency and creativity, from social media post creation to AI-driven videos and even interactive eLearning all created at the click of a button. Featured tools include InVideo, Gamma, Mindsmith, HeyGen, Fotor, ChatGPT (with a tutorial on effective prompting and 100+ association-specific prompts), MyGPT, and a bonus no-code chatbot builder. More info/register.
Host: Dan Streeter, Mission Fuel
Thu 8/29 at 11 a.m. – So What Is CRM Anyway? How These Modern Tools Can Help You Increase Sales, Members, Sponsors or Just About Anything Else
Whether your organization is selling products, services, memberships or is just supporting a group of interested people (like an NGO), CRM tools will pull you out of the world in which you’re managed by Excel spreadsheets. Hear industry use cases and some of the built-in capabilities available in CRM tools. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Matthew Friedman, Principal Solution Architect, Business Process Associates
Thu 8/29 at 11 a.m. – Captivate and Engage with Video-Based Microlearning
Sharing popular video lessons from renowned psychologist and author Adam Grant, this presentation and live Q&A will show you the power of video-based microlearning that resonates. Learn strategies to hook your learners with video-based storytelling that grabs their attention; turn theoretical concepts into practical skills that apply to real-world scenarios; ensure your learners enter the deep learning space, retain concepts and build muscle memory; and differentiate your audience’s needs by identifying their unique learner profiles. More info/register.
Host: Big Think+
Speaker: Meghan Phillips, VP of Partnerships, Big Think+
Thu 8/29 at 12 p.m. – Unleash the Dragon Within: Leading Transformation in Your Community
We are in the Year of the Wood Dragon—a time brimming with dynamic energy and the potential for transformation. Learn how to unleash the Dragon’s energy to drive innovation, foster collaboration, spark creative problem-solving, and develop long-term sustainability for your community. Find out how to identify the traits of transformational leaders who disrupt for positive impact and move beyond simply reacting to challenges. More info/register.
Host: Hight Performance Group
Speaker: Cathi Hight, President, Hight Performance Group
Thu 8/29 at 3 p.m. – Unconventional Tactics to Build Engaging Member Journeys
Ask your burning questions about your association’s member journey, such as the ideal user experience to enhance member journeys, key engagement features to improve member experience, effective communication techniques to boost engagement, and/or growth opportunities in your member journey. More info/register.
Host: Grype Digital
Speaker: Farhad Khan, CEO & Membership Strategist, Grype Digital
Tue 9/3 at 12 p.m. – Words Can Be Data Too (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
Tue 9/3 at 12 p.m. – Pricing Strategy for Service Businesses
Organizations are constantly revisiting pricing questions. This session will help you demystify pricing strategies, explore the tactical parameters, and get clear on the value your organization offers. More info/register.
Host: Braintrust Professional Institute
Speakers: Randall Craig and Ronja Francoeur, Braintrust Professional Institute
Thu 9/5 at 2 p.m. – How Generative AI Can Impact Your Events
Explore cutting-edge AI technologies that enhance event planning, boost attendee acquisition, exhibit and sponsorship sales, and provide actionable insights to your event teams. Learn how AI can be used to measure audience gaps, sales targets, and surface marketing targets—at the click of a button. More info/register.
Host: 501Works
Speakers:
- Chris Bonifati CEM, Trade Show organizer for APPA/Global Pet Expo
- Joe Colangelo, CEO and Co-Founder of Bear Analytics
- James Marquis, CIO, 501Works
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