The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Chapters and membership. Your association and chapters vie for your members’ attention and time, so how do you become membership partners instead? Billhighway shares Elizabeth Engel’s advice for tackling this conundrum, including how to help chapter volunteers excel at member recruitment, engagement, and retention.
Podcast recommendations. I love Lead Marvels’ curated list of association podcasts, but it’s missing two of my favorites: Leading Learning from Tagoras and Reboot IT from DelCor Technology Solutions.
RFP for an AMS. Impexium describes the steps for creating a request for proposals (RFP) for association management software (AMS). They cover the planning process, elements of an RFP, factors to keep in mind when selecting an AMS partner, and advice from technology consultants at Achurch Consulting, DelCor, Effective Database Management, and Ellipsis Partners.
Association marketing. Earn up to four CAE credits in the Association Academy’s Association Creative Marketing Masterclass, which meets for four weeks on Thursdays, 1-2pm ET, starting September 19. Taught live by leading association heads of marketing, this course teaches you how to evaluate marketing copy and layout. Each class features a live review of real association marketing collateral, along with recommendations for improvement.
Association AI. Ray van Hilst at Yoko Consulting summarizes AI discussions at last month’s ASAE Annual Meeting. Sure, AI helps you do more with less, but he advises not falling for the Shiny Object Syndrome. Don’t adopt AI for the sake of it. Instead, understand how it aligns with your strategic objectives, supports your mission, and enhances your services. He also addresses ethics and transparency concerns, AI policies, and “shadow” AI tools.
Video marketing. VideoRequest describes how associations are using videos to increase brand awareness, raise funds, engage volunteers, and promote events.
Volunteers. Peggy Hoffman of Mariner Management says, “The traditional volunteer model—long terms, rigid roles—isn’t resonating with today’s members. They crave flexibility and opportunities to contribute their skills in meaningful ways.” She describes how to move away from the traditional model if you want to get more members involved in volunteering.
Pricing. Dr. Michael Tatonetti of Pricing for Associations suggests guidelines and questions for focus groups that will help you determine the real value of your association’s product.
Extra credit
Payment processors vs. payment gateways: key differences explained | Wade Tetsuka, CPA, US Transactions Corporation (UST)
The Taliban’s assault on music: The group announced it destroyed over 21,000 musical instruments in the past year—part of its broader, brutal effort to crush the spirit and culture of the Afghan people. Islamic fundamentalists are the scourge of civilization. | Ahmad Sarmast, Lesley Rosenthal and Jessica Lustig, The Wall Street Journal (gift link)
You never grow old at the table
In a twist on the traditional insalata caprese, I topped tomato slices with goat cheese instead of fresh mozzarella, along with fresh basil, black olives, and balsamic vinaigrette. I loved the creaminess of goat cheese, plus it’s more flavorful than mozzarella. Slivers of kalamata olives added a nice salty bite.
We had the caprese salad before enjoying an old (easy) favorite, pork Milanese. On the side, green beans sautéed in a mix of almond and olive oil—I added oil from a jar of almond butter to the pan—with red onion, garlic, fresh tarragon, and slivered almonds. Fed up with never finding tarragon in our local supermarket, I decided to grow my own.
Another night, I made baked black sea bass with linguiça and chickpeas. On the side, roasted broccoli and carrots with red onion and garlic powder.
In the mood for lemon, I found a recipe I will make again: lemon butter chicken tenderloins. Another quick one!
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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 9/6 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.
Lead facilitator: DeeJay Hastings, CAE, Executive Consultant, Lewis Association Consultants
*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 9/6 at 4 p.m. – Panel Discussion: How Associations and Nonprofits Can Honor Hispanic Culture & the Role of Culture in Belonging and Cultivating Inclusion
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, join a panel discussion on how association staff and members can celebrate Hispanic culture, the role of culture in belonging, cultivating inclusion, etc. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Speakers:
- Shari N. Olarte, MA, CAE, Director of Governance at the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
Mon 9/9 at 8 a.m. – Consistent Messaging for Nonprofits (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: Stephanie Malench, Write by Steph
Mon 9/9 at 12 p.m. – Membership Mondays
This session will feature a member-led discussion on membership success, exploring the topics: How do you define “success” for members within your organization? What are the primary challenges you encounter when measuring success? How are trends or technologies influencing your methods? More info/register (ASAE members only).
Host: ASAE Membership Professionals Advisory Council
Tue 9/10 at 11 a.m. – Improving Web Accessibility: Building a Culture of Online Inclusivity from Remediation to Localization and Beyond
Even as your association works to bring your website into compliance with federal and state accessibility mandates, you’re likely learning about emerging litigation and lawmaking from state, federal, and global agencies that will continue to affect you. Learn where to start with accessibility and how to develop a sustainable approach to accessibility governance for your website. Find out why web accessibility needs to be a priority for your organization, the different levels of compliance—and what “WCAG AA 2.1” means, how common website issues create barriers to inclusivity, what you need to improve the user experience, how to create a manageable remediation plan for technical accessibility issues, and how to build in inclusivity from the start when you’re planning a new site or redesign. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Speakers:
- Rob Bean, Partner & Strategist at Refactored
- Kelly Jan, Senior Business Development Executive at Recite Me
Tue 9/10 at 11 a.m. – Optimizing the Budget Building Process
Learn how an annual budget process assessment can set the stage for change and improved performance. Explore options for finding the right time to begin the budget building process and how even a small change has many benefits. Hear about the funding-first approach to budget building and how prioritizing budgeting for revenue and support on the front-end of the budget building process helps with funding assessments and aligning and scaling programs, activities, and operations to available funding. Find out about special tactics for budgeting for salaries, and how decentralizing the budget building process and documenting budget assumptions is key to success. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Michael Gellman, CPA, CGMA, Co-Founder, Sustainability Education 4 Nonprofits
- Paul Preziotti, CPA, Partner, Johnson Lambert LLP
Tue 9/10 at 11:30 a.m. – Beyond Event Attendance: Proven Approaches to Boost Attendee Engagement
Event planners are finding that while attendance numbers are on the rise, the quality of engagement leaves much to be desired. Learn how to create a comprehensive attendee engagement plan, develop attendee personas to tailor your engagement efforts, identify the key performance indicators and metrics to measure the success of your engagement strategy, and gain insights from the Community Brands Events Trends 2024 Research Study to benchmark your engagement strategies amongst your peers. More info/register.
Host: Community Brands
Tue 9/10 at 12 p.m. – Tech Tuesdays
Whether you’re a tech-savvy pro or just getting started, Tech Tuesday is your go-to spot for the latest trends, game-changing tools, and insider tips that will take your organization to the next level. Connect with the brightest minds, share your ideas, and be part of the conversation that’s shaping the future of our industry. More info/register (ASAE members only).
Host: ASAE Technology Professionals Advisory Council
Facilitators:
- Reggie Henry, Chief Information and Performance Excellence Officer, ASAE
- Dave Coriale, President, DelCor Technology Solutions
Tue 9/10 at 12 p.m. – LGBTQIA2+ 2024 Community Call
Openly share and discuss topics that are current and significant to the LGBTQIA2+ association community. Whether you have burning questions, pressing issues, or insightful experiences to share, this judgment-free zone welcomes your valuable contributions. 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 LGBTQ Association Executives and Supporters
Tue 9/10 at 1 p.m. – Maximize Your Investment and Post-Event Potential: Turning Your Content Into Revenue Streams and Member Value
With proper planning, your annual conference can fill your content calendar while generating non-dues revenue. This approach provides valuable, continuous content to members, extends access to non-attendees, and offers industry partners richer sponsorship options, beyond brand awareness, and metrics to accurately demonstrate success. Learn how to identify content that provides exceptional member value; compare and assess proven non-dues revenue models for their effectiveness before, during, and after your event; design a content calendar filled with engaging content; and use content to create FOMO and increase annual attendance. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Dan Turnbull, Business Development Representative, WorkerBee.TV
Tue 9/10 at 2 p.m. – Treat Yo’ Self To Success: Marketing Benchmarks and Strategies for a More Effective 2025
Hear results from the 2024 Marketing Benchmarks for Mission-Driven Organizations report, showcasing how you can leverage the data and insights to better understand how you stack up to your peers and create a plan for improved marketing maturity in 2025 and beyond. Learn about quick wins you can start today, what long-term success looks like, and how to implement each. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Mighty Citizen
Speakers: Brianna Martin, Director of Brand Marketing, and Jarrett Way, Senior Marketing Manager, Mighty Citizen
Tue 9/10 at 2 p.m. – Best Practices for Managing the “Easy Button”
In a time of lean corporate planning teams, third-party, agency and independent planners can fill skill gaps in teams, augment staffing, and help reach goals by leveraging their vast expertise. And often they can offer their services for little or no cost to you. Learn how to find consulting partners that fit your needs, what questions to ask when considering a partner and the range of services you can outsource, and how and when to integrate these resources into your organization. More info/register.
Host: Smart Meetings
Speakers:
- Yvette Campbell, CMP, meeting broker, Meetings Made Easy
- Michelle Crosby, CMP, CITP, account executive, Brightspot Incentives and Events
Tue 9/10 at 9 p.m. – Conversations Dominating Association Planning
Hear about strategies associations implement to stay ahead of the curve. More info/register.
Host: Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives
Speaker: Belinda Moore, consultant, Strategic Membership Solutions, and founder, Answers for Associations
Wed 9/11 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Panel Discussion: How Practice Tests Can Support Your Program (Alexandria VA)
Dilve into the multifaceted world of practice exams, exploring their types, development, and economic implications. Hear an in-depth analysis of various practice test formats—ranging from standardized tests to specialized subject exams—and their efficacy in preparing students and professionals alike. Explore the intricacies of content development, including the methodologies for creating high-quality, reliable practice materials. Learn about the economic aspects of practice test preparation, examining costs, market trends, and the impact of technological advancements. Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.
Host: Certification Network Group
Speakers:
- Laura Brooks, Technical Enablement Program Manager, Pure Storage
- John Dight, VP Business Development/Certification Consultant, Surpass
- James Gamito, MSHRM, Account Director, Prometric
- Corina Owens, Ph.D., Vice President, Client Services, Alpine Testing Solutions, Inc.
- Ibidun Layi-Ojo (moderator), Director, Examinations, CFP Board
Wed 9/11 at 12 p.m. – Elevating Volunteer Engagement: How to Create a Thriving Volunteer Community
In nearly 500 conversations with members from various member organizations, member strategist and author, Amanda Lea Kaiser found a complicated tangle of reasons members don’t volunteer. Learn how to welcome potential volunteers, extinguish burnout of long-time volunteers, and encourage more volunteer collaborators, contributors, and leaders. More info/register.
Host: GrowthZone
Speaker: Amanda Kaiser, engagement strategist, Kaiser Insights
Wed 9/11 at 1 p.m. – 7 Writing Mistakes Your Communications Team Is Making Now
Learn scientific, proven-in-the-lab writing techniques you and your team can use to craft engaging, relevant content that resonates with stakeholders; cut through the noise of competing communications; use AI tools to write better, easier and faster; and create empathetic, human communications in the AI world. More info/register.
Host: Ann Wylie
Wed 9/11 at 2 p.m. – Fall 2024 Legislative Preview: Congress Crunch Time
Hear about legislative priorities and key bills Congress aims to address before the end of the fiscal year, implications of potential delays and the strategies lawmakers may employ, impact of the upcoming elections on legislative activities and priorities, and how critical appropriations and the NDAA could shape policy outcomes. More info/register.
Host: CQ
Thu 9/12 at 11 a.m. – Educating Your Membership on How to Increase the Value of Your Business
Hear about a proven approach to educating your membership on how to increase the value of their business. Learn how “the market” views business valuation and closing the gap between the seller’s and buyer’s perceptions. Find out about the top three business and founder risks that lead to business failures. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Eric Krucke, Business Transitions Practice Leader, Aprio
Thu 9/12 at 1 p.m. – Supercharge Your Membership Strategy With AI
Explore the diverse applications of AI beyond text and image creation and new possibilities for enhancing member engagement and support. Learn about the current landscape of marketing AI and how it can significantly benefit membership organizations and associations like yours. Find out about easy-to-use AI tools you can implement immediately to enhance your membership strategy and drive measurable results. Learn how to design and apply actionable AI experiments tailored to streamline your workflow and elevate your association’s processes, making a real impact from day one. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Erica Salm Rench, MBA, COO, Rasa.io
Thu 9/12 at 1 p.m. – An All-Star Panel’s Reflections on a Rockin’ ASAE Annual
Hear what brought the panelists to ASAE Annual, what they learned and observed, what ASAE got right with this conference, what sessions stood out to them and why, their key takeaways, and how participation has changed their vantage points or practices. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Fonteva
Speakers:
- Vy Le, MBA, CAE, Director of Membership and Governance, Linguistic Society of America, and Founder and Host, Humans of Authenticity
- KiKi L’Italien, Vice President, Marketing and Community Engagement, Big Red M and Editor-in-Chief and Host, Association Chat
- Greg Melia, CAE, CEO, Customer Experience Professionals Association
- Ben H. Rome, Director of Communications, American Bus Association
Fri 9/13 at 4 p.m. – Strategic Thinking: How to See Your Work Differently
Unless you are a unicorn, thinking strategically takes time and practice. Gain tips and tools to become more strategic, think more strategically and, even more importantly, communicate strategically. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Speaker: Jessica Kinghorn, principal consultant of Kinghorn Strategy
Tue 9/17 at 1 p.m. – How Well Do You Know Your Members?
Challenge your understanding of your association’s members. Hear the findings from the recently released 2024 State of Association Member Experience Report and put your knowledge to the test. Discuss emerging trends in member engagement and learning preferences. Learn more about adopting an agile mindset to stay competitive and relevant. More info/register.
Host: Forj
Wed 9/18 at 12 p.m. – From Fizzle to Fire: Reinvigorating Volunteerism in Your Member Communities
Dive deep into the challenges of low volunteerism and hear about strategies to support components—from chapters to SIGs to online communities. Explore innovative approaches to attract a diverse pool of volunteers, leveraging technology, social media, and community partnerships. Learn how to guide leaders in fostering a supportive, inclusive, and empowering environment for their volunteers. Discover how to use data and feedback to understand volunteer needs and tailor recruitment and retention efforts. Share effective practices, and resources to power volunteerism in your member communities. More info/register.
Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management
Speaker: Peggy Hoffman, president and executive director, Mariner Management
Wed 9/18 at 1 p.m. – Associations & Non-Profits: Digital Initiatives to Grow Sponsorship Revenue
Hear about innovative digital initiatives and ideas that associations and nonprofits can leverage to boost their sponsorship revenue and stand out from other purpose driven organizations. Gain expert insights on transforming your digital strategy to attract and retain sponsors effectively. More info/register.
Host: Growth Owl, LLC
Speakers:
- Michelle Brien, Chief Marketing Officer, Matchbox
- Lori Zoss-Kraska, Founder/CEO, Growth Owl, LLC
Thu 9/19 at 12 p.m. – Association Systems: Do You Have the Right Tech Stack for Your Association’s Needs?
Have you ever wondered whether your association has the right technology platforms? Are you keeping up with the latest tech? Are you focusing on the right projects? Should you first focus on tools rather than projects? If you’re thinking about doing a technology assessment, explore the first step: looking at your core association systems. More info/register.
Host: Achurch Consulting
Speakers: Tammy Marko, PMP, Technology Consultant, and George Rears, MBA, PMP, CSM, Technology Consultant, Achurch Consulting
Thu 9/19 at 1 p.m. – Advocating as a Woman in a Male Dominated World
Women are breaking barriers and taking on leadership roles in fields once considered exclusive to men. However, the path to leadership for women in these environments can be challenging. Learn how to advocate for yourself and your career by speaking up, expressing your goals, and seeking support. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Speaker: Nallely Suárez Gass, Director of Professional Services, Elevar Development
Thu 9/19 at 1 p.m. – Unlocking Growth: Strategies and Frameworks for Learning Businesses
Drawing on a new executive briefing from Leading Learning, this session explores essential strategies that can drive your learning business forward. Discover the two primary levers that underlie growth, the critical importance of growing your reach and impact along with revenue, and how to align growth tactics to your core goals. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Leading Learning/Tagoras
Speakers:
- Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders of Tagoras and Leading Learning
- Ujjwal Gupta, CPO and co-founder of BenchPrep
Fri 9/20 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. You don’t have to be an ASAE member to attend this consultant-organized event. This month’s agenda includes a discussion facilitated by Jeff De Cagna about the impact AI will have on association consulting work plus a conversation about getting the most out of your ASAE membership. More info.
Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting
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