Association Brain Food

Association Brain Food: 7.8.22

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…

Paper ceiling. WBT Systems writes about a new ad campaign coming in September from Opportunity@Work, a coalition asking employers to get rid of unnecessary bachelor’s degree requirements for hiring. This ‘paper ceiling’ holds back half the U.S. workforce. WBT describes why and how associations, where appropriate, can join this movement.

Belonging. In an article for MIT Sloan Management Review, Susie Lee from Degreed suggests four things leaders can do to foster a sense of belonging at their organizations. Her team focuses on belonging as an essential element of their DEI initiative because it’s what employees want to feel and it increases employee retention and performance.

APIs. These days, anyone who’s leading a technology project, like an AMS or other system implementation, needs to understand APIs. If you don’t, you can cost your association a lot of time and money. Empowered Margins not only describes what APIs are but also explains their potential. They believe an API strategy is crucial to defining your association’s value proposition and taking the “rightful leadership position to steer your industry.”

Required knowledge for leaders. Amith Nagarajan of Blue Cypress says C-suite leaders “can’t afford to pass off tech to your CIO anymore. It is your job… to have a basic level of competence in tech. More importantly, you need to stay curious and learn what is happening and what is coming next.” That’s why the main themes for this year’s digitalNow conference are Web3 and AI.

Member engagement. Beth Arritt from Higher Logic reports from the unconference sessions at the Mid-Atlantic Society for Association Executives Mid-Year Conference. Unconference sessions give any event more relevance and buzz since they reflect what people want in the moment. At MASAE, the discussion focused on the association predilection to return to ‘normal’ and in-person events, changing member preferences, and using technology more effectively to communicate with members.

AMS basics. If you’re new to association technology and haven’t quite wrapped your head around the association management system (AMS) concept, Personify shares a guide on AMS basics. There’s an AMS for every type of association, even tiny ones, so find out what should be in yours when you go shopping for one.

Quick hits

3 ways to capture conference takeaways and make conference conversations less ephemeral. (Amanda Kaiser, Smooth The Path)

5 things employees do that put your organization at cybersecurity risk. (Ernie Smith, Associations Now)

To PEO or not to PEO—that is the question. (Brian Haney, Association Advisor)

Good eats

Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.

When in a rush to make dinner, blackened fish fillets (black drum, in this case) are always a rewarding solution. And if you need to clear out the produce drawer, opt for veggie pesto.

On Sunday, I made a southwest skillet with ground turkey, Portuguese chouriço, sweet potatoes, onion, poblano, red bell, jalapeño, garlic, chipotle, spices, chicken broth, black beans, spinach, corn, cheese, green onions and cilantro. We never tire of this dish because we love those southwest flavors.

For my sister-in-law’s birthday on July 4^th, I made a corn salad. I have no idea what recipe inspired me decades ago, but this is what I normally put in mine: bacon, corn, roasted red bell pepper, sweet onion, garlic, grape tomatoes, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and fresh basil. Cook the bacon first and remove it. Add the corn through the grape tomatoes and cook just until the rawness is gone. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients.

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Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. . 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’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product centric.

Fri 7/8 at 12 p.m.* – AWTC Mindful Networking

Held the second Friday of each month, these intimate, virtual conversations are a chance to form meaningful connections with other women and allies in the association technology community. Each Mindful Networking will feature one of our amazing AWTC award winners, followed by breakout rooms with changing topics (selected by our featured guest). More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: Anne Ornelas, DES, Senior Manager, Business Systems and Strategic Initiatives at CASS

*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

Fri 7/8 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

Fri 7/8 at 4 p.m. – Seeing Around Corners: How to Spot Inflection Points in Business Before They Happen

Join us for our Book Club series! We will discuss Seeing Around Corners: How to Spot Inflection Points in Business Before They Happen by Rita McGrath, a guide to spotting inflection points early and harnessing these disruptive influences for a strategic advantage. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Mon 7/11 at 1 p.m. – 30-Minute Monday | WEC: What We Did & Learned

We saw nearly 2,000 registrants for WEC 2022 in San Francisco in-person and online. We planned, we adapted and we learned. Join our amazing events team, Melinda and Tanya, as they share with us what they did to prepare for WEC and what we learned now that we are post event. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Mon 7/11 at 1 p.m. – Zoom Makeover (Nonprofit Conversations with Cecilia Sepp, CAE)

This series of 15- to 20-minute videos covers hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. New episodes are posted around 1 p.m. every Monday. Check out Cecilia’s Nonprofit Executive Spotlight series too.

Guest: Shelley Golden

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Mon 7/11 at 2 p.m. – Summer Series: Interviews with Innovators #1

Join us for a special conversation with three key innovators in the association space to learn what innovation means to them, and what changes they see on the horizon for associations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Higher Logic

Presenters:

KiKi L’Italien, Chief Executive Officer & Online Blog, Community & Podcast Host at Association Chat
Reggie Henry, Chief Information and Engagement Officer at ASAE
Kevin Boyce, Chief Executive Officer at Higher Logic

Tue 7/12 at 9 a.m. – International Association Policy and Legal Update: What Associations Need to Know

From the war in Ukraine and sanctions on Russia to new policies impacting everything from transatlantic travel to sustainability, governments and multilateral institutions have been active in shaping the operating environment for our associations, especially those with global operations. Hear from public affairs experts and association leaders from across the globe as they share their insights and expertise on the ever-changing policy and legal landscape. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Government Relations and Advocacy Professionals Community

Presenters:

Jeff Evans, Director, Public Policy, ASAE
Alfons Westgeest, Managing Partner, Kellen
Steven Basart, Vice President, Asia, Kellen
Tommy Goodwin, Vice President, Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance
Danielle Baron (Moderator), Staff Vice President, School Nutrition Association

Tue 7/12 at 11 a.m. – EdTech Trends: Un-Siloing & Digitizing Professional Education

Journals and ebooks have long since made the shift to digital, and the technologies that support them have become table stakes for publishers. Learn how societies and publishers are taking professional education online, whether continuing education, maintenance of certification training, or offerings to help clinicians or practitioners keep current with the latest advances in their field. More info/register.

Host: Silverchair

Presenters:

Amanda Fielding, Director of Product Management, McGraw Hill
Amit R.T. Joshi, MD, FACS, Professor of Surgery and Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education at Cooper Medical School, and Editor-in-Chief of the American Board of Surgery’s Surgical Council on Resident Education
Laura Ricci, Senior Consultant, Clarke & Esposito
Anna Salt, Chief Commercial Officer, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Jake Zarnegar (moderator), Chief Business Development Officer, Silverchair

Tue 7/12 at 12 p.m. – What Fuels Us All: Technology Innovation in Associations and Why IT Matters

Most all of us are members of associations or at the very least represented by an association based on our industry or interests. With thousands of members, the amount of tech, apps and integration supporting associations and members is increasingly complex. Plus, associations conduct more conferences and trade shows than any individual industry. This means the demand for evolving tech such as VR and metaverse is increasing. Learn about the range of associations and their technology needs. More info/register.

Host: Tech Up for Women

Presenters:

Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE, President and CEO of ASAE
Loretta DeLuca, Founder and CEO of DelCor Technology Solutions, Inc.

Tue 7/12 at 12 p.m. – Back to the Ballroom: Changes, Expectations and Innovations

Get ready to hear from industry experts who have already dove back into the in-person event waters. We’ll cover: big changes—what you need to know for your next expo or user conference; tips to make the most of your trade shows and expos, from sponsor options, booth design, floor plans and logistics; creating meaningful engagement at in-person events through experiential sessions, activations and collaboration; best practices for engaging attendees with the right event format from sessions, content delivery and networking; and choosing the right vendor partners to help you source venues, locations, AV and more. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Presenters:

Nancy Snowden, Manager of Educational Experiences, MPI
Lisa Vogel, Leader, Field & Event Marketing, Webex Events (formerly Socio)

Thu 7/12 at 2 p.m. – From a Logo to a Look with Fair Labor Association

If you’re thinking about updating your organization’s brand, there’s something important you need to know: a new logo doesn’t automatically equal a new look. (And a new look doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have a new logo!) Learn what you can expect your next year to look like if you decide to change your logo and your look, how to prioritize what pieces to transition first, how a communication audit streamlines the process, and what it’s like keeping the rollout of your look a priority after your logo is complete. More info/register.

Host: Iris Creative Group

Presenters:

Bill Furmanski, senior director of communications at Fair Labor Association
Beth Brodovsky, president, Iris Creative Group

Wed 7/13 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. – How Being Intentional with Your SME Program Affects Your Exam

The foundational building block of any exam maintenance program is the individual SMEs that write and review items, analyze JTAs, and ultimately make your exam defensible. When it comes to SMEs, every program faces the same four critical challenges: understanding the best way to attract them, assembling efficient teams for your workshops, motivating them to accomplish organizational goals, and finally, evaluating individual performance. Learn how focusing on individual skill sets and diversities at the workshop level creates better outcomes and more valid exams. More info/register.

Host: Certification Network Group

Presenters:

Annette M. Parry Bush, MBA, BSN, RN, OCN®, ICE-CCP, Director of Credentialing at the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center
Eric Nepomuceno, Examinations Manager, CFP Board
Heidi Schreifels, Certification Program Manager, F5 Networks
Isabelle Gonthier, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Assessment Services, PSI Services
Guillermo Ortiz de Zarate (moderator), CIIO, NCARB, and President, Lineup Management Services

Wed 7/13 at 12 p.m. – MPI Association Professionals Hot Topic Chat: Lessons Learned from Spring Events

Join MPI’s Association Professionals Community Council as we discuss lessons learned from spring events. This informal discussion will look at what went well, areas to consider spending more time & resources on, and ideas to take with you as you plan your future association events. Bring your stories to share with the group. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Wed 7/13 at 1 p.m. – Does My AMS Have to Have a Bridge to My LMS?

Learn why a seamless integration between your AMS and your LMS is crucial, the secret to simplifying complex association tech stack decisions, and the importance of having a system where strong integrations are foundational. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Fonteva & Protech

Presenters:

Andy Hicken, Ph.D., VP, Technolgy Solutions, Web Courseworks
Erin Lemons, Senior Director of Marketing, Fonteva & Protech

Wed 7/13 at 2 p.m. – Creating Lifelong Super Members For Your Association

You’ve set up all your campaigns, created that sweet follow-up email with all the right content for your members but what do you do to create a Super Member? Learn how to create champion members by listening, align your content to your member’s needs as your member grows professionally, tap into your member’s emotion to create value, and leverage the exclusivity of your association insights and stories. More info/register.

Host: Association TV

Presenters: Brianne from PropFuel and Doug from WorkerBee.TV

Wed 7/13 at 2 p.m. – Fun Ways for Groups to Experience a Destination

Today’s attendees want more than a superficial introduction to a destination. They want to connect with the host city or region on a deeper level: meet residents, try new activities, sample local cuisine and enjoy unique cultural experiences. Learn about new and unique ideas that allow groups to experience local color, how attendees can make deeper connections with local communities, and suggestions for meaningful budget-friendly experiences. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Presenters:

Thuy Diep, CGSP, DMCP, CSEP, Senior Experience Designer, Haute
Joe Fijol, DMCP, Principal, ETHOS Event Collective
Kate Patay, CPCE, Director of Engagement, Terramar, a DMC Company
Lisa Grimaldi (moderator), Editor, Incentives and Destinations, Northstar Meetings Group

Thu 7/14 at 11 a.m. – The 3 R’s of Membership | The First R: Recruit | Ensuring Your Member Onboarding Journey Gets Results

A clear and engaging member onboarding strategy is your best member retention tool and fundamental to your association’s continued success. Learn how to create a defined onboarding journey, aligned to your strategy, that delivers a personalized and frictionless experience for the new member journey. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: iMIS by ASI

Presenters: Nathan Slovin, Director of Client Excellence Programs, and Paul Ramsbottom, Managing Director Asia-Pacific, iMIS by ASI

Thu 7/14 at 12 p.m. – LinkedIn: Maximize Member Engagement and Strategic Recruitment

You’ve joined LinkedIn, but how are you using it to leverage member and business relationships? Learn how to stay front of mind with your members and business relationships; increase member engagement, warm referrals, and prospecting success; and stay abreast of trends that impact business and industry. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Presenter: Shari Pash, founder of Strategic Solutions for Growth

Thu 7/14 at 12 p.m. – Unlock the Power of TikTok for Your Social Strategy

With 800 million active users worldwide, TikTok is influencing a whole new generation of social media users and consumers. Learn how TikTok content and influencers drive engagement and influence consumer behavior, and how to measure your competitive share of voice, engage consumers, and drive revenue growth for your business. More info/register.

Host: American Marketing Association

Presenter: Mike Baglietto, Global Head of Market Insights, NetBase Quid

Thu 7/14 at 1 p.m. – Event Summer Camp Series: Engagement & Collaboration

Whether in-person, virtual, or hybrid, attendee engagement is always top-of-mind. Learn how to enhance your attendees’ experience using native integrations, 3rd party tools, and vendors by adding unique experiences into your event mix. More info/register.

Host: Webex Events

Presenters: Yvonne deFuria, Event Production Manager and Alyssa Rudner, Customer Success Manager, Webex Events

Thu 7/14 at 3 p.m. – Do You Know the Dirty Little Secret About Chapters?

There’s an odd pattern in chapters. It ran in the background for many associations—and got institutionalized in some interesting ways. Then came Covid—and the dirty little secret got bigger. Do you know what the secret is? Hint: It’s doing a lot of damage to chapter leaders and fueling burnout within them. Are you aware of how it impacts your association’s chapters? More info/register.

Host: Cynthia D’Amour, People Power Unlimited

Fri 7/15 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

Fri 7/15 at 4 p.m. – Leading Teams in a Flexible Location Work Environment

Associations and non-profits are increasingly instituting policies that allow employees to work from the location of their choice, and even hiring staff working in all regions of the country. That change also is driving a change in how managers lead their teams and train new employees. Join a discussion on how to lead a dispersed workforce and hear tips from the facilitator’s previous career in the foreign service and recent experience being hired while the office was fully remote. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Facilitator: K. Malaika Walton, CAE, Senior Associate at Association Management Services

Tue 7/19 at 12:30 p.m. – Meetings of Membership Minds

These impromptu, casual discussions about membership concepts, issues, and challenges are conducted live online and open to membership professionals to comment and offer insights. More info/register.

Hosts: Dan Ratner, The Business of Membership, and Scott Oser, Scott Oser Associates

Tue 7/19 at 2 p.m. – Where to Invest to Optimize Your Hybrid Workforce

In today’s challenging marketplace, leaders are competing for various resources, and number one on that list is people. Employing and retaining quality staff is paramount for organizations facing some of the lowest unemployment rates in decades. Yet as unemployment rates go down, operating and other expenses continue to go up, which begs the question: Where should you invest your limited resources and dollars to optimize your workforce? Hear about strategies and tactics addressing the need for purposeful interactions and how to plan for them, top retention methods, and communication and time-saving tools. 1 CAE credit. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Achurch Consulting

Wed 7/20 at 12 p.m. – Cybersecurity for Association Leaders

Learn why people and their security knowledge are your most important defense and your biggest risk, why to focus as much on discovery and recovery as preventative defense, and the top six things to ensure you’re doing well. More info/register.

Host: ClearTone Consulting

Presenters:

Ron Moen, CIO, ASCP
Thad Lurie, CIO, ISPOR
Brian Scott, president and CIO, ClearTone Consulting

Thu 7/21 at 1 p.m. – Association Creative Marketing Masterclass: Reviewing Creative

A course to help develop practical creative and copywriting skills, professional critique techniques, and balanced brand stewardship. Each instructor will share learnings from their career and evaluate real-life association marketing collateral, providing their recommendations, ideas, and concerns. In this session, Chris explains how to conduct a creative review of marketing collateral, sharing time-tested best practices he learned while working for global ad advertising agencies and consumer marketing companies. 1 CAE credit per session. Thursdays through August 11. More info/register.

Host: Chris Gloede, Association Academy

Session instructor: Chris Gloede, Lead Instructor, Association Academy

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 or Twitter by Wednesday afternoon.

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Creative Commons licensed photo by Chris Abney via Unsplash

Association Brain Food: 7.1.22

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…

Metaverse. Is the metaverse a sci-fi fantasy or a realistic opportunity for associations? WBT Systems takes a look at the hype, metaverses in action right now, and ways your association could experiment with the metaverse.

Multi-generational teams. Achurch Consulting identifies five essential elements for managing a multi-generational remote or hybrid team. They describe challenges related to manager development, communication, employee engagement, operations, and culture, and suggest short- and long-term solutions.

Professional development. You will find lots of inspiration in these 15 lessons from Big Learning by Jeff Cobb at Leading Learning. He pulls out association-relevant findings from the successes of MOOCs, LinkedIn Learning, Khan Academy, The Great Courses, Udemy, and Degreed.

Quick hits

Without measures in place to actively celebrate risk-taking and failure, innovation will always be crushed. (Annabel Acton, Inc. Magazine)

Data is for action, not for collecting. (Wes Trochlil, Effective Database Management)

Good eats

Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.

Wasn’t home much in the past week—more on that next time. I made another Greek ouzo dish, this time with catfish, and it’s a keeper. Plus, we enjoyed an old favorite, black sea bass with spiced breadcrumbs.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. 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’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product centric.

Fri 7/1 at 12 p.m.* – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

Tue 7/5 at 2 p.m. – How To Craft User Journeys To Keep Your Members Engaged

Learn how users experience your website and membership site. Looking at your user experience helps to predict what they are looking for and anticipate what they will find relevant and helpful. More info/register.

Host: Grype

Presenter: Ronja Francoeur, UX Specialist

Wed 7/6 at 11 a.m. – Understanding the Payments Ecosystem in Your Organization

Learn who the players are, how integrations work with your software platforms, the elements of your credit card statement, and how to reduce your cost/fees and minimize your risk and PCI compliance. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp. (UST)

Presenter: Julie Duncan, VP Sales, Association Practice Leader, UST

Wed 7/6 at 12 p.m. – Building a Fit-for-Purpose Association Board in The Turbulent Twenties

This crucial moment in the historical trajectory of associations demands a clear-eyed assessment of the magnitude of the challenges before us. Among these myriad challenges, it is complacency that may well be the most acute short-term threat. To overcome this complacency, we must dare to imagine that every aspect of what boards are and what they do can be different from what we have been told over many decades. In short, starting today, association boards must become more. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Insights in Old Town

Presenter: Jeff De Cagna FRSA FASAE, executive advisor for Foresight First LLC

Wed 7/6 at 3 p.m. – Analytics in Action: Level Up Your Association’s Marketing with Analytics

Learn how to use your behavioral and demographic data to make content and outreach decisions, while continuously analyzing your efforts so you can adjust when things aren’t going as expected. Find out how to analyze your data to build personas that better segment your audiences, target relevant content to current and prospective members, and measure what is working best and what should be eliminated. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Presenters: Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, and Greg Pollack, VP of Sales, Association Analytics

Thu 7/7 at 2 p.m. – Managed Service Providers 101

MSPs are a great way to leverage more sophisticated technical help especially for smaller staff with limited tech resources. Learn how to engage an MSP and maximize the benefits for your association. We’ll cover why and how to use an MSP, how to use your current company better, and how to assess an MSP. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: 501Works

Presenters:

Marco Maggio, VP Sales & Strategic Practices, All Covered
Dave Sobel, Owner, MSP Radio and Business of Tech Podcasts
James Marquis, CIO, 501 Works

Fri 7/8 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Mindful Networking

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: Anne Ornelas, DES, Senior Manager, Business Systems and Strategic Initiatives at CASS

Fri 7/8 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

Fri 7/8 at 4 p.m. – Seeing Around Corners: How to Spot Inflection Points in Business Before They Happen

Join us for our Book Club series! We will discuss Seeing Around Corners: How to Spot Inflection Points in Business Before They Happen by Rita McGrath, a guide to spotting inflection points early and harnessing these disruptive influences for a strategic advantage. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Tue 7/12 at 9 a.m. – International Association Policy and Legal Update: What Associations Need to Know

Host: ASAE Government Relations and Advocacy Professionals Community

Presenters:

Jeff Evans, Director, Public Policy, ASAE
Alfons Westgeest, Managing Partner, Kellen
Steven Basart, Vice President, Asia, Kellen
Tommy Goodwin, Vice President, Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance
Danielle Baron (Moderator), Staff Vice President, School Nutrition Association

Wed 7/13 at 12 p.m. – MPI Association Professionals Hot Topic Chat: Lessons Learned from Spring Events

Host: MPI

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Creative Commons licensed photo by Clark Wilson via Unsplash

Association Brain Food: 6.24.22

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…

Leadership training. WBT Systems suggests associations revamp their leadership training programs to serve two purposes: teaching the skills members need for volunteer leadership and for leading or collaborating on a remote team at work. They also describe several ways to deliver this training.

Change management. We can all agree that change has always been part of life, yet humans like the security of their routines and traditions—just think about all the “back to normal” conversations you’ve witnessed. Rishad Tobaccowala identifies six essential steps to successfully introduce and manage change. They shouldn’t be surprising, but are a good reminder as you go about your day.

Member recruitment. GrowthZone put together a PDF for you to adapt or use in your member recruitment campaigns. It’s a good start, for sure, but you know your market segments best. Focus on the benefits and the impact those benefits will make on their personal and professional lives. Always emphasize the impact, not the features, of membership.

State of associations. McKinley Advisors released their Association Viewpoint study, an environmental scan of the association world and its most pertinent issues. The report covers trends like workforce and return-to-the office challenges for associations and their members, impact investing, agility, and digital transformation. The survey is optimistic overall, although many execs are troubled by the inability of their current business model to support their mission. No surprise about what stands in the way of innovation: human beings!

Metaverse. “Where (and what) the hell is the metaverse?” asks Ed Zitron. “The reason that everybody speaks in such vague terms about the Metaverse is that they’re trying to avoid the uncomfortable truth that the Metaverse is either decades away or, for the most part, completely sucks.” Oh boy. Once again, hype and bluster are attracting more attention to the latest thing than what it might be worth. But I remain open-minded. We should stay up on these web developments so we’re not caught off guard and miss an opportunity in the future.

Association podcasts. Surely, I’m not the only one to listen to podcasts at 1.5x speed, right? When I don’t, everyone sounds really stoned. I can fit more podcasts—and discovery and learning—into my life that way. Association Briefings makes a strong case for starting an association podcast. They describe the steps to take in the planning process, for example, identifying your goals and defining your audience, and suggest other issues to consider before you dive in.

Quick hits

Seven Zoom hacks you probably haven’t heard of, but will be glad you now know. (Tessa Davis)

The biggest mistakes organizations make with cybersecurity—and how to avoid them. (Keri Pearlson and Stuart Madnick, Wall Street Journal—a free link, hopefully)

Phishing alert: Beware Facebook messages about Yearly Views videos. (Pixm)

Good eats

Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.

Dinner duty fell on the day I got back from Massachusetts, so I pulled some chicken salsa verde from the freezer (wrote about it here), sliced avocado and heated tortillas—voilà, dinner.

In my continuing quest to use up a bottle of ouzo, I made Greek amberjack with honey and ouzo. I really like this recipe so I’ll make it again when I get another good sturdy fish. On the side, zucchini and yellow squash pesto with corn, broccoli stems, red/orange bell pepper, onion and tomatoes.

It’s been a while since we’ve enjoyed pork Milanese, so I made several chops on Sunday night—enough for another dinner and lunch. Tired of looking at the lentils in the cupboard, I made this simple lentils diavolo as a side. It’s a keeper.

I was going to make this cauliflower piccata recipe but our area lost power during a windy thunderstorm on Friday night. The local supermarket threw out all its produce and hadn’t restocked cauliflower, so I made it with broccoli instead, omitted the chickpeas and subbed chicken for the vegetable broth. I tossed the broccoli in a larger pan with the piccata sauce instead of serving the sauce on top. Since I have an enormous jar of capers from Costco, I will make this tasty dish again.

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Fri 6/24 at 12 p.m.* – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

Fri 6/24 at 4 p.m. – Return to In-Person Meetings and What to Consider

As most organizations navigate returning to in-person events, meetings, and conferences, what are leaders considering? Join us for a panel discussion on how three associations have transitioned back to in-person and/or continued virtual programs. Attendees will leave with knowledge of safety precautions to consider and ideas to support the development of protocols. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Presenters:

Darlene Somers, CMP DES, Director of Meetings, International Association of Venue Managers
Feborah Dixon, CMP, Conference Producer, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Andrea Massengile, CMP, Senior Meeting Planner, American Chemical Society

Mon 6/27 at 1 p.m. – International Chapter Success (Nonprofit Conversations with Cecilia Sepp, CAE)

Guest: Sanja Kekic

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Mon 6/27 at 1 p.m. – #RealTalk Unplugged: Celebrating Pride with History of the MPI LGBTQ Reception

Come engage in deep-dive conversations around the DEI topics that matter most today. Hear how achieving recognition and appreciation of an affinity group’s presence impacts an organization. Understand Equity and Inclusion in practice by examining the evolution of the MPI LGBTQ+ Reception from concept to sponsored annual event. Explore and learn the strategic roles allies and advocates can provide to create inclusive events. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Presenters: John Ehlenfeldt and Marques Davison

Tue 6/28 at 12 p.m. – Creating Teams in a Virtual World

Learn about the team building challenges a virtual work environment presents for association executives. Hear tips for ensuring staff members feel connected and supported, are able to proactively resolve conflict, and reimagine organizational culture. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Xchange

Presenter: Thomas Reynolds, Director of Education Services, Maryland Municipal League

Tue 6/28 at 12 p.m. – What’s the Real Deal When Negotiating with Professional Speakers

Hear the insider secrets of successfully negotiating with professional speakers. Learn negotiation strategies and tips that work to get what you really want. Everything is a negotiation and nearly everything is negotiable. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Presenters:

Gina Davilla, principal owner of The Keynote Shop
Linda Swindling, JD, CSP, professional keynote speaker and negotiation expert

Tue 6/28 at 1 p.m. – Reimagining Association Ecommerce: Exceeding High Member Expectations in Today’s Digital Age

Associations understand that members and non-members have extremely high e-commerce expectations in today’s digital age thanks to Amazon, Google, Target, etc. A common struggle is how to deliver that kind of experience, particularly when transactions happen in their AMS and other platforms that were not built to do so. Learn how to think of e-commerce and the use of traditional association platforms differently and how to decouple the store or marketplace from legacy systems to provide a great buying experience for the user. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenters: Jake Toohey, Senior Digital Consultant, and Joe Post, Vice President Strategy & Experience Design, Adage Technologies

Tue 6/28 at 1 p.m. – Dare to Interrupt: A Special Tell-All With Leading Women in Events

Overhear raw, unfiltered conversations between the industry’s most influential women on important topics facing women today, from imposter syndrome and sexual harassment to negotiating pay and beyond. Learn how this diverse panel of leaders overcame the unique challenges they faced in the meetings industry, strategies you can apply to advance and optimize your career growth, and how to better support and empower women in the meetings and hospitality community. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Facilitator: Courtney Stanley, keynote speaker and host of Meetings Today’s podcast Dare to Interrupt

Tue 6/28 at 1 p.m. – How to Design Ads for Nonprofits

Learn the basics of digital ad design and how to create or improve your own, including common specifications for digital ads, the best software and file types to use, design dos and don’ts, call to action tips and more. More info/register.

Host: Feathr

Presenter: Aidan Augustin, President & Co-founder, Feathr

Tue 6/28 at 2 p.m. – Member-Centric Strategic Planning: The Mistakes Associations Make with Their Members

Everyone in the association world thinks they are member-centric, but there are things associations do that get in the way of prioritizing their members. It’s time to examine the ways associations mistakenly take their members for granted and how to fix it. Learn how to align the goals of your board, executive director, membership manager and your members to create a robust membership program that serves members and brings revenue to your association. More info/register.

Host: Grype

Presenter: Carol Hamilton, principal, Grace Social Sector Consulting

Tue 6/28 at 3 p.m. – Rolling Out the Rainbow Carpet: Creating Inclusive Events and Welcoming Destinations

How do we make our destinations and events more inclusive and welcoming? Join destination representatives and organizers who share the struggles and triumphs they’ve experienced to ignite action as we work toward a more inclusive reality for all. This session will feature content from PCMA EduCon earlier this month as well as a live Q&A so bring your questions to leverage the shared lessons learned from these industry leaders and each other. 0.75 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenters:

Josh Henry, Meetings Manager, SPIE
Chase Brunson, CLE, Sections & Events Manager, Austin Bar Association
Maria Grasso, Senior Vice President, Convention Division, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
Jason Dunn, GVP Diversity Sales & Inclusion, Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau
Rory Archibald, Associations, Sectors & Marketing, VisitScotland

Wed 6/29 at 11 a.m. – Why Having an Event Video Strategy Matters

Instead of letting your event videos collect dust on your hard drive, leverage them and your organization’s other videos to increase engagement and create a well of content that can be reused all year long. Learn how to take advantage of your video content and what a great video strategy can do for all of your events—not just the virtual ones. More info/register.

Host: EventMobi

Presenters: Bob Vaez, founder & CEO, and Thorben Grosser, VP of Product Marketing, EventMobi

Wed 6/29 at 11 a.m. – Hold Them or Fold Them: What’s Your Member Hand Telling You?

Should membership renewal rates alone define how your organization measures return on engagement (ROE)? What data points should you use to measure member engagement? More importantly, would your association align and agree upon those indicators org-wide and alter programming accordingly? Measuring engagement means understanding the member journey and how it interacts with all of your programming. Learn about potential data sets that can help you kick-start your ROE definition and build your own personalized engagement algorithm. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Maneesha Manges, CXO, HighRoad Solution

Wed 6/29 at 1 p.m. – F&B Trends

With supply chain challenges, staffing shortages, a plant-based movement and rising food costs, there’s a lot of uncertainty about what will happen next. Discover what food and beverage is trending six months into the year, ways to incorporate the trends into your own event menus, and how the trends will reshape the future of event catering. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Presenter: Tracy Stuckrath, CMM, CSEP, founder of thrive! meetings & events and host of the Eating at a Meeting podcast

Wed 6/29 at 2 p.m. – Exploring the Metaverse for Associations

We’ve heard about the metaverse in the news, but what is the metaverse and what impact could it have on associations? See a demonstration of the metaverse and hear from a panel of executives how their organizations are thinking about the metaverse and potential association use cases. Get a clear breakdown of the technology behind the metaverse, operational considerations, and the challenges of the metaverse, including critical legal and ethical risks. Get a chance to experience the metaverse first-hand during an informal happy hour in our own custom campus in the metaverse. More info/register.

Hosts: Association Women Technology Champions and ASAE

Presenters:

Ryan Costello, Chief Strategy Officer, MemberSuite, and Co-Founder, Event Farm
Dorothy Deng, Partner, Whiteford Taylor Preston LLP
Barton Goldenberg, Founder and President, ISM. Inc.
Reggie Henry, CAE, Chief Information & Engagement Officer, ASAE
Amreetha Nagaraj, MS, CSM, Head Of Consulting – US East & Canada, Box
Bill Murphy, CEO, RedZoneX Holdings
Michael Potts, Metaverse Artist and Owner, M2 Studio, Inc.
Jorge Luis Rivera, CAE, Director of Membership Development, National Roofing Contractors Association
Prabhash Shrestha, MS, PMP, CAE, Group Executive Vice President, Chief Digital Strategy Officer, ICBA
Bill Sweeney, Director of Business Development – North America, rooom AG

Wed 6/29 at 2 p.m. – Building a Future-Proof Strategy: How to Diversity Your Non-Dues Revenue Streams

Learn what future-proofing is and why associations need to build and maintain a future-proof NDR strategy, how to think outside the box and use non-traditional revenue drivers to diversify your association’s plan, and key considerations for identifying and implementing the right NDR initiatives for your association. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Advisor

Presenters: David Butler, Senior Director, Business Development, and David Freeman, Account Manager, Naylor Association Solutions

Wed 6/29 at 2 p.m. – PCMA EduCon Makers Series Webinar: Production & Experience Outcomes

The team behind EduCon will reveal how they got creative with producing a revised hybrid event model, share the design and outcomes of the partner activations and experiences in The Hub and how collaborating with the host city partners and event suppliers led to the delivery of an immersive experience whether you participated in-person or online. 0.75 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Wed 6/29 at 2 p.m. – Go Rogue: Transforming Sustainability from Optional to Imperative

Become a “GO ROGUE* change-maker” and take action for a sustainable events industry. Together, we will learn about circular design and how to apply it to carbon emissions, consumption, supply chain, and the sustainability success of your event and organization. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MeetingsNet

Presenters:

Aurora Dawn Benton, aka The Change-maker, Chief Change Agent, Astrapto
Paul Salinger, aka The Provocateur, Event Sustainability Evangelist (former Oracle VP)
David Fiss, aka The Cactopus, Director of Corporate Partnerships & Event Strategy, Sustainable Brands
Chance Thompson, aka The Designer, Co-Founder @ VIRIDESCENT

Thu 6/30 at 11 a.m. – A Global Approach to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Conscious Inclusion for Associations

What do we mean when we say Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)? How does this manifest in a global context? How can we leverage a Conscious Inclusion strategy as a systemic, integrated approach to the business of advancing DEI in the global association community? Explore key questions related to how associations can embrace DEI as agents of change. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: ASAE and ESAE

Thu 6/30 at 12 p.m. – Events To Experiences Summit: Connect & Convert

Quality will matter over quantity. Unique experiences will stand out. Audience-focused content will move the needle. And high-value programming will get your attendee’s attention. If you can make your attendees feel something at your events, they’re going to remember you and your brand. Learn how you can deliver more immersive, engaging experiences that leave people wanting more, and then some. More info/register.

Host: Airmeet

Thu 6/30 at 12 p.m. – Smart Events: A Way to Boost Event ROI & Attendee Experiences

As in-person events make a major comeback this year, many might be tempted to return to business as usual—but this strategy risks falling behind the competition at a time when attendees are increasingly selective about the events they attend in-person. Learn what a smart event is and why they’re no longer just a ‘nice to have;’ how to use smart events to provide a better experience for both exhibitor and attendee; create a smart attendee journey with recommendations, personalization, and engagement; maximize sponsor and exhibitor ROI with smart matchmaking and real-time lead capture; and keep attendees engaged, all the way from pre-event to post-event. More info/register.

Hosts: Skift Meetings and Swapcard

Presenters:

Matt Snodgrass, Marketing Lead, Swapcard
Angela Tupper, Branded Content Editor, Skift Meetings

Thu 6/30 at 1 p.m. – Learning Subscriptions: A Win-Win for Members and Associations.

Explore how associations are repackaging education and certification programs into learning subscriptions to provide access to professional development training in a way that fits in with learners’ lifestyles and creates additional value and benefits for professionals in their industry, whether tied-into membership or sold separately. Learning subscriptions can create a recurring revenue channel for associations, helping to grow non-dues revenues more consistently. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Non Dues-A-Palooza

Presenter: Michelle Brien, Vice President of Marketing & Product Strategy, TopClass LMS by WBT Systems

Thu 6/30 at 1 p.m. – Nonprofit Leadership Roundtable

Leaders often struggle on their own to solve their challenges. But what if you could get coaching from your peers on your burning issue—not advice, but insightful questions that invite you to think about your challenge or opportunity from a different angle. Join us to be coached and to coach. Not only will you get help with the issues you are grappling with today, you will practice important leadership skills. More info/register.

Host: Carol Hamilton, principal, Grace Social Sector Consulting

Fri 7/1 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

Wed 7/6 at 12 p.m. – Building a Fit-for-Purpose Association Board in The Turbulent Twenties

Host: Association Insights in Old Town

Presenter: Jeff De Cagna FRSA FASAE, executive advisor for Foresight First LLC

Thu 7/7 at 2 p.m. – Managed Service Providers 101

Host: 501Works

Presenters:

Marco Maggio, VP Sales & Strategic Practices, All Covered
Dave Sobel, Owner, MSP Radio and Business of Tech Podcasts
James Marquis, CIO, 501 Works

Fri 7/8 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Mindful Networking

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: Anne Ornelas, DES, Senior Manager, Business Systems and Strategic Initiatives at CASS

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Creative Commons licensed photo by Elizabeth George via Unsplash

Association Brain Food: 6.17.22

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…

Declining conference registrations. WBT Systems suggests strategies to reverse the decline in virtual and in-person conference registrations that many associations are experiencing right now. They describe the reasons behind this decline and offer solutions to overcome those barriers or engage the person elsewhere.

Learning subscriptions. At Leading Learning, Jack Coursen from ASHA describes the journey his team took on the way to a successful learning subscription business. He suggests dozens of questions you should ask before going down this road, walks you through the numbers, and explains why the pay-per-course model is hostile to lifelong learning.

Member/customer engagement. PropFuel describes a concept now being used successfully at many associations: conversational engagement. With this strategy, you draw people into a relevant conversation, identify their goals or needs, and respond appropriately—at scale, not individually. PropFuel makes it clear at the outset of this ebook that they’re trying to sell you on a mindset, not their technology. It’s a new way to approach communication and engagement with members and customers.

Association turnaround. The future looked bleak for the American Philatelic Society (APS), but in this instructive case study by Carolyn Shomali at the Professionals for Association Revenue, you can find out how APS erased debt, found new revenue streams, and rejuvenated membership.

AMS implementation. Impexium describes three often overlooked requirements for successful implementations. They explain how to get buy-in from staff—and why you need it—starting with the folks at the top of the org chart, how to deal with not having enough time to do everything else on your plate, and why you should focus on business outcomes (Why), not processes (How), along with sharing other implementation advice.

Membership marketing. Tony Rossell from Marketing General Inc. shares the seven deadly sins of membership marketing. Some of these sins may surprise you. He also suggests next steps to help you repent for those marketing sins.

Climate change. Shelly Alcorn is blogging again! She describes five things associations can do internally about climate change. They might not be what you expect, but they make a whole lot of sense.

Return to the office. As companies and individuals debate and navigate a return to the office, Rishad Tobaccowala points out issues you should keep in mind. Given the arbitrary nature of many management decisions about which days people work in the office versus which they work at home, his last section on in-person interaction versus returning to the office is required reading.

Quick hits

Another incredibly comprehensive guide from Rene Shonerd, CAE: How to create a vendor management program. (Cimatri)

What should be in meeting minutes? (Jim Slaughter, Law Firm Carolinas)

Fern launches an exhibitor success program. It will be interesting to see the impact of this training on exhibitor ROI and whether anyone will offer the same for virtual events. (Trade Show News Network)

The rise of the 15-minute meeting. Why not? It’s worth a try. (Megan Carnegie, Wired UK)

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Fri 6/17 at 12 p.m.* – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

Fri 6/17 at 4 p.m. – Job Search Series: How to Respond to Difficult Interview Questions

Anyone can interview well with a lot of preparation. Many times, candidates don’t think through which difficult questions might be asked in an interview. During an interview, you must communicate your skills and experience in a way that directly relates to the employer’s needs and how you can add value to their organization. This program will provide the tough questions and best way to answer for a successful interview. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Presenter: Shelly Trent, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CAE, JCTC, JCDC, HR and career development professional

Mon 6/20 at 1 p.m. – Marketing Maturity for Nonprofits (Nonprofit Conversations with Cecilia Sepp, CAE)

Guest: Rachel Clemens, chief marketing officer, Mighty Citizen

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Tue 6/21 at 8:30 a.m. – China’s Legal Complexity: The Latest Developments and Impact on Associations in China

Hear about the complexity of China’s legal environment; the latest legal developments relevant to associations, particularly China’s Foreign NGO Law and its impact on associations operating as foreign NGOs in China since the Law took effect over 5 years ago; key developments in cyber security and data protection laws in China; challenges commonly faced by professional societies and trade associations in China; approaches taken by associations operating in China; and areas of activities that may raise concerns or require transition procedures. Get an understanding of the legal and political context of the law, and a perspective on China’s ongoing domestic association reform. 2 CAE credits. More info/register.

Hosts: Kellen and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Presenters:

Steven Basart, Vice President, Asia for Kellen
Amy Liu, China Council, of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Jerald Jacobs, Partner of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Tue 6/21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Community Platforms Demo Day

Join us for the just-in-time virtual community platform demo day featuring presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer community platforms. Community experts will be showcasing platforms and sharing their knowledge with the association market. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Tue 6/21 at 12 p.m. – Component Relations and Volunteer Management Crunch and Munch Session

Join the council for best practice sharing and idea generation. Come with your questions and goals and be ready to share your experiences with others seeking advice. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Advisory Council

Tue 6/21 at 12 p.m. – How to Host Stellar Retrospectives for Better Team Results

In an ideal world, we would give great feedback and evaluate every project in an efficient yet engaging way. Our teams would always learn from past mistakes and constantly improve. Learn about the power of retrospectives and how to set up meetings and processes that will help your team reflect, learn from each other and succeed. More info/register.

Host: Slido

Presenter: leadership coach Dave Bailey

Tue 6/21 at 12:30 p.m. – Meetings of Membership Minds

These impromptu, casual discussions about membership concepts, issues, and challenges are conducted live online and open to membership professionals to comment and offer insights. More info/register.

Hosts: Dan Ratner, The Business of Membership, and Scott Oser, Scott Oser Associates

Tue 6/21 at 1 p.m. – AP Automation: Processing Global Payments, Eliminating Fraud, and Segregating Roles and Responsibilities to Reduce Risk

Get an overview of challenges and trends impacting financial processes in Accounts Payable departments. Hear how automation can drive new levels of efficiency and how digital transformation can improve payment analytics and eliminate manual errors. Best practices to be discussed include processing global payments to any country in any currency, strengthening fraud prevention, and segregating roles and responsibilities to ensure corporate accounting compliance. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Al Ladha, CEO and Founder, iCloudAuthority

Tue 6/21 at 3 p.m. – Mental Health and Wellness Today: Critical Perspectives from Organizations on the Front Lines

Many organizations are working to reduce the stigma of mental health and wellness and have brought the topic of mental health and wellness into the forefront. But are we doing enough? And what can we be doing to further the cause? Hear association and nonprofit executives who are leading the charge on critical issues related to mental health in society and the workplace will discuss: the role associations play in helping their members with issues around mental health and wellbeing, how national organizations can use their platforms and programmatic resources to influence and educate members and those they serve, ways associations and other nonprofits are advocating for mental health issues on behalf of the population as whole, and how associations can serve the needs of their own staff with respect to mental health and wellness. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Presenters:

Dennis P. Stolle, Senior Director of Applied Psychology, American Psychological Association
Nathan Monell, Executive Director, National Parent Teacher Association
Schroeder Stribling, President and CEO, Mental Health America
Richard Yep, CAE, FASAE, Chief Executive Officer, American Counseling Association
Debra Zabloudil, FACHE (moderator), VP, Learning, ASAE

Wed 6/22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – UST Ed Symposium (Washington DC and online)

We have combined four dynamic sessions for an in-person one day event to learn, earn, & network with your peers: Everything you wanted to know about engagement scoring (but didn’t know to ask); IT Zen: how to create harmony across leadership, business and technology; Understanding the payments ecosystem of your association/nonprofit; and membership engagement: pass the pen. 5 CAE credits. Location: Washington DC and online. More info/register. Cost: $25. I’m making an exception by listing this paid event, but since it includes lunch and happy hour, it’s practically free.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Wed 6/22 at 12 p.m. – Membership: Let’s Solve It

According to the 2021 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report, 47% of associations are reporting declines in their total membership. Much of this is due to a decrease in membership renewals: this year, 45% of associations noted a downturn in renewals, which was nearly double what associations experienced in the previous year. We will address how to approach this riddle and present ideas you can translate to your own organization. More info/register.

Host: Juno

Presenter: Chris Vaughan, Chief Strategy Officer, Sequence Consulting

Wed 6/22 at 12 p.m. – Data-Driven Virtual Events

Peel back the mystery surrounding the massive data opportunity for virtual events. Learn about the key features and experiences that drive audience engagement and what data you should be paying attention to. Hear about tactics and technology to drive audience engagement, membership and marketing data to track to grow your show, and why being data-driven is your best investment for 2022. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: EVA

Presenters:

Joe Colangelo, CEO, Bear Analytics
Vinnu Deshetty, Event Tech Advocate, EVA

Wed 6/22 at 2 p.m. – Workplace Wellness – Why it Matters & What You Need to Know

Learn the latest and most significant trends in workplace wellness today, explore why this conversation matters (particularly regarding how it affects mental health at work), and the role of senior leaders and managers in helping their teams work better together in a remote/hybrid environment. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Achurch Consulting

Presenter: Laura Putnam, CEO of Motion Infusion

Wed 6/22 at 2 p.m. – Tapping Into a Destination’s Intellectual Capital

When evaluating a destination for meetings and events, planners often overlook a key resource: local universities and businesses. Thought leaders from these entities can be tapped to enrich an event’s education sessions and overall agenda, elevating the program to a higher level. Learn how CVBs can be a resource for connecting groups with local thought leaders and why local expertise should be considered in the selection process. Hear about examples of events that featured experts from universities and businesses. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Presenters:

Emily Scheiderer, Director of Education, Sales and Service, Destinations International
Gregg Talley, President & CEO, Talley Management Group
Lisa Grimaldi (moderator), Editor, Incentives and Destinations, Northstar Meetings Group

Wed 6/22 at 3 p.m. – Accessibility Today: Making Virtual and In-Person Events Inclusive for All

Despite ramped-up efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion to respond to warranted social and cultural pressure, organizations are still lagging in ensuring their events are accessible and inclusive to all. Hear ways to make events more welcoming and how planners can lead the way in becoming accessibility champions within their organizations for their events. More info/register.

Host: Event Leadership Institute

Presenters:

Joshua Klipp, Esq., Certified Access Specialist (CASp), Principal & Founder, Made Welcome
Christopher Lee, Vice President, CLO & IAAP Managing Director, The Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs
Amy Lund, Teacher and Former President, Illinois Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Paula Goldrich, Product Marketing Manager, Webex Events
Howard Givner (Moderator), Founder and CEO, Event Leadership Institute

Thu 6/23 at 6 a.m. – On Driving User Adoption: Best Practices and Lessons Learnt from Nonprofit and Education Customers

Learn about Salesforce’s six principles for adoption: Change Management, Demonstrate Leadership Buy-In, Know Your End-Users, Be Meaningful & Drive Value, Commit to Simplicity, and Continually Iterate & Improve. Hear how clients have applied these principles in their organization and what they have learnt. More info/register.

Host: Salesforce

Thu 6/23 at 9 a.m. – In-Person Events Are Not What They Used To Be

Attendees are looking forward to shaking hands, networking by the coffee desk, and experiencing the beauty of the different venues at events. However, we are not jumping back to exactly where we were before. Learn how the pandemic changed the in-person experience and how to adapt to it, how to balance in-person and virtual components to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time, what mistakes to avoid when going back to in-person events, the top 5 things to remember when organizing an in-person event post-pandemic, and what we learned from virtual events and how to use them for the in-person experience. More info/register.

Host: 6Connex Marketing

Presenters:

Maciej Ryś, VP at Proidea
Cara Poole, Customer Experience Manager at 6Connex
Barbara Kozanecka, Marketing Coordinator EMEA at 6Connex

Thu 6/23 at 10 a.m. – Journey to Net-Zero

What does it mean to be ‘Net Zero’? Can this realistically be achieved? And what does the journey look like for those just starting, and for those well on their way? This four-part mini-series of The C&IT Show will help event planners gain knowledge, successfully benchmark, observe real-life examples, plan for the future, and will take you on a journey that will result in change both for your organization and the industry as a whole. More info/register.

Host: C&IT

Thu 6/23 at 11 a.m. – Countdown to the Midterms: Summer Legislative Priorities You Can’t Afford to Miss

Learn about what’s driving the policy agenda this summer, how government funding will come into play, and what the 117th Congress’ priorities are as the legislative calendar works against them. More info/register.

Host: FiscalNote

Presenters:

Jason Dick (moderator), Editor-in-Chief, CQ Roll Call
Ariel Cohen, Health Care Reporter, CQ Roll Call
Peter Cohn, Policy Editor, CQ Roll Call
Kate Ackley, Senior Staff Writer, CQ Roll Call

Thu 6/23 at 11 a.m. – Advocacy and Impacting Change

Advocacy remains as important as ever for communicating the issues that matter most for your organization and driving positive change in your industry. Hear valuable insights for promoting your organization’s mission, drawing support for your cause, influencing policy change, and becoming a more powerful advocate. More info/register.

Host: CEO Update

Presenters:

Reid Wilson (moderator), national correspondent, The Hill
Leslie Sarasin, president and CEO, FMI, The Food Industry Association
David Chavern, president and CEO, News Media Alliance

Thu 6/23 at 12 p.m. – PDAC Town Hall: Virtual Meetings Are Here to Stay: What You Need to Know

Join your professional development colleagues in a facilitated experience-sharing discussion on planning and managing virtual meetings, lessons learned along the way, and what your organization is looking toward in 2022 and beyond. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Professional Development Professionals Community

Facilitators:

Hannah Andrews, CAE, Director of Digital Learning, Endocrine Society
Rebecca Campbell, CAE, COO and CLO, Colorado Society for CPAs
Jack Coursen, Senior Director of ASHA Professional Development, American Speech-Hearing-Language Association
Kyle Lambert London, CAE, Manager, Leadership Development and Engagement, National Association of Realtors

Thu 6/23 at 12 p.m. – Marketing Your Career Center

Learn how to drive engagement within your career center and market your career center to increase traffic, all while driving new streams of non-dues revenue for your association. More info/register.

Host: Web Scribble

Presenter: Nicole Ouellette, Marketing Manager at Web Scribble

Thu 6/23 at 12 p.m. – 2022 Association Trends Study Big Reveal: The Future-Focused Member Experience

Hear a deep dive into the comprehensive findings of the 2022 Association Trends Study, including insights into why the powerful connection between innovative technology and member loyalty remains critical to modern associations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Community Brands

Presenters:

Pam Loeb, Principal, Edge Research
Tirrah Switzer, Senior Director of Product Marketing, Community Brands

Thu 6/23 at 12 p.m. – Grassroots Mobilization: What Your Organization Needs to Know (Washington DC)

Learn about the key rules nonprofits need to be aware of in order to communicate with confidence. Hear how various types of grassroots communications may trigger lobbying registration and reporting, campaign finance disclosures, and charitable solicitation registration, as well as the tax implications of grassroots advocacy and laws that may apply to communications in particular types of media. More info/register. Location: Washington DC.

Host: Venable LLP

Presenters: Janice M. Ryan, Partner, and Meredith K. McCoy, Counsel, Venable LLP

Thu 6/23 at 1 p.m. – Taking That First Step: How to Get Started with Your Website Redesign

How do you get started with a website redesign effort? If you’re challenged with taking that first step, hear about ways to move your website project forward and lay the foundation for success. Learn how to prepare your team and identify quick wins, prioritize high “bang for the buck” tasks, get started without knowing everything, and create a roadmap to maximize your ROI. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Results Direct

Presenters: Laura Johnson and Missy Sutton, CAE, experienced association advocates at Results Direct

Thu 6/23 at 1 p.m. – The Elements of Member Value

What members value from their association isn’t always obvious and can be psychologically difficult to pin down. However, universal building blocks of value can show associations opportunities to improve their performance and where to break into new opportunities. Understanding the elements of value can lead to stronger member loyalty, a greater willingness to participate with your association, and sustained growth. Learn about the Elements of Member Value and how associations can benefit from incorporating them into how you think about your association’s mission and what leads to a closer connection to members. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Altai Systems

Presenter: Moira Edwards, founder, Ellipsis Partners

Thu 6/23 at 2 p.m. – Take Charge of Your Content: Know What You Have and How to Improve It

The key to enhancing the effectiveness of your website content is combining hard data (analytics) with human analysis (you). Learn how to keep your digital content organized through a content audit and how to analyze your member’s behavioral and demographic data to identify what content is most valuable to which members. Combining an audit with data will help you uncover gaps in your content so you can make meaningful, strategic changes for improved member engagement. It will also allow you to stop creating content that’s doing nothing. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Presenters:

Andrew Buck, Associate Creative Director – Copy, Mighty Citizen
Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, Association Analytics

Fri 6/24 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

Fri 6/24 at 4 p.m. – Return to In-Person Meetings and What to Consider

Host: Fridays@4

Presenters:

Darlene Somers, CMP DES, Director of Meetings, International Association of Venue Managers
Feborah Dixon, CMP, Conference Producer, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Andrea Massengile, CMP, Senior Meeting Planner, American Chemical Society

Tue 6/28 at 2 p.m. – Member-Centric Strategic Planning: The Mistakes Associations Make with their Members

Host: Grype

Presenter: Carol Hamilton, principal, Grace Social Sector Consulting

Wed 6/29 at 2 p.m. – Exploring the Metaverse for Associations

Hosts: Association Women Technology Champions and ASAE

Presenters:

Ryan Costello, Chief Strategy Officer, MemberSuite, and Co-Founder, Event Farm
Dorothy Deng, Partner, Whiteford Taylor Preston LLP
Barton Goldenberg, Founder and President, ISM. Inc.
Reggie Henry, CAE, Chief Information & Engagement Officer, ASAE
Amreetha Nagaraj, MS, CSM, Head Of Consulting – US East & Canada, Box
Bill Murphy, CEO, RedZoneX Holdings
Michael Potts, Metaverse Artist and Owner, M2 Studio, Inc.
Jorge Luis Rivera, CAE, Director of Membership Development, National Roofing Contractors Association
Prabhash Shrestha, MS, PMP, CAE, Group Executive Vice President, Chief Digital Strategy Officer, ICBA
Bill Sweeney, Director of Business Development – North America, rooom AG

Thu 6/30 at 11 a.m. – A Global Approach to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Conscious Inclusion for Associations

Hosts: ASAE and ESAE

Thu 6/30 at 1 p.m. – Learning Subscriptions: A Win-Win for Members and Associations.

Host: Non Dues-A-Palooza

Presenter: Michelle Brien, Vice President of Marketing & Product Strategy, TopClass LMS by WBT Systems

Thu 6/30 at 1 p.m. – Nonprofit Leadership Roundtable

Host: Carol Hamilton, principal, Grace Social Sector Consulting

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Creative Commons licensed photo by Lukasz Szmigiel via Unsplash

Association Brain Food: 6.10.22

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…

Staffing issues. If member companies are struggling to recruit and keep staff, they will be reluctant to let employees attend conferences or volunteer for your association. WBT Systems suggests strategies to attract talent to your association’s industry and help member companies improve their hiring and retention practices.

Office myths. When announcing a return to the office, many association leaders are living in magical reality. Mark Athitakis at Associations Now says these leaders hope to get “back to pre-pandemic standards and rituals”—rituals they incorrectly assume lead to better results for the organization and its staff. He says, “If you want people to change how they work, you need to be prepared to tell them why”—and those reasons should be based in fact, not myths.

Unproductive meetings. I’m astounded by the research I read on the increase in remote meetings. Meetings are broken, says Rebecca Hinds at Inc., so it’s time for a Meeting Doomsday, a tactic her team used at Asana. Maybe if you help members eliminate Zoom fatigue, they’ll be more likely to attend your virtual programs.

AMS expectations. Nimble AMS describes how an AMS helps membership directors better understand members, anticipate their needs, and deliver an optimal online experience and personalized communications and content. If your AMS doesn’t help you recruit, engage and retain members, you better start shopping for a new one.

Board governance. Paul Jansen and Helen Hatch at the Stanford Social Innovation Review suggest nonprofits add a Chief Governance Officer (CGO) to their boards. The CGO is charged with catalyzing improved board performance. Although you’ll see mentions of fundraising in this post, the points they raise apply to association boards too. The authors describe reasons for governance challenges, benefits of appointing one director as a CGO, and the CGO selection and implementation process.

Digital ageism. Digital ageism goes both ways. Mark Schaefer says, “As a [50-something] person working in a youth-oriented profession, I’m aware of the subtle cultural torpedos of ageism.” But that’s not the only ageism he sees. “Youthful digital natives are driving much of the change in the business world through bold and creative technology adoption. They are teaching us new ways to connect, collaborate, and create.” He says we should seek and accept wisdom wherever it exists, including out of the mouths of babes.

Data security. When it comes to cybersecurity, association execs should keep in mind the old saying about not knowing what you don’t know. If you’re not a security expert, how do you know if your IT team is following the best data security practices? This concise guide from Wicket gives you the lowdown on data security practices to avoid, staff training issues, a recovery plan template and more.

Quick hits

The most obvious content strategy that no one uses: give your blog posts a unifying structure by gathering your content into a curriculum. (Andy Crestodina, Orbit Media Studios)

One of the things I missed most during the pandemic: Why talking to strangers is the best thing you can do for your mental health. (Chris Bourn, Mel)

An unknown, extraordinarily ancient (11-13,000 years old) civilization buried under eastern Turkey. (Sean Thomas, The Spectator)

Good eats

Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.

I should’ve halved the jalapeño-avocado dressing recipe I made last week for a potato salad. But I’ve been finding ways to use it ever since, like smearing it all over baked mahi mahi and yellowfin tuna.

Long ago, Jim bought a bottle of Ouzo because he needed some for a dish he was making. It’s been hanging around ever since, so I’m going to build some menus around it. First up, this Greek (of course) fish dish. I added onion, Kalamata olives and fresh herbs to my version with almaco jack. On the side, an asparagus sauté with bacon, red bell pepper, red onion and fresh basil.

A one-pan meal for Sunday—and lots of leftovers: ground turkey, ground chorizo, sweet potato, greens and black bean skillet.

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Fri 6/10 at 12 p.m.* – AWTC Mindful Networking

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Guest: Villy Savino, Vice President of Technology Transformation for CoreNet Global

*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

Fri 6/10 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

Fri 6/10 at 4 p.m. – Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team (Book Club Discussion)

Join us for our inaugural session of the three-part summer book club series. We will discuss the book Find Your Why: A Practical Guide to Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team by Simon Sinek. Reading the book in advance is encouraged, but it’s not required. Plan to attend a lively discussion on how to find your, your team’s and your organization’s underlying purpose. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Mon 6/13 at 1 p.m. – Workplace Wellness (Nonprofit Conversations with Cecilia Sepp, CAE)

Guest: Fern Carbonell, Midlife Wellness Coach

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Mon 6/13 at 1:30 p.m. – 30-Minute Monday | Pivot to Pirouette

Many in our industry are pivoting right now. Are you new to meetings and events? Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed like you’re not sure how you ended up in the industry? You may have “pivoted” to us but we can help you “pirouette” into your new role in the field. Learn how you can turn your pivot into a graceful and applause worthy pirouette. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Presenters: Melissa Eggert and Nikki Gonzales from Soundings

Tue 6/14 at 11 a.m. – Marketing Automation: Best Practices

Correlation doesn’t always equal causation, however, better marketing automation capabilities are strongly correlated with better market performance. This session will cover several marketing automation best practices and how industry leaders get value out of their marketing automation investment. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Abi Abraham-Ajayi, Senior Consultant, Marketing Automation, fusionSpan

Tue 6/14 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – REvolve: Designing Smarter In-Person Events

Learn how to forecast the results of your next in-person event in an ever-changing environment, stay on top of your role as an event organizer when the industry is moving so quickly, maintain your sanity as your resources are reduced while your workload is increasing, plan for an event venue when you can’t predict attendee numbers, and manage rising costs and inflation as you organize your next in-person event. More info/register.

Host: Evolve Community

Tue 6/14 at 12 p.m. – The Great Resignation Doesn’t Have to Threaten Your DEI Efforts

Organizations are struggling to “win” in an extremely competitive talent market. As a result, the desire to quickly fill a role with any qualified candidate has overtaken previous commitments to increasing the representation of candidates from historically marginalized backgrounds. By reverting to old behaviors, organizations risk losing ground on their diversity efforts. Learn how to attract and recruit qualified, diverse candidates in a competitive talent market and navigate DEI during the Great Resignation. More info/register.

Host: OpenSesame

Presenters:

April Allen, Senior Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Peacehealth
Tara Cooper, Equity Diversity & Inclusion Strategist

Wed 6/15 at 11 a.m. – Looking Forward 2022 (Solutions): The Association Strategies Essential to Success

Get the first look at the data from the most current and comprehensive examination of association strategy. Looking Forward® 2022 (Solutions) is yearly research that tests 120 strategies to discover the ideas that association leaders believe are most critical to success. Learn which key strategies are so essential to the future of associations and why, what principal challenges are facing associations as the sector continues to change in relation to current events, and how to access the Looking Forward Dashboard, filter for the specific information you need, and download reports to share with your staff or board. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Association Laboratory

Presenters: Nikki Golden, CAE, strategist; Meg Whedbee, senior analyst; and Dean West, founder and president, Association Laboratory

Wed 6/15 at 12 p.m. – CRP Idea Swap: Helping Chapters Embrace Change

We need chapter leaders to make changes: huge ones like shifting structures; medium like embracing new volunteer models, support services and affiliate agreements; or easy like changing your schedule. Resistance to change is natural. Anytime you introduce a new process or technology, you have to think about change management from the very start. Unfortunately, we underestimate how our leader training can support us in leading that change. This idea swap will explore how we can use our current and future training opportunities to help chapters embrace change. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management

Wed 6/15 at 1 p.m. – Content By Members, For Members

Learn how you can make sure you are utilizing the right engagement channels to reach members and attain new ones. We will discuss generational gaps, engagement tactics, and how to present your message. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Alfred McKelvy, Sr. Director, Strategic Partnerships, Multiview

Wed 6/15 at 1 p.m. – 4 Outdated Email Practices & How to Modernize your Email Marketing Program

Learn about four email marketing practices that may be hurting more than helping, and the steps to take to supercharge your email program and drive more conversions. Find out how to deliver better, more personalized email campaigns by incorporating subscriber feedback and engagement signals; level up your email creative strategy by leveraging machine learning and AI; and measure the things that matter by ditching antiquated vanity metrics and diving below the surface with your campaign reporting and analytics to understand what’s really going on with your subscribers. More info/register.

Host: American Marketing Association

Presenters: Danielle Gallant and Megan Farquharson, Email Strategists from Validity

Wed 6/15 at 1 p.m. – Mastering the New Ecosystem: How to Keep Pace With the Changing World of Events

As teams are stretched to their limits and job roles expand and become more complex, the need is emerging for planners to have a new network of resources, expertise, and support. This event ecosystem can help fill skills and capabilities gaps and offers planning teams new avenues for successfully managing and executing their events. Learn how an event ecosystem can assist you in mastering the new event landscape, including the elements of an ecosystem (spoiler alert – it’s more than just tech) and tips for using an ecosystem to overcome gaps in skills or capabilities. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Presenters: Mike Dietrich, Vice President of Product Marketing, and Julie Haddix, Senior Director, Industry Solutions, Cvent

Wed 6/15 at 1 p.m. – The Key to Event Personalization

To test how organizations could use preferences to personalize experiences, Google Xi recently partnered with Storycraft Lab and its “Experience Profiles” tool. Learn about the connection between personalization, participation, and engagement—and how tapping into personal preferences can translate into a more inclusive experience. Join this fireside chat to hear about their experiments with putting personalization into practice. More info/register.

Host: Bizzabo

Presenters:

Megan Henshall, Global Events Strategic Solutions Lead at Google
Naomi Clare-Crellin, Founder and CEO of Storycraft Lab

Wed 6/15 at 2 p.m. – How Associations Make Mission Critical Connections on LinkedIn: Tactics, Ideas and Stories Your Teams Need to Know

LinkedIn is the most impactful professional network in existence. This virtual workshop will give you and your association actionable steps to improve your LinkedIn presence, including embracing and positioning your association’s value proposition on LinkedIn; strategies for Groups, Events, Company Pages and connection outreach; planning for content that connects; building bridges to new association revenue opportunities; and why your team’s individual posts impact hiring and talent acquisition. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Presenters:

Larry Eason, Senior Strategist
Colleen McKenna, CEO and Founder, Intero Advisory

Wed 6/15 at 2 p.m. – The Biggest Policy Brewing in Healthcare & How to Stay Ahead in an Election Year

With a surge of legislative and regulatory activity focused on healthcare due to the pandemic, and multiple stakeholders in the industry to influence during an election year, is your team prepared to tackle these issues? Learn how to manage healthcare policy developments as they emerge, engage with key stakeholders, and tackle the top issues on your agenda. More info/register.

Host: FiscalNote

Presenters:

Pepin Tuma, Senior Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Angela Shuman, Director of State Government Affairs, American College of Cardiology
Jessica Wehrman (moderator), Health Policy Editor, CQ Roll Call

Thu 6/16 at 10 a.m. – Revenue, Renewals & ROI: How 4 Associations Made it Happen with a Mobile App

Mobile is now a “must have” for associations to connect and engage members—and generate ROI. Hear proven strategies and successes from INFORMS, American Association of Airport Executives, Institute of Quarrying, and British Orthopaedic Association for growing revenue, renewals, and ROI through member and event apps. 0.5 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Results Direct

Thu 6/16 at 3 p.m. – Data Bites & Happy Hour: Tips and Tricks on How to Talk Data (Arlington VA)

Have you ever wanted to be a little more comfortable when talking data? We will share a brief overview on the most important things you should know so you can be just dangerous enough to talk data, and follow with an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session. Then, we’ll wrap up with interactive working groups around tips for speaking about data and the biggest data problems facing us in 2022, including suggested ways to overcome them and take the next step in your data journey. 1 CAE credit. More info/register. Location: Arlington VA.

Hosts: Association Women Technology Champions and Association Analytics

Thu 6/16 at 9 a.m. – Reenergize Your Event Revenue

Learn how to squeeze more revenue from your in-person events, and generate more leads and improve ROI for your exhibitors and sponsors, to increase rebooking. Hear about the latest trends on packaging digital products. More info/register.

Host: Grip

Presenter: Frederic Malgoire, Managing Partner of E3 (Energy Events Experts)

Fri 6/17 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

Fri 6/17 at 4 p.m. – Job Search Series: How to Respond to Difficult Interview Questions

Host: Fridays@4

Presenter: Shelly Trent, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CAE, JCTC, JCDC, HR and career development professional

Tue 6/21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Community Platforms Demo Day

Host: ASAE

Tue 6/21 at 12 p.m. – Component Relations and Volunteer Management Crunch and Munch Session

Join the council for best practice sharing and idea generation. Come with your questions and goals and be ready to share your experiences with others seeking advice. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Advisory Council

Tue 6/21 at 1 p.m. – AP Automation: Processing Global Payments, Eliminating Fraud, and Segregating Roles and Responsibilities to Reduce Risk

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Al Ladha, CEO and Founder, iCloudAuthority

Wed 6/22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – UST Ed Symposium (Washington DC)

We have combined four dynamic sessions for an in-person one day event to learn, earn, & network with your peers: Everything you wanted to know about engagement scoring (but didn’t know to ask); IT Zen: how to create harmony across leadership, business and technology; Understanding the payments ecosystem of your association/nonprofit; and membership engagement: pass the pen. 5 CAE credits. Location: Washington DC. More info/register. Cost: $25. I’m making an exception by listing this paid event but it includes lunch and happy hour, so that’s practically free.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Wed 6/22 at 2 p.m. – Workplace Wellness – Why it Matters & What You Need to Know

Host: Achurch Consulting

Presenter: Laura Putnam, CEO of Motion Infusion

Thu 6/23 at 12 p.m. – PDAC Town Hall: Virtual Meetings Are Here to Stay: What You Need to Know

Host: ASAE Professional Development Professionals Community

Facilitators:

Hannah Andrews, CAE, Director of Digital Learning, Endocrine Society
Rebecca Campbell, CAE, COO and CLO, Colorado Society for CPAs
Jack Coursen, Senior Director of ASHA Professional Development, American Speech-Hearing-Language Association
Kyle Lambert London, CAE, Manager, Leadership Development and Engagement, National Association of Realtors

Thu 6/23 at 1 p.m. – The Elements of Member Value

Host: Altai Systems

Presenter: Moira Edwards, founder, Ellipsis Partners

Thu 6/23 at 2 p.m. – Take Charge of Your Content: Know What You Have and How to Improve It

Host: Association Analytics

Presenters:

Andrew Buck, Associate Creative Director – Copy, Mighty Citizen
Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, Association Analytics

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Creative Commons licensed photo by Leslie Cross via Unsplash

Association Brain Food: 6.3.22

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…

Association credentialing programs. WBT Systems shares research from the Society for Human Resource Management, which found that employers value ‘alternative’ credentials—non-degree credentials. However, degrees still get preferential treatment because recruiters aren’t certain what they represent and HR software doesn’t recognize them. WBT suggests ways to overcome these barriers so you can attract more employers and employees to your credentialing programs.

Technology selection. In a recent webinar, MemberSuite’s Ryan Costello asked an association exec, selection consultant, and one of his sales colleagues for advice on knowing when it’s time to upgrade technology, setting project expectations, identifying requirements, and considering the people factor. They also talked about the new direction association management software is taking.

Sponsorship strategy. EventMobi published a comprehensive guide to tiered and à la carte sponsorship models for in-person, virtual and hybrid events. It’s a masterclass in selling, pricing and delivering sponsorships, measuring ROI, and writing a post-event report for sponsors.

Communication challenges. Many irksome communication and meeting issues are symptoms of a bigger unresolved problem: the need to revisit and clarify communication fundamentals. Achurch Consulting advises going back to square one and suggests how to bring clarity and intentionality to the way your team communicates and collaborates.

Digital resource library. Lead Marvels explains how your association and members would benefit from a content hub on your website, like the one I have here on Association Brain Food. A hub like this provides insight on member interests, valuable content for members, bonus ROI for exhibitors, lead generation for supplier members, and non-dues revenue.

Quick hits

Google’s productivity expert’s recommendations for mastering your email. (Mohit Mamoria, Mailman)

A computer scientist explains ‘no-code,’ which is used by non-programmers to build an increasing percentage of the world’s software. (Tam Nguyen, The Conversation)

Good eats

Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.

I’ve been anxiously awaiting the arrival of soft-shell crabs and finally had my wishes granted. They are swooningly delicious. I dusted ours with flour and sautéed them in butter with just a bit of oil. OMG. Thank you, Locals Seafood—the best place to buy NC seafood in the Triangle.

I made a new potato salad recipe for a cookout we hosted last weekend: roasted potato salad with jalapeño-avocado dressing. Roasting potatoes is the way to go for salads, especially when you toss them first with garlic and onion powder. If you make this, cut the dressing recipe in half—it makes way too much, but is tasty. I never thought of using avocado as a mayo substitute, but next time I will probably omit the mayo altogether. I topped baked mahi mahi fillets with some of the leftover dressing the other night and will repeat that with yellowfin tuna tonight.

I made blueberry crumb bars for the cookout since NC blueberries are plentiful right now. They’re easy to whip up in the morning and make a good breakfast pastry too.

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Fri 6/3 at 12 p.m.* – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

Fri 6/3 at 4 p.m. – ASAE Member Benefits: Make the Most of Your Membership

Hear about ASAE resources members have used to excel in association management. By the end of this session, you will be prepared to explore all ASAE membership and network have to offer and be familiar with opportunities to expand your network and pursue professional development. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Presenter: American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Member Relations Manager Vanessa Gonzalez-Leyva

Mon 6/6 at 1 p.m. – Future of the Airline Industry in the COVID Era (Nonprofit Conversations with Cecilia Sepp, CAE)

Guest: Joost Hasperhoven

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Mon 6/6 at 1:30 p.m. – How to Create an Effective Hybrid Event Strategy

Hybrid events are ever evolving and still a bit of a gray area. Hear about the main pillars to a successful hybrid events program and how you can up-level your attendee’s experience. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Presenters: Lisa Vogel and Yvonne deFuria, CMP, Webex Events (formerly Socio)

Tue 6/7 from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. – SURGE: Explore

The goal of SURGE 2022 is to learn from the unfamiliar and go beyond the boundaries of what we think is possible. With lessons learned from two years of a pandemic, the Great Resignation and plenty of new technologies changing the way we work, you’ll be prepared for what comes next. With lessons from association pros who have experienced many of the issues you’re facing today, you’ll learn to look beyond current challenges and develop into a leader of the future. CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

Tue 6/7 at 12 p.m. – Curated Data Exploration

This opportunity is for association professionals to engage in peer-led discussions on topics related to data and analytics. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Data Analytics Network and Association Analytics

Tue 6/7 at 12 p.m. – Stop Scrolling, Start Designing Intentional Experiences

As we return full-force face-to-face we have to consider the new needs of participants. Having spent the last year hosting events on two continents, there are many shareable takeaways that will be brought forward in this session. Topics include: if we can’t ditch technology, how to integrate it to drive results; define your purpose with tools for stakeholder buy-in; and formats you can experiment with for best event participant ROI. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Presenter: Tahira Endean, CMP, CITP, CED, DES, Event Producer, College Instructor, SITE Global

Tue 6/7 at 2:30 p.m. – The Resignation of Old Ideas: Offsetting Challenges of Association Management

There are several ways to streamline a process that includes various approaches and modern business technology platforms that help organizations thrive. Learn which techniques can you apply to your association. Hear how to optimize association management processes and support the next generation of leaders. More info/register.

Host: Meeting Expectations

Presenters: from Meeting Expectations: Karl Kirsch, CAE, Vice President; Amanda Hammerli, CMP, Association Manager; Amelia Neiger, Education Specialist; and Joey Sirmons (Moderator), Director, Multimedia Production

Wed 6/8 from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. – SURGE: Explore

Host: Sidecar

Wed 6/8 at 11 a.m. – Your Knowledge-Base Isn’t Just ONE System, It’s All of Them

For a long time now, the association narrative has centered around: bring all our content into one central location and go from there. A more effective approach is to leave your content where it is and let your search tool find it where it lives. Learn how to let your systems do what they do best while consumers of your respective knowledge enjoy an aggregated and consistent content discovery experience. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Johnny Clayton, Chief Growth Officer, FUSE Search

Wed 6/8 at 2 p.m. – Secrets for Maximizing Virtual & Hybrid Event Engagement

After two years of virtual and hybrid meetings, what have we learned about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to attendee engagement? Join us as we share tips for formulas for creating a program that offers a mix of education, discussion and networking; the best times to offer networking sessions; encouraging interactions during education sessions, including how to track if your attendees are actually paying attention; scaling your expectations about interactivity based on attendee types and job level; creating live sessions that go beyond a speaker and a PowerPoint; encouraging attendee networking with each other; and soliciting feedback and insights from your attendees. More info/register.

Host: Matrix Group

Wed 6/8 at 2 p.m. – Research Q&A: Understanding Shifts in Convention City Competitiveness

As the world reopens, destinations are eager to welcome back group business. But selecting the right destination for your convention is easier said than done. Northstar Meetings Group’s 2022 Convention Cities Index aims to make the site-selection process easier for planners of large events. Hear about the latest data from the 2022 Convention Cities Index and discuss how and why city rankings have shifted over the past six months. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Presenters: Elise Schoening, senior associate editor, and Loren Edelstein, vice president/content director, Northstar Meetings Group

Wed 6/8 at 3 p.m. – Data Analytics Trivia

Test your data analytics knowledge or soak up some new knowledge with a group of fun data geeks. We’ll challenge your brain with general analytics questions and throwbacks to previous how-to sessions. And yes, there will be prizes! More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Thu 6/9 from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. – SURGE: Explore

Host: Sidecar

Thu 6/9 at 10 a.m. – Big Buzz Breakfast Club: Is Your Nonprofit As Secure As It Needs To Be?

Learn about cybersecurity threats, costs involved, managing a hybrid workforce, measures you can take to prevent against compromise and what you should be doing today to secure your organization appropriately. Attendees will have access to a 30-Item Checklist for determining their level of security within their organization. More info/register.

Host: Big Buzz Idea Group

Presenter: Laura Barker, co-founder of BridgePoint Technologies

Thu 6/9 at 11 a.m. – How to Write an RFP (Request for Proposal) for Merchant Services: Improving Your Business Process and Net Income

When releasing an RFP to evaluate new merchant service providers, knowing how the credit card industry works is crucial. Your fiduciary obligation and reputation are on the line. With compliance standards to meet and risks to mitigate, there is much to understand about the credit card processing flow, players, terminology, and musts. Learn how to write your RFP, evaluate your perspective merchant service providers based on the criteria most important for your organization, identify the gaps in your current payments ecosystem, and what to ask to reduce these issues in the future. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenters: Julie Duncan, VP Sales, Association Practice Leader, and Wade Tetsuka, CPA, President, UST

Thu 6/9 at 1 p.m. – Learning, Practice, and Credentials: Building a Virtuous Cycle for Your Learning Business

Your learning business can support learning’s cyclical nature by connecting it with practice and credentials, creating a virtuous cycle that benefits your learners and your learning business’s reach, revenue, and impact. Learn why, if you offer education, practice, or credentials, expanding to offer the others makes logical and business sense. Explore how to create effective practice opportunities, look beyond competencies and consider outcomes when creating credentials, and use the Learning Business Maturity Model to act on the opportunity for your organization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Leading Learning

Presenters: Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders, Tagoras and Leading Learning

Thu 6/9 at 2 p.m. – You Don’t Need a Buyer Persona, You Need Audience Personas

Sure, your marketing team is aligned under one cohesive strategy. But your colleagues all have different objectives. So why would they operate with a singular buyer persona? Instead, consider a group of audience personas—where a buyer persona is one piece in the puzzle. Learn how to research for personas, map personas to each marketing function, and enact influence marketing after you already have a group of personas. More info/register.

Host: SparkToro

Presenters: Amanda Natividad, VP Marketing, and Rand Fishkin, Co-Founder & CEO, SparkToro

Fri 6/10 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Mindful Networking

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Guest: Villy Savino, Vice President of Technology Transformation for CoreNet Global

Fri 6/10 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

Fri 6/10 at 4 p.m. – Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team (Book Club Discussion)

Host: Fridays@4

Wed 6/15 at 11 a.m. – Looking Forward 2022 (Solutions): The Association Strategies Essential to Success

Host: Association Laboratory

Presenters: Nikki Golden, CAE, strategist; Meg Whedbee, senior analyst; and Dean West, founder and president, Association Laboratory

Wed 6/15 at 12 p.m. – CRP Idea Swap: Helping Chapters Embrace Change

Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management

Wed 6/15 at 2 p.m. – How Associations Make Mission Critical Connections on LinkedIn: Tactics, Ideas and Stories Your Teams Need to Know

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Presenters:

Larry Eason, Senior Strategist
Colleen McKenna, CEO and Founder, Intero Advisory

Thu 6/16 at 3 p.m. – Data Bites & Happy Hour: Tips and Tricks on How to Talk Data (Arlington VA)

Hosts: Association Women Technology Champions and Association Analytics

Association Bain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If your organization offers free professional development for the association community, please send me the link via email or Twitter by Wednesday afternoon.

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Creative Commons licensed photo by Jody Confer via Unsplash

Association Brain Food: 5.27.22

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…

ALS awareness. Last year, Mark Wallach of Results Direct was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, an always fatal, progressive neurodegenerative disease. If this is the first time you’re hearing this, I know the gut punch you’re feeling. Mark (aka @AssocITMan) wants “thousands of people living with ALS. The keyword here is living,” so treatment becomes profitable and possible. In the meantime, he’d like us to consider donating to I Am ALS, a patient-led community that provides critical support and resources to those living with ALS. His birthday is Sunday and I can’t think of a better gift.

Course evaluations. Most course (and conference) evaluations are pretty useless, says WBT Systems, because they measure how a learner felt about the course, not whether the course was effective. Relying on the expertise of Will Thalheimer, they describe how to improve the typical “smile sheet” evaluation and better measure a course’s effectiveness and value.

The great reassessment. Nearly two-thirds of Americans said their idea of a happy life shifted during the pandemic so they’re stepping off the hamster wheel, reports Megan Leonhardt at Fortune. This ‘great reassessment’ and ‘awakening’ is yet another sign we are never going back to ‘normal’ and that’s okay. The same observation was made by Dean West, FASAE, in an Association Laboratory article I featured last week. Throw your conventional wisdom out the window and take a fresh look at who your members, attendees, and customers have become.

Reimagining volunteering. Recruiting volunteers and leaders has always been a challenge for some associations and chapters, but as the Fortune article pointed out, now you’re dealing with a whole new set of issues. Fíonta explains why volunteer recruitment has become more difficult since the pandemic and suggests strategies for filling your leadership pipeline again.

AMS requirements. Shopping for an AMS is daunting, especially when you don’t know what you don’t know. Trust me, that’s a lesson you’ll never forget. Impexium recommends eight requirements that all associations should have on their AMS list. Make sure these critical issues are on your radar.

Women and conferences. Two recent studies found that as professional conferences went virtual, more women attended, reports Cheryl Winokur Munk at The Wall Street Journal (free link). Is your association offering virtual options now? Because many women can’t attend in-person events. Consider surveying members and nonmembers who don’t attend in-person events to find out whether a virtual event would interest them and why. You might discover a bigger virtual audience than you imagined.

Marketing automation. Once a pipe dream for small and mid-size associations, marketing automation is now within any organization’s reach. GrowthZone describes the benefits of marketing automation and how it differs from email marketing.

Quick hits

How to spot a budding trend—I hadn’t heard of this promising approach before. (Amanda Kaiser)

Excellent tips for looking for a job while looking after yourself. (Carolina Gomez Gilbert)

Try these 15 small adjustments to get back hours of time every week. (Forbes Business Council)

Good eats

Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.

Snack alert! I discovered Cazo de Oro’s kettle-style, fire-roasted Hatch chile corn tortilla chips last weekend. They remind me of freshly made chips and blow away all other supermarket tortilla chips. When I got home, I had to make guacamole.

Back to healthy food, one of my favorites is pan-seared fish (in this case, mahi) in white wine tomato basil sauce. On the side, an asparagus sauté with orange bell pepper, red onion and fennel pollen.

Sunday comfort food: Italian chicken casserole. Ingredients and amounts vary but here’s what went into mine this time: chicken thighs, bacon, cremini mushrooms, yellow onion, red bell pepper, garlic, canned roasted tomatoes, canned cannellini beans, arugula, spinach, egg noodles, chicken broth/flour sauce (aka velouté), topped with a mix of parmesan, asiago and mozzarella cheese.

On the side, another asparagus sauté but this time with orange and red bell pepper, garlic chives and fresh basil. Also, cauliflower roasted with red onion, red pepper flakes and fennel pollen.

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Fri 5/27 at 12 p.m.* – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

Tue 5/31 at 1 p.m. – Reimagining Association Ecommerce: Exceeding High Member Expectations in Today’s Digital Age
Associations often struggle with e-commerce. Most understand that members and non-members have extremely high expectations in today’s digital age thanks to Amazon, Google, Target, etc. A common struggle is how to deliver that kind of experience, particularly when transactions happen in their AMS and other platforms that were not built to do so. Learn how to think of e-commerce and the use of traditional association platforms differently and how to decouple the store or marketplace from legacy systems to provide a great buying experience for the user. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenters: Jake Toohey, Senior Digital Consultant, and Joe Post, Vice President Strategy & Experience Design, Adage Technologies

Tue 5/31 at 1 p.m. – The Resignation of Old Ideas: Offsetting Challenges of Association Management

Host: Meeting Expectations

Tue 5/31 at 2 p.m. – Breaking Through the Bamboo Ceiling in the Meeting and Events Industry

It’s been more than a year of conversations and awareness around the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities and the challenges that continue to be experienced. There remains, however, a proverbial “Bamboo Ceiling” for AAPI individuals still challenged by underrepresentation and lack of inclusion and voice in visible and critical industry leadership positions. Learn about their experiences and develop thinking and actions to learn to create inclusion for the AAPI and other underrepresented groups in our industry. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Presenters: Gary Murakami, CMP, CMM, DES; Elaiza Shepherd; Joan Eisenstodt; Jenny Ng, CMP; Charlene Liu, CMP, DMCP

Wed 6/1 from 7 to 11 a.m. – Webinar Days 2022

Two days packed with inspiration and practical advice to, and from, the webinar makers, the marketing professionals and the marketing leaders who are transforming the way companies communicate, relate and connect with their audiences in webinars and digital events. The time is now to finally orchestrate webinars and digital events in your marketing stack. More info/register.

Host: TwentyThree

Wed 6/1 at 11 a.m. – Live Q&A: Introduction to the Metaverse for Business Events

The Metaverse is coming. How and when will it impact your business events? Stas has built numerous successful businesses, and his perspective on the timing and use cases for immersive experiences may help answer your most pressing metaverse questions. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenter: Stas Zaslavsky, CEO of immersive experiential platform Vii

Wed 6/1 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Lunch Meet-Up (Bethesda MD)

Join an intimate, in-person lunch with Cynthia De Jesus (Association Analytics), Diane Harris (Association for Financial Professionals), Gayathri Kher (FusionSpan), and Tori Miller Liu (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association). We’re keeping things small and capping registration at 12 people. We ask that you be fully vaccinated and we will abide by local masking policies. Lunch is on your own. Location: Bethesda MD. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Wed 6/1 at 12 p.m. – Navigating the “New Normal” Workforce

Some say the Great Resignation is actually the Great Reassessment. People are re-evaluating their work-life balance, commute, culture, and careers. Learn how an employee-centric culture can create the kind of engagement where people think twice about exiting stage right. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Insights in Old Town

Presenter: Shira Lotzar, Chief Engagement Officer of Purposeful Hire

Wed 6/1 at 1:30 p.m. – Keeping Your Members Engaged from Onboarding Through Renewal on Your Membership Site

Learn how to experience your website and membership site through the eyes of your user; to predict what they are looking for and anticipate what they will find relevant and helpful. More info/register.

Host: Grype

Presenter: Ronja Francoeur, Membership Website UX Specialist

Thu 6/2 from 7 to 11 a.m. – Webinar Days 2022

Host: TwentyThree

Thu 6/2 at 11 a.m. – The Digital Ecosystem Approach: How It’s Shaping The Future For Associations

To achieve member satisfaction, associations must evolve their everyday tools by selecting software that integrates so they can leverage member data and track member engagement in real-time. When tools and technology are able to communicate and interact with one another, it creates a digital ecosystem, the way of the future—and the present. It provides freedom and flexibility to choose tools and technology that work best for your association while facilitating a centralized hub for member data. Hear about practical examples so you can feel confident as you begin to form your digital ecosystem. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Wicket Co-founder and CEO, Jeff Horne

Thu 6/2 at 12 p.m. – Pivot-Proof Your Event Planning Ride

The events industry has been on a wild ride over the past two years. From in-person to virtual to hybrid, and back again, it’s no wonder we feel like we haven’t gotten off the rollercoaster. It’s time to step off the carousel and talk about planning in the new normal. Your attendees depend on your expertise, so you don’t want to miss any industry updates while you’re creating seamless networking and engagement opportunities. Learn pro-event planning tips and ensure that no attendee is left behind. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Pathable

Presenter: Ross Sawai, Vice President, Sales and Business Development, Community Brands

Thu 6/2 at 1 p.m. – Improving Online Conference Engagement Through Meeting Design: A Case Study

How do you deliver not just great, relevant content for online conference attendees, but how do you also allow attendees to really engage with that content and with each other? How do you break away from a more typical “sit and listen” model to one that is more active and participatory? Join us for a frank, behind-the-scenes conversation about the evolution and ultimate delivery of the 2022 ACT Conference. The case study will feature input from a partnership that brought it all together. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: EVA

Presenters:

Lee Gimpel, President, Better Meetings
Ginny Winkworth. Program Manager, Agents Council for Technology (ACT)
Vinnu Deshetty, Event Tech Advocate, EVA

Thu 6/2 at 2 p.m. – Member First Design

Explore how ASAE’s recent member-focused design exercises helped them break the cycle of designing systems for staff rather than members. Hear a lively exchange between ASAE and their consulting partner Yes& on how they worked closely together to reveal their truths and impact their members. This approach could be applied by your organization to solve members’ true problems to accelerate your mission, discover the problems members face completing “jobs to be done” while using association systems and how to solve them, give members what they need rather than what you think they need, and understand how to design systems that meet member needs. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: 501Works

Presenters:

Reggie Henry, CAE, Chief Information and Engagement Officer, ASAE
Amy Hissrich MA, CAE, Vice President, Global & Web Strategy, ASAE
Tracy Betts, Senior Vice President Digital Innovation, Yes&
James Marquis, CIO, 501Works

Thu 6/2 at 2 p.m. – The Myth of Digital Fatigue: Rethinking Audience Engagement for a Digital-First World

“Digital fatigue” is just another way of saying people are tired of boring marketing. Today, audiences expect more. They want digital experiences that are interactive, engaging and authentically human. Maybe even fun. Hear about a new vision for audience engagement in a digital-first world, including having an audience centric approach to webinars and events, moving from presentations to serialized programs, personalizing content experiences, and turning audience engagement into data that converts. More info/register.

Host: American Marketing Association

Presenter: Mark Bornstein, VP of Marketing at ON24

Fri 6/3 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

Fri 6/3 at 4 p.m. – ASAE Member Benefits: Make the Most of Your Membership

Host: Fridays@4

Presenter: American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Member Relations Manager Vanessa Gonzalez-Leyva

Tue 6/7 from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. – SURGE: Explore

Host: Sidecar

Wed 6/8 from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. – SURGE: Explore

Host: Sidecar

Wed 6/8 at 2 p.m. – Secrets for Maximizing Virtual & Hybrid Event Engagement

Host: Matrix Group

Wed 6/8 at 2 p.m. – How Associations Make Mission Critical Connections on LinkedIn: Tactics, Ideas and Stories Your Teams Need to Know

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Presenters:

Larry Eason, Senior Strategist
Colleen McKenna, CEO and Founder, Intero Advisory

Thu 6/9 from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. – SURGE: Explore

Host: Sidecar

Thu 6/9 at 1 p.m. – Learning, Practice, and Credentials: Building a Virtuous Cycle for Your Learning Business

Host: Leading Learning

Presenters: Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders, Tagoras and Leading Learning

Fri 6/10 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Mindful Networking

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Guest: Villy Savino, Vice President of Technology Transformation for CoreNet Global

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Creative Commons licensed photo by Ronald Diel via Unsplash

Association Brain Food: 5.20.22

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…

Keynote speakers. In an intentionally contrarian mood, WBT Systems is causing trouble by wondering how much value keynote speakers bring to conferences and attendees. Do keynotes influence the decision to attend? They point out the usual problem with keynote selection and suggest other ways you can use your keynote budget.

Promoting credential value. MemberSuite recounts the value of certifications and certificate programs to the individual and their employer. They suggest ways to promote the value of credentialing to both audiences.

You are not who you were. Your employees and your members are not who they were before the pandemic, says Dean West, FASAE, of Association Laboratory in an entertaining, insightful post. “You are no longer burdened by the past—legacy work, relationships, or notions of your future. The old you is dead—the new you is yours for the making… If you had to invent your association today, what would be similar and different to your current association?” I agree. Don’t be a weenie craving for ‘normal.’ Become the association your members (not just your board) need now and in the future.

Online community. Speaking for myself, even lurkers appreciate online communities—it’s the membership benefit I value most. Nimble AMS lays out a useful plan for launching and managing an online community.

Job qualifications. Wes Trochlil of Effective Database Management calls foul on the four-year college degree requirement for some association positions, particularly database management. College is not the only path intelligent people take to successful careers, yet so many associations insist on only considering college graduates. Phooey.

iPaaS. Wonky technology can be really exciting when you get a sense of the potential it can deliver. That’s why I love seeing this article by Ernie Smith at Associations Now about integration platform as a service aka iPaaS. This will reduce costs and open up possibilities for associations of all sizes.

Must-have technology. Personify describes the five software platforms every association, even tiny ones, should have. They also advise what to look for when researching each platform.

Quick hits

Best practices on amending bylaws. (Jim Slaughter, Law Firm Carolinas)

Move your organization from wait-and-see to a chance-to-lead. (Daniel Burrus)

Good eats

Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.

Friday night, we started with steamed Pirate Pearls oysters. For a dipping sauce, I added lemon juice and hot sauce to browned butter. Then, for dinner, life just kept getting better with stuffed flounder. Not really stuffed, but topped with a mix of spinach, cream cheese, parmesan, parsley, garlic powder and Italian and panko breadcrumbs.

On Sunday, lamb stroganoff. Long ago, I started with this chicken stroganoff recipe but now make it with ground lamb. I use onion instead of shallot, unless I have shallot hanging around; add smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and Worcestershire sauce; and omit the tomato. I double the recipe so we can enjoy it more than one night and I can have it for a few lunches too—my usual Sunday strategy. On the side, broccoli roasted with garlic powder and then topped with lemon juice and parmesan.

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Fri 5/20 at 12 p.m.* – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

Fri 5/20 at 4 p.m. – Making the Most of Your Network: You’ve Built Your Network, Now Use It

Join us as we discuss the next steps to take after you’ve built your network. I’ll share tips on how to utilize your network to benefit you. I’ve helped professionals at every level get over their “networking fears” and will share how you can too. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Presenter: Sara Bustard, CAE

Mon 5/23 at 1 p.m. – Compliance is the Starting Block, Not the Finish Line

In the 30-Minute Monday series, a subject matter expert and moderator sit down for a hard-hitting, jam-packed conversation about the topics you need to know to start your week. No slides, no long lectures, just facts, tips, and tricks to help you take your events and business to the next level. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Mon 5/23 at 1 p.m. – SEO for Nonprofits (Nonprofit Conversations with Cecilia Sepp, CAE)

Guest: Brian Loebig

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Tue 5/24 at 11 a.m. – Ads & Email: Better Together

With the average email open rate—across all industries—hovering between 16-20%, it’s time to adopt new strategies and tactics to reach your audiences. Learn several ways you can do more with email and how ads and marketing automation tools can work together to support, enhance, and complement your email marketing efforts. Hear about the ins and outs of email mapping campaigns, sending automated emails triggered by website behavior and/or intent signals, and GDPR-friendly ways to reach your unsubscribers. More info/register.

Host: Aidan Augustin, President & Co-founder, Feathr

Tue 5/24 at 12 p.m. – Component Relations and Volunteer Management Section Council Crunch and Munch

This month’s topic is discussed in this Collaborate thread. We’ll feature different questions from our community and assist each other with best practice sharing and idea generation. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Section Council

Tue 5/24 at 12 p.m. – Town Hall Session: Applying ASAE’s Drivers of Change in Education Planning

Hear from the ASAE Foundation’s Foresight Works Advisory Group members about the Drivers of Change, research-based trends that are particularly relevant to associations and how are associations using them. Participate in a discussion about those most relevant to education planning. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Professional Development Advisory Council

Tue 5/24 at 12 p.m. – Now & Next: Attendee Trends & the Future of Events

Join us as we dig into data, showcase trends, and immerse event professionals into what’s emerging and what’s next in attendee behaviors, events, and shared experiences. Learn how data and trends are transforming and informing the future of events, tech options that are changing the face of events, and how to hit your benchmarks in a world of new opportunities. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: EventMB

Presenters:

Joe Schwinger, Co-founder and Chief Product/Innovation Officer, MeetingPlay + Aventri
Caryn Mambro, Chief Creative Officer, Opus Agency
Ashley Anderson, Senior Strategist, Opus Agency
Angela Tupper (moderator), Branded Content Editor, EventMB

Tue 5/24 from 12:10 to 3:00 p.m. – Event-Led Growth Summit

Everything we knew about the world—and the world of events—completely changed in 2020. We rethought work. We reimagined communication. And we aren’t going back. Your future marketing growth starts with events. Virtual and hybrid events not only help forge deep connections, but also have the power to impact your funnel, your pipeline, and the future of your business. That’s the power of Event-Led Growth, and we’re going to teach you everything you need to know about it. More info/register.

Host: Airmeet

Tue 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Prioritizing Policies for Remote Work Effectiveness

Like most organizations at that time, COVID-19 forced NACE to pivot from an in-person office to a fully remote workforce. As the pandemic lingered, Shawn saw the value of keeping their workforce permanently remote. As NACE intentionally transitioned to a fully remote team, Shawn knew updated policies and processes were critical to ongoing remote success. In this “fireside chat,” Shawn will share why NACE made the intentional transition to fully remote, why he prioritized updating NACE’s policies and processes, and what key policies he believes were most critical for his team’s success. Don’t miss your opportunity to ask Shawn questions and learn best practices you can apply to your organization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Achurch Consulting

Presenter: Shawn VanDerziel, Executive Director at the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)

Tue 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Meetings Outlook

Given the reality of the current pandemic, meeting professionals are finding it nearly impossible to make decisions related to the business of events. What will the conditions look like in the next year? What will the new reality look like? And how are other meeting professionals overcoming current obstacles to grow business? Much is uncertain, but current projections can help. Deep dive into MPI’s most recent Meetings Outlook research and then discuss the trends that are most affecting you and your peers. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Tue 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Why Every Association Should Consider a Docuseries

Hear key industry insights learned while designing, creating and executing an association docuseries content model. Learn how docuseries can increase your association’s recruitment, retention and revenue; position your association and members as leaders in your industry; and capture your association younger, fresh-to-the-industry audiences. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Dan Stevens, President, WorkerBee.TV

Tue 5/24 at 2 p.m. – How to Get Ready for Google Analytics 4

If you haven’t heard, GA4 has turned Google Analytics on its head with changes to the user interface, data model, capabilities, implementation, and more. Learn about the key differences between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4, why you should install Google Analytics 4 now, how to transition from Universal Analytics to GA4, and what you need to do to get the most out of the powerful new features in GA4. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Matrix Group

Tue 5/24 at 2 p.m. – What The Next Generation of Members Want to Hear from Your Association

Learn what the data says about associations who have found ways to attract the next generation and those that have not. Hear about communication preferences and expectations of millennials, how a personalized and authentic approach to marketing will help associations reach these new potential members, and how to collaborate with your community to co-create content that resonates. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Gather Voices

Presenters:

Colby Horton, founder and CEO of Association Briefings
Frank Humada, Chief Business Development Officer at Association Briefings
Michael Hoffman, CEO and co-founder of Gather Voices

Tue 5/24 at 3 p.m. – Benchmark your Employee Benefit Package to Retain and Attract Talent

Get an overview of benefits benchmarking and the impact your employee benefits can make on employee retention and talent acquisition. We’ll discuss, costs, plan designs and various other key metrics to be aware of. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Dario Campolattaro, Regional Employee Benefits Platform Leader, Hilb Group

Tue 5/24 at 3 p.m. – Member Retention: Engaged Members Retain Themselves

Find out why retention is not a communication channel but an engagement channel, how to figure out the lifetime value of your members, how much to invest in your members to retain them, and how to engage members so that they retain themselves. More info/register.

Host: Grype

Presenter: Chris Vaughan, Chief Strategy Officer and Non Profit Membership & Marketing Consultant at Sequence Consulting

Wed 5/25 at 11 a.m. – Looking Forward 2022 (Solutions): The Association Strategies Essential to Success

Looking Forward® 2022 (Solutions) is yearly research that tests 120 strategies currently being implemented by associations. Get a first look at the key strategies associations believe are critical to success and why they are so essential to the future of associations. Hear about the principal challenges facing association strategy as the sector continues to change in relation to current events. Learn how to access the Looking Forward Dashboard, filter for the specific information you need, and download reports to share with your staff or board. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Association Laboratory

Presenters:

Artesha Moore, FASAE, CAE, President & CEO of Association Forum
Donna Oser, CAE, CEO of Michigan Society of Association Executives
Dean West, FASAE, president of Association Laboratory

Wed 5/25 at 11 a.m. – Putting Customers at the Center of Your Event Data Strategy with Sentiment Analysis

Traditional efforts to capture sentiment data that focus on one or two metrics like Net Promoter Scores can fail to be as customer centric as modern organizations need them to be. Learn how to use a combination of figures and open-ended feedback to gain more impactful insights about your audience, better evaluate event performance, and get stakeholders on board with your plans. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenter: Gary Coombs, CTO of IMEX

Wed 5/25 at 12 p.m. – MPI Association Professionals Hot Topic Chat: All Things F&B

Join MPI’s Association Professionals Community Council as we discuss all things food and beverage, including new F&B trends, creative ways to deal with price increases, COVID mitigation strategies and more. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Wed 5/25 at 12 p.m. – The Special Ingredient: Association Project Management The pandemic, the economy, Ukraine—there’s no doubt that associations are in the midst of a changing workplace. Members are asking for more with fewer resources. Handling this changing landscape and shifting priorities is a challenge in the easiest of times—let alone when we are thrown into crises. Learn how incorporating project management principles into association operations may help streamline even the smallest project. She will share resources and best practices to help you implement project management practices in your association. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association xChange

Presenter: Hannah Alleman, Executive Director of Ignite Solutions at the Household Consumer Products Association

Wed 5/25 at 12 p.m. – International Associations Advisory Council Book/Podcast Club: Netflix’s Emily in Paris

In our second installment, the Book/Podcast Club discusses the Netflix hit show Emily in Paris. This television series is a fascinating look at how cultural differences between France and America affect not only the workplace but also social experiences. Join us for a lively discussion about marketing and culture based on this TV series. Don’t have Netflix, no problem, everyone is invited. More info/register.

Host: ASAE International Associations Advisory Council

Wed 5/25 at 1 p.m. – The Alignment Conversation: Tools to Help You Align DEI Investments to Business Needs

Leaders often ask their teams to “make the business case for diversity” without fully grasping the concept. Even with data to support the investment of time, resources and money, they’ll delay commitment because Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is often perceived as the “right thing to do” rather than an innovative advantage. Learn about resources that assist with aligning your investments and business needs, the importance of stakeholder buy-in at all levels across the workforce, what it means to make the business case for diversity, and how to measure impact and application to achieve ROI. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Presenters:

Zoe Moore, Diversity Practitioner, Consultant and Strategist, Hospitality Equity
Greg DeShields, CDE, CHE, Executive Director, Tourism Diversity Matters

Wed 5/25 at 1 p.m. – How to Build Hype for a Can’t-Miss Event

How can you break through the noise and convince people that they need to make it a priority to register and attend your event? How can you build hype and ensure attendees don’t want to miss your event? Hear tried and true advice on the do’s and don’ts of event website design, tips for ticketing and pricing your events, perfecting your promotional mix, and reassuring attendees of safety as you return to in-person. More info/register.

Host: American Marketing Association

Presenters: Dara Burg, Senior Associate of Events Marketing, Robin Clark, Senior Manager of Event Marketing and Trade Shows, and Emily Dick, Director of Demand Generation, Cvent

Thu 5/26 at 8:30 a.m. – A World Beyond AMS (Washington DC)

Join a conversation around the future of association tech. Companies across the globe have benefited from unprecedented R&D funding in mainstream SaaS tools. Why are associations content with narrowly focused, proprietary, outdated technologies? Sidecar is charting a new course: building a component-based, integrated network of market-leading apps that are not unique to associations. The best part about this project? We’re giving away the blueprint for free. Open to association and AMC staff members. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.

Hosts: Blue Cypress + Sidecar

Thu 5/26 at 11 a.m. – Association/Nonprofit Board of Directors: Governance, Risk Management & Training

Learn how to better equip board members and directors for success in their roles and ensure the board continuously works to promote and obtain the mission of the organization. Hear about fiduciary duty considerations and challenges, and appropriate conflict of interest management. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Rich Bar, Partner, Nonprofit Practice Leader, GKG Law

Thu 5/26 at 11:30 a.m. – The Crash Course in Event Tech Is Over. So, What’s Next?

Event professionals in the scholarly industry faced a steep learning curve these past two years. From learning about virtual conferencing on the fly, to shepherding presenters and attendees through brand new meeting platforms, this era of event management has brought no shortage of challenges. While “how to hybrid” is still an elephant in the room, the event tech environment has stabilized considerably in recent months. Get an honest look at the impact that the crash course in event tech has had on all of us. And we’ll pull out our metaphorical crystal ball in an attempt to predict the next big shift that scholarly meetings could face. More info/register.

Host: Ex Ordo

Thu 5/26 at 2 p.m. – Top 5 Digital Sponsorships That Engage Sponsors AND Members

Learn how much the needs of members and sponsors have changed—and for the better. The past was about brand advertising. The shift to content marketing has opened up models that are good for BOTH members and sponsors. We will review five models that are growing in popularity with associations and helping to engage members and grow digital non-dues revenues. More info/register.

Host: Non Dues-a-Palooza

Presenter: Dan Stevens, President of WorkerBee.TV

Thu 5/26 at 3:30 p.m. – Culture-Driven Technology Decisions for the Hybrid Workplace: Supervision and Accountability

As associations contemplate a return to the office, it’s tempting to start by talking about logistical issues. However, if we start with answering underlying culture questions, our technology decisions should be more sustainable, meaningful, and future-focused. In this workshop series, we will explore how four key culture decisions impact technology decisions for the hybrid workplace. What new systems will you create to manage supervision and accountability? How has the pandemic changed how you use your performance management system? 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Presenter: Maddie Grant, founder, Propel

Thu 5/26 at 5:30 p.m. – The Virtuous Cycle of Events and Community-Building (Arlington VA)

Events are a great place to build and strengthen community. But how do we craft events that foster community and how do we build communities that drive successful events? How do we adapt to online and hybrid gatherings or re-adapt to in-person events? How do we tweak events to turbocharge their effectiveness vis-à-vis community development, networking, learning and engagement? Join us for a fun, participatory and insightful session that blends effective best practices with actual hands-on demonstrations of ways to improve your own events and foster community at the same time. Location: Arlington VA. More info/register.

Host: CMX Connects DC

Presenter: Lee Gimpel, founder of Better Meetings

Fri 5/27 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

Wed 6/1 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Lunch Meet-Up (Bethesda MD)

Join an intimate, in-person (yay!) lunch with Cynthia De Jesus (Association Analytics), Diane Harris (Association for Financial Professionals), Gayathri Kher (FusionSpan), and Tori Miller Liu (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association). We’re keeping things small and capping registration at 12 people. We ask that you be fully vaccinated and we will abide by local masking policies. Lunch is on your own. Location: Bethesda MD More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

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Creative Commons licensed photo by Ann via Unsplash

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