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Association Brain Food Weekly: 9.4.20

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

Virtual sponsors/exhibitors. In conversations about virtual conferences, one question always arises: how to provide value to virtual sponsors and exhibitors. WBT Systems has been gathering insights over the last six months or so and shares their new ideas on this topic.

Virtual event tips. Layla Masri at Yes& offers 22 tips from the virtual conference trenches. Yes& produced the recent virtual ASAE Annual Meeting as well as many other virtual events in the last four months so their tips are fresh from the frontlines and well worth taking to heart.

Hybrid conferences. Everyone’s focused on virtual-only right now, but some time next year, hopefully, hybrid conferences will be front of mind. Alex Palmer at Northstar Meetings Group describes how to provide an optimal experience for both in-person and virtual attendees.

Bias in conferences. In their second annual research report, Speak Up 2020: Redesigning Tech Conferences with Women in Mind, Ensono examines how unconscious bias in conference design affects the experience of women attendees and speakers, particularly women of color.

Sending website traffic to members. Association CEO Clive Roux shared advice at Association Success for using your association’s digital assets to grow your audience and deliver value to members. One of his suggestions really stopped me in my tracks—and would really help your exhibitors. His association made their website “a real megaphone for… members, bringing them awareness, recognition and even new business.” They sent about 30% more traffic to their members.

Quick hits before we get to the list of next week’s free education:

7 reasons why your association should seriously consider investing in SEO. (Chris Bonney, Gulo)

The “Great Works, In Focus” series features art critic Sebastian Smee’s favorite works in permanent collections around the United States. (Washington Post)

Webcams around the world! (Atlasphere)

Good eats—skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer take-out. If you’re a home cook, check out the weekly In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog.

This smoky red chimichurri recipe is great on baked swordfish. I’ve made it before for tilefish and dogfish, and can imagine it’d be great on other meats. It’s made of garlic, shallots, cumin, parsley, olive oil and the red ingredients—red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, chipotle powder and red pepper flakes.

I pulled some sockeye salmon out of the freezer to make creamy lemon zucchini spaghetti. The shredded zucchini just about melts into the pasta. I added onion (instead of shallot), yellow bell pepper, and tomato to kick it up a bit. Salmon wasn’t part of the original recipe but I thought it would work nicely and it did.

On the side, we had green beans sautéed with bacon, mushrooms, red bell pepper, red onion, garlic and a little chicken broth to keep the beans cooking.

One of my guy’s favorite beach snacks is boiled peanuts topped with slices of pickled jalapeño, passed around to your beach buddies on a frisbee, of course. Even better on a cracker with a dollop of pimento cheese—or low-rent canned cheese. I made this boiled peanut salad with bacon dressing for him. It’s a keeper. I added sweet onion and substituted basil for the cilantro, but forgot the pickled jalapeños.

Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link before Wednesday evening the week before it’s scheduled. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.

Until next week, “stay awkward, brave and kind.” (Brené Brown)

Fri 9/4 at 9:15 a.m.* – Hire Moment Mastermind

On the hunt for your next opportunity? Looking for job advice from an executive recruiter? Join an open job search mastermind where you get to ask your questions about resumes, LinkedIn profiles, salary negotiations, and more. More info/register.

Host: Shira Lotzar, Resumes/LinkedIn Profiles

Guests:

Corliss Jackson, Federal Government Resumes
KiKi L’Italien, Video Image Expert, founder, Amplified Growth, and senior consultant, Tecker International, LLC
Mike Robinson, Government Contracting/Hi-Tech
Julien Bois, Accounting/Finance Recruiter

*All times are Eastern Daylight Savings Time unless otherwise noted.

Fri 9/4 at 10 a.m. – Member ROI Simplified: Safeguarding Your Organization’s Future

The most important method for safeguarding your organization’s future is to research, embrace, and maximize your Member ROI. Learn how to measure your current ROI in actual dollar numbers, use the numbers for influencing the membership decision, grow your ROI, and prove beyond a doubt that membership in your organization is a good business decision. More info/register.

Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research

Fri 9/4 at 1 p.m. – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Learn how to take events online in a way that will deliver high value, create an engaging experience, and preserve the outcomes you were seeking to achieve with your in-person conference. Hear about some major considerations for online engagement. Find out how to design for virtual-first experiences, satisfy the desire to network, and keep your members engaged. We’ll also touch on the tech because we know it’s on your mind. More info/register.

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

Mon 9/7 at 11 a.m. – The ROI Member Recruitment Brochure: How to Create Brochures That Positively Influence Membership Decisions

Learn to determine who should be membership targets, which features of membership should be highlighted, how to develop an effective brochure layout, decision motives for joining, and how to train your members to use the brochure. More info/register.

Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research

Mon 9/7 at 1 p.m. – Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia

This series of 15-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. A new episode is posted every Monday by 1 p.m. More info.

Hosts:

Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

Tue 9/8 at 1 p.m. – The Content Pipeline: Turn Your Association’s Data Assets and Virtual Events Into Essential Content

Learn how virtual events can be part of a meaningful data-driven content strategy. In Part I of this session, we’ll talk about ways of leveraging your existing data to inform virtual event programming. In Part II, we’ll look at ways to use the data that will come from your virtual events to generate even more meaningful content across multiple mediums. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Technology Professionals Community

Presenters:

Duncan Bell, Association TRENDS
Arianna Rehak, Matchbox Virtual Media

Tue 9/8 at 2 p.m. – Your Culture Is Broken! How COVID-19 Changed Organizational Culture and How to Get Back on Track

Hear how COVID-19 accelerated workplace culture innovation. Learn how to find new ways of working that take into account the world we’re living in right now, use ongoing culture management to drive results, and use video communication to bring back passive transparency and create inclusive hybrid work experiences. More info/register.

Host: Gather Voices

Presenters:

Jamie Notter, Co-Founder and Culture Designer at Human Workplaces
Michael Hoffman, CEO of Gather Voices

Wed 9/9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – PCMA Braindate: The Future of Live Events

Virtual braindates are knowledge-sharing conversations that you book with others to have one-on-one or in small groups, right here on Braindate. They’re the best way to connect with, learn from, and have terrific conversations with new people — all virtually. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Wed 9/9 at 11 a.m. – The ROI of Words: How to Write Website Copy That Will Drive Member Renewal and Recruitment

You can no longer depend on interns or web designers to write your member value copy for influencing renewals and retention. They do pretty, you must do effective. Learn how to write the kind of benefit (or what’s in it for me) copy that will influence the decision to join or renew. More info/register.

Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research

Wed 9/9 at 12 p.m. – How One Association Delivered Community & Connection in a Virtual Experience

Meet the brains behind the design of the highly successful National Speakers Association’s Influence 2020 Virtual in August. Discover how they created memorable experiences, facilitated networking and delivered inspiring general sessions. Understand the strategy behind transforming a 3-day event into an 8-week virtual experience that launched their new digital vault. Hear testimonials from first-hand attendees–experts in the meeting and event space–who can’t stop singing the virtual experience’s praises. More info/register.

Host: Velvet Chainsaw Consulting

Presenters:

Mary Lou Peck, President & CEO @National Speakers Association
Anna Liotta, Creator of Generationally Savvy™ Communication Solutions
Sylvie di Giusto, CSP, C-Suite Advisor, C-Suite Book Club
Sarah Michel (facilitator), VP, Professional Connexity, Velvet Chainsaw Consulting

Wed 9/9 at 12 p.m. – Why These Three Associations Will Save the World: Lessons From Their Leaders

When ten of our clients were chosen by ASAE as the top 100 Associations that Will Save the World, we couldn’t wait to get some of them in the hot seat to talk about their mission, how they’ve stayed relevant to their members, and the secret sauce for their success. More info/register.

Host: MCI

Presenters:

Alison Teitelbaum, Executive Director, American Health Quality Association
Amy Burke, Executive Director, Special Libraries Association
Bob Gilbert, President & CEO, Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International
Erin Fuller, FASAE, CAE, MPA, President of Association Solutions

Wed 9/9 at 1 p.m. – Natural Settings Improve Meetings Performance

Learn how meeting in a natural environment releases endorphins and oxytocin, which results in increased attention and productivity. Hear about examples of outdoor activity options that will keep meeting attendees engaged and invigorated, as well as give back to the community in which they’re held. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Presenter: Janice Litvin, The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel Visitor and Convention Bureau

Wed 9/9 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter

ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.

Wed 9/9 at 2 p.m. – Navigating the Future of Events

The world of events is changing. Organizations and their members have now embraced the idea of digital meetings and events, something that many may have never considered before. Hear where the industry was, how it is transitioning, and what they see for the future. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenters:

Hud Englehart, founding partner of Beacon Advisors, Inc. and an adjunct professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism
Jim Russell, Executive Vice President, Client Solutions at Freeman

Thu 9/10 at 11 a.m. – Change! Six Months On

We wanted to revisit some of the themes we covered at our March event and review where we are six months on. How has COVID-19 developed our thinking? How are we adapting to the changes, and what skills do we need to develop to bring value to our organizations safely through the turbulent times ahead? What has been surprising about the last six months, and what opportunities do we see for the future? More info/register.

Host: Society Street

Presenters:

Mary Williams, Features Editor – American Society of Plant Biologists
Cindy Sparrow, Acting Deputy Chief – Community & Support Services, Red Deer Emergency Services
Tracy Gardner, Consultant – Renew Consultants

Thu 9/10 at 11 a.m. – Easy and Effective Ways to Add Networking to Your Online Events

While much of the transition to online events has focused on content, we’ll concentrate on delivering the connection-building that’s often as valuable at conferences and events. Learn easy ways to get attendees to meet and network online by doing it yourself with a great group of fellow events/conference pros. More info/register.

Host: Better Meetings

Presenter: Lee Gimpel, founder of Better Meetings

Thu 9/10 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Hybrid Revolution Summit

The industry seems to agree: hybrid events are the way back to safely meeting in person. The Hybrid Revolution Summit will provide an opportunity for event professionals to learn from the world’s best experts on hybrid events. CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Event MB

Thu 9/10 at 11:30 a.m. – Virtual Events Lessons Learned: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Featuring stories from the frontlines of virtual events—association professionals, sponsors and technology providers—this webinar will expose the good, the bad and the ugly of lessons learned. What worked? What didn’t? How did your peers maintain value for event sponsors? What are sponsors saying? What advice do association leaders have for other associations planning their virtual conferences in the near future? 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Community Brands

Thu 9/10 at 11:30 a.m. – Virtual Conferencing: Designing Event Formats for the Online Experience

Trying to copy/paste your in-person research conference format into an online event simply won’t work. Designing a program and considering the way you deliver content ought to be some of the first tasks on your to-do list. Hear about conference format considerations to help you create an experience that will keep your attendees coming back year after year. More info/register.

Host: Ex Ordo

Thu 9/10 at 2 p.m. – Projected Outcomes of the 2020 Elections and Impacts on the Market

Hear about the latest polls and macro political trends driven by politicking on the campaign trail, what we would expect for the first 100 days under either a new Biden Administration or second-term Trump Administration under various Congressional scenarios, and a deep dive into our outlooks for the economic and policy sectors we cover, including: energy and utilities, TMT, tax and infrastructure, and tobacco and cannabis. More info/register.

Host: FiscalNote

Presenters:

Katie Bays, who covers the regulatory risks faced by electric utilities, midstream and LNG companies, and upstream oil and gas producers
Stefanie Miller, who covers election politics, fiscal policy, trade, tobacco, and cannabis
Nils Tracy, the newest addition to the team, who provides TMT coverage, including the policy risk facing the software, hardware, wireless, wireline, and media sectors

Thu 9/10 at 2 p.m. – Cyber Attack: Are You Ready?

Walk step by step through a virtual cyber incident and hear best practices to protect your organization against this ever-increasing occurrence. You will be challenged to decide what you think is the best course of action through interactive polling. Learn how to mitigate the impact of a cybercrime, what needs to be done to continue operations and how to respond and recover from the event. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Presenter: Rob Zegarra, cyber advisor from AXIS Pro

Thu 9/10 at 4 p.m. – Drive Action with Great Subject Lines

In the busy inbox, you have just a few milliseconds to convince someone to open your email. Learn the basics of a good subject line, trends for writing great subject lines, and tips for getting creative with your subject lines. More info/register.

Host: Digital Toolbox

Fri 9/11 at 10 a.m. – Member ROI Simplified: Safeguarding Your Organization’s Future

Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research

Fri 9/11 at 1 p.m. – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

Fri 9/11 at 2 p.m. – Foresight Fridays with Jeff De Cagna

During this series, we will discuss pre-selected foresight topics and questions. Participants will enjoy compelling future-focused learning. If you plan to attend, please complete this survey by September 8 to help determine the Foresight Fridays topics for September. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor for Foresight First LLC

Mon 9/14 – LMS Demo Day

Online learning has always been important, but now it may be the only way you can provide education for your members. When leveraged properly, an LMS will help any organization simplify and streamline learning content, programs, courses and support materials. So what features should you be looking for in an LMS? Where are the pitfalls? To help with this ASAE has developed LMS Demo Days. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Tue 9/15 at 11:30 a.m. – Top Trends to Increase Non-Dues Revenue and Membership Dues in 2021

Learn the current trends to retain your existing membership dues and examples of how associations are effectively increasing non-dues revenue in 2020. Find out how to incorporate new sources of revenue, provide more value to your virtual events, create an effective revenue driving sponsorship program, and increase member retention. More info/register.

Host: YourMembership and ReviewMyAMS

Presenters:

Teri Carden, Co-founder, ReviewMyAMS
Tirrah Switzer, Association Advocate, Community Brands

Tue 9/15 at 1 p.m. – Association Technology & Data 2025: Evaluating your IT and Data Readiness

2020 has spawned both new demands and solutions for most associations. DelCor’s IT Maturity Model is the perfect framework for evaluating your readiness to address these challenges and keep IT aligned to changing business requirements. Data has become an ever more important component driving solutions and decision making. Hear the views of a panel of industry technologists on technology initiatives that will drive your organization up the maturity model and prepare it to support the new business environment. More info/register.

Hosts: Gravitate Solutions and DelCor

Presenters: senior technologists from the American Association for Cancer Research, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, DelCor and Gravitate Solutions

Tue 9/15 at 2 p.m. – Membership According to Gen Z: How Associations are Engaging Future Members, Leaders and Advocates

Explore the many ways associations are innovating to keep students involved in a time of pandemic. Learn best practices from associations on the front line of student membership outreach, recruitment, and retention. Gain valuable insight into how younger generations engage with and learn about the world around them, what inspires them, how they advocate, and what they expect from a membership in your association. More info/register.

Host: Sarah Sladek, founder, Saving The Associations

Wed 9/16 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (to 4 p.m. for HighRoad clients) – Follow the Yellow Brick Road: Data as the New Gold

Learn how to tap into your data for short- and long-term success. Get the tools to grow your digital footprint, build member and customer journeys that count, and ultimately, meet your organizational objectives. Take away actionable insights and approaches to follow your yellow brick road to success in 2021, and beyond. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solutions

Wed 9/16 at 11 a.m. – Driving Revenue with Contextual Engagement and Marketing

Do you guess what it is your members need? Are you struggling to understand why they do the things they do, or don’t do? Contextual Engagement is the process of asking questions, capturing context, and acting with automated workflows and alerts. It helps you engage members with more relevance and personalization throughout the member journey. Learn how associations are using Contextual Engagement to drive revenue. More info/register.

Hosts: PropFuel and ReviewMyAMS

Wed 9/16 at 2 p.m. – Surprises, Opportunities, and Successes: The Story of ASAE’s 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting

When navigating the virtual event environment, it can be challenging to know how big your planning team should be, what your event schedule should look like, what tools you need to make your event successful, how to engage your audience, and how to build develop and deliver opportunities for your partners. ASAE hosted its 2020 ASAE Virtual Annual Meeting & Exposition just three months after making the decision to go virtual. Hear about the planning, execution and lessons learned while hosting over 14,000 attendees in a virtual environment. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Presenters:

Amy Ledoux, CMP, CAE, Chief Learning & Meetings Officer
Krista LeZotte, CMP, CSEP, Associate Director, Meeting Operations & Special Events

Thu 9/17 at 1 p.m. – Membership Lifecycle Part I: Member Acquisition

Learn how membership management technology helps create awareness for the association and generates new members and revenue. More info/register.

Host: Impexium

Thu 9/17 at 4 p.m. – How to Pivot Non-dues Revenue & Sponsorship Strategies During This Crisis

Non-due revenue and sponsors are so critical for the overall financial health of most associations and foundations, thus a shift in strategy may be necessary during this pandemic. Hear how one association pivoted their fundraising strategy at the height of Covid-19 and successfully transformed the programs at a time when others were scrambling for solutions. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Organizer: Reston-Loudoun Idea Swap

Presenter: Stephen E. Peeler, CFRE, Executive Director of the Infectious Disease Society of America

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 before Wednesday evening.

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Creative Commons photo by Elliott Engelmann via Unsplash

Association Brain Food Weekly: 8.28.20

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

Racial diversity in events. I’ve got another important survey for you—this one is on racial diversity in the events industry. The organizations behind it, Conference & Incentive Travel and Event First Steps, believe the results “will enable our industry to develop, and make the work we create more diverse in terms of workforce, audience and representation. With the information collected in this research, we hope that we can pinpoint the areas of improvement with manageable takeaways for event professionals across the industry.” I checked with them and they do want participation from this side of the pond.

Opportunities in disruption. Disruption isn’t a choice right now, so we might as well embrace it, reports WBT Systems in their recap of two #ASAE20 sessions. In this post, they share tactics for dealing thoughtfully with uncertainty, finding opportunities in disruption and reimagining your association’s future.

Bias and privilege in associations. In another #ASAE20 recap post, Association Adviser shares advice from Tiki Ayiku and Nathan Victoria, CAE about disrupting biases and uncovering how privilege manifests in associations.

Sponsors and exhibitors. MemberSuite suggests taking advantage of this opportunity to rethink your relationship with corporate revenue partners—sponsors and exhibitors—and work with them to find new ways of generating non-dues revenue for your association.

Member parents. You want to be indispensable to your members? Amanda Kaiser suggests you look at the challenges emerging for working parents and their employers as kids go back to school.

Event skills. Samantha Whitehorne at Associations Now identifies three new skills event professionals must develop in the wake of COVID-19.

Quick hits before we get to the list of next week’s free education:

Your ‘surge capacity’ is depleted —it’s why you feel awful: here’s how to pull yourself out of despair and live your life. (Tara Haelle)

Warning, you could lose hours on this site. Explore cities with a guide who takes you on a choose-your-adventure tour. I started with Hanoi but had to click away—I’m supposed to be working, after all. You can visit Cartagena, Taipei, Rome, Mexico City and others. (The World Your Way)

Frying Pan Tower’s webcam is back up. This old Coast Guard Light Station is about 30 miles off the Cape Fear coast of North Carolina. The fish watching is good and the comments are helpful for identifying what you see. (Explore)

Good eats—skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer take-out. If you’re a home cook, check out the weekly In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog.

The highlight of the week: two sheet pan pizzas using this King Arthur sourdough recipe. We loved the crust so the recipe is a keeper. In one pan, I made a linguiça, onion and garlic pizza modeled on the one from Union Villa in my hometown. I diced and sautéed the linguiça and onion, added the garlic at the end, spread all that over the tomato sauce (I cheated by buying a jar of Harris Teeter pizza sauce) and topped it all with mozzarella. So good.

The other was a white clam pizza. I spread the shallot-garlic herb sauce from my white pizza recipe over the crust, topped that with canned clams and then a mix of fresh and regular mozzarella along with parmesan cheese. When it came out of the oven, I sprinkled it with fresh basil. Very tasty.

A healthier meal was baked blueline tilefish topped with citrus pesto, made simply by adding orange and lemon juice and peel to basil pesto.

We had two veggies this past week. First, collard greens sautéed with bacon, red onion, carrot, red bell, jalapeño and garlic. The other was a kohlrabi sauté with carrot, broccoli stems and florets, onion and garlic—sort of like this recipe.

Until next week, “stay awkward, brave and kind.” (Brené Brown)

Fri 8/28 at 10 a.m.* – Member ROI Simplified: Safeguarding Your Organization’s Future

Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research

*All times are Eastern Daylight Savings Time unless otherwise noted.

Fri 8/28 at 12 p.m. – Challenges Women in Leadership Face and How to Deal with Them

Hear about the unique challenges and opportunities for women in the events industry, as well as real-world examples and lessons from women in leadership. Topics will include the value of peer-to-peer networking, mentorship, developing and utilizing exemplary communication skills across genders, and proven strategies for career advancement at every level of the organization. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (fee for non-MPI members).

Host: MPI

Presenters:

Elizabeth Lombardo, PH.D., Speaker and Psychologist, Elizabeth Lombardo International, LLC
Maja Kazazic
Carly Patterson
Ashley Fox

Fri 8/28 at 1 p.m. – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

Mon 8/31 at 11 a.m. – The ROI Member Recruitment Brochure: How to Create Brochures That Positively Influence Membership Decisions

Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research

Mon 8/31 at 1 p.m. – Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia

This series of 15-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. A new episode is posted every Monday by 1 p.m. More info.

Hosts:

Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

Tue 9/1 at 12 p.m. – Getting Engagement Scores Just Right through Weighting (Association Data Analytics Brown Bag)

This opportunity is for association professionals who are responsible for reporting analytics to leadership, Boards of Directors, and other stakeholders, to come together in a free-flowing environment to share their lunchtime and discuss data analytics topics. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Tue 9/1 at 2 p.m. – The Survivor Diaries: How Smart Women Are Conquering Epic COVID Disruptions

These women faced the pause in events, processed their emotions and options and took decisive action. Learn how they found inspiration even on the darkest days, how work-life balance became a necessity, and why sometimes what looks like the end is the best time for new beginnings. More info/register.

Host: Smart Meetings

Presenters:

Cindy Brewer, co-founder and principal of LEO Events
Marin Bright, founder and CEO of Bright Business Media
Stefanie Maragna, vice president of corporate marketing and events with Sage Intacct
Cheryl Rogers, corporate events manager with Solara Medical Suppliers
Desi Whitney, senior vice president of Sourcing Operations & Industry Relations, HPN Global

Tue 9/1 at 2 p.m. – Elevate Your Virtual Events: How to Keep Up with the Rising Expectations for Virtual Experiences

Learn what it means to be an Event Producer and how you can create an elevated virtual event people can’t wait to attend. Hear about pioneering the new virtual event landscape; the power of selecting a motivating theme and outlining clear objectives; the importance of incorporating diverse voices; engaging attendees before, during and after the event; and pre-recorded content vs. live webinar content. More info/register.

Host: Gather Voices

Presenters: Dianne Devitt, Experiential Consultant and Producer, and Michael Hoffman, CEO of Gather Voices

Wed 9/2 at 11 a.m. – Zooming Out: Learn How to Engage Your Virtual Event Attendees

As organizations are compelled to deliver their events in an online environment, we have become so laser-focused on learning the ins and outs of modern technology, that many have neglected the most principal factor: the human factor. Look at the bigger picture beyond the technology to ensure attendees leave engaged and energized. More info/register.

Host: Meeting Expectations

Presenters:

Beth Chitnis, CAE, Executive Director of the International Association of Insurance Professionals
Christine Hilgert, CMP, Senior Vice President of Meeting Expectations
Dan Thurmon, keynote speaker, author, entrepreneur

Wed 9/2 at 11 a.m. – The ROI of Words: How to Write Website Copy That Will Drive Member Renewal and Recruitment

Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research

Wed 9/2 at 12 p.m. – Leading Engagement From The Outside-In

Hear a new definition of association engagement—refocusing engagement to generate real value, and placing engagement at the heart of your strategy. Learn how member-centric engagement propels your association to become your members’ indispensable partner. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Insights in Old Town

Presenter: Elizabeth Weaver Engel, M.A., CAE—Chief Strategist, Spark Consulting, LLC

Wed 9/2 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter

ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.

Wed 9/2 at 3 p.m. – Professional Associations and the New Normal

A webinar series addressing the most urgent issues confronting professional associations. More info/register.

Host: Enforme

Presenters:

Joel Albizo, Chief Executive Officer, American Planning Association
Pamela Kaul, Founder, President & CEO, Association Strategies, Inc.

Thu 9/3 at 1 p.m. – LMS Selection: Mastering the Process, Avoiding the Pitfalls

Great content is only part of the equation for successful online education—most organizations also need a way to effectively deliver the content, track participation, and manage credit and certificates. The right technology can mean the difference between a big success and a big headache, but the selection process can be daunting. Hear about a time-tested process for selecting a learning management system and the pitfalls to avoid. Get a clear understanding of how to lead your organization in choosing the right learning technology. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Tagoras/Leading Learning

Presenters:

Celisa Steele and Jeff Cobb, co-founders of Leading Learning and Tagoras
Marc Benton, learning solutions engineer at Community Brands

Thu 9/3 at 1 p.m. – The “What’s Next?” Guide to Virtual Events

Hear about the key considerations for virtual and hybrid events including selecting the right virtual platforms, new best practices for creating content, and keeping attendees engaged. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: 360 Live Media

Presenters: 360 Live Media’s lead experience designers, Beth Surmont and Brooke Wilson

Thu 9/3 at 2 p.m. – Demystify AI

This session will demystify AI and talk about practical applications of AI technology that you can begin experimenting with today. Learn about inexpensive AI tools you can begin using right now, how to use AI to enhance your processes and make workflows less time consuming, and how to embark upon easy AI and automation experiments. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Presenter: Erica Salm Rench, rasa.io

Thu 9/3 at 5:30 p.m. – Meet Other Association Pros @ Virtual Networking Happy Hour

Want to get new ideas for your association? Looking for a job? Have a great program to share? Just want to actually meet some new people in the association field? Join us for a fast, fun, and productive networking happy hour. It’s networking that’s natural, not awkward. We’ll be using a number of online engagement techniques that you can adapt, copy and steal for your own events. More info/register.

Host: Better Meetings

Presenter: Lee Gimpel, founder of Better Meetings

Fri 9/4 at 10 a.m. – Member ROI Simplified: Safeguarding Your Organization’s Future

Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research

Fri 9/4 from 12 to 3:15 p.m. – Strategy Summit

Three sessions: Writing Articles, Blogs, and Books to Grow Your Business; The Strategic Mindset – For Your Organization, Your Career and Your Life; and Engaging Virtual Meetings. 3 CMP credits. More info/register (fee for non-MPI members).

Host: MPI

Presenters:

Cathy Fyock, CSP
David Barrett, President, Solutions Network Ltd.
John Chen, CEO, Geoteaming

Fri 9/4 at 1 p.m. – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

Tue 9/8 at 1 p.m. – The Content Pipeline: Turn Your Association’s Data Assets and Virtual Events Into Essential Content

Host: ASAE Technology Professionals Community

Presenters:

Duncan Bell, Association TRENDS
Arianna Rehak, Matchbox Virtual Media

Thu 9/10 at 11 a.m. – Easy and Effective Ways to Add Networking to Your Online Events

Host: Better Meetings

Presenter: Lee Gimpel, founder of Better Meetings

Thu 9/10 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Hybrid Revolution Summit

Host: Event MB

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Creative Commons photo by Syed Ali via Unsplash

Association Brain Food Weekly: 8.21.20

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

Diversity benchmarking. Association Success is running a survey to benchmark diversity in the association industry. This ten-minute survey will help all of us get a better, bigger picture of just how equitable the association industry is for everyone in it.

Career pathways. Sometimes you know where your career is going and sometimes you don’t. Either way, career pathways, says WBT Systems in this #ASAE20 recap, help your members and market understand what they need to learn and which of your programs they should take to acquire those competencies.

Virtual events. One virtual conference pretty much looks like another—”talking heads on a screen, chat boxes on the side and maybe some Zoom breakout rooms.” MemberSuite suggests four ways to add a real life feeling to your virtual events.

Virtual event sponsorship. Bruce Rosenthal (Bruce Rosenthal Associates and Partnership Professionals Network) and Christopher Gloede (Ricochet Advice) recently published a useful report, The New Sponsorship Model for Virtual Events. They explain how to deliver value to virtual event sponsors—value that will generate more revenue for your association. The report also includes a sample virtual event prospectus to give you additional ideas.

Association membership app. Dating app Happn uses geolocation tools to recreate chance encounters, reports Fiona Zublin at Ozy. It shows you other people on the app whose paths you’ve crossed. Imagine if your association app could do something like this? With less concerns about security, members could see if other members were in the same neighborhood who wanted to meet up for a coffee.

Quick hits before we get to the list of next week’s free education:

I’m still traveling vicariously around the world with WindowSwap, the site I mentioned a month ago. Now I have another one for you: Drive & Listen. Select a city and go along for a dashcam drive with your choice of a local station on the radio.

Ten ways to provide value to your virtual event sponsors and exhibitors. (Association Adviser)

The pandemic is prompting both employers and employees to recognize the need for, and value of, coaching. (Jen Colletta, Human Resource Executive)

This is hilarious. Nicole Tersigni explains ‘mansplaining’ and ‘concern trolls’ with help from 17th-century art. (Alisha Haridasani Gupta, New York Times)

Good eats—skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer take-out. If you’re a home cook, check out the weekly In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog.

On Sunday, I made what I call “Portuguese fish skillet” with bluefish, striped mullet and linguica. The other skillet ingredients were onion, red bell pepper, garlic, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, white wine, shrimp broth, diced tomatoes, chickpeas and lemon juice. I had to pull out the ginormous 14” deep pan for this excellent meal.

On the side, pesto spaghetti squash. I prepared the squash in the Instant Pot and added a mix of slow-roasted tomatoes from the freezer and grape tomatoes from the garden to the recipe. Tasty.

A much simpler fish dish was baked striped bass with lemon juice, Aleppo pepper and butter—a menu regular here.

I used the leftover chouriço mix from last week’s stuffed poblanos in two ways. First, in quesadillas with caramelized onions and red bell peppers, and then in stuffed jalapeños topped with grated mozzarella cheese. We both agreed we could have eaten a plate each of those jalapeños for dinner.

Until next week, “stay awkward, brave and kind.” (Brené Brown)

Fri 8/21 at 10 a.m.* – Member ROI Simplified: Safeguarding Your Organization’s Future

Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research

*All times are Eastern Daylight Savings Time unless otherwise noted.

Fri 8/21 at 11:55 a.m. – Meet Other Association Pros @ Virtual Networking Lunch

Want to get new ideas for your association? Looking for a job? Have a great program to share? Just want to actually meet some new people in the association field? Join us for a fast, fun, and productive networking lunch (or breakfast or brunch, depending on your time zone). It’s networking that’s natural, not awkward. We’ll be using a number of online engagement techniques that you can adapt, copy and steal for your own events. More info/register.

Host: Better Meetings

Presenter: Lee Gimpel, founder of Better Meetings

Fri 8/21 at 12:30 p.m. – The Stakes Are Higher Than Ever: How to Avoid the Most Common Contracting Mistakes

Hear about the most common contracting mistakes they’ve seen while working with groups and hotels. You may be surprised by lots of little things that people do without knowing they’re wrong, even after being in the industry for years. More info/register.

Host: HopSkip

Presenters:

Barbara Dunn, Partner @Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Lisa Sommer Devlin, Principal @Devlin Law Firm, P.C.
Sean Whalin, Co-Founder & CEO @HopSkip

Fri 8/21 at 1 p.m. – Ask the Association Veteran Anything

Amanda Davis, CMP, was a 10-year association veteran before joining Blue Sky. She will answer your questions about virtual events; converting an in-person to online; engagement in a virtual event setting; ideas around business model changes; repurposing content; decline in membership, engagement or attendance; ideas on how to remain relevant; and staffing shifts to meet the changing needs of the organization. More info/register.

Host: Blue Sky eLearn

Presenter: Amanda Davis, CMP, Director of Learning & Development and Online Learning Manager, Blue Sky eLearn

Fri 8/21 at 1 p.m. – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

Mon 8/24 from 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Face-to-Face to Virtual…What Do I Do?: The Sequel

You asked for more demos so we’ve established a whole new day for virtual event demos with additional vendors. This day is designed to answer your questions…What platforms are out there? What features should I be looking for? Where are the pitfalls? More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Mon 8/24 at 11 a.m. – The ROI Member Recruitment Brochure: How to Create Brochures That Positively Influence Membership Decisions

Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research

Mon 8/24 at 1 p.m. – Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia

This series of 15-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. A new episode is posted every Monday by 1 p.m. More info.

Hosts:

Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

Tue 8/25 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Cvent CONNECT Virtual

Join the largest gathering of meetings, events and hospitality professionals ever, from the comfort of your home. Hear from industry leaders as they discuss our path to overcome and move forward, and the latest best practices. Experience a best-in-class virtual event to inspire and start building your new event strategy. More info/register.

Host: Cvent

Tue 8/25 at 12:30 p.m. – Meetings of Membership Minds

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

Host: The Business of Membership

Presenters: Dan Ratner and Scott Oser

Tue 8/25 at 2 p.m. – 5 Tips to Engage Gen Z and Millennial eLearners in 2020 and Beyond

Learn how to level up your existing learning strategy to meaningfully engage your Millennial and Gen Z learners. Find out what motivates Millennials and Gen Z and how to tailor your learning strategy to keep them engaged, ways in which traditional learning programs fail younger learners and how you can prevent these common mistakes, and how to evaluate and transform your instructional content. More info/register.

Host: eLearning Learning and Aggregage

Presenter: Nick DiMaso, Learning Content Manager and Technologist at BenchPrep

Tue 8/25 at 7 p.m. – Facilit8me Grapes & Graphics

The premise is two-fold: Grab your favorite grape (in wine form, of course) or cocktail of choice and spend an hour with us as we talk facilitation graphics. In addition to sharing some of our tips/tricks, we’ll invite you to grab a notepad/marker and draw along with us to some fun prompts. There will be good company, lots of laughs, some hands-on practice with graphics and, of course, sharing your work. More info/register.

Host: Event Garde

Wed 8/26 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Cvent CONNECT Virtual

Host: Cvent

Wed 8/26 at 11 a.m. – The ROI of Words: How to Write Website Copy That Will Drive Member Renewal and Recruitment

Host: Ed Rigsbee, CAE, president at Rigsbee Research

Wed 8/26 at 12 p.m. – Mind-Melding with Healthcare Association Experts to Build High Quality Professional Development

It’s common to hear that member experts lack respect for staff’s attempts to apply innovative new formats and instructional-design best practices. The problem is perhaps especially acute in healthcare, where traditional CE modalities and professional hierarchies still often hold sway. Learn about the cultural and historical forces that tend to interfere with collaboration with SMEs. Find out how to foster collaboration between SMEs and education teams using five simple principles. More info/register.

Host: Web Courseworks

Wed 8/26 at 1 p.m. – Key Contract Clauses: A Meeting Planners’ Guide to Cost Containment & Risk Reduction

Get an understanding of our current marketplace and how it affects a planners’ strategy during negotiations. Review key contract clauses and learn how to defend them to benefit your organization’s bottom-line. Discuss variables that the hotels consider when reviewing your overall business value. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Presenter: Robyn Mietkiewicz, CMP, CMM, strategic partner with INNOV8 Meetings + Events

Wed 8/26 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter

ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.

Wed 8/26 at 1:30 p.m. – The Future of Technology for Nonprofits and Associations

Learn technology innovation applicable to nonprofits and associations and gain a perspective on what kinds of technological innovations of specific interest may be arriving and their relevance to associations and other nonprofits. Spark your imagination on how organizations’ operations might be dramatically altered by advances in technology. More info/register.

Host: Fíonta

Presenter: Dr. Lisa Rau, Fíonta co-founder

Wed 8/26 at 2 p.m. – Setting Your Speakers, Attendees & Sponsors up for Virtual Event Success

Learn how to create and use a strategic communications plan for your speakers, sponsors, and attendees. We’ll share best practices to make sure each of these groups are ready to engage and create an impactful experience. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Hubb

Presenters:

Erin Lee, Vice President Marketing & Customer Experience, Biotechnology Innovation Organization
Chrissy Parsons, Strategic Account Manager, Dynamic Events
Allie Magyar, Founder and CEO, Hubb

Thu 8/27 at 1 p.m. – Improve Member Retention by Building Your Membership Community Through Digital Engagement

With limited in-person engagements, it has become increasingly difficult to retain association members in a virtual world. Join a deeper dive into member retention strategies for building a strong and engaged member community. Get a deeper understanding of your members’ needs and identify new opportunities to keep them renewing year after year. More info/register.

Host: Web Scribble

Presenters:

Dawn DiLorenzo, Director of Marketing @Web Scribble
Lindsay Rutz, Marketing Assistant @Web Scribble

Thu 8/27 at 2 p.m. – Replacing the Timecard Mentality: Are You Sure You’re Cultivating Trust Among Your Staff?

Do you trust your staff? Does your staff trust you? Why is trust important and how can you be sure that you have it? If you’ve lost it, can you get it back? Is it more important to proactively cultivate and work to sustain trust on your teams during dynamic and turbulent times? Find out more about the actions you can take to nurture the outcomes that benefit a team. More info/register.

Host: Tecker International

Presenters:

KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth, and senior consultant, Tecker International, LLC
Glenn Tecker, founder, Tecker International

Thu 8/27 at 2 p.m. – Data Is for Marketers

As you know, all marketing is based on understanding our audiences. Take just 30 minutes to see for yourself how the latest data analytics can elevate the efforts of association marketers. Learn how to dissect and target emerging member and non-member interest clusters; identify, score, and reach out to your most (and least) engaged members; report on member and interest trends with data snapshotting; link data analytics to your existing email and social marketing systems; and capture and use the 80% of member data NOT found in your AMS. More info/register.

Host: Gravitate Solutions

Fri 8/28 at 12 p.m. – Challenges Women in Leadership Face and How to Deal with Them

Host: MPI

Presenters:

Elizabeth Lombardo, PH.D., Speaker and Psychologist, Elizabeth Lombardo International, LLC
Maja Kazazic
Carly Patterson
Ashley Fox

Thu 9/3 at 1 p.m. – LMS Selection: Mastering the Process, Avoiding the Pitfalls

Host: Tagoras/Leading Learning

Presenters:

Celisa Steele and Jeff Cobb, co-founders of Leading Learning and Tagoras
Marc Benton, learning solutions engineer at Community Brands

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 before Wednesday evening.

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Creative Commons photo from Capital Reef NP by James Lee via Unsplash

Association Brain Food Weekly: 8.14.20

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

#ASAE20. I took three days off this week to dedicate my time to ASAE’s Virtual Annual Meeting aka #asae20. Originally, the registration was about $600. I didn’t see anything about discussion or networking opportunities so I said forget it, I can find education on my own. But a few weeks later, registration became free so I registered along with 13,000+ other people.

Education: The sessions I attended were really good. They were pre-recorded with speakers participating in the chat box. Sessions are available on-demand until August 31, so we have less than 19 days as I write this to watch any sessions of interest. Sure, that’s better than in-person events where you don’t have this option, but 30 days would be a nice compromise.

A few other notes… Interview sessions are much more engaging than talking head sessions. Standing speakers (as opposed to sitting) bring more energy.

Chat: The chat stream flew by quickly, too quickly, in many sessions. It was difficult to listen to the speakers and digest the chat simultaneously. I’ll watch some of the sessions I attended because I feel like I missed some good points. I could have ignored the chat but people were sharing useful stories, examples and advice there.

I wish those transcripts were also available on-demand. They’re incredibly valuable. Why not make chat transcripts part of the registration agreement, like permission to use photos for in-person events?

Conversations: I wouldn’t pay for an event like this unless it provided opportunities for conversation with fellow attendees—and no, the chat function does not count. People said the chats in the lounges felt like a list serv. The lack of conversations was the biggest discussion topic in the many Zooms I attended this week.

I’m lucky I got to participate in Zoom meetings throughout the conference because I have a good professional network. I had some fun face time with friends, acquaintances and people I hadn’t met before. But what about all those who don’t have a network like mine? Some people I know made contacts in the chats but I bet they were the exception.

Given ASAE’s quick pivot to virtual, the platform they chose and the number of attendees, discussion rooms weren’t possible this time. But, an option for the future could be tiered registration. Exhibitors were psyched about the numbers, so provide free education for members—or a decent selection of education, for example, keynotes, game changers and basic-level sessions. Paid attendees get access to all sessions plus discussion groups and on-demand viewing.

Everyone wants to have face-to-face conversations with people they know and don’t know. Schedule Zoom-like discussion rooms for post-session deeper dives, birds of a feather meetups (by position, association size, org vs individual memberships, etc.) and discussions by topic (sponsorships, DEI, marketing automation, advocacy, components, etc.).

Have the appropriate number of rooms for paid attendees plus extras for topics you hadn’t considered. Keep them open all the time. If people pay for this and have a disappointing experience, they won’t do it again.

Reserve some rooms for crowdsourced topics. Let sponsors host discussion rooms—an AMS partner hosts a room on membership topics, an LMS partner hosts one on professional development topics, etc.

Exhibits: Many attendees I talked to said they liked the no-pressure aspect of the virtual exhibits. They could browse exhibits without having salespeople “all up in your face.” I bet the 50+ exhibitors loved all the leads they generated. Don’t blow your follow-up!

For a free event, I have no real complaints because, well, it’s free. But I’d expect a lot more from a paid event, particularly chat transcripts, longer on-demand viewing period, and, most importantly, discussion rooms.

GA peeps. A group of organizations, including the National Institute For Lobbying & Ethics, seeks your participation in the Government Affairs Profession Pandemic Survey so they can better understand the implications of COVID-19 on the government affairs profession. Please share this with your GA colleagues.

Virtual fellowships. Looking to attract the next generation of industry leaders to your association? WBT Systems suggests offering a virtual fellowship program and describes the essential elements of such a program using examples from several nonprofit organizations.

DEI policy. Michael Bach, author of Birds of All Feathers: Doing Diversity and Inclusion Right, shares excellent advice with Stephanie Vozza at Fast Company about creating and updating a DEI policy. He identifies eight mistakes that would be easy to make without the guidance of an expert. I was going to highlight a few but just about all of them seem mighty important.

Something for your exhibitors. Your supplier members are selling year-round so why not help them out, for a price, year-round. This article by Danica Tormohlen at PCMA Convene is about three virtual market weeks hosted by The Toy Association, but it also discusses the association’s ShopToys365, “a B2B digital marketplace where manufacturers could connect with global toy buyers and suppliers 24/7.”

Quick hits before we get to the list of next week’s free education:

“One moment, you’re standing still, at the abyss, and the next you’re committed, fully engaged with gravity.” For some reason, the “drop in” concept really resonates with me—and the image sticks. (Seth Godin)

Why CEOS need to read poetry to lead in the post-COVID world. An easy way to start this habit: subscribe to Poem-a-Day. (Clare Morgan and Massimo Portincaso, Fast Company)

The Native Lands app tells you what indigenous land you’re standing on. (Adventure Journal)

Good eats—skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer take-out. If you’re a home cook, check out the weekly In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog.

The highlight of the week, hands down, was summer shrimp scampi with tomatoes, corn, red onion and basil. My god, this was good. The extra butter I added at the end didn’t hurt. I’m making this again the next time I buy NC shrimp.

If you have jars of herb or spice mixes hanging out without purpose in your cupboard, add them to the flour, cornmeal and/or breadcrumbs the next time you dredge fish (in my case, flounder with Greek seasoning) or some other piece of protein.

I fell for this pulled pork with pickled peaches recipe but didn’t want to heat up the house by turning on the oven. So I adapted the recipe for the Instant Pot by increasing the liquid and adding most of the ingredients to the pot as the pork cooked. I also added some barbecue sauce to the mix. Had leftovers for lunch today on a bun with the pickled peaches and slaw.

I had a few poblano peppers ready to harvest so I made a batch of this chouriço mix for a side of stuffed peppers. I kept the Instant Pot out to make the brown rice and cooked the stuffed peppers in the toaster oven. Next week, I’ll tell you what I did with the leftover chouriço mix.

For veggies this week, we had calabacitas—a Mexican-inspired summer vegetable medley—and the old standby of roasted broccoli, cauliflower and red onion with garlic. Hmm, having that again tonight too.

Until next week, “stay awkward, brave and kind.” (Brené Brown)

Fri 8/14 at 1 p.m. – Post-Conference Chat & Networking

Did you miss connecting with people at the #asae20 conference? Do you miss those random meetings in the hall or those spontaneous debriefs after a session? Let’s try to recreate some of that magic as we discuss what we got from this year’s conference. You should meet 3-6 other folks and have some great chats. More info/register.

Host: Lee Gimpel, Better Meetings

*All times are Eastern Daylight Savings Time unless otherwise noted.

Fri 8/14 at 1 p.m. – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

Sat 8/15 at 11 a.m. – Practicing Authentic Allyship

Practice authentic allyship—and by allyship, we mean disrupting and dismantling oppressive systems using power, privilege, and sacrifice. Join this discussion to hear perspectives on allyship, its role in creating systemic change, and how allies can make a substantial difference. More info/register.

Host: Living Corporate

Presenters:

Mary-Frances Winters, Founder and CEO of The Winters Group, Inc
Gary Cooper, Diversity Product Manager @ Amazon
Monica Cox, Professor at The Ohio State University
Nubianna Aben (moderator), Living Corporate

Mon 8/17 at 1 p.m. – Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia

This series of 15-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. A new episode is posted every Monday by 1 p.m. More info.

Hosts:

Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

Tue 8/18 at 11 a.m. – Impactful Learning and Moderating

Learn how to prepare your presenters for conferences that help support adult learning theory when interacting virtually. Build your skills around how to leverage pace, tone, and view to create more engaging learning experiences. Practice how to utilize breakout rooms for successful learning experiences. Get a tip sheet to share with your virtual moderators, and to use for running meetings smoother yourself. More info/register.

Host: Christina Rowe, founder, The Collaborative LLC

Tue 8/18 at 12 p.m. – Claim Your Seat at the Table: Why and How to Impact your Association’s Virtual Event Strategy

As virtual and hybrid events become the “new abnormal” for associations, the role of meeting professionals is changing at a rapid pace. Changing more slowly is the perception of the role that planners can—and should—play as events go from in-person to virtual. Some associations have placed virtual events in the marketing department, others have determined they remain with the meeting planners, and many are still navigating how best to address this important transition. Learn why it’s important for association planners to have a “seat at the table” in developing virtual event strategy and get tips for how to claim your seat in your organization. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (fee for non-MPI members).

Host: MPI

Presenters:

Heidi Longton, CMP, CMM, Founding Member, MPI Association Planners Advisory Board
Natalie Norris, CMP, CMM, Director, Meetings and More Inc.
Lindsay Plath, CMP, Sr. Professional Development Coordinator, Illinois Association of School Business Officials

Tue 8/18 at 1 p.m. – How to Implement Successful Networking in Your Online Events & Conferences

Host: Better Meetings

Presenter: Lee Gimpel, founder of Better Meetings

Tue 8/18 at 2 p.m. – Applying to the Paycheck Protection Program: What Your Association Needs to Know

Both the House-passed HEROES Act and the current Senate Republican COVID-19 relief bill would expand access to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Nonprofit associations shouldn’t wait to consider their options or prepare PPP applications, even if final legislative details remain uncertain. Learn about your options, find out how to apply for a PPP loan, and get answers to your questions from experts and leading voices in association law, finance, and accounting. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Presenters:

Susan Robertson, CAE, president and CEO, ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership
Julia Judish, special counsel, ‎Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Mary Kate Cunningham, CAE, vice president, public policy, ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership
Thomas J. Sneeringer, partner, audit services, RSM US LLP

Wed 8/19 at 12 p.m. – Diversity in Association Hiring (CEO Update LIVE)

While some associations are hiring diversity and inclusion officers and conducting board and staff trainings, the community has long struggled with a lack of diversity among its most senior ranks. Hear what’s needed to achieve more diverse leadership and how associations can ensure they are fostering an equitable hiring and advancement environment. More info/register.

Host: CEO Update

Presenters:

Michelle Mason, CEO, Association Forum
Julian Ha, Partner, Heidrick & Struggles
Jim Zaniello, President, Vetted Solutions
Lynn McNutt (moderator), Editor-in-Chief, CEO Update

Wed 8/19 at 12 p.m. – The Evolution of Your Strategic Plan

Now it the time to revisit, reevaluate, and possibly even reorganize your current strategic plan. Change can be overwhelming but when you have the right tools and right people guiding you along the way, your plan will lead your organization to its destination, whatever the surrounding environment may be. More info/register.

Host: Talley Management

Presenters:

Gregg Talley FASAE, CAE, President & CEO of TMG
Joe Sapp, MBA, CAE, COO of TMG
Nicanor Sabula, Managing Director of AFAMCO Management, Africa
Tim Bower, CAE, Director of TMG Association Solutions Consulting

Wed 8/19 at 12 p.m. – Digital Advertising During a Global Crisis

See examples of ad campaigns that exceeded their goals during COVID-19 and explore why, learn about new advertising opportunities you can take advantage of, and get tips on how to execute your ad operations smarter from home. More info/register.

Host: Beaconfire Red

Wed 8/19 at 1 p.m. – Facilit8me: Managing Implicit Bias in Facilitation Work

Facilitators in particular need to be aware of their own bias, how it impacts the activities they select, what perspectives they center and how their “neutrality” can lead to biased products and outcomes. Increasing a facilitators awareness of implicit bias and its impact will defuse stereotyping and create a more equitable facilitated experience. More info/register.

Host: Event Garde

Presenters: Krista Rowe and Lindsay Gross, Event Garde

Wed 8/19 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter

ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.

Wed 8/19 at 2:30 p.m. – Earning Your Membership: Technology, Learning, and Accolades

Evolving our use of technology to engage our members for a “21st Century membership experience.” Sigma Alpha Epsilon will share their experience with the development of online learning for their members, starting at the turn of the century and culminating in the newest program, Accolades, which incentivizes members to continuously earn their membership. More info/register.

Host: North American Interfraternity Conference

Presenters:

James Irwin, Director of Educational Programs for Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Michelle Brien, Vice President of Marketing and Product Strategy at WBT Systems

Thu 8/20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Community Thrive! Virtual Summit 2020

Online communities have become critical to the way organizations deliver value and bring people together when face-to-face interactions are extremely limited. Now is the time for association and community leaders to think about the long-term strategy for digital engagement far beyond the face of a global pandemic for a sustainable future. This inaugural virtual conference brings together thought leaders in the community and association space to give you the information and resources you need to create rock solid digital engagement strategies for online communities that scale. More info/register.

Host: Community by Association

Thu 8/20 at 11 a.m. – Impactful Learning and Moderating

Host: Christina Rowe, founder, The Collaborative LLC

Thu 8/20 at 1 p.m. – Overcoming Advocate Fatigue: Practical Tips for Boosting Engagement

Learn how organizations like yours are making the most of their advocates’ participation to build organizational value while growing subsets of ambassadors to champion their causes. Hear tips and best practices for recruiting advocates, maintaining momentum, and boosting engagement for your cause, helping you avoid advocate fatigue and disengagement. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Government Relations and Advocacy Professionals Advisory Council

Presenters:

David Lusk (moderator), Founder, Key Advocacy
Kristen Prather, State Director, Grassroots Programs, Credit Union National Association
Kristin St. John, Deputy Director, National Grassroots Advocacy, National Association of Community Health Centers
Sherry Stanley Whitworth, Managing Director, FiscalNote

Thu 8/20 at 1:30 p.m. – Demonstrating Leadership Resilience: A CEO Dialogue

It has been more than four months since many associations went full-time remote. In this webcast, leaders representing different aspects of the association community will describe how they have personally demonstrated resilience over the past few months through managing their staff teams, guiding their organizational strategy, and planning for the upcoming year-end and start of 2021. In conversation among peers, explore strategies that you can use now and as you plan for next year. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Presenters:

Annette Gregg, senior vice president of experience, Meeting Professionals International
Charlie Jones, FASAE, CAE, senior vice president of global brand management, Futures Industry Association
Sharon Newport, CAE, executive director, Door Security and Safety Foundation; chief operating officer, DHI – Door Security and Safety Professionals
Richard Yep, FASAE, CAE, chief executive officer, American Counseling Association
Aaron Wolowiec (moderator), CAE, CMP, CTF/MT, president and CEO, Event Garde

Thu 8/20 at 2 p.m. – Behind the Scenes – The Making of Non Dues-a-Palooza Virtual Bazaar

How do you take an event, specifically crafted to be high-impact, high-energy, high-touch AND in person into the virtual world, without losing its big energy and zest? Learn what it took to pull off a successful virtual event, and the lessons learned along the way. Find out how the Virtual Bazaar was born including the planning process from start to finish, decision points along the way and the addition of handcrafted touches. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Matrix Group

Presenters:

Teri Carden, Co-Founder of 100Reviews and creator of the Non Dues-a-Palooza event
Joanna Pineda, CEO of Matrix Group, makers of the BeSpeake Virtual Meeting Platform

Thu 8/20 at 2 p.m. – Create Value for Sponsors and Exhibitors at your Virtual Conference

Please join us for a lively discussion on how to create value for Sponsors and Exhibitors for your Virtual Gala, Conference, or Annual meeting. More info/register.

Host: DC-Metro Association-Nonprofit Tech Network

Presenter: Justin Watson from Association Virtual Conferences

Fri 8/21 at 11:55 a.m. – Meet Other Association Pros @ Virtual Networking Lunch

Want to get new ideas for your association? Looking for a job? Have a great program to share? Just want to actually meet some new people in the association field? Join us for a fast, fun, and productive networking lunch (or breakfast or brunch, depending on your time zone). It’s networking that’s natural, not awkward. We’ll be using a number of online engagement techniques that you can adapt, copy and steal for your own events. More info/register.

Host: Better Meetings

Presenter: Lee Gimpel, founder of Better Meetings

Fri 8/21 at 12:30 p.m. – The Stakes Are Higher Than Ever: How to Avoid the Most Common Contracting Mistakes

Host: Legalease with the Ladies

Presenters:

Barbara Dunn, Partner @Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Lisa Sommer Devlin, Principal @Devlin Law Firm, P.C.
Sean Whalin, Co-Founder & CEO @HopSkip

Fri 8/21 at 1 p.m. – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

Mon 8/24 (times not listed yet) – Face-to-Face to Virtual…What Do I Do?: The Sequel

Host: ASAE

Tue 8/25 at 12:30 p.m. – Meetings of Membership Minds

Host: The Business of Membership

Presenters: Dan Ratner and Scott Oser

Wed 8/26 at 1:30 p.m. – The Future of Technology for Nonprofits and Associations

Host: Fíonta

Presenter: Dr. Lisa Rau, Fíonta co-founder

Thu 8/27 at 2 p.m. – Replacing the Timecard Mentality: Are You Sure You’re Cultivating Trust Among Your Staff?

Host: Tecker International

Presenters:

KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth, and senior consultant, Tecker International, LLC
Glenn Tecker, founder, Tecker International

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Association Brain Food Weekly: 8.7.20

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

Next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I’m attending the virtual ASAE Annual Meeting during the day and The Echo Hangout during the evening. Will I see you there?

Young professionals working from home. Here I was thinking everyone was discovering the joys of working from home. But it’s not the same experience for everyone. I have it easy, you may too. But, this week, WBT Systems reveals the high career costs of working from home for Gen Z and millennials. Associations, you can help young professionals overcome these challenges.

Envisioning the future. Want to find out how other associations are responding to the pandemic and envisioning the future? Then please consider participating in .orgSource’s Creating the New Normal survey.

Virtual chat data. Associations are leaving data on the table—rich, valuable data, says Amanda Kaiser. Virtual event and community platforms give you the chance to eavesdrop on what your members and others in your market are talking about. Take advantage!

Virtual event benchmarking data. Talk about data! Check out the infographic Gravitate Solutions put together with virtual event data compiled from three industry benchmark reports.

Sponsorship strategy. Many of your association’s corporate partners have become your competitors too. They offer webinars, blog posts, and maybe even conferences to your members. Instead of treating them like competitors, think coopetition instead, says Bruce Rosenthal and Mike Butera. Partner together to develop opportunities for them to bring their expertise to your members—for a price, of course.

Quick hits before we get to the list of next week’s free education:

Got a rough meeting coming up? Lessons from the Big Tech hearing on handling tense virtual meetings. (Mary Civiello, Fast Company)

The humble semicolon helped Ed Yong write the sentence of the year. (Roy Peter Clark, Poynter)

A plague is an apocalypse, but it can bring a new world. (Andrew Sullivan, New York Magazine)

Like you need me to tell you this… Per a new study, hedonism leads to happiness. “Enjoying short-term pleasurable activities that don’t lead to long-term goals contributes at least as much to a happy life as self-control.” (University of Zurich)

Good eats—skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer take-out. If you’re a home cook, check out the weekly In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog for more.

Summer’s been weird for all of us, but take one bite of a tomato sandwich and, oh yeah, it’s definitely summer. My version features thick slices of local tomatoes on sourdough sandwich bread with American cheese (Havarti and Muenster are okay too), Duke’s mayo (on both slices of the bread), Diamond Crystal kosher salt (so hard to find these days!) and freshly ground black pepper. Good for breakfast and/or lunch.

I’m glad I made the full amount of this maple teriyaki marinade because I got two great meals out of it. After marinating blackfin tuna, I heated up the remaining marinade and whisked in a cornstarch slurry to make a delicious sauce.

This coconut mint chutney came back for an encore too, this time on baked black sea bass that I first sprinkled with lemon juice and Aleppo pepper.

I love discovering a good potluck recipe—not that we’re going anywhere I can bring a dish these days. But now I’m ready with this broccoli salad with cheddar and bacon vinaigrette. I used a mix of Asiago and extra sharp (not aged) cheddar. Next time, I’ll make more vinaigrette because it got lost in the salad.

Why do I keep making pasta? The Covid-10 is going to turn into the Covid-15 if I keep this up. But it’s eggplant season and I couldn’t resist when I saw this recipe for a cheesy eggplant and rigatoni bake. Yes, it’s quite good.

Until next week, “stay awkward, brave and kind.” (Brené Brown)

Fri 8/7 at 10 a.m.* – #Eventprofs Happy Hour
We’ll socialize in large and small conversation groups (you choose) using the online social platform Rally — one of the hot new video-chat tools recently developed for recreating online the experience and possibilities of an in-person social. This is a great opportunity to experience a new platform — which uses the same underlying tech as Gatherly and Yotribe, but quite a different interface — while catching up with old friends and making new ones. More info/register.

Host: Adrian Segar, founder, Conferences That Work

*All times are Eastern Daylight Savings Time unless otherwise noted.

Fri 8/7 at 11 a.m. – High Engagement Networking

Experience a series of networking options that your association could run for virtual events. Play and problem-solve with peers to experience how creative networking can be virtually. Take away applicable resources from Ice Breakers to Shared Experiences for elevating your virtual networking events. More info/register.

Host: The Collaborative

Presenter: Christina Rowe, founder, The Collaborative

Fri 8/7 at 12 p.m. – Pandemic Adaptation & Planning via Neuroscience for Meeting Planners

Learn about the neuroscience-based evidence for how meeting planners and other professionals tend to make poor choices in the face of slow-moving major disruptions like the pandemic. Discover techniques to evaluate and shift your work as a meeting planner to adapt to and plan effectively for the long-term impact of the pandemic. Develop a long-term strategic plan to navigate successfully the disruptions caused by the pandemic for your meeting planning. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (fee for non-MPI members).

Host: MPI

Presenter: Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, CEO, Disaster Avoidance Experts

Fri 8/7 at 1 p.m. – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

Fri 8/7 at 1 p.m. – Nerd Therapy: What Will Event Attendees’ Expectations Be in 2021, and Are You Ready?

Join us for a discussion on building moments of connection with your audience through an all-virtual or hybrid event. We’ll dive into how to rethink event strategies to promote engagement, enable organic interactions, and create a sense of community long after the event. Our panel of experts will weigh in on near-term challenges and dig into what the 2021 event attendees will expect — and the way the conference landscape is forever changed. More info/register.

Host: Nerdery

Presenters:

Michael Ryan, TEDx Global Partnerships, TED Conferences
Lara Stein, Founder TEDx, Co-Founder and CEO Boma Global
Yarrow Kraner, CEO/Founder, HATCH & H360.ai
Laura Fegley, CCO, O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul
Emily Neubauer, Experience Designer, Nerdery
Jonathan Dexter, Engineering Practice Director, Nerdery

Fri 8/7 at 3 p.m. – #Eventprofs Happy Hour
We’ll socialize in large and small conversation groups (you choose) using the online social platform Rally — one of the hot new video-chat tools recently developed for recreating online the experience and possibilities of an in-person social. This is a great opportunity to experience a new platform — which uses the same underlying tech as Gatherly and Yotribe, but quite a different interface — while catching up with old friends and making new ones. More info/register.

Host: Adrian Segar, founder, Conferences That Work

Mon 8/10, Tue 8/11 and Wed 8/12 – ASAE Virtual Annual Meeting & Exposition

Join us for this year’s virtual event as we focus on a future that requires us to innovate and exceed expectations. Through the numerous timely educational offerings and endless networking opportunities, together we will create, learn, and connect to forward our missions and commit to continue making a mark in the world around us. CAE/CMP credits. More info/register (free for ASAE professional/consultant members, $99 for ASAE industry partner members ).

Host: ASAE

Mon 8/10 at 1 p.m. – Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia

This series of 15-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. A new episode is posted every Monday by 1 p.m. More info.

Hosts:

Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

Mon 8/10 and Tue 8/11 from 4 to 8 p.m. – The Echo Hangout: A Virtual Party During ASAE Annual

Join us at #TheHangout for a two-day virtual party for association professionals to network, catch up with peers, and have fun after the learning portion of the day on Monday and Tuesday. We’ll have trivia, live music, prizes and more. To get on the list, tweet @membersuite asking for the #MemberSuiteHangout registration code. More info/register.

Host: MemberSuite

Tue 8/11 and Wed 8/12 – ASAE Virtual Annual Meeting & Exposition

Host: ASAE

Tue 8/11 at 12:30 p.m. – Meetings of Membership Minds

Host: The Business of Membership

Presenters: Dan Ratner and Scott Oser

Tue 8/11 at 2 p.m. – Controlling Your Narrative: Crisis Communications for Unpredictable Situations

Learn how the current situations affecting our society and economies impact media opportunities and communication plans, why communicating with your audience in a timely manner will keep you on the right side of industry media, and an efficient way to gather facts and deliver messages with transparency, as situations change day by day. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenter: Randall Samborn, founder, Randall A. Samborn & Associates LLC

Tue 8/11 from 4 to 8 p.m. – The Echo Hangout: A Virtual Party During ASAE Annual

Host: MemberSuite

Wed 8/12 – ASAE Virtual Annual Meeting & Exposition

Host: ASAE

Wed 8/12 at 1 p.m. – The Future of In-Person Events: Safer Event Experiences

With hybrid and in-person events returning in the near future, event professionals need to make sure the safety and well-being of attendees and staff is the top priority. Learn how to tackle these new challenges with confidence by implementing technology to create safer events, creating event layouts and diagrams that comply with social distancing, managing session capacity and using self-check-in kiosks, and safely facilitating onsite meetings and enabling touchless contact sharing. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Presenters:

Brooke Gracey, Senior Manager, Demand Generation, Cvent
Nicholas Tinker, Manager, Event Solutions, Cvent

Wed 8/12 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter

ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.

Wed 8/12 at 2 p.m. – Contracts, Partnerships, and Sharing Risk in Highly Uncertain Times

The fear and uncertainty we are all facing is giving rise to more adversarial agreements and an understandable desire to shift risk to those we do business with. However, healthy value chains and profitable partnerships are built on a foundation of trust, transparency, and shared risks and rewards. Join us for a direct and transparent discussion with leaders from across the value chain designed to create perspective and inspire all players to sustain the collaborative foundations that our industry has long been based on. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenters:

Rich Gibbons, President, SpeakInc
Bill Reed, Chief Event Strategy Officer, American Society of Hematology
Tammy Routh, Senior Vice President – Global Sales, Marriott International
Kate Vitasek, Faculty – Graduate and Executive Education, University of Tennessee
Peter Sheahan (moderator), Founder & Group CEO, Karrikins Group

Thu 8/13 at 2 p.m. – Small Screen, Big Impact: Redesigning For A Virtual World

To inform, you must first engage. That means rethinking how you communicate on a small screen. Learn how to use rapid visual storytelling to transform your next webinar or virtual meeting; design for attention, using narrative impact and the three-second rule; and get faster responses and save time with clear calls to action and the “SOS rule.” 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenter: Debra Jasper, Founder and CEO, Mindset Digital

Thu 8/13 at 3 p.m. – Double Your Member Engagement with Very Little Marketing

Learn some powerful ideas to implement targeted marketing to increase the engagement of your association members, for example, ways to reuse some of your current resources to significantly boost your marketing with little effort, simple techniques that can be implemented to significantly increase your member’s engagement, and powerful marketing tools that can boost members engagement while staying at home. More info/register.

Host: Grype Solutions

Fri 8/14 at 1 p.m. – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

Tue 8/18 at 1 p.m. – How to Implement Successful Networking in Your Online Events & Conferences

Host: Better Meetings

Presenter: Lee Gimpel, founder of Better Meetings

Thu 8/20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Community Thrive! Virtual Summit 2020

Host: Community by Association

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Association Brain Food Weekly: 7.31.20

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

Economic outlook for associations. Please consider participating in Marketing General Inc.’s (MGI) second annual Association Economic Outlook survey. The results will help our community better understand how associations are adapting to change and preparing for the future. Survey participants will receive the study’s final report.

Virtual certified. Event planners did it. Speakers did it. They became “virtual certified.” If your members have to acquire new knowledge and skills to thrive in this new pandemic environment, WBT Systems suggests offering this type of certificate (and digital badge) program.

Planning virtual conferences. Lisa Block at Velvet Chainsaw Consulting suggests a list of questions to consider—about business model, meaningful engagement and content development—when planning a virtual conference.

Virtual event sponsorships. The next big sponsorship deliverable, says Elizabeth Johnson at The Moery Company, is virtual event data. Until virtual events provide the same opportunities for developing personal connections as in-person events do, event data will be a valuable asset for sponsors.

Virtual awards show. The Professional Publishers Association in the UK had a black-tie awards gala scheduled when the pandemic forced them to take it virtual. Hannah Bray explains how they managed to put on a virtual awards show that received “overwhelmingly positive” feedback.

Virtual event tips. Although written for event platform Hopin users, many of these virtual event tips apply to any platform, for example, developing an attendee video guide and holding screen.

Quick hits before we get to the list of this week’s free education:

12 tips that actually help with Zoom fatigue. (Kendall Walters, Vidyard)

How to keep closing B2B deals during the pandemic. (Jeff Winters, Harvard Business Review)

Hygiene theater is a huge waste of time. People are power scrubbing their way to a false sense of security about the coronavirus. (Derek Thompson, The Atlantic)

Good eats—skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer take-out. If you’re a home cook, check out the weekly In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog for more.

If you’re not the kind of person who scarfs up all the crumbs from the bottom of a potato chip bag (ahem), then you can save them for potato chip flounder. Otherwise, do what I did and buy a bag of jalapeno potato chips for this tasty simple dish. Make the dill tartar sauce too—it’s wicked good.

This maple teriyaki marinade was great on baked swordfish. The recipe made enough that I used it again last night on blackfin tuna.

If you need a good dip for a vegetable tray, I like this buttermilk ranch dressing. This time, I added parsley and chives to mine because I didn’t have enough dill. My summer crudités included blanched green beans, sugar snap peas and broccoli florets, zucchini, summer squash, cukes, carrots, grape tomatoes, and red bell pepper.

I took those leftover veggies and made a linguica and clam summer vegetable pasta. I had plans to make a linguica pizza and a clam white pizza but spent the afternoon Zooming with a dear faraway friend so opted for a quick pasta instead. My “recipe” included linguica, red onion, red and orange bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, garlic, broccoli florets, snap peas, grape tomatoes, corn, spinach, basil, canned clams and their juice, fettuccine, pasta water and butter. Details on Gusto this weekend.

Sunday morning, I made Joanne Chang’s maple blueberry scones. Highly recommended, plus you can use some of that buttermilk. Have you ever had buttermilk fresh from a farm? Oh my word. Yes, that good.

Until next week, “stay awkward, brave and kind.” (Brené Brown)

Fri 7/31 at 1 p.m.* – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Learn how to take events online in a way that is going to deliver high value, create an engaging experience, and preserve the outcomes you were seeking to achieve with your in-person conference. Hear about some major considerations for online engagement. Find out how to design for virtual-first experiences, satisfy the desire to network, and keep your members engaged. We’ll also touch on the tech because we know it’s on your mind! More info/register.

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

*All times are Eastern Daylight Savings Time unless otherwise noted.

Mon 8/3 at 1 p.m. – Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia

This series of 15-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. A new episode is posted every Monday by 1 p.m. More info.

Hosts:

Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

Tue 8/4 at 11 a.m. – The Reinvention of Education: How Associations are Contributing to the Overhaul of the American Education System

Hear from associations representing various roles and levels of education sharing how they’ve managed the education crisis, supported members, and influenced widespread change. Whether you are an association executive, business professional, or the parent of a student, there are valuable insights to gain from these leaders about the future of education and work, innovation, crisis management, and community-building. More info/register.

Host: Sarah Sladek, Save the Associations Webshow

Tue 8/4 at 11 a.m. – Association Analytics Network Virtual Meetup

We decided to host this meetup in a virtual world that will offer a unique experience to engage in conversation with your peers and participate in educational sessions. Breakout sessions: using data analytics to improve membership, data governance for associations, and measuring analytics in the time of COVID-19. 1 CAE credit. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Tue 8/4 at 12 p.m. – Event Marketing Strategies for Virtual and Hybrid Events

As virtual and hybrid events become the new normal, examine the best practices for event marketing and engagement strategies. Ask your questions regarding strategies, best practices, and tactics across the full event marketing funnel (from leads to revenue) and expand your role beyond execution to designing experiences that deliver on business objectives by understanding how event marketing works. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (fee for non-MPI members).

Host: MPI

Presenters:

Mike Dietrich, Vice President of Marketing at Cvent
Drew Holmgreen, Vice President of Brand Engagement at MPI
Lori Pugh Marcum, CMP, CMM, HMCC, CED, Head of Meeting Innovation, Meeting Professionals International

Tue 8/4 at 1 p.m. – The Content Pipeline: Turn Your Association’s Data Assets and Virtual Events Into Essential Content

Your association has always been a natural hub of relevant data and insight, and you can leverage this to build content in so many powerful ways. Learn how virtual events can be part of a meaningful data-driven content strategy. In Part I of this session, we’ll talk about ways of leveraging your existing data to inform virtual event programming. In Part II, we’ll look at ways to use the data that will come from your virtual events to generate even more meaningful content across multiple mediums. More info/register.

Presenters:

Arianna Rehak, Matchbox Virtual Media
Duncan Bell, Association TRENDS
Reggie Henry (Facilitator), ASAE

Tue 8/4 at 1 p.m. – How to Implement Successful Networking in Your Online Events & Conferences

Learn (and share) best practices for online events, conferences, classes and webinars; get practical online networking ideas. Experience four easy online networking activities to apply to your own events. Meet and connect with 5-10 colleagues doing similar work as you. More info/register.

Host: Better Meetings

Facilitator: Lee Gimpel, founder of Better Meetings

Tue and Wed 8/4 and 8/5 from 2 to 5 p.m. – Non Dues-a-Palooza Virtual Bazaar

A virtual experience engineered for visual learners, meaningful online conversations, and product introductions that makes sense for associations looking for new and innovative ideas to generate non-dues revenue. The experience includes ten case studies on how associations are kicking butt generating revenue in 2020, six non dues revenue product demos, two interactive happy hours, and one amazing community of association professionals ready to innovate and tackle new ideas to generate new revenue. More info/register.

Host: 100Reviews

Tue 8/4 at 2 p.m. – Sponsorship and Pricing Methods for Virtual Events

Transitioning an in-person event to a full digital experience has been difficult for associations, and many are finding themselves dipping into their reserves. Learn how to understand sponsor needs, build sponsor packages, bring value to a sponsor, and price virtual events. More info/register.

Host: Gather Voices

Presenter: Dr. Michael Tatonetti, Certified Pricing Professional and CAE

Tue 8/4 at 2 p.m. – In Need of a Change: Understanding Perspectives to Lead

Learn how Ferguson leads in this time of challenging societal and economical situations as the leader of a major city. Find out how our industry has evolved and, in some instances, still needs to improve; how generational perspectives can have an impact on workplace culture and teams; and how planners, venues and DMOS can take action to accelerate positive change. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenter: Elliott Ferguson, President and CEO of Destination DC

Wed 8/5 at 11 a.m. – Top 5 Ad Campaign Ideas for Retaining Members in 2020

Learn about some of the top ways you can stay front and center for your members, while also leaving time to address other challenges as they pop up. Hear a brief recap on programmatic advertising technology and how it applies to your membership goals; best practices and campaign ideas for targeting criteria, messaging, and ad creatives; and examples of real campaigns from Feathr customers. More info/register.

Host: Feathr

Presenter: Aidan Augustin, Co-Founder & President of Feathr

Wed 8/5 at 11 a.m. – High Engagement Networking

Host: The Collaborative

Presenter: Christina Rowe, founder, The Collaborative

Wed 8/5 at 12 p.m. – Key Insights From The 12th Annual Membership Marketing Benchmark Report

Get a preview of the report and learn the most useful membership strategies for 2020. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Insights in Old Town

Presenter: Tony Rossell, senior vice president at MGI

Wed 8/5 at 1 p.m. – Life After Launch: Managing Your AMS

Organizations need to approach “life after launch” with the same thoughtfulness you applied to the selection and implementation. Hear tips and best practices to increase user adoption and ensure lasting confidence for your new software. More info/register.

Host: Aplusify

Presenter: Rebecca Achurch, PgMP, PMP, CSM, CAE, Founder, Achurch Consulting

Wed 8/5 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter

ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.

Wed 8/5 from 2 to 5 p.m. – Non Dues-a-Palooza Virtual Bazaar

Host: 100Reviews

Wed 8/5 at 2 p.m. – How to Market Your Virtual Event Like a MoFo

Learn how to create a marketing strategy that will have people rushing to join and so excited that they bring their friends along. Hear about marketing strategies to target the right audience, modern event marketing best practices, and tips for driving huge registrations with event influencer marketing. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Hubb

Presenters:

Rachel Stephan, snöballer-in-chief, snöball event influencer marketings
Dahlia El Gazzar, Tech Evangelist, DAHLIA+Agency
Raime Merriman, VP Marketing, Hubb

Wed 8/5 at 3 p.m. – Professional Associations and the Management Challenges of the New Normal

More info/register.

Host: Enforme Collaborative

Presenters:

Andre Williams, executive director for American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy
Angie Dahl, director of development for the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy

Thu 8/6 at 12:30 p.m. – To Reopen or Not to Reopen? How COVID-19 Impacts Nonprofits’ Decision to Return to the Office

Find out what nonprofits should think about when making the decision to reopen their office and, if they choose to reopen, the measures they should take to minimize potential liability. Specifically, our attorneys will discuss these and other topics: deciding whether an office reopening is the right choice for your nonprofit, steps to take before you reopen your office, addressing employee concerns with your office reopening, managing employee data related to your office reopening, including information covered by ADA and HIPAA. More info/register.

Host: Venable LLP

Presenters:

Jennifer Prozinski, Partner, Labor and Employment, Venable LLP
Thora Johnson, Partner, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Venable LLP

Thu 8/6 at 2 p.m. – Communications in the COVID Era

Your association has probably already made major pivots to keep working through the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. How do you continue managing those changes while growing your member communication program? Hear about findings from this year’s Association Communications Benchmarking Report and tips to help you creatively and innovatively engage and communicate with your members and the industry. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Adviser/Naylor Association Solutions

Presenter: Sarah Sain, CAE, Director of Content, Member Communications, Naylor Association Solutions

Thu 8/6 at 2 p.m. – Managing Your Certification Program During the COVID-19 Era and Beyond

The disruption created by COVID-19 has changed the certification market and the larger environment in which certifying bodies operate. Learn how to create (or refine) a game plan for sustaining and growing your program in this new world. Hear insights on how to maintain your pipeline in the “new” normal, find and attract new audiences for your credentials, and craft an action plan to strengthen and expand your candidate pipeline. More info/register.

Host: Knapp & Associates International

Presenters:

Lenora G. Knapp, PhD, President, Knapp & Associates International
Mark Franco, JD, Associate, Whiteford Taylor & Preston

Thu 8/6 at 2 p.m. – Pathways to Innovation: From Informal to Intentional

Design thinking is a human-centered and systematic approach to innovation that provides you with tools for discovering unmet needs of your audience. By focusing on empathy and iteration, the design thinking process helps you create solutions that are grounded in the experience of your stakeholders and informed by their feedback through a co-creation process. Understand what design thinking is and its key steps. Learn why this approach helps manage the risk of innovation. See how the process works in action through a case study. More info/register.

Host: Bloomerang

Presenter: Carol Hamilton, Principal, Grace Social Sector Consulting, LLC

Thu 8/6 at 3 p.m. – Making History as the NBA’s First Black Female CEO

Hear how this trailblazer overcame a number of life’s challenges, from growing up in public housing and domestic violence to overcoming loss and surviving cancer. She first broke barriers as the first black cheerleader at U.C. Berkeley, spent over three decades at AT&T as one of its top executives, and today is the NBA’s first black female CEO. Cynt has been a powerful influence in sparking reform and engagement on the biggest issues of our time: sexism, racism, and the coronavirus. The conversation will center around practical “If I Knew Then…” leadership advice, personal life philosophies and guiding principles, and the challenges and opportunities for leaders in today’s landscape. More info/register.

Host: Entrepreneur

Presenters:

Dallas Mavericks’ CEO Cynthia “Cynt” Marshall
Comparably CEO Jason Nazar, host of this C-suite leadership series

Fri 8/7 at 11 a.m. – High Engagement Networking

Host: The Collaborative

Presenter: Christina Rowe, founder, The Collaborative

Fri 8/7 at 12 p.m. – Pandemic Adaptation & Planning via Neuroscience for Meeting Planners

Host: MPI

Presenter: Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, CEO, Disaster Avoidance Experts

Fri 8/7 at 1 p.m. – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

Mon 8/10, Tue 8/11 and Wed 8/12 – ASAE Virtual Annual Meeting & Exposition

Host: ASAE

Mon 8/10 and Tue 8/11 from 4 to 8 p.m. – The Echo Hangout: A Virtual Party During ASAE Annual

Host: MemberSuite

Tue 8/11 and Wed 8/12 – ASAE Virtual Annual Meeting & Exposition

Host: ASAE

Tue 8/11 at 12:30 p.m. – Meetings of Membership Minds

Host: The Business of Membership

Presenters: Dan Ratner and Scott Oser

Tue 8/11 from 4 to 8 p.m. – The Echo Hangout: A Virtual Party During ASAE Annual

Host: MemberSuite

Wed 8/12 – ASAE Virtual Annual Meeting & Exposition

Host: ASAE

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Association Brain Food Weekly: 7.24.20

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

Associations and the future of colleges. Jeff Cobb of Tagoras/Leading Learning asks a provocative but reasonable question: Could associations replace colleges? For many of us, the answer is a resounding “Yes.” Associations have a role to play in the training, credentialing and lifelong learning market, but few have taken advantage of those opportunities. To get a sense of what your association is missing, take a few minutes to read Jeff’s article and then share it with your staff and board.

Online learning myths. Online learning is getting a bum rap because many people are equating it with the emergency remote instruction received by school-age kids and college students this spring. WBT Systems sets the record straight by debunking myths about the effectiveness of online learning.

Memorable virtual gatherings. Inspired by Priya Parker’s The Art of Gathering, MemberSuite describes the seven essential elements for creating a memorable virtual conference instead of the typical series of webinars with accompanying chat box.

Backcasting your future. I had never heard of “backcasting” until reading this article from the American Alliance of Museums. It’s “a planning method that helps people and organizations figure out how to create their preferred future.” Backcasting starts with “a vision of what you want the world to be, and identifying actions you could take to make this future come true.” Although Elizabeth Merritt wrote this article for the museum community in 2019, it’s applicable to the association community in 2020.

Virtual board meetings. At the Harvard Business Review, Keith Ferrazzi and Sarah Zapp discuss the upside of virtual board meetings: shorter agendas, crisper presentations, more inclusive and bolder conversations, and broader exposure to key executives and outside experts.

Virtual event challenges. Michelle Russell at PCMA describes how the National Association of Realtors tackled (and overcame) virtual event challenges, such as VIP speakers with broadcasting restrictions, Zoom security (this was back in the Zoom bombing days), and staff/speaker tech training. A huge help: journey mapping each event role.

Virtual event data. Rob Miller of Gravitate Solutions writes about the valuable new data provided by virtual events—data on attendees, speakers, topics, sessions, sponsors and exhibitors. He says, “Consider the data, and its tremendous value to the organization, before you commit to another [event] platform.”

Quick hits before we get to the list of this week’s free education:

10 basic guidelines to minimize PDF usability problems. (Jakob Nielsen and Anna Kaley, Nielsen Norman Group)

Keep an eye on your coronavirus risk budget. (Leana S. Wen, Washington Post)

Why do babies in medieval paintings look so old and scary? Side note: anyone else miss going to art museums? (Hannah Keyser, Mental Floss)

Good eats—skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer take-out. If you’re a home cook, check out the weekly In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog for more.

If you like spicy, check out this recipe for cherry pepper sauce. Although meant for pork chops, I served it with bluefish. I also added eggplant (in season!), onions and basil. It’s a keeper.

My mint was getting leggy and in need of a serious pruning so I made a coconut mint chutney for blueline tilefish. It’s more like a pesto than a true chutney, but nevertheless, tasty.

Sunday’s dinner was the highlight of the week thanks to shrimp kielbasa from Locals Seafood. OMG. So good. I’ll buy more of that.

But the Sunday sides weren’t too shabby either. First, a sweet bell pepper and zucchini clafoutis. I subbed sour cream for crème fraîche, and added corn, onion and jalapeno. It wasn’t as pancake-y as fruit clafoutis I’ve made, more like a frittata, but plenty tasty.

My regular collards got an upgrade thanks to ground chorizo. I often add bacon to my greens but chorizo, wow. The rest of the mix included red bell and corno del toro peppers, onion, carrots and jalapeño.

Until next week, stay awkward, brave and kind.*

*I picked this up from Brené Brown, known mostly as a shame researcher, whose podcast I’ve been enjoying lately. She also said, shame is not a tool for social justice, but for oppression. I wish more people would listen to her and shut up.

Fri 7/24 at 1 p.m.* – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

*All times are Eastern Daylight Savings Time unless otherwise noted.

Mon 7/27 at 1 p.m. – Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia

This series of 15-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. A new episode is posted every Monday by 1 p.m. More info.

Hosts:

Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

Tue 7/28 at 11 a.m. – Rooting Out Racism: How to Get Started at Your Association

Learn how to identify the racist policies, bylaws and practices at your association that passively and actively allow inequities to continue. This conversation will be a starting point for those unsure of where to begin, as well as a welcome space for those who have already started this process to share their experiences. More info/register (donation requested).

Host: Association Success

Presenter: Maxine Crump, CEO of Dialogue on Race Louisiana

Tue 7/28 at 11:30 a.m. – Proven Strategies to Increase Member Retention

Learn how to nurture relationships with your members to make them stick around and feel like they can’t afford to leave. Hear how your association peers are currently increasing retention and how vital it is to convey the value of membership. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Community Brands

Presenters: Tara Pawlak, Membership Marketing Expert, and Tirrah Switzer, Association Advocate, Community Brands

Tue 7/28 at 12:30 p.m. – Meetings of Membership Minds

Host: The Business of Membership

Presenters: Dan Ratner and Scott Oser

Tue 7/28 at 1:30 p.m. – Racism in the Workplace: A Conversation on What We Can Do to Move Forward

Join the FindSpark community for an open and honest conversation about racism at work and steps everyone can take to make teams and companies inclusive and equitable. Our speakers represent a range of FindSpark community members – from early career professionals to experienced diversity, inclusion, and equity practitioners to educators. More info/register.

Host: FindSpark

Tue 7/28 at 2 p.m. – 3 Learning Science Lessons for an Impactful Learning Program

While many organizations are aware of the learning sciences needed to propel their lifelong learning programs forward, they are unsure how to turn these great ideas into products that make professional learning better and into profitable products. Learn about three learning science lessons you can use to make lifelong learning part of your business strategy and help learners improve their professional skills. More info/register.

Host: Association for Talent Development

Presenter: Emily Leary, Senior Director of Customer Operations, BenchPrep

Tue 7/28 at 2 p.m. – Hybrid Events: What You Need to Know Now

What will events in the near future look like? Hybrid events that provide engaging in-person experiences, while also incorporating key virtual elements, enable event professionals to offer a dynamic event for attendees however they choose to participate. Learn the definition and core elements of a hybrid event, common hybrid event challenges (plus tips for successfully navigating them), and best practices for virtual and in-person attendee engagement. More info/register.

Host: Cvent

Presenter: McNeel Keenan, vice president of product management, Cvent

Tue 7/28 at 2 p.m. – Redesigning Your Website During a Pandemic

Many website redesign plans were pushed to the side as people were trying to adjust to the new norm. Now that this task has come to the forefront again, learn how to manage a project like this. More info/register.

Host: DC-Metro Association-Nonprofit Tech Network

Presenter: Justin Watson, President at AS Creative Services

Tue 7/28 at 3 p.m. – Boost Membership & Non-dues Revenue in a Virtual World with Open Communities

Find out how opening your online community to the outside world can bolster member engagement, increase non-dues revenue, drive prospecting, reinvent content strategy and elevate your hybrid events in this newfound virtual era. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: ProTech Services and Breezio

Presenter: Breezio President and CEO Benjamin Muscolino

Wed 7/29 at 11 a.m. – Back to Basics: Using Web Analytics to Drive Your Marketing Campaigns

People are spending more time online than ever before. As your association experiences this growth in online interaction with members and prospective members, it’s important to have a clear picture of where your web visitors are coming from, what they’re doing while on your site, and which ones are repeat visitors. Learn about using web analytics to drive your marketing – so you can stay on top of membership, virtual event attendance, and any other goals. More info/register.

Host: Feathr

Presenter: Aidan Augustin, Co-Founder & President of Feathr

Wed 7/29 at 12 p.m. – Grassroots Influence Pulse: Identifying the Tactics and Practices That Predict Legislative Success

Hear about trends in grassroots influence tactics, how advocacy professionals are spending their time, the ROI of their tactics, and the activities that are less likely to lead to positive legislative results along with other findings from the biennial Grassroots Influence Pulse (GRIP) research. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Government Relations and Advocacy Professionals Advisory Council

Presenter: Amy Showalter, GRIP co-author and Principal, The Showalter Group, Inc.

Wed 7/29 at 12 p.m. – Hybrid Management Models for Associations: All the Benefits

In a world that continues to be impacted by COVID-19, reduced budgets, and increased competition, hybrid management with an AMC partner gives associations maximum flexibility, scalability, and expertise. Gain an understanding of the types of structures that can be put in place and the types of programs an AMC can support. More info/register.

Host: Talley Management

Presenters:

Tim Bower, Director of TMG Association Solutions Consulting @Talley Management Group
Joe Sapp, Chief Operating Officer @Talley Management Group
Ethan Gray, Associate Director of Association Management Services @Talley Management Group

Wed 7/29 at 1 p.m. – F&B 101: Managing Attendee Food Preferences and Dietary Requirements From A to Z

Discover what foods are considered and regulated as allergens around the world. Be aware of the laws that protect attendees with food allergies and other dietary needs. Recognize the steps you and your food service partners need to take to ensure the safety of your guests with dietary needs. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Presenter: Tracy Stuckrath, Senior Event Planner, thrive! meetings & events

Wed 7/29 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter

ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.

Wed 7/29 at 2 p.m. – Bridging the Gap from Strategy to Execution

Learn the reasons why the strategy execution gap persists and what associations can do to mitigate the gap through the following topics: communication of strategy, creation of a team-based performance culture, alignment across and down through the team, important role of leaders and middle managers, and incorporation of agility into strategy execution. More info/register.

Host: .orgCommunity

Presenter: Randall Rollinson, President of LBL Strategies, a Registered Education Provider of the Association for Strategic Planning

Wed 7/29 at 2 p.m. – Keeping Everyone Safe When We Return To Face-to-Face

Meetings and events are going to look very different when the industry returns to face-to-face in light of COVID-19. Learn what the return to events will look like in order to keep everyone involved safe according the research the panel’s organizations have done, as well as standards planners should look out for when deciding on their next meeting venue. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Wed 7/29 at 4 p.m. – How to Run a Virtual Conference

Learn how to design interactive virtual conferences, what people are getting wrong with virtual conferences, how to choose the right platforms for your virtual conference, approaches to monetize your event, and what the trends are for virtual events in the COVID-19 era. More info/register.

Host: Sprout Events

Presenter: Robin Petterd, founder of Sprout Events

Thu 7/30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – The Future of the Event Industry

Get an action plan to go back to business safely in 2021. Learn the best way to use technology for virtual and hybrid events with tracks for event owners and planners. Discuss key issues with your peers. Use our matchmaking features to connect with other attendees. More info/register.

Host: EventMB

Thu 7/30 at 12:30 p.m. – Going Virtual: The VMAE Summit 2020 Success Story

The Veterinary Medical Association Executives (VMAE) held the VMAE Summit, a virtual event conference that delivered educational content, interactive sessions, and social experiences that connected their members to their professional community. Learn best practices for planning a virtual conference, how to maintain value for event sponsors, and the importance of choosing the right virtual event platform. More info/register.

Host: Web Courseworks

Presenters:

VMAE CEO and AVMA Director of Special Projects, Ralph Johnson
Courseworks Client Success Manager, Matt Harpold

Thu 7/30 at 2 p.m. – Recruiting and Retaining Association Members (and Driving Non-Dues Revenue) in the Virtual Event Era

Learn how to use membership surveys to identify future marketing opportunities; use digital platforms to drive engagement with members, non-members and employers; drive non-dues revenue from out of the box tactics; use data you already have to recruit new members and engage employers. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Web Scribble

Presenter: Web Scribble’s Director of Marketing Dawn DiLorenzo

Thu 7/30 at 2 p.m. – Getting Healthcare Providers (HCPs) to Return to F2F Meetings

Hear about outcomes from recent medical association virtual congresses and best practices to gain an understanding of how to enhance the HCP experience and create meeting FOMO. Learn how to explore the value live events deliver compared to virtual meetings and create powerful networking opportunities for HCPs. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MeetingsNet

Presenters:

Betsy Bondurant, CMM, CET, President, Bondurant Consulting
Ashley Williams, MBA, Vice President, Life Sciences Center of Excellence, BCD Meetings & Events
Maggie Butler, Co-Founder, The CM Group

Thu 7/30 at 2 p.m. – Expert Tips for Maximizing All-Inclusive Events

From incentives to retreats, all-inclusive properties can reduce surprises at the end and streamline planning, but you have to know what questions to ask if you are going to design an event that fits your organization’s goals. Learn how to select the right property for your event, what questions to ask before you sign the contract, and how to prepare your attendees for what to expect. More info/register.

Host: Smart Meetings

Presenters:

John Gaca, president, DMI Hotels
Janek Rattinger, corporate director of group sales at Blue Diamond Resorts

Thu 7/30 at 3 p.m. – Data Governance and Data Quality Quick-Start for Associations

Many associations believe that data cleanup challenges are holding them back or stopping them from meaningful data analysis. This session will focus on the data cleaning basics and how your association can take small steps towards better data quality. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Thu 7/30 at 3 p.m. – Content Curation 101: How do Real Estate Agents, Marketers, & Other Business Professionals Find Relevant Articles for Their Audience?

Find out how you can keep your subscribers engaged in between buying cycles with a relevant, personalized newsletter. Learn how to curate outside news sources in order to develop a personalized, automated newsletter for your audience. Then YOU will be the one who is top of mind when they are ready to buy. More info/register.

Host: rasa.io

Presenter: Erica Salm Rench, Director of Customer Success of rasa.io

Fri 7/31 at 1 p.m. – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

Tue and Wed 8/4 and 8/5 from 2 to 5 p.m. – Non Dues-a-Palooza Virtual Bazaar

Host: 100Reviews

Wed 8/5 at 12 p.m. – Key Insights From The 12th Annual Membership Marketing Benchmark Report

Get a preview of the report and learn the most useful membership strategies for 2020. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Insights in Old Town

Presenter: Tony Rossell, senior vice president at MGI

Wed 8/5 at 1 p.m. – Life After Launch: Managing Your AMS

Host: Aplusify

Presenter: Rebecca Achurch, PgMP, PMP, CSM, CAE, Founder, Achurch Consulting

Wed 8/5 from 2 to 5 p.m. – Non Dues-a-Palooza Virtual Bazaar

Host: 100Reviews

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Association Brain Food Weekly: 7.17.20

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

Design thinking demystified. Are you just a tiny bit intimidated by the idea of design thinking? It’s okay, we’ve all been there. Design thinking is completely doable when you get it explained to you like WBT Systems does in their post, Design Thinking for Associations: Let’s Take It from Conceptual to Practical.

Pandemic engagement strategies. Member needs continue to change as we slowly move from pandemic response mode to pandemic recovery mode. MemberSuite identifies five strategies for engaging members during this next phase of the pandemic crisis: content, education, community, volunteering and causes.

The future for CRPs. At the Association Component Exchange last fall (sigh, doesn’t that feel like a different world?), Billhighway asked component relations professionals what they saw in their future. No one could have predicted what we’re living now, but their answers are still strangely relevant.

The future for event planners. What does an uncertain future hold for association event planners and association meetings? Good question. Meetings Today talked to event planners about revenue diversification, in-person vs. virtual attendee engagement, and managing your mindset.

An optimistic virtual future. The Moery Company says going virtual offers a unique opportunity for associations and their sponsorship programs. I agree, it’s time to completely rethink how you approach sponsorship.

Virtual event sponsorship example. The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology shared some of their sponsorship plans for an upcoming virtual conference on Collaborate (sorry, ASAE members only). Check out their Why Invest page for sponsors. They’re providing individual sponsor coaching via email and video chat, and plan to discuss what went well (and what didn’t) with sponsors after the event.

Quick hits before we get to the list of this week’s free education:

Challenges and opportunities with membership recruitment for trade associations. (Tony Rossell, Marketing General, Inc.)

5 virtual conference pricing strategies. (MeetingsNet)

Need some good news about covid-19? Here are six reasons for optimism. (Joseph G. Allen, Washington Post)

This! Open a new window somewhere in the world. I can’t stop clicking. The window from Istanbul is cool with the music playing and gulls crying. (WindowSwap)

Good eats—skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer take-out. If you’re a home cook, check out my weekly In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog for more.

Our highlight of the week was hot catfish, an inspired take on Nashville hot chicken, with cheesy grits.

Here’s my amazing grits recipe—and the best shrimp and grits recipe ever. I can’t take credit. It’s from the late Bill Neal, former chef at Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill.

The runner-up for the highlight spot had to be glazed yellowfin tuna with a ginger and oyster sauce. The original recipe called for cod and baby bok choy but yellowfin is so much better when cooked just right, and grown up bok choy was just fine.

Along with the rest of the herd, I made a sourdough starter recently. I followed the recipe at King Arthur but made mine with flour from Carolina Ground, a mill in Asheville NC. The wheat in my flour came from nearby Wake Forest so the wild yeast is all NC.

Sunday afternoon, I made two loaves of rustic sourdough bread—a recipe from King Arthur for newbie sourdough bakers since it includes as much commercial yeast as you think you need. I wasn’t sure if my starter was feisty enough but it did fine with a scant teaspoon of extra yeast. I loved the mild tang and soft crust of this bread. I will make it again. It’s the perfect loaf for breakfast toast with butter and homemade fig jam from my sister-in-law.

The week’s pig-out meal was a pasta dish. Yes, pasta again, blame corn. At the farmers market, some of the farms bring in a pickup truck with a bed full of corn. I started with this creamy corn pasta with coconutty greens recipe and added two different kinds of fish—black drum and grouper, plus shrimp broth, jalapeno, ginger, double the corn and kale, onions and scallions instead of shallots, and no thyme. Hot sauce is recommended.

Until next week, stay awkward, brave and kind.*

*I picked this up from Brené Brown whose podcast I’ve been enjoying lately.

Fri 7/17 at 12 p.m.* – Budgeting for Uncertainty

We’re in unchartered territories and not only will our budgets look different moving forward, our budgeting processes likely will as well. You may be asked to start your budgeting process earlier and may be required to offer a more data driven approach to prove the value of your meetings to your organization’s business mission and balance sheet. Learn three key concepts to help you prepare for the upcoming budgeting process. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (fee for non-MPI members).

Host: MPI

Presenter: Kyle Jordan, Ed.M, MS, CAE, CMM, CMP, Managing Director, Learning and Conferences, Financial Planning Association

*All times are Eastern Daylight Savings Time unless otherwise noted.

Fri 7/17 at 1 p.m. – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

Mon 7/20 at 1 p.m. – Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia

This series of 15-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. A new episode is posted every Monday by 1 p.m. More info.

Hosts:

Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

Tue 7/21 at 11:30 a.m. – Best Practices in Hybrid and Virtual Events

After nearly half a year of challenges and tough decisions due to COVID-19, the industry has had to adapt to stay afloat. Veterans in their fields of expertise, the speakers will dive into the do’s and don’ts of transitioning to virtual, their own first-hand experience and how to prepare for the future of the industry. More info/register.

Host: Swapcard

Presenters:

Megan Powers, Founder, Powers of Marketing
Brian Fanzo, Founder, iSocialFanz
Preet Singh, Founder, DesignX Community

Tue 7/21 at 12 p.m. – PPN Idea Exchange: Improve Chances Companies Will Sponsor Your Organization

Many companies are drafting their marketing budgets and selecting association sponsorships for their upcoming fiscal year. Companies are scrutinizing their sponsorships and seeking opportunities for increased ROI. We’ll discuss how to improve your association’s chances of being selected for sponsorship by these companies …. especially during the pandemic. More info/register.

Organizer: Partnership Professionals Network

Tue 7/21 at 12 p.m. – A New Path Forward for Sustainable Events

What will the “new normal” look like for event sustainability when the COVID-19 pandemic has finally ended? Are the days of buffets and bulk condiments long gone? Hear about strategies and options for implementing sustainable practices into your events that save money and resources, while still considering our environmental impact. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (fee for non-MPI members).

Host: MPI

Presenters:

Amanda Simons, Principal, Honeycomb Strategies
Lindsay Arell, Principal, Honeycomb Strategies

Tue 7/21 at 12:30 p.m. – Membership Renewal Messaging During a Crisis

Dues revenue is the lifeblood of most associations and in a blink-of-an-eye the other major revenue centers (like meetings and events) vanished into thin air. Find out how the host communicated with members at the height of the pandemic to continue bringing in renewals and exceed their goals despite the circumstances. 0.5 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: The Next Steps LLC

Tue 7/21 at 1 p.m. – Preparing Your Association for the Long-Term Impact of COVID-19

Hear about the long-term impacts of COVID-19 for the association industry, revenue strategies that organizations should be using in order to survive, advice on how leaders should approach the evolving association environment, and tips and advice on how to execute a successful virtual event. More info/register.

Host: Gather Voices

Presenter: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth, and senior consultant, Tecker International, LLC

Tue 7/21 at 1 p.m. – How to Implement Successful Networking in Your Online Events & Conferences

Host: Better Meetings

Presenter: Lee Gimpel, founder of Better Meetings

Tue 7/21 at 2 p.m. – How ASAE Is Running a Huge Virtual Conference and How You Can, Too

Hear about ASAE Annual, their decision to take the Annual Meeting to virtual, to make it free for attendees, and how they are approaching exhibitors and sponsors to provide the greatest value. How are they working with speakers and how will content be provided? What tools and platforms are they using? What are the highs and lows they are encountering and what can attendees expect? More info/get reminder.

Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth, and senior consultant, Tecker International, LLC

Guest: Amy Ledoux, Chief Learning & Meetings Officer at ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership

Tue 7/21 at 2 p.m. – Tools to Enhance Your Speaker’s Engagement

Speakers that previously only worked in face-to-face environments have now been thrown into the digital meetings world without warning. Techniques they may have employed on the stage, can be hard to replicate through a video presentation. Hear about various tactics that can be implemented immediately to encourage presentations to evolve as everyone gets more comfortable with the online venue. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenter: Marcus C. White, Managing Member at MCW Events, LLC

Tue 7/21 at 12 a.m. – Help Your Speakers Present with Impact

As an increasing number of events move to virtual or hybrid options, speakers who have mainly presented to a live audience are now asked to do so virtually. The thing is, even if one is used to speaking on stage in front of a large audience, speaking online is a very different skill set. Learn how to avoid common mistakes when it comes to presenting virtually. Discover tips and methods to help your speaker make that transition and present with impact online. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenter: Gabrielle Dolan

Wed 7/22 at 12 p.m. – Oxygen, Please! Self-Care Strategies to Slay Workplace Burnout

By incorporating simple, self-care strategies into our lives, we can slay workplace burnout and rejuvenate our sense of purpose. The simple truth is this: caring for yourself will allow you to show up as your best self at work and at home. Get empowered to reignite your self-care practices, allowing you to show up as your authentic self and contribute to positive workplace culture. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (fee for non-MPI members).

Host: MPI

Presenter: Kelli Jaecks, MA, RDH, President, Kelli Jaecks | Verbal Impact

Wed 7/22 at 1 p.m. – Wow Your Virtual Sponsors & Exhibitors so They’ll Partner for Life

Learn how you can create experiences and connections for your virtual event exhibitors and sponsors that are so rich and valuable, they’ll become sponsors for life. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: 100Reviews & Matrix Group

Presenters:

Joanna Pineda, CEO, Matrix Group
Teri Carden, Co-Founder, 100Reviews
Bruce Rosenthal, Corporate Partnership & Sponsorship Consultant and Founder of the Partnership Professionals Network
Scott Oser, President of Scott Oser Associates, Inc.

Wed 7/22 at 1 p.m. – Kickstarting Your AMS: The Implementation Journey

You selected your AMS – now what? Build on the success of the AMS selection project to kick start the implementation. Join a discussion to learn the fundamentals of setting up a successful project as well as a series of tips from selection experts from DelCor and webinar participants. More info/register.

Host: Aplusify

Presenter: Gretchen Steenstra, strategic consultant, DelCor Technology Solutions

Wed 7/22 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter

ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.

Wed 7/22 at 2 p.m. – How to Increase Participation in Exhibitor Success Program

Industry research shows that offering exhibitor education can increase Net Promoter Scores by 23 points, among other benefits. However, if you really want to help your exhibitors (and your trade show, overall), you have to do more than just “check a box” – you have to entice exhibitors to participate and apply what they learn… which, unfortunately, may not be as easy as it sounds. More info/register.

Host: Trade Show Summer School

Presenter: Robyn Davis, founder, Exhibitors WINH LLC

Wed 7/22 at 3:30 p.m. – How to Avoid Fundraising’s Quiet Killer: Donor Attrition

Learn how to step off of the donor acquisition treadmill and rev up donor retention. Understand how a 10% increase in donor retention will more than double the lifetime value of a donor and minimize our reliance on producing constant appeals for new donors. More info/register.

Host: Aggregage/Association Universe

Presenter: Jay Wilkinson, CEO and Founder of Firespring

Thu 7/23 at 10 a.m. – Facilit8me Community of Practice: Evoking Creativity in Groups

Facilitators are often asked to assist groups with solving their most challenging and unique problems. Finding the path forward often requires groups to think differently and creatively. Learn tactics for breaking groups out of a rut, examples of brainstorming exercises, how to create an engaging environment, and examples of methods that can be utilized to tap in creative solutions. More info/register.

Host: Event Garde

Thu 7/23 at 11 a.m. – What to Consider as You Plan to Re-Open Your Association Office

Learn specific details on what you should be considering as you plan to re-open your association office. In addition, many associations are wondering how the real estate market will be affected long term and whether they can reduce their office footprint and operating costs. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Finance and Business Operations Professionals Community

Presenters:

Donna Delo, P.E. LEED AP, Bluemoon Engineering
Elizabeth Long, AIA, LEED AP, Partner, OTJ Architects
Holly Martin, LEED AP, Partner, OTJ Architects
Jordan McLean, LEED AP, Project Executive, HITT Contracting
Christie Minch, LEED AP, Managing Principal, Workplace Strategy + Project Management, Cresa
Mindy Saffer, LEED AP, Managing Principal, Transaction Management and co-leader of Cresa’s Nonprofit Practice Group

Thu 7/23 at 12 p.m. – Town Hall Discussion: The “What’s Next” Guide to Virtual Events

Hear about the key considerations for virtual and hybrid events including platform selection, content curation, and attendee engagement. Come with your questions as the second half of the session will be opened up to the audience for an “Ask Me Anything” session. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Professional Development Professionals Community

Presenter: Beth Surmont, CMP, CAE, Director of Experience Design at 360 Live Media

Thu 7/23 at 2 p.m. – Unconscious Bias: Get Rid of the BS

Learn about Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion through the lens of humanity using terms like BS or Bias Synapse as a way to explain our brain’s involvement in the processing and validation of bias. Whether implicit or conscious, bias is the number one threat to humanity and any company’s success; although it can often be an uncomfortable topic, this engaging approach helps attendees to easily understand the concept, without feeling bored or judged. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenter: Risha Grant, Diversity & Inclusion Expert

Thu 7/23 at 3 p.m. – The Story in Unstructured Data

Research from Gartner suggests that 80% of all enterprise data can be considered as unstructured. This session will focus on how associations can leverage this historically “dark data” to identify trends that exist when they analyze large volumes of unstructured data from members. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Fri 7/24 at 1 p.m. – How to Go Virtual (While Still Creating an Engaging Experience)

Host: Matchbox Virtual Media

Presenters:

Ann H. Hoover, Vice President of Programs, Association Health Law Association
Allen Lloyd, CAE, Executive Director, Montana Society of CPAs
Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
Heather Varndell, Digital Strategist & Assistant to CSO, Matchbox Virtual Media

Tue 7/28 at 11 a.m. – Rooting Out Racism: How to Get Started at Your Association

Host: Association Success

Presenter: Maxine Crump, CEO of Dialogue on Race Louisiana

Tue 7/28 at 12:30 p.m. – Meetings of Membership Minds

Host: The Business of Membership

Presenters: Dan Ratner and Scott Oser

Wed 7/29 at 2 p.m. – Bridging the Gap from Strategy to Execution

Host: .orgCommunity

Presenter: Randall Rollinson, President of LBL Strategies, a Registered Education Provider of the Association for Strategic Planning

Thu 7/30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – The Future of the Event Industry

Host: EventMB

Wed and Thu 8/4 and 8/5 from 2 to 5 p.m. – Non Dues-a-Palooza Virtual Bazaar

Host: 100Reviews

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