Tag: Association Brain Food

 

“I was showing the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed.”

Norman Rockwell said that, and today’s his birthday. “Rockwell?” you yawn. “Big deal.” Yeah, I used to think that too, being a sort of art snob. After all, I used to volunteer at the National Gallery of Art, la dee dah. The NGA was my cathedral, especially when I worked there on Sundays and worshipped at the feet of the masters, old and new.

I used to characterize Rockwell as pedestrian, beneath my notice. As I’ve grown older and wiser (work in progress), I’m not so elitist about art or lots of other things. Life’s too short for a close-minded attitude. You can find pleasures in the least expected places.

After seeing two Rockwell exhibitions several years ago, I spent some time thinking and then writing about his work. Check it out if you think you might need your own comeuppance.

Before we get to the webinars and learning events for next week, here are a few of my favorite reads from this week.

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If you want to keep up with the mergers, sales and acquisitions in the association technology market, subscribe to Ben Martin’s theNIRD.org. He’s been the first one recently to break the news about moves in the industry, including the recent acquisition of YourMembership.

An association Twitter stalwart, and the original founder of #assnchat, Jeff De Cagna, has a new Twitter handle and business name, one that makes perfect sense for him — @dutyofforesight and Foresight First. Indeed!

The first time I sat in on a PM Poker session at the Avectra Users Conference years ago, I could have used a translator. I didn’t even get some of the jokes. What are these people talking about? Thankfully, DelCor has decoded the mysterious language of project management for all of us regular people.

Have you subscribed to Cynthia D’Amour’s Wake Up Wednesdays email yet? Trust me, she’s laying down some serious truths. I especially loved the most recent edition about the power shift from national (or HQ) as gatekeeper to chapters as value-deliverer. Amen!

My name is Deirdre and I have a podcast problem. How many do I subscribe to? I don’t want to know, let’s just say, a huge amount. I’m always behind in listening to new episodes. But, I’ll go on a listening binge to catch up on a few of my favorites, including the Leading Learning podcast from Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele at Tagoras. This is a “must subscribe” podcast for association professionals. Start your listening with their trends and predictions episode from December.

Now, on to the list of this week’s free webinars and learning events. If your organization has a webinar scheduled in the next few weeks, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.

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Tue 2/7 at 12 p.m.* – Addressing Public Health Crises in the Age of Social Media

Today, thanks to social media, we can learn about a crisis literally as it’s unfolding, whether it’s a new case of Zika or a terrorist attack. How does this new reality affect your association? How might you respond to a crisis in your profession or industry? What can you do to prepare? Hear how experts handled a crisis in the healthcare field. Learn how you can prepare your association to manage a crisis smoothly and effectively. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Presenters:

• Jennifer Morales, director of communications, Infectious Diseases Society of America
• Diana Olson, vice president of communications, Infectious Diseases Society of America

*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.

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Tue 2/7 at 12 p.m. – Hotel Contracts Boot Camp for Experienced Meeting Pros

You can be the best negotiator in the world, but the bottom line is whether your contract is legally clear, inclusive and enforceable. Find out what every meeting professional must understand to survive in today’s business climate and avoid expensive lawsuits. Identify and understand the issues and legal principles in hotel contracts that cause the most friction between planners and suppliers; the difference between penalties versus damages, and what’s enforceable; and the various methods of calculating attrition and cancellation damages in guestrooms and catered food and beverage functions. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Presenter: John Foster, hospitality law specialist, attorney, Foster, Jensen & Gulley LLC

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Tue 2/7 at 2 p.m. – The Director Experience: Designing a Stronger Board through Foresight (Association Chat)

Find out how to use the power of foresight effectively to better your association. Watch/participate live or view the recording.

Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth

Guest: Jeff De Cagna, FASAE, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC

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Tue 2/7 at 2 p.m. – How to ID and Avoid Problem Causes

Don’t make the mistake of writing contract clauses that are unenforceable or that hotels will not accept. Learn to identify your meeting’s specific legal needs, write clauses that will address them, and avoid problem clauses. More info/register.

Hosts: SmartMeetings, Sheraton Grand Los Angeles and Sundance Helicopters

Presenter: Lisa Sommer Devlin, JD, meetings industry legal expert

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Tue 2/7 at 2 p.m. – Where Do I Go From Here? Engage Volunteers in New Ways

This webinar will help you think about new strategies and help you evolve your program to include new roles and responsibilities for volunteers, pathways for more involvement and leadership positions in your program, how recognition plays a role in retention, and the importance of including continuing education and professional development to keep your volunteers engaged. More info/register

Host: VolunteerMatch

Presenter: Jennifer Bennett, senior manager of education & training, VolunteerMatch

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Wed 2/8 at 7:30 a.m. Central – Component Relations Chicago Roadshow with Billhighway (Chicago)

Join a gathering of liked-minded folks from chapter-based associations that face the same challenges as you for a discussion about: measuring and increasing the health of chapters and how it can be done; best practices for chapter operations (volunteer tools, processes, etc.); how to get the right statistics which will help prevent members, at both the national and chapter level, from leaving. CAE credit. Location: Chicago IL. More info/register.

Host: Billhighway

Facilitators: Kyle Bazzy, director of growth, and Max McCain, growth specialist, Billhighway

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Wed 2/8 at 1 p.m. – Using Facebook LIVE to Broadcast Impact

Learn how to get started with Facebook Live. Find out to pick the best topic for your first broadcast and get examples of creative Facebook broadcasts from other nonprofits. Learn how to promote your broadcast to your community, manage and monitor discussions during your broadcast, repurpose your Facebook Live recording for other social media channels, avoid common mistakes made before, during, and after your broadcast. More info/register.

Host: 4Good

Presenters:

• Sam Frank, founder, Synthesis Partnership
• John Haydon, digital marketing expert for nonprofits and charities

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Wed 2/8 at 2 p.m. – 7,000 Subject Line Tests Later

Kick your open rates up a notch and learn more about your audience with subject line testing and sample size testing – the easiest way to test and immediately apply the learnings. Find out what elements your peers are testing, what works, and what doesn’t as we review results from over 7,000 subject line tests performed in 2016. More info/register.

Host: Informz

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Wed 2/8 at 2 p.m. – How Content Will Transform Your Events, With or Without You

The evolution of content is changing how we learn and connect with the world around us. Events play a pivotal role in this transformation and it’s time to rethink how you define, design and deliver event content. Learn how to guide your organization through these changes and how to prioritize intent before content, the evolution of presentations, and what we can learn from the five best examples of event content marketing in U.S. history. 1 CE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: PCMA Digital Experience Institute and Calgary Telus Convention Centre

Presenter: Sourabh Kothari, DES, founder and CEO, Not-Content, Inc.

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Thu 2/9 at 12 p.m. – 5 Strategies to Engage Members in Your Online Community

Learn about five easy automated strategies to make a significant impact on the value and satisfaction your members receive. Harness the power of your AMS and online community, turning your members into lifetime advocates. More info/register.

Host: YourMembership

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Thu 2/9 at 12 p.m. – 9 Things Every Association Exec Should Know About Content Strategy

Many associations and nonprofits still don’t have a strategy to guide their content, but they should. Having a content strategy is an imperative for being a valued and preferred source of information for your community. Learn essential content strategy tips, including how to create a plan that will get the right content to the right users at the right time. 0.5 CAE credit. More info/register. (Free only to .orgCommunity members, otherwise $18)

Host: orgCommunity

Presenter: Heather Swink, CAE, content and marketing strategist, orgSource

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That’s it for this week. If you can’t attend a live webinar, go ahead and register if the topic interests you. Most webinar hosts send registrants a link to the recording.

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

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<Creative Commons licensed image of North Carolina longleaf pines by Justin Meissen>

 

My power went out for several hours yesterday afternoon – the wind knocked a tree down on the lines in our neighborhood. I had just returned from a committee meeting and was ready to start working when…darkness. Once it came back on, I had to choose between making dinner and writing an intro to this post. Sorry, folks, dinner rules.

However, I had already selected a few posts to share with you this week. Consultant Sheri Jacobs, CAE, takes a look at “five consumer trends associations shouldn’t ignore and raises some questions to consider as you plan for the future.”

Keep this Socialfish post bookmarked. It’s a social media cheat sheet updated with info on image sizing, new features, tools, sharing tips and more.

Why do some solopreneurs use the pronoun “we” on their website to describe their company and services? Who’s the We? Me, myself and I? I assume they want to give people the impression they’re running a company with employees, but why? Why is that better? Why be so dishonest? “Act your size,” says Jason Fried, founder of Basecamp. “If it’s just you say I, not We.”

Now, onto the list of this week’s free webinars and learning events. If your organization has a webinar scheduled in the next few weeks, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.

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Mon 1/30 at 12 p.m. – Corralling the Chaos: A Case Study in Harnessing the Power of a Social Media Storm

When faced with a fast-moving social media response, how do you influence the tone and direction in a positive way? In this case study, learn how the American Nurses Association leveraged social and traditional media, resulting in more than 38 million media impressions and increased pride in the profession. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Marketing Section Council

Presenters:

• Jessica Ek, social media engagement manager, American Nurses Association
• Joan Hurwitz, vice president, communications, American Nurses Association
• Lisa Lloyd, social media specialist, American Nurses Association
• Christina Garneski (moderator), director of marketing and communications, Association for Psychological Science

*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.

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Tue 1/31 at 11 a.m. – Food Rescue for Your Events

Learn about the food rescue program developed for this year’s National Association for Catering and Events, including recommendations for tracking, communication and other guidance to help you implement your own program. More info/register.

Host: Green Meeting Industry Council

Presenters:

• Joanna Berens, independent planner
• John Buschman, adjunct instructor, Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Florida International University

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Tue 1/31 at 12 p.m. – Making an Impact: The Art of Social and Environmental Responsibility

Attendees of all ages are increasingly interested in the environmental and social impact of the events they attend. Learn how meeting professionals across the globe are embracing social and environmental practices in new and unique ways, and discover easy things you and your partners can do to get started on impactful social and environmental programs. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Presenter: Jessie States, CMM, manager of professional development, MPI

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Tue 1/31 at 12 p.m. – Making Mobile Work for your Organization

Ed. note: I don’t have any additional information on this one.

Register.

Host: Intuitive Business Concepts

Presenters: Results Direct and Michael Jones

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Tue 1/31 at 2 p.m. – How to Have Massive Creativity in Your Online Community (Association Chat)

Learn how to improve your creativity and give yourself an edge in business and your career. Watch/participate live or view the recording.

Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth

Guest: Kayla Hollatz, copywriter and brand strategist

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Tue 1/31 at 2 p.m. – Be a Productivity Superhero

Learn how to manage your time and focus your attention to get the results you need without working yourself to the bone. Find out how to single-task—and why you should, improve your focus and push through clutter to what really matters, and work more effectively, authentically, and efficiently. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MeetingsNet

Presenters:

• Neen James, keynote speaker, author, and productivity and attention expert
• Sue Pelletier (moderator), content director, MeetingsNet

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Wed 2/1 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Rebroadcast: PCMA Convening Leaders LIVE 2017

The rebroadcast schedule will feature some of the most talked about sessions from Convening Leaders. 5 CMP credits. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

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Wed 2/1 at 12:30 p.m. – The Association Role in the New Education Paradigm

The US higher education system and, with it, traditional pathways into employment for young people are being disrupted by a host of factors. At the same time, associations are desperate to attract new members, particularly younger members. Is this a perfect storm? No – it’s a perfect opportunity. Learn more in this 20-minute live chat. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Executive Management Section

Presenters:

• Shelly Alcorn, CAE, founder, Alcorn Associates Management Consulting
• Elizabeth Engel, CAE, founder, Spark Consulting

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Wed 2/1 at 1:00 p.m. – 10 Steps to Make Your Social Media Marketing Strategy Rock

Learn how to leverage social media to drive engagement with your audience, incorporate social media marketing into every stage of the buyer’s journey, and effectively measure social media marketing to determine real business ROI. More info/register.

Host: American Marketing Association

Presenters:

• Lisa Marcyes, senior social media marketing manager,Marketo
• Scott Minor, online marketing program manager,Marketo
• Selma Avdic (moderator), American Marketing Association

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Thu 2/2 at 12 p.m. – Creating a Stellar Chapter Development Plan

It’s still the beginning of 2017 and you might be scratching your head on where to begin with your chapters. First things first, you need goals and a plan. In this webinar, we’ll walk through an example of a chapter development plan and provide tips on how to create your own. More info/register.

Host: Billhighway

Presenter: Kyle Bazzy, director of growth, Billhighway

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Thu 2/2 at 2 p.m. – Top Ten Cybersecurity Tips for Nonprofits: Managing Your Technical and Legal Risks

Ever-evolving and persistent cyber threats make it imperative for organizations to stay informed, create policies and procedures, and plan. This panel brings together both technical and legal speakers to highlight the top ten cybersecurity challenges facing nonprofits today, and offers practical advice for tackling them. CAE credit. Attend in person (Washington DC) or virtually (webinar). More info/register.

Host: Venable LLP

Presenters:

• Christopher Ecker, chief technology officer, DelCor Technology Solutions
• Brian P. Sheehan, vice president, DelCor Technology Solutions
• Julia Tama, partner, Venable LLP
• Jeffrey Tenenbaum (moderator), partner and chair, nonprofit organizations practice, Venable LLP

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Thu 2/2 at 2 p.m. – Why You Should Be A/B Testing Your Member Communications

Not sure which email content, design, subject line or send time will yield the best results? A/B test it. By A/B testing variables in your association messaging you get real insight into the preferences of your members, allowing you to hone and optimize your strategy moving forward. More info/register.

Host: Real Magnet

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Thu 2/2 at 2 p.m. – This Is How Our Most Successful Clients Fill Their Events

Learn about three trends preventing people from registering for your events, one simple way to avoid event-related cash flow problems, and a proven three-step process to fill events fast and cut your workload in half. More info/register.

Host: Wild Apricot

Presenter: Terry Ibele, growth specialist, Wild Apricot

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Thu 2/2 at 3 p.m. – Small Steps, Big Results (Reston VA Idea Swap)

Improving your customer experience doesn’t have to mean overhauling your website or looking for the next “big idea.” In fact, you can find success by starting small and implementing changes gradually. Hear five simple digital strategies — implemented by associations like yours — that have resulted in big payoffs for members and the organizations. Location: Reston VA. More info/register.

Organizer: ASAE Greater Washington / National Capital Community

Presenter: Alex Mouw, solutions consultant, Results Direct

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Fri 2/3 at 3 p.m. – Ecommerce for Associations

Ed. note: I don’t have any additional information on this one.

Register.

Host: HighRoad Solution

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That’s it for this week. If you can’t attend a live webinar, go ahead and register if the topic interests you. Most webinar hosts send registrants a link to the recording.

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

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Creative Commons licensed photo of a wind worn cypress by Sharon C. Johnson

 

Monday, January 23 is Community Manager Appreciation Day (#CMAD). If your association has a community manager, I know you already appreciate him or her because your online community would likely fail without their attention.

This year’s CMAD features:

• An eight-hour live webathon on Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST featuring outstanding speakers and community manager panels, headlined by Jeremiah Owyang, the founder of Community Manager Appreciation Day.
• A Community Manager of the Year award with a prize valued at over $1,000 including a complimentary registration to the CMX Summit, roundtrip airfare on Southwest Airlines and a $500 travel stipend. Take that, you measly professional development budget!
• A #CMAD cheers at 5 p.m. EST – community managers, have the adult beverage of your choice ready and join in.

RSVP for CMAD on Facebook so the organizers get an idea of the number of people participating. It’s all free – just the way we like it here.

Big news this week on the online community front: Higher Logic bought Socious. Find out what Ben Martin, CAE, founder of Online Community Results, learned from his talk with Higher Logic’s co-founder, Andy Steggles.

If your association still has a SysAdmin or IT director fiddling with patches and firewalls and all kinds of mysterious network stuff behind the closed doors of your server room, then listen up. I could get on my soapbox about this topic, but you’d probably rather listen to Chris Kasmark at DelCor – he lays out four reasons why your association should rethink how you handle IT.

Inquiring minds want to know: where’s association management software heading in 2017? Jen Barrell at Aptify has a few ideas herself (I’m guessing she’s got an inside line here) and asked a few experts to speculate as well.

I know the web is overrun with posts about productivity, most of which are crap, but I was inspired by this article on morning routines to change my own. For me, the big change was simple and obvious – no Internet before noon. Web abstinence hasn’t been as difficult as I thought it would be and now I’m wondering why I didn’t do this six years ago. I’ve made other changes to my morning routine but I’m going to wait a few weeks until I report back on them. Life is a work in progress.

Now, onto the list of this week’s free webinars and learning events. If your organization has a webinar scheduled in the next few weeks, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.

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Tue 1/24 at 12 p.m.* – Empowering the Young Professional Voice (Columbia MD Idea Swap)

Learn what it means to create space for the young professional voice at your association, to build those voices as association advocates, and honor those voices when crafting the association’s strategic direction. After all, if young professionals will inherit the organizations of tomorrow, they should be an equal player in the strategy conversations today. 1 CAE credit. Location: Columbia MD. More info/register.

Organizer: Peggy Hoffman, CAE, president, Mariner Management & Marketing

Presenter: Lowell Aplebaum, CAE, CEO, Next Connextion

*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.

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Tue 1/24 at 12 p.m. – Taking the Tiger by the Tail: Seizing Control of Your Career Destiny

How we manage our career and go about finding work has radically shifted due to emerging technologies and constantly changing economic conditions. There’s no such thing as job security in today’s workplace– it’s now all about employability. Building this mindset will allow you to navigate quickly (and be in control of) future job transitions. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Presenter: Dawn Rasmussen

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Tue 1/24 at 12:30 p.m. – xAPI for Instructional Designers

Learn more about xAPI and how it will change the way instructional designers change the way they use and analyze data from learners and courses. Review SCORM and xAPI side-by-side to see the expanded capabilities xAPI has over SCORM. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Web Courseworks

Presenter: Megan Torrance, Torrance Learning

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Tue 1/24 at 2 p.m. – Association Chat

Check the Association Chat page on Crowdcast to find out about this week’s topic and guest(s).

Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth

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Tue 1/24 at 2 p.m. – Fuel Exceptional New Member Experiences: 3 New Strategies for Onboarding, Engagement and Retention

After conducting in-depth interviews with more than 300 members, Amanda Kaiser learned that the membership process is not a year-long cycle. Instead, the decision to renew is highly influenced by a member’s experience when they first join. Learn how associations of all sizes have increased their overall member retention rates by creating exceptional onboarding experiences for their new members. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: YourMembership

Presenters:

• Amanda Kaiser, chief path finder, Kaiser Insights LLC
• Quinn Brady, vice president, customer success, YourMembership

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Tue 1/24 at 2 p.m. – Turn Your Website into a Membership Growth Engine

Even someone without any tech experience can turn their website into a new member recruiter — in just an afternoon. Learn about three website changes that will start attracting new members right away; how to get volunteers to easily make updates by themselves (even if they don’t have any tech experience); and how other organizations use their website to drive membership growth. More info/register.

Host: Wild Apricot

Presenter: Terry Ibele, growth specialist, Wild Apricot

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Tue 1/24 at 2 p.m. – Digital Marketing for the Event Planner: Organic Search

Research shows that 89% of conference attendees use search for purchase decisions. Learn how to build a keyword strategy and rank higher on search; avoid being penalized by search engines; and use search engine marketing to improve the search results for your event. More info/register.

Hosts: Eventbrite, Moz, and Pathable

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Tue 1/24 at 2 p.m. – Engaging the Volunteer of the Future

Find out what volunteers are looking for and use this information to start designing volunteer opportunities and determining who is the “right” volunteer for your program. Learn how “word of mouth” plays such a large role in attracting volunteers to your organization and how social media makes this even more important. More info/register.

Host: VolunteerMatch

Presenter: Jennifer Bennett, senior manager of education & training, VolunteerMatch

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Wed 1/25 at 1 p.m. – How Much Does Membership Software Really Cost?

Hear some straight talk about membership software pricing. Learn what goes into pricing, how to control the costs of new membership software, and what questions you should ask technology vendors to ensure you get the right AMS fit for your association. More info/register.

Host: Aptify

Presenters: Johanna Kasper, director of engagement, and Eric McDonald, engagement manger, Aptify

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Wed 1/25 at 1 p.m. – How to Get Your Event Website Noticed

Is your event website trustworthy? Does it send the right messages? How can you audit and improve the conversion rate? Learn about a sales funnel that is proven to increase website conversions by adding trust signals. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Event MB and Eventbrite

Presenter: Filip Matous, digital strategist and author of How to Get Your Website Noticed

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Wed 1/25 at 1 p.m. – Get Empowered by the API Economy

Get a better understanding of what you need to know in order to select and implement different best-in-breed event technology solutions to create a unified solution for your needs. More info/register.

Host: Hubb

Presenter: Allie Magyar, founder and CEO, Hubb

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Wed 1/25 at 1 p.m. – Meeting Budget and Cost-Savings Strategies

Hear about industry issues and trends that impact value-based negotiations. Learn how to review key cost-savings strategies, including room rates, concessions, F&B and audiovisual, and Internet/technology support services; how to develop methods to create value formulas and metrics to define, measure and report success; and how to communicate real meeting value to senior managers and stakeholders. Find out the five key steps to assure measurable cost savings and ROI. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Presenter: Robyn Mietkiewicz, senior director of global meeting management, Meeting Sites Resource

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Wed 1/25 at 1 p.m. – How ASHA Generates More than $1M a Year with Online Conferences

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) hosts as many as six online conferences each year, grossing over $1 million in revenue annually. Learn ASHA’s secrets for success in a behind-the-scenes “tell-all” with a panel of ASHA event experts. Hear their scalable strategies for conference and content planning, event marketing, repurposing content, and recruiting sponsors. More info/register.

Host: iCohere

Presenters:

• Aiden Callery, marketing manager, ASHA
• Jack Coursen, associate director, professional development, ASHA
• Justin Goldstein, sponsorship manager, ASHA
• Leslie Katz, director, brand marketing, ASHA
• Chris Urena, director, professional development, ASHA

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Thu 1/26 at 12 p.m. – How the Right CMS Makes Content Future-Friendly

With so much information being published, so many devices to display it on, and design trends in constant flux, it can be hard to keep your website in good shape. A CMS that uses a structured-content approach is necessary to re-use, re-mix, and re-style content for omni-channel publishing. Learn how subject domain modeling combined with content modeling sets the stage for a cross-discipline, content-centric implementation process. More info/register.

Host: DNN

Presenter: Carrie Hane, principal strategist, Tanzen

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Thu 1/26 at 2 p.m. – #TrendingNow: Association Trends to Watch in 2017

From the rise of 501(c)3 foundations, to the increased need for software integrations, to building strong relationships between national organizations and their chapter affiliates, each year brings new shifts and opportunities. Learn how these opportunities can help you better serve members and positively impact your industry. Hear how Abila’s six predictions will affect your association and membership base throughout the coming year. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Abila

Presenter: Amanda Myers, director of member strategy, Abila

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Fri 1/27 at 8 a.m. – Machine Learning – An Essential New Tool in Knowledge Management (Arlington VA)

Get an overview of machine learning theory, technology and applications to knowledge management. Find out how machine learning can be used by organizations to improve their knowledge management capabilities including the search experience, taxonomy audit and discovery, recommender systems, automation and analytics, and collaboration and knowledge sharing within an organization. More info/register.

Host: Washington DC Chapter of the Knowledge Management Association

Presenter: Hedeer El-Showk

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Fri 1/27 at 12 p.m. – Using Webinars for Lead Generation (Inbound Lunch Bunch)

Inbound marketing is so new to the association market that it might make you feel like you’re back in elementary school where everything is new. So, we’re taking some of the standards of elementary school—keeping it simple, making it fun and creating a super positive learning environment where the only dumb question about inbound marketing and lead generation is the one you don’t ask. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solution

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Fri 1/27 at 1 p.m. – The LMS Meets 2017: What Every Buyer Must Know

How can you make sense of the complex learning management system (LMS) marketplace, where more than 700 learning platforms already compete for your business? Find out in this annual LMS market review as well as a discussion of key trends and vendors to watch. More info/register.

Host: Talented Learning

Presenter: John Leh, CEO and lead analyst, Talented Learning

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That’s it for this week. If you can’t attend a live webinar, go ahead and register if the topic interests you. Most webinar hosts send registrants a link to the recording.

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

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<Creative Commons licensed image of a female cardinal by Jim Leistman.>

 

“Our achievements are simply the by-products of our ability to realize the potential of the present moment.”

Is that not the best remedy for procrastination?

It’s from Meditations from the Mat by Rolf Gates, a daily reader for yoga practitioners and one of my “desert island” books.

Procrastination has been getting some positive press lately. Creatives are encouraged to follow their rebellious minds where they lead since procrastination is now seen as a sign your brain isn’t ready to buckle down. It needs to relax and recharge by following its own path. You’ll stifle your creativity if you don’t allow yourself to procrastinate, “they” say.

Makes sense, but we all know too much of a good thing makes us flabby. The day is short. Heck, life is short. Make the most of your precious hours, the present moment, even at work.

I just ordered Tech Success for Associations, a new release (free for ASAE members) from the ASAE Foundation’s Technology Success and Readiness Study. One interesting tidbit from the study of associations and their members illustrates a huge disconnect:

The largest portion of association members described themselves as technology ‘explorers’ – early and optimistic adopters of new technology. However, “association IT decision makers believed that few members would fall into this category and instead thought the largest portion of members would fall into the ‘hesitator’ category” – “optimistic about technology in the abstract but somewhat scared to actually use new technology and therefore unlikely to be early adopters.”

The New Jersey Society of CPAs (NJCPA) is using demographic and behavioral data to provide targeted, relevant content – newsletters, website content, and event marketing emails – to their members and community. A blog post and success story from Aptify explain how NJCPA developed this data superpower.

Forget New Year’s resolutions. Instead design a life for yourself. Many of us fall into jobs and relationships, and find ourselves staying put out of inertia. Yuck. Take the reins and intentionally design a life that brings you joy – I highly recommend it. Get your start with this advice from Dave Evans and Bill Burnett from the Stanford Design School, cofounders of the Life Design Lab and coauthors of Designing Your Life.

Now, let it snow! Yup, we’re expecting our first snow of the season tonight here in North Carolina. Single digit temps at night too. It’s time for getting cozy.

Here’s the list of this week’s free webinars and learning events. If your organization has a webinar scheduled in the next few weeks, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.

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Tue 1/10 at 2 p.m.* – Behind-the-Scenes with ASAE’s Gold Circle Awards (Association Chat)

Watch/participate live or view the recording.

Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth

*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.

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Wed 1/11 – HighRoad U Office Hours

There’s so much going on in associations today around digital that we are offering a weekly 1-hour office hour program with an expert. Bring your specific challenges, questions or current work to get expert feedback and guidance. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solution

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Wed 1/11 at 1 p.m. – Email Marketing in 2017: Trends, Data and Best Practices

See what email marketing strategies and tactics work based on responses from over a hundred marketing professionals. Find out how deliverability is changing in 2017, and learn about new tactics to optimize marketing emails. More info/register.

Hosts: Return Path and American Marketing Association

Presenter: Tom Sather, senior director, research, Return Path

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Wed 1/11 at 1 p.m. – Nonprofit Boards & Effective Governance

The nonprofit board has been described as an ineffective group of effective people. How might they do better? This webinar will look at board membership (recruitment, development, self-assessment), process (structure, meetings), capacity, and fiduciary concerns. Learn how to assemble an effective board, how to structure and operate a board effectively, and how to engage trustees and increase mutual satisfaction. Hear about tools and resources that will increase board effectiveness. More info/register.

Host: 4Good

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Wed 1/11 at 2 p.m. – How Design Thinking Helps You Increase Impact and Innovation

Learn how innovative nonprofits (American Red Cross, GRID Alternative, buildOn, etc.) utilize Customer Centric Design Thinking to think outside-the-box and find ways to leverage existing resources, volunteers, staff, and social media presence to increase impact. Hear about methods for using design thinking to increase engagement, awareness, volunteerism, and fundraising at your organization. More info/register.

Host: VolunteerMatch and raiserve.org

Presenters:

• Ryall Carroll, co-founder, raiserve.org
• Basil Sadiq, marketing associate, VolunteerMatch

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Thu 1/12 at 12 p.m. – Navigating ASAE Resources for Professional Success

Some of ASAE’s staff will identify key components of ASAE resources that can be used to maximize your professional development and set you on the right path to success in your association career. Hear examples from members of ASAE’s Young Professionals Committee who have maximized specific resources to advance their own careers. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Young Professionals Committee

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Thu 1/12 at 12 p.m. – 401(k) Fees 101: Know your Fees, Manage Your Fees

Learn how to identify, understand, and manage your 401(k) plan fees. Even small employers can face a lawsuit if they don’t attend to this important component of their retirement plan. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Retirement Trust

Presenter: Shelly Horwitz, CMFC® partner, Association Investment Advisory Solutions

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Thu 1/12 at 12 p.m. – DC Small Staff Association Brown Bag Lunch Group (Washington DC)

This casual lunch group of association colleagues is specifically for those who work at small staff associations. Attendees share ideas and ask questions about other associations’ best practices. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Small Staff Association Professionals

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Thu 1/12 at 12 p.m. (lunch) or 12:30 p.m. (webinar) – Top Ten Hot-Button Insurance Issues Facing Nonprofits

It’s increasingly difficult to anticipate newly emerging risks, such as cyber risk and workplace violence coverage, and to decide whether and how to insure for them. Analyzing the major risks facing your organization and whether your current policies of insurance cover those risks is imperative to avoid the risk of loss that could have otherwise been transferred to an insurance company. Learn about the basics of insurance coverage and the importance of understanding risk tolerance within your organization, and get answers to some of the tough insurance questions nonprofits need to tackle. More info/register.

Host: Venable LLP

Presenters:

• Lou Novick, principal, Novick Group
• Thomasina E. Poirot, Esq., associate, Venable LLP
• Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, Esq. (moderator), partner and chair of the nonprofit organizations practice, Venable LLP

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Thu 1/12 at 1 p.m. – Social Learning Trends in the Association Space

Discover the potential for social technologies to support and extend the education your organization offers in this review of the key findings from the Social Learning Trends in the Association Space report conducted by Tagoras. They’ll share the reasons associations should pay particular attention to social learning, and case studies of associations using social technologies for learning. More info/register.

Host: Higher Logic

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

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Thu 1/12 at 2 p.m. – It’s Time to Market Your Association like a Business

Major companies are really good at innovating how they communicate and engage customers and prospects with their values and value proposition through email, social media and other channels – so maybe it’s time for associations to start marketing more like businesses. More info/register.

Host: RealMagnet

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Thu 1/12 at 2 p.m. – 3 Easy Ways to Retain More Members Using Software

Do you sometimes feel that your membership is like a leaky boat? Every time you look at your database, you notice a few members have left? Learn how to get your members to renew on their own, so you don’t have to chase them; automate your new member onboarding process and save hours each week; and quickly identify who is about to leave, and what you can do to keep them. More info/register.

Host: Wild Apricot

Presenter: Terry Ibele, growth specialist, Wild Apricot

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Thu 1/12 at 2:30 p.m. – 5 Secrets of Email Marketing Geniuses

There is more power and leverage in one email subscriber than 100 Facebook likes or 50 Twitter followers if email marketing is done right. Problem is, 9 out of 10 nonprofits don’t do it right. Learn about the 5 types of nonprofit emails, the anatomy of an email marketing campaign, 6 email marketing mistakes to avoid, and 5 secrets of email marketing geniuses. More info/register.

Host: Firespring and Clarification

Presenter: Jay Wilkinson, founder and CEO, Firespring

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Thu 1/12 at 3 p.m. – How to Market Like a Big Brand, Even If You Are a Marketing Office of One (Idea Swap in Loudoun County VA)

Learn some tips on how to leverage your email marketing tools and create extra revenue at your association. Hear what the Texas Medical Association did to take their stagnant continuing education course sales and grow them by over 300% in just 5 months. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Greater Washington / National Capital Community

Presenter: Ryan King, sales executive, Informz

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Fri 1/13 at 12 p.m. – Revitalizing Your Brand and Getting Members Buy-in

As associations evolve, their brand often no longer represents their members or the organization’s future mission and vision. No matter how obvious the need for rebranding, a well thought out plan, support from leadership and buy in from members is required. Hear how the Society of Women Engineers underwent a two-year rebranding effort to move it forward and truly embody the global organization it aimed to be – a process that not only won over its members but also resulted in an ASAE 2016 Gold Circle Award Recipient for Rebranding. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Young Professionals

Presenter: Karen Horting, CAE, executive director & CEO, Society of Women Engineers

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Fri 1/13 at 1 p.m. – Winning the Inbox: 3 Things Savvy Email Marketers Must Know

The best email marketing combines the latest in mobile design, smart automation techniques and analyzing the right data. If you can nail those three things, then you’ll start sending the kind of email that gets real results.  Hear about real-life examples of brands that are optimizing their email programs for today’s on-the-go consumers. More info/register.

Hosts: Emma and American Marketing Association

Presenter: Jamie Bradley, content marketing strategist, Emma

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Fri 1/13 – Using Webinars for Lead Generation

For many organizations, digital marketing is a new undertaking. Associations are looking for how to best staff their organizations, craft campaigns and measure programs in the digital age. We created HighRoad U to help all associations evolve fully into digital. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solution

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That’s it for this week. If you can’t attend a live webinar, go ahead and register if the topic interests you. Most webinar hosts send registrants a link to the recording.

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

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Creative Commons licensed image by liquidcrash

 

I believe.

Who else is getting excited about Christmas? Now that I’m back from the ASAE Technology Conference & Expo, it’s time to get festive. Although, thanks to the good cheer of ASAE attendees and exhibitors, I’ve been feeling pretty festive these past few days.

This tweet sums up my emotions about ASAE Tech aka #tech16. I sent it out right before heading into the last session of the last day.

I admit, I’m crazy about my association technology community – such good people. And I’m geeky enough to wish we had one more day of sessions and exhibit hall time. Yes, my brain might have exploded but I’d be willing to take that chance. It was so hard to choose just one session during each breakout when I had three or four of them checked off on my schedule.

I spent time with some friends but didn’t have nearly enough time with others. I met new acquaintances, reconnected with old friends, but completely missed others who were on my list of people to meet.

Hopefully I can right some of those wrongs at the digitalNow Conference in May, but that’s so far away! As much as I’d like to go to ASAE Great Ideas, my budget can only handle two ASAE conferences a year – Annual and Tech. But I’m not complaining: my professional development budget at my last association job didn’t even spring for one ASAE conference, so things could be worse.

The last session I attended at #tech16 was about AMS implementation, strangely one of my favorite subjects. If you have a system implementation or some other technology project in your future, check out these posts from DelCor about project management:

• Successful IT Projects Begin with a Project Charter
• How to Minimize the Perils of DIY Project Management
• How to Keep Your Association’s Technology Project on Schedule

Another good read is about how Google is now prioritizing mobile results. HubSpot explains the impact of mobile-first indexing and what to do to ensure your website isn’t lost on page 3.

I’m not publishing Association Brain Food next week because I doubt any webinars will be scheduled between Christmas and New Year’s Day. If I find out about webinars for the week of January 2, I’ll be back on December 30. If not, I’ll meet you back here in the New Year.

Wishing you a joyful holiday season!

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Mon 12/19 at 2 p.m* – Countdown to 2017: Tips for Member Retention into the New Year

Learn how to build member retention in 2017, including how to spot the difference between loyalty and inertia, why member retention is the most important tool you have for disruptive innovation, how to harness the power of your super users, where to focus to build a virtuous cycle of new and loyal members, and how doing less can increase loyalty among your members. More info/register.

Host: Abila

Presenter: Robbie Kellman Baxter, leading expert on the Membership Economy

*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.

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Mon 12/19 at 10 a.m. – From the Peak to the Plateau: Event Apps after the Hype

IT analyst firm Gartner tracks the journey of emerging technologies from the “Peak of Inflated Expectations” to the “Trough of Disillusionment.” Then, as the market crystallizes, technology moves from the “Slope of Enlightenment” to the “Plateau of Productivity.” Find out where event apps are in this cycle, why, and what this means for meeting planners. More info/register.

Host: Lumi

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Tue 12/20 at 12 p.m. – New Administration, New Risks? How to Protect Your Nonprofit’s Data

Are you doing everything you can to protect data about your nonprofit and its constituents? Learn about existing and emerging threats, the risks they pose to your nonprofit and the people you serve, and the practical steps you can take to help protect against them. More info/register.

Host: Idealware

Presenter: Cheryl Contee, Fission Strategy

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Tue 12/20 at 2 p.m. – The Apps of a Leader (Association Chat)

Learn about the best free and bargain apps and online resources that will help you become more organized, efficient, and awesome at work and home. Watch/participate live or view the recording.

Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth

Guest: Beth Ziesenis, Your Nerdy Best Friend

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Wed 12/21 at 2 p.m. – What Does 2017 Hold for Chapters? Lessons from 2016 Benchmarking Study

Hear what more than 200 associations had to say about their chapter programs in the first-ever benchmarking study on chapters. Learn about the four areas to assess when determining whether your chapters are valuable, how associations are currently supporting and managing their chapters, and what components to consider continuing, ending, or tweaking in the new year. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Component Relations Section

Presenters: Peggy Hoffman, CAE, and Peter Houstle of Mariner Management

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Thu 12/22 at 2 p.m. – Turn Your Website into a Membership Growth Engine

Even someone without any tech experience can turn their website into a new member recruiter — in just an afternoon. Learn about three website changes that will start attracting new members right away; how to get volunteers to easily make updates by themselves (even if they don’t have any tech experience); and how other organizations use their website to drive membership growth. More info/register.

Host: Wild Apricot

Presenter: Terry Ibele, growth specialist, Wild Apricot

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That’s it for this week. If you can’t attend a live webinar, go ahead and register if the topic interests you. Most webinar hosts send registrants a link to the recording.

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

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<Creative Commons licensed image by LadyDragonflyCC>

 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…Christmas, Hanukkah, frosty nights, comfort food, warm fires, cozy slippers, wool sweaters, and ASAE Tech. Huh?

One of those things doesn’t belong, you say? Well, it does in my world and the world of my fellow association tech geeks – you know who you are. It’s a crazy time of year for a conference but somehow that makes it even more special. We’re committed to our community.

I’ve been harping on ASAE exhibitors the past few years to step up their email marketing game. Judging from the ones I’ve received so far from Tech exhibitors, my success rate doesn’t look so good. I’m not giving up on you. You still have a chance to make a good impression (or a bad one) with your post-show email.

On Pearl Harbor Day this week, Jim and I were invited by our neighbor to join his veterans group for their Christmas lunch. The guest speaker was George Cattelona, a World War II vet who fought in the battle of Iwo Jima. If you have a veteran in your life, share this article about George with them and see if they might be willing to share a bit about their experience.

A few months ago while interviewing two hospice volunteers, both Korean War vets, for an article about vet-to-vet hospice volunteer programs, I heard the same advice. “Too often, honor and recognition for a veteran is only heard at their memorial service…Gather friends and family to celebrate the story of the veteran in your life while they’re still alive to appreciate it.”

Ok, on to the list of this week’s free webinars and learning events. If your organization has a webinar scheduled in the next few weeks, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.

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Mon 12/12 at 1 p.m.* – Going For the Big Wins: How to Get Unstuck and Achievement Phenomenal Growth

Learn about today’s most pressing challenges building an online community and review ways you can get unstuck and achieve your big wins. This webinar will cover: why so many community professionals get stuck, how most communities achieve phenomenal growth, how to save time on tasks which don’t move the needle, how to identify potential big wins, how to prioritize your big wins, and examples of big wins. More info/register.

Host: FeverBee

Presenter: Richard Millington, founder, FeverBee

*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.

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Tue 12/13 – Association Chat live streaming at the ASAE Tech Conference

What’s happening and who’s talking at ASAE’s Tech Conference? Association Chat will be talking with a variety of thought leaders and trailblazers in the association and tech industries. Watch the Association Chat Facebook Page for live streamed videos throughout the day.

Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth

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Tue 12/13 at 10:30 a.m. – The Power of Blogging & Thought Leadership for Nonprofits

Learn how to raise awareness and increase engagement by using blogging tools. The webinar will cover: the three keys to becoming a thought leader; who should blog (not who you’d expect); seven components of the best nonprofit blogs; steps to creating a blog, including how to maintain it long-term; and how to get the word out about your blog. More info/register.

Hosts: Firespring and Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York

Presenter: Jay Wilkinson, founder and CEO of Firespring

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Tue 12/13 at 2 p.m. – Engaging the Volunteer of the Future

Find out what volunteers are looking for and use this information to start designing volunteer opportunities and determining who is the “right” volunteer for your program. Learn how “word of mouth” plays such a large role in attracting volunteers to your organization and how social media makes this even more important. More info/register.

Host: VolunteerMatch

Presenter: Jennifer Bennett, senior manager of education & training, VolunteerMatch

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Tue 12/13 at 2:30 p.m. – Convert Supporters with Powerful Landing Pages

With great landing pages, your donors, volunteers and supporters are ten times more likely to donate, sign up, register or engage with your nonprofit. Learn about the necessity for landing pages, the biggest landing page mistakes and how to avoid them, how to build perfect landing pages, and 13 types of landing pages your organization should have. More info/register.

Hosts: Firespring and Nonprofit Hub

Presenter: Jay Wilkinson, founder and CEO of Firespring

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Wed 12/14 at 1 p.m. – The “Internet of Things” and Its Impact on Meetings

The “Internet of things” (IOT) is transforming the way we plan, execute, measure and experience meetings and tradeshows. Learn about a range of IOT tools, including wearable and location-aware tools, beacon technology, virtual reality/augmented reality systems and much more. Hear about best practices and case studies to get the most out of these tools and receive apps, links and web tools you can use to harness the power of IOT. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Presenter: Corbin Ball, meetings industry tech guru

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Wed 12/14 at 2 p.m. – How Mobile Technology Can Elevate the Attendee Experience

Discover new ways to improve the attendee experience at events, from interactive mobile event apps that require both passive and active interaction, to technology that enhances two-way conversations. Learn how to create pre-event moments that increase attendee connections and collaboration, develop strategies to ensure participants are engaged in the moment and inspired to share, and maximize the experience long after the event is over. More info/register.

Hosts: BizBash and Quickmobile

Presenters:

• Grazia Mohren, vice president of marketing, BizBash
• Kerry Plowman, product marketing manager, Quickmobile
• Glenn Thayer, conference moderator and master of ceremonies

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Thu 12/15 at 12 p.m. – Crisis Communication (Through the CEO Lens)

We never know when they will strike, but when moments of crisis face our association or the industry we represent, our organizations must be able to quickly produce a public response and/or guidance. These are critical moments for our associations, with the power to affect the association to an either positive or negative affect, just from the approach and words chosen. Learn more about what approaches to take in those key moments to navigate the rocky waters of crisis. More info/register for virtual event and for live event in Washington D.C.

Hosts: Lowell Aplebaum, CAE and Vetted Solutions

Presenter: Adele Cehrs, CEO, Epic PR

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Thu 12/15 at 12 p.m. – Auto Renewals & Monthly Installments Could be a Membership Game Changer

Auto renewals and monthly installments could revolutionize the way members renew with your association. Learn about the benefits of auto renewal and offering monthly installments, any potential pitfalls, and how to get started or optimize current processes. More info/register.

Host: Billhighway

Presenter: Kyle Bazzy, director of growth, Billhighway

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Thu 12/15 at 12 p.m. – Creating Your Membership Social Graph: Build Member Value and Get Buy-in (Virtual Lunch)

Get an inside look at how one association identified and fixed its problems leveraging useful member data by creating a “social graph” that tracks a member’s activity, interests and product purchases. Learn how they’ve created a more customer-centric model of engagement, rather than the traditional business-focused model, to ensure that member engagement and outreach are coordinated, aligned, and value-adding for all stakeholders. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Presenter: Scott Pearce, MBA, assistant director of marketing, American College of Radiology

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Thu 12/15 at 2 p.m. – Engage Members Using Remote Meeting Tools

Learn how associations are using tools like Google Hangouts, Skype, Zoom, and WebEx to make remote meetings as engaging as those held in person. Get tips on how to engage virtual meeting attendees in both small- and large-group events. Find out which meetings best translate into virtual events and which don’t. Get a comparison of several digital platforms and the experts’ list of do’s and don’ts. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Membership Section Council

Presenters:

• Charles “Chip” W. L. Deale, FASAE, CAE, vice president of membership and chapter relations, Financial Executives International
• Wayne Turmel, cofounder and product line manager, Remote Leadership Institute

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Thu 12/15 at 2 p.m. – Achieving 1-to-1 Marketing through Automation 

True 1-to-1 marketing is the holy grail for marketers – each piece of communication is specifically timed and personalized to appeal to an individual. By using marketing automation, marketers can implement tools like segmentation, personalization, dynamic content and triggered messaging to provide individual audience members with the right message at the right time for maximum impact. More info/register.

Host: RealMagnet

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Thu 12/15 at 2 p.m. – The Tech Effect: Discover the Simple Solution that 1000s of Organizations Are Using to Grow Membership in Today’s World

Learn about The Tech Effect, the hidden threat that’s making it harder to grow membership. Hear the story of one membership manager’s challenges, and ultimate triumph—a story that’s inspired thousands to grow their memberships faster than ever. Get five proven strategies to address The Tech Effect and attract new members right away. More info/register.

Host: Wild Apricot

Presenters:

• Donald Cowper, membership growth specialist, Wild Apricot
• Terry Ibele, content manager, Wild Apricot

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Thu 12/15 at 2 p.m. – Understanding Soft Risk in Volunteer Engagement

Soft risks are the attitudes, beliefs and actions that expose our organizations to risks, such as the interactions of staff and volunteers on social media, or the lack of training for leaders and volunteers. Find out how failing to screen for characteristics or ‘fit’ can open volunteers and the organization up to risk. Learn how to identify soft risks in your organization and get the tools to make changes to processes and culture to minimize and address these risks. More info/register.

Host: VolunteerMatch

Presenter: Jennifer Bennett, senior manager of education & training, VolunteerMatch

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Fri 12/16 at 12 p.m. – Inbound LunchBunch: Personalizing Email and Web Experiences

Learn the fundamentals of inbound marketing and dive deeper into using personalization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solution

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That’s it for this week. If you can’t attend a live webinar, go ahead and register if the topic interests you. Most webinar hosts send registrants a link to the recording.

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

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<Creative Commons licensed image by Peter Miller.>

 

‘Tis the season for ASAE Tech exhibitor emails. If you’re going to the ASAE Technology Conference, like me, and agreed during registration to receive emails from exhibitors, then you’re probably getting several of them a day. Most of these exhibitors are blowing their one chance to deliver something of value to their target audience’s inbox. Instead, they’re sending the same ol’ can’t-tell-one-from-another promotional schtick. Yawn. If you want to stand out and make a positive impression, read my advice about sending emails to ASAE conference attendees.

13 association management experts (including yours truly) make some predictions for 2017 in a new e-book from Aptify. Few of us cover the same ground so it makes for an interesting read.

If you plan to buy yourself a Windows touchscreen device for Christmas, check out what three DelCorians have to say about the pros and cons and much more of touchscreen laptops, convertible (hybrid) laptops and Microsoft Surfaces. What do you think, will they agree?

Want to read more? Shane Parrish of Farnam Street has some simple advice that’s surprisingly easy to follow.

My heart is aching for the people of Gatlinburg and the loss of lives, homes, businesses and beautiful forests. I can’t imagine how terrifying it must be to experience a wildfire but this video gives me a slight sense. It feels somehow wrong to watch the most frightening moment of someone’s life but since they filmed it, they must want us to understand what they experienced. Don’t plan on doing anything for a bit after watching this, it wiped me out.

Ok, on to the list of this week’s free webinars and learning events. If your organization has a webinar scheduled in the next few weeks, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.

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Tue 12/6 at 11 a.m.* – Website Design: Extreme Makeover Edition

Learn how modern website design elements can increase member engagement. Hear about strategies that help turn prospects into new members and ways to customize your website to fit the needs of your members. More info/register.

Host: YourMembership

Presenter: Quinn Brady, vice president, customer success, YourMembership

*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.

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Tue 12/6 at 1 p.m. – Out of the Mouth of Millennials

Millennials are the largest generation in U.S. history, so while they may not be a large portion of your membership today—they will be. What do Millennials think about being put under the microscope? And do they agree with the conclusions? Rather than talking about them, let’s talk with them in this panel discussion consisting entirely of Millennials. More info/register.

Host: AssociationSuccess.org

Moderator: Jamie Notter, co-founder, WorkXO

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Tue 12/6 at 1 p.m. – Personalization through Integration

Leverage your AMS data to customize your members’ experience online, ensuring they log in more often, read your content and register for that next big event. Learn about website personalization: why it’s so important for associations today, how to create and implement a personalization strategy, and how to know when you’ve gone too far with personalization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ACGI Software

Presenter: Chris Bonney, vice president of client experience, Vanguard Technology

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Tue 12/6 at 1 p.m. – Membership Recruitment and Renewal Strategies

Hear about strategies to improve your membership recruitment efforts and increase your renewals through segmenting your audience, marketing channels, messaging, testing and tracking. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Marketing General, Inc.

Presenter: Tony Rossell, senior vice president, Marketing General, Inc.

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Tue 12/6 at 2 p.m. – Leadership Lessons for Association Professionals (Association Chat)

This week’s chat dives into these questions: What does it take to be a leader today? Do you need to sacrifice your health, family and well-being? Is it all about the hustle? What are the most important things you need to know to fast-track yourself as a leader in your chosen industry? Watch/participate live or view the recording.

Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth

Guest: JP Moery, president and founder, The Moery Company

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Tue 12/6 at 3 p.m. – Professional Development (PD) Book Club

Join a discussion of Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Tool Kit for Managers by Jeanne Liedtka and Tim Ogilvie. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Professional Development Section

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Wed 12/7 at 12 p.m. – 10 Tips to Measure Event Sponsorship

Learn how to increase event revenue by understanding what “hot buttons” brands are looking for when deciding to sponsor events. Find out how not to leave money on the table – the art of sponsorship event segmentation. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: EventMB

Presenter: Todd Uglow, assistant professor, UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration

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Wed 12/7 at 2 p.m. – Inbound Marketing: Why it Matters for Your Association

Are you struggling to capture the attention of your members? Do you feel like you’re constantly spamming your members with email after email? The single biggest problem with association marketing today is that it’s based on yesterday’s playbook. Consumer behaviors have changed—prospects and members are ignoring our traditional marketing tactics. Learn how to use inbound marketing techniques to drive non-dues revenue. More info/register.

Host: Grit Marketing

Presenter: Dave Martin, chief marketing officer, Aptify

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Wed 12/7 at 2 p.m. – Best Practices for Content Migration Readiness

It’s critical to have a strategic long-term plan for your online video content. How will the content, CEUs and user information be stored? What’s your organization’s readiness to migrate to a new platform as technology and content needs evolve over time? The American Baseball Coaches Association shares their migration pain points and advice for preparing your organization for success. 1 CE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: PCMA and Calgary Telus Convention Centre

Presenters:

• Jon Litchfield, communications & business coordinator, American Baseball Coaches Association
• Brian Zambotti, director of client relations, Digitell, Inc.

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Wed 12/7 at 2 p.m. – Music Licensing for Meetings & Events – Are You Playing Their Song?

Music is an integral part of conventions and meetings, whether incorporated during general sessions, in breakouts, at networking events or simply as background. Using music in a meeting setting will likely require a license fee. Learn why need to be licensed to play music, what your license covers, what happens if music is used without permission, and alternatives to music licensing. 1 CE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: PCMA and PSAV

Presenter: Michael Owen, managing partner, EventGenuity, LLC

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Thu 12/8 at 1 p.m. – 2016 Learning Trends, 2017 Learning Forecast

As the year draws to a close, look back at key trends and developments that impacted learning in 2016 and look ahead to what you should be prepared for in 2017. Learn what implications these trends and developments have for your organization’s education offerings. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Tagoras and YourMembership

Presenters:

• Celisa Steele and Jeff Cobb, co-founders, Tagoras
• Tamer Ali, Stephen German, and Louise Platiel of YourMembership

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Thu 12/8 at 1 p.m. – Tech Tools for Managing Virtual Teams

Find out how to keep up with staff working in different places and different time zones to make sure they’re getting the support they need and getting the job done; how to collaborate and build on each other’s ideas; and how to maintain a sense of shared vision and togetherness. More info/register.

Hosts: Idealware

Presenters:

• Karen Graham, executive director, Idealware
• Heather Martin, chief operating officer, Interfaith Family

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Thu 12/8 at 2 p.m. – Secrets to Hybrid Conference Success: How to Pay For, Produce, and Promote an Online Conference

Hear about the business and production aspects of EMDR International Association’s successful hybrid annual conference, including how they funded the conference, what hidden challenges they faced, and what marketing tactics worked the best. More info/register.

Host: iCohere

Presenters:

• Sara Sturtevant, EMDR International Association
• Alex White, iCohere

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Thu 12/8 at 2 p.m. – 2017 Hospitality Trends

From popular ingredients to the latest design features to hot technology for saving time and money, Andrew Freeman & Co.’s annual trend report covers what’s coming in the year to come. Hear about the report’s predictions for 2017, ideas for how meetings and events planners can bring these trends to life, and how they can translate to top line revenue increases. More info/register.

Host: Smart Meetings and Visit San Jose California

Presenter: Andrew Freeman, president, Andrew Freeman & Co.

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Thu 12/8 at 2:30 p.m. – Member Data Collection – Surveys, Feedback & More
Whether you need to know more about members’ needs and expectations, assess educational programs, or identify the latest trends on compensation and benefits in your industry, an online survey can get you the information you need. Learn how to create effective and simple surveys that gather helpful information from your members. More info/register.

Host: Engage Software

Presenters:

• Jeff Asadi, founder, Perception Solutions
• Jason Stone, vice president of sales and marketing, Engage

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Fri 12/9 at 1 p.m. – One and (not) Done: Getting More from Your Webinar

Learn how and why associations can become central to the learning habits of their members (and increase member value and engagement) by repurposing webinar content. More info/register.

Host: Blue Sky eLearn

Presenter: Julie Stelter, chief creative officer, Walden Group

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That’s it for this week. If you can’t attend a live webinar, go ahead and register if the topic interests you. Most webinar hosts send registrants a link to the recording.

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

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<Creative Commons licensed image by Edmund Garman>

Thanksgiving is a good time to start a daily habit of gratitude. Research scientists have lots to say about the positive impact of a daily gratitude practice. With a little Googling, you’ll see dozens of articles about their findings, including some in Newsweek, Science of Us, and Headspace.

Unlike other good habits, this one doesn’t take much effort, I can vouch for that. Every morning (okay, most mornings), I write down three things I’m thankful for. I do this in my Word doc journal, but you could do it in a notes app on your phone, in a real journal, or whatever fits into your daily routine. Try it, you’ll like it.

Now, a few good reads and listens from the past week…

One of the most thought-provoking and informative discussions I’ve heard lately was an Association Chat from a few weeks ago featuring association consultant and futurist, Shelly Alcorn. Listen in as Shelly and host KiKi L’Italien talk about disruption and the future of associations.

Alex Mouw of Results Direct walks us through five ways associations can be helpful and present in the lives of their busy members.

Planning an AMS selection/implementation or some other technology project? The experts at DelCor answer questions about scheduling IT projects, putting together a project team, and planning for project success.

And now for something completely different…I enjoyed this article about hypnosis from Aeon. The subtitle says it all: “Look into my eyes: the fantastical history, mysterious healing power and emergent neuroscience of hypnosis.”

Now on to the list of this week’s free webinars and learning events. If your organization has a webinar scheduled in the next few weeks, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.

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Tue 11/29 at 12 p.m.* – It’s All about the Experience, Nothing More

Learn how to create an event experience with a balance of passive and active interaction using an interactive mobile event app. Discover how to create pre-event moments, encourage attendee connections and collaboration, and ensure participants are engaged in the moment and long after the event is over. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Presenters:

• Scott Lockey, managing director, partnerships, QuickMobile
• Banks Holcombe, director, partnerships, QuickMobile

*All times are Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted.

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Tue 11/29 at 2 p.m. – ASAE’s Path Forward (Association Chat)

Find out how the leaders of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) anticipate working with the incoming presidential administration. Watch/participate live or view the recording.

Host: KiKi L’Italien, founder, Amplified Growth

Guests:

• John Graham, CAE, president and CEO, ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership
• Scott Wiley, CAE, president and CEO, The Ohio Society of CPAs and chair of the ASAE Board

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Tue 11/29 at 2 p.m. – The Future of Event Technology: 2017 Trend Watch

Explore what’s in store for event technology in 2017. Find out which technologies should be implemented to create a seamless and personalized on-site journey, and how technology will change the way attendees consume content both in the short-term and beyond. More info/register.

Host: BizBash

Presenters:

• Brooke Gracey, senior mobile events app strategist, CrowdCompass by Cvent
• Grazia Mohren, vice president of marketing, BizBash Media

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Tue 11/29 – Toolkit of the Month: Blogging Maturity Assessment

1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solution

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Wed 11/30 at 10 a.m. – Coffee, Tea, and PD!: Year in Review [Virtual] Holiday Party

The holiday season is upon us: take a moment to reflect on what you’ve learned and accomplished thus far in 2016 and share what you’re looking forward to in 2017 in a tour through four “food for thought” stations. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Professional Development Section Council Engagement Committee

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Wed 11/30 at 12 p.m. – Cybersecurity: How to Protect Your Association from Hackers, Thieves, and Black Hats

Learn about methods for enhancing cybersecurity within your association and safeguarding your members’ confidence. Find out how to audit your infrastructure and cyber vulnerabilities. Discover the best practice tools to secure your association and your member data and the risks associated with not taking action. More info/register.

Host: Aptify

Presenter: Josh Hiller, white hat hacker cybersecurity expert and lead innovation engineer, Aptify

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Wed 11/30 at 12 p.m. – DC Small Staff Association Brown Bag Lunch Group (Washington DC)

This casual lunch group of association colleagues is specifically for those who work at small staff associations. Attendees share ideas and ask questions about other associations’ best practices. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Small Staff Association Professionals

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Wed 11/30 at 1 p.m. – 4 Easy Ways to Generate Non-Dues Revenue

Learn how you can increase the flow of non-dues revenue into your association with four ready assets you can tap: marketing and membership lists, conferences and exhibitions, conference and exhibition content, and “non-endemic” event sponsorships. More info/register.

Host: OpusDX by Digitell

Presenters:

• Bob James, The New Hughes Group
• David James, Bethesda List Center
• Randy Lieberman, Foundation Marketing Group
• Steve Parker, Digitell, Inc.
• Michael Hart (moderator), Michael Hart Associates

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Wed 11/30 at 1 p.m. – Partnering with CVBs, DMOs, and Tourism Offices for Outstanding Events

Discover how five meeting planners have benefited from the unique services offered by CVBs, DMOs and Tourism offices. Learn how to boost your on-site staff at little or no charge, what questions to ask CVBs to discover the benefits they provide, and tips from planners who have worked successfully with CVBs. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Presenter: Bonnie Wallsh, MA, CMP, CMM, chief strategist, Bonnie Wallsh Associates

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Wed 11/30 at 2 p.m. – Should You Beware the New Meetings Block Buster?

Airbnb and other alternative accommodation services are digging deep in-roads into the travel market. Learn about the disconnect between how planners think their attendees are booking and what’s really happening; what event accommodations challenges are on the rise, and how to get on top of them; and the up- and downsides of making peer-to-peer accommodations providers your next best frenemy. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MeetingsNet

Presenters:

• Dianne Davis, meetings and marketing consultant, Owner, Tulnet
• Jim McCaul, director of communications, Destination Marketing Association International
  Barry McDonald, vice president of sales & marketing, onPeak
  Lisa Hurley (moderator), content director, Special Events magazine and MeetingsNet

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Wed 11/30 at 2 p.m. – Getting What You Deserve

Learn how to successfully negotiate your next pay raise by using Convene’s Annual Salary Survey results and tips from negotiation experts featured in Convene. 1 CE credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenter: Michelle Russell, editor in chief, Convene Editorial

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Thu 12/1 at 2 p.m. – Maximize Your Event’s Sponsorship Potential

Learn how sponsors assess the value of event sponsorships. Get tips for pitching sponsorships. Find out how to develop strategies to help sponsors achieve their goals while not disrupting the goals of the event. More info/register.

Host: Successful Meetings

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Thu 12/1 at 5:30 p.m. – ASAE Collaborate Happy Hour (Washington DC)

Members of ASAE Collaborate’s Communications, Marketing and MMC communities are invited to a holiday happy hour. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Communications Section Council’s Collaborate Subcommittee

Sponsor: Hawai‘i Visitors & Convention Bureau

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Fri 12/2 at 3 p.m. – Personalizing Email and Web Experiences

1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solution

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That’s it for this week. If you can’t attend a live webinar, go ahead and register if the topic interests you. Most webinar hosts send registrants a link to the recording.

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

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<Creative Commons licensed image by Vision Webagency.>