By Evan Hendershot – Digital Marketing Manager
Was your association’s digital transformation already in the works, or did the events of 2020 force it upon you? Either way, there’s still work to be done. Why? Because association professionals and tech vendors put their heads together in 2020 to solve new challenges that arose amid the all-digital era.
Those challenges led to new solutions, and many associations used 2020 to either kickstart their digital transformation or take it to new heights. Many member-based organizations began to integrate more pieces of software to connect their teams. Others shifted to collaborative work environments like Microsoft Teams or Slack. And plenty more took the opportunity to host their first-ever all-virtual conferences and tradeshows.
As an association technology vendor, the Protech team heard dozens of success stories from a historically difficult year. Many of our technology partners have heard the same. So, over the course of 2020, we invited partners to join us to discuss what they learned.
Here are five of those conversations – all of which are chock full of solutions to help you overcome your greatest challenges and fast-track your association’s digital transformation.
Supercharge Your Association’s Digital Transformation with These Free Webinars
1 – ASAE Annual Roundtable: How Virtual Meetings in 2020 are Reshaping the Future of Events
Like so many of you, we waited with bated breath to see how the ASAE Annual Meeting & Expo – among the premier association meetings – was going to handle a virtual-only event. While it wasn’t the experience many of us have grown to love, it laid the groundwork for what a successful virtual event could look like.
To discuss what worked (and what didn’t) at this event and many others in 2020, Protech invited technology experts from leading mobile app vendor Guidebook, business intelligence gurus Association Analytics, and online community and marketing automation pros Higher Logic.
2 – Lessons Learned: How We Took Our Event Virtual in 5 Weeks
Our Fusion Customer Conference is no ASAE Annual Meeting & Expo in terms of sheer magnitude, but the long-standing tradition has been one of our favorite ways to connect customers in-person. That is, until COVID-19.
As an April event, ours was among the first to go online with in-person experience. But there is a silver-lining – we learned what works during a virtual event. And more importantly, we were able to host this webinar to help association leaders understand how to avoid common virtual event problems.
3 – Boost Membership & Non-dues Revenue in a Virtual World with Open Communities
Professional networking in a virtual world… can it be done well? Many associations found themselves asking that question. Many asked us during the two webinars listed above. And while a mobile app can be one solution, and online community is the other.
We invited Breezio President & CEO Benjamin Muscolino to explain how associations can get the biggest bang for their buck with communities in 2020 and beyond. His solution? Opening areas of your online community to the public as a “freemium” feature to offer a taste of what it’s like to be a member.
This webinar walks you through Benjamin’s best practices, and we cannot recommend it enough to organizations looking for new opportunities to drive memberships in the digital age.
4 – Fast-tracking Online Learning During a Global Pandemic
For associations that relied on in-person meetings and conferences to offer courses needed for certifications and credentialing, a digital transformation was in order.
To help member-based organization that are still working to find the best online-oriented professional development offering, we invited Blue Sky e-Learn’s Liam O’Malley to explain which virtual tools can increase the value of online learning for your members and examine how you can broaden the accessibility of education offerings.
5 – 6 Tips for Improving the Member Digital Experience
In the last 5 years, and even more so in 2020 and 2021, associations have focused on delivering a simple, intuitive digital experience for members. However, not every association can afford to provide member services like a global company.
In this webinar – the last, but always timely, to be featured in our list – Refactored’s Rob Bean explains the changing expectations of association members and how to select he right combination of technologies to help your organization stand out.
Double Down on Your Association’s Digital Transformation
It’s natural to slow down and take a breath after shifting so many resources toward your association’s digital transformation, but members won’t feel the same way.
With more and more professionals expected to work from home in the near future (McKinsey & Company estimates 29-39 percent of business sectors will see no productivity loss while employees work remotely), it’s likely your members will continue to rely on digital-first experiences well into the future.
To make sure your association is always ahead of the curve, be sure your digital transformation never stops.