How to Find Your Voice

At the approach of every new year, we look at our lives with special scrutiny to identify the things we think we must change in order to improve our lot in some way. We resolve to lose weight, learn a foreign language, or take up exercise as a way to prove our merit and grit. This year I resolve to honor my standards and stay true to my voice.

Image purchased from shutterstock...so you'll see it again...

I was asked to speak on the subject of, "Finding Your Voice" and it has been the most difficult, but pleasurable, presentation to prepare for as I realized about halfway through preparations for it that I wasn't honoring my own voice during its creation. I stopped everything - threw on the brakes - and approached my talk differently, more authentically, as I reminded myself to practice what I preach...which is more difficult sometimes than I care to admit.

How does one find his or her voice? Once found, does it change? How does one stay committed to honoring one's voice?

When I thought about times in my journey when I'd truly been *in* my voice, I realized they were represented by the most powerful, life-propelling moments...from the time when I bombed on stage in kindergarten (they cued the wrong music!) to the time when I really made my voice heard and changed the direction of a meeting (when student members were changing an association from the ground up), my life is made up of times when I've either honored my values or not. 

For me, poetry and music are a gateway into truth. My gut responds to poetry in a way that insists I come clean with my intentions and progress. I lose my voice when I venture too far away from the raw language of poetry. Result? When I need to get stronger, a good book of poetry is better for me than the latest issue of Harvard Business Review.

What keeps you honest with yourself? How do you find your voice when you've taken a wrong turn? When did you recognize you'd found your voice?

The Power of Networking

This week’s Association Chat was focused on the topic: networking. It's an important topic for associations because people associate them with the ability to make connections to other specific types of people. What happens when you add social media to the mix? Does technology help or hinder an association's role in connecting people? 

We talked about those types of things and more during the chat. 

Association Chat takes place every Tuesday at 2 pm ET

Here is the list of questions I asked and some of my own answers. How would you answer these questions?

1.       Why do you think networking is consistently named as one of the top reasons for joining an association?

a.       It is people’s connections that lead to job opportunities, answers to problems, or developing relationships that may help in the future.

2.       How does your organization foster networking?

a.       Aptify uses Yammer and Lync to keep everyone in all the offices connected.

b.      Aptify also has an online users group for the users of the software so they can communicate with one another.

c.       They also hold in-person meetings with “networking events” to help get people together.

3.       How can associations bring more value to networking as a benefit in the age of social media?

a.       Associations can provide more ways to connect. I like it when I have easy ways to connect to people at meetings…like through apps or LinkedIn connections.

4.       What was the most valuable networking event you ever attended?

a.       I once crashed an invitation-only party that led to me running into an acquaintance who introduced me to a person who later offered me a job!

b.      For sheer bragging rights, the White House Correspondents Garden Brunch was another favorite networking event. Lots of celebs!

5.       Where do you do most of your networking?

a.       Online

6.       What are your best tips for networking?

a.       Smile

b.      Ask questions

7.       Where should people network in the association industry?

a.       Online with #assnchat or using private online communities, with ASAE events, and at their state SAE events.

8.       Describe a networking event in which you would like to participate!

9.       What is the most interesting thing you’ve ever received as a result of networking?

a.       A pair of shoes from a couple I met. It’s a long story.

10.   Quick! Name three people you would like to have coffee with to discuss your professional life.

My Interview with Creative Maya Kalman, CEO of SWANK Productions

BizBash’s IdeaFest has become an annual hotbed of creativity for events professionals and this year is no different. With a bevy of smart, interesting speakers and leaders in the industry, IdeaFest will no doubt lead the pack again with hot tips and insights for the future of the profession.

One exemplary standout from the lineup of speakers is Maya Kalman, SWANK Productions CEO. Maya will be mentoring event planners on in the Plan-A-Thon workshop, a part of the Event Leadership Institute Workshop Series, during the IdeaFest N.Y. trade show and conference on Wednesday, October 30.

The focus of the interactive Plan-A-Thon this year is for attendees to reinvent three key event formats: the award show, the gala fund-raiser, and the product launch. I asked Maya three questions about her involvement with the Plan-A-Thon:

•      How does your role with SWANK productions make you a good mentor for event planners?
•      What do you expect from the workshop’s participants? How can they best set themselves up for success?
•      What are you most looking forward to at Ideafest? 

Maya Kalman: Oh gosh…I hate to say this but I feel like almost all of these questions I can't answer because I've never been to this event before!

I'm both the CEO and creative director of SWANK Productions. We do luxury event planning and couture design, creating one-of-a-kind event 'experiences' for our luxe clients.

Maya believes that designing and planning every event is actually “creating an experience for the guests to be immersed in.”

Maya: I love helping other people sit down and really conjure up the most out-of-the-box ideas they can contemplate, but also love to figure out the pros and the cons -- and the pitfalls -- that might need to be thought of ahead of time and solved prior to production. My method of conceptualizing and brainstorming is very much a process of explicit visualizing and walking through every detail of the event in my mind. People always tell me that my enthusiasm and passion for this business shines through. I really do love what we do and it shows!

Maya is excited about the promise of IdeaFest and uncertain of what it will mean for her or for the participants...but she knows she'll love seeing the industry faces.

Maya: I am not totally sure what to expect so I'm not really sure what they [participants] should expect but from what I'm hearing from David [Adler, BizBash CEO and Founder] it's all about just letting your creativity flow. Designing without barriers or constraints, which honestly you never get to do with budget constraints and client wants and needs. 

I've been to many BizBash Events but this is my first IdeaFest so I'm just excited to see everything new in our industry. And to be honest it's an opportunity to see tons and tons of faces we know from all over the country in once place. Kind of an industry reunion! 

You can follow Maya on Twitter for more great events industry information at @mayakalman or @swankproduction.

Things to Ask When Producing A Video

Whether you know it or not, video is likely in your future. Here's why:

From this blog post by Wolf 21 Internet Marketing, you can see some provocative statistics about video (attrib. to Craig Backman from McLellan Group):

• Video is the preferred medium by most site visitors. According to Cisco Systems, 90% of web traffic will be from video by the time we reach 2013.
• Video is relevant to all demographics. It is not just youth that are broadcasting their talents through online video, but people 55 and older are also finding a space to share their stories.
• Video is more persuasive. According to Nielson data, product users are 85% more likely to buy from video content than from text.
• Video is more memorable. Videos are sensational and require more than just one sense to understand a message. They thus attract better site traffic and higher quality content than text does.
• Video enhances SEO results. Forrester found that video is 53 times more than text content to rank within the top search engine results. Google looks at the description, title and tags for indexing a video.

Here's the situation: I wanted to create a video series out of a project I'm working on at work. While I've worked with video in the past, I am still learning how to describe the different styles and formats of video that are out there. Fortunately, I work with a great guy that knows more about what to look for in cameras and lighting and so I'm picking up more knowledge that way.

If you find yourself starting out in the creation of a video, here are some good questions to consider...

Questions to ask yourself:
1. What kind of "look" am I going for? It helps to have examples to share with your videographer and others working on the project.
2. How long will this video be? Keep in mind what your goal for viewership is...in general, the shorter, the better.
3. Do I have video editing skills on staff? If so, that could keep your cost down. If possible, you should always get the raw video and audio so you can use it in other ways in the future.
4. Do I need a studio or do I have a background that will work for this project? Depending on what kind of video you're shooting, you might need to search for the right background.
5. Do I need a teleprompter? These days you can use a tablet (Galaxy or iPad) as your teleprompter, but if you have the ability to speak without it, that's always preferable.
6. What is my budget? Don't you hate this question? The budget will dictate who you work with. I had someone virtually hang up the phone on me when they heard the budget I was using. Of course, that ensured I would never choose to work with them in the future, no matter what kind of budget I had available. It helps to get an idea of the ballpark your videographer is working in  for your type of project early on to save you both time.

Questions your videographer should ask you:
1. What kind of lighting do you have/do you want? Your answers will dictate the kind of lighting or lenses they bring with them to the shoot.
2. What's your timeline? Your videographer should be able to share their typical turnaround time for the type of shoot you are doing and work with you to meet your schedule.
3. What kind of nameplates/graphics/logos/intro do you want to use? Your videographer should want to get a feel for the kind of editing they will need to do with your footage.
4. Where will you use the video once produced? Your answer to this question will dictate the format the video will be in and the way your videographer delivers the video to you.

Here's the example of the type of video style I want to shoot in that I shared with our videographer: http://www.aptify.com/vnext

 

From this example we were able to talk about the "shallow depth of field" or the blurred background look that my team wanted. We were also able to talk about the DSLR cameras the videographer would use that would achieve that result. This is why it helps to have an example or two of video styles your hoping to achieve when you talk with your videographer (and others working on your video project).

 

Was this helpful? Do you have other questions you think should be included in this list? If you have your own helpful tips, please include them in the comments so others can learn from your experience!

 

Hopefully, with the right questions and communication, your video experience will go smoothly and without a hitch!

 



The Mission-Driven Volunteer Chat

How'd you like to learn about the best ways to motivate people to volunteer for your organization?

Two of my favorite people have teamed up to write a whitepaper worth talking about - "The Mission Driven Volunteer." Elizabeth Weaver Engel and Peggy Hoffman packed their paper full of a wealth of information, including data about generational engagement and myths and truths about volunteering (among much much more that you would be wise to read as soon as possible).

The duo is going to guest host the Association Chat on Tuesday, August 27th, at 2 pm ET and talk about the topics discussed in their whitepaper. Be sure not to miss this great opportunity to talk to the authors online!

My Top 10 Learnings From ASAE Annual 2013

My fabulous co-presenters and me. Amy Lestition, me,
Laurie Kulilosky, and Ozair Esmail.

The music has died down, the exhibitors have gone home, and lonely discarded lanyards are lying in wait for hotel maids to toss out with the wastepaper for a new day.

After every ASAE Annual Conference comes a sense that camp is over and all of us go back to our regularly scheduled programs. For me, I try to go over the things I've learned, the people I need to remember to follow up with when I get back to my office, and to make the most of my experience by processing as much as possible of it before forgetting.




Here are my top 10 learnings from this ASAE Annual:

1. Participate in a service project. I didn't take part in a service project this year and I felt like I was missing out on some good networking AND doing something good for the city hosting us. I plan to correct that at the next ASAE Annual.
2. Volunteer with ASAE more. I miss being on an ASAE Council and I plan to volunteer to be on one again when the next call for volunteers goes out.
3. Make better decisions. To make better decisions, stop and ask, "What would I tell my best friend to do?" Thanks to author and speaker Dan Heath for this one.
4. Prepare for powerful condensed versions of my presentations. I had to give what I'd planned as a 12 minute portion of my presentation with a panel of speakers in something more like five minutes. I wish that had been the most powerful five minutes of the presentation, but instead it felt rushed. 
5. Get to rooms early. Many of the presentations were standing room only. 'Nuff said.
6. Use MOOC for more personal development. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are changing the way we approach education. I've already taken Coursera courses, but I should check out some others for more FREE online education. Thanks to speakers David DeLorenzo and Kylee Coffman for the MOOC discussion in their session.
7. Improve my "elevator speech" when explaining what I do. I loathe the term "elevator speech" because it sounds so manufactured and salesy. However, it is helpful to be able to quickly articulate what you do in a way that makes it easy for people to grasp how they can do business with you. With something like "social media consulting for Aptify" people need to know if my services are for them or not. How can I best communicate that without being tacky? I need to work on that.
8. Bring #assnchat badge ribbons. The weekly Association Chat that I host and that has been going on for over four years now has a powerful community behind it. I want to bring attention to that by having ribbons made for it. Simple, fun, easy.
9. Look up Kat Cole on YouTube. I wasn't in her session, but it got heavy press in the Twittersphere. People were still talking about her session later in the day. I want to see what she's all about.
10. Thank Cecilia Sepp for mentioning Association Chat in her session. Every time I meet someone from the Association Chat community who thanks me for moderating the chats each week, I know that they really are thanking all the people who participate and share in the online conversation every day using the hashtag #assnchat. I love it when people spread the word about the chat...and Cecilia has been particularly helpful in that way. 
11. Jump in the fountains. :)

What were your takeaways from ASAE Annual? Which sessions really taught you a lot? What will you do better next time?

One thing to do for ASAE Annual that nobody talks about

Guest Post by Sandra Giarde, CAE

By now you’ve read about what to bring to ASAE.  Your travel arrangements are all confirmed and reconfirmed. And your schedule is likely taking shape with sessions and parties identified as “must attend” and “might attend.” 

However, there’s one more thing to prepare for at ASAE and nobody talks about it. And it has to do with feelings.

Now before you scoff or brush off the suggestion while humming that classic 70’s cheese song (Feeeelings….whoa whoa whoa), just give it a thought.

The ASAE Annual Meeting can be overwhelming and that’s good because it likely means content is fresh and compelling, activities abound and ideas are running rampant like toddlers on a Red Bull high. In sessions, hallways, bars and parties you’ll hear that “your organization NEEDS to do ________” or “this (activity/program/tool/marketing plan) is very important and those who do it another way should change.”  

Of course, you’ll get advice that pertains to your actual job role where “effective ________’s do this” or “working with your team in ________  way is best” and those feelings that creep up get really personal, really fast.

I’ll admit it...this has happened to me.  I’ve been at meetings or conferences where I start to feel like a failure.  Have you been at a conference and had these type of thoughts?

• My organization is broken.
• I can’t do anything right.
• Our organization can’t do anything right.
• If we could only do what ________  organization does, things would be better.
• We don’t allocate enough resources to ________  but allocate too many resources to ________.
• Our culture needs to shift/change.
• How our organization presents or does ________ is wrong.

I’ve had those feelings and they suck. They are dark and icky; like the monster that hid under your bed as a kid.  And at ASAE, those feelings might spring up within you.

But, there is hope!

It’s taken me a long time to figure out how to deal with those feelings and if you start having these thoughts, hopefully this will help you.

• Breathe!
• Remind yourself that you know your organization better than the speaker/colleague/vendor.
• Remember, you do plenty of things right and you do lots of things well. If necessary, make a short list to remind you.
• Reframe the thought: Your organization is not broken. It may need improvement in some areas but, guess what? THEY ALL DO!
• Repeat to yourself that no person or organization gets everything right.
• Recollect, that your organization likely does some great stuff…better than others. Remind yourself of those.
• Mileage will vary…what worked great for one group may not fit your group’s needs, mission, culture or resources.
• Take what you can use and leave the rest behind.

And, if all else fails, grab an association friend or mentor and talk about this. It’s amazing how just sharing will help make things better.

So, as you make your way to Atlanta remember to go forth, be your awesome self and have a great ASAE Annual Meeting Experience!

Sandra Giarde, CAE is the Executive Director for the California Association for the Education of Young Children. While she's pretty sassy, even she has Stuart Smalley days where she needs to remember "I'm good enough, smart enough and doggone it...people like me!" If you see her at the ASAE Annual Meeting, come up and say "hi!"

8 Ways to Conquer Attending Your Next Conference

Attending a big conference can make you feel like a freak. If you aren't already plugged in to the who's who of your industry, a huge meeting can make you want to hide out and make origami swans out of your business cards rather than pass them out to people at networking events.


There are several ways I prepare myself to make the most of any conference that might help attendees (especially my fellow introverts). Here they are:

1. Get logistical - Scope out the sessions you want to attend, backup sessions, and the receptions and parties you've been invited to and lay them out in an agenda for yourself. You can organize this with paper or using the meeting app and your tablet so you can access at any time. If you can look at the attendee list online, do it! Try to make it a point to meet people of interest while at the meeting.

2. Get chargers - An extension cord, phone chargers, emergency chargers...these all help you to have juiced up electronics and to make friends with others who didn't plan as well as you. Label them with your label maker ahead of time to avoid any confusion later.

3. Get out of your head - Focus more on the other people you meet and less on worrying how you might appear to them. This will make you more comfortable and put your conversation partners at ease.

4. Get vitamins - Make sure to bring B12 with you to help provide an energy boost and to replenish after drinking wine, beer, or cocktails at receptions the night before. Some people (yes, I'm talking about myself here) even have a stash of 8-Hr Energy or Red Bull that they keep in their rooms to help replenish vitamins quickly. It helps.

5. Get protein - Another energy helper, protein, will help you last longer at these marathon events. Protein bars and shakes are good for you to have with you in case you miss a chance to get a meal.

6. Get curious - Ask questions. In your sessions, at your tables, from people you meet, ... questions help you build common ground and foster new relationships. Also, don't be afraid to get on social networks ahead of time and use them to network with other people attending the same meeting. You can ask to meet up with a few of these people while at the meeting and that will help you to expand your circle when you first get to your conference location.

7. Get relaxed - Everyone needs a little down time. Don't forget that you can get some quality discussion time with new friends or just a needed refresher on your own at the hotel pool (or gym or restaurant or spa) during breaks. Some friends of mine have labeled our time at the pool at ASAE Annual, "#poolcon" and we look forward to this as much as the receptions!

8. Get out of your room - I have a tendency to hide sometimes. Don't. These conferences are expensive and rife with possibilities for new connections and learning that can change the course of your career or professional development. USE THEM TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.

Some other helpers:
1. The stash - I bring a stash of my favorite teas and coffee sticks (like Stabucks Via) in a baggie to keep in my room so I never run out and always have something soothing around. I like to drink tea before going to sleep at night so this is big for me.
2. The clothes - Dress in layers. Conference rooms can be frigid even in the middle of summer, so carry a cardigan or pashmina scarf with you that will help you stay warm if the meeting rooms aren't.
3. The shoes - Have a pair of emergency flats - if you wear heels, or even if you don't, a pair of extra flats will sometimes save you from shoe issues.

What are some of your favorite tips for making the best of your conferences?

Association Chat Meeting Next Tuesday

Association Chat will bring the awesomesauce to Sauciety at the National Harbor next Tuesday, July 23 at noon because sometimes we just need a good networking opportunity to relax. The meeting will be held in place of the weekly online Twitter chat.

The in-person meeting is open to anyone and is not a sponsored event, so each person will be responsible for his or her own lunch.

All association professionals are welcome to attend! Please RSVP to KiKi at dckiki@gmail.com by this Friday at noon or comment below if you plan to attend!

The Party List for ASAE Annual 2013

Every time ASAE Annual rolls around, people start making their lists of parties and receptions to attend. I am no different. But this year I decided to make my list public - will I see you at these parties? I'll be updating this list as I hear about other parties and receptions, so leave your info in the comments! Some of these require sign-ups or RSVPs ahead of time, so I'll try to include links or contact information as we get closer to the date.

KiKi's List of Must-Attend ASAE Parties...

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013

• The Association Chat Tweetup (Go #assnchat!) - 5:30 pm at Park Bar (pre-Opening Ceremony...we can walk over from there)
• ASAE's Opening Ceremony - 7:30 pm at Georgia Aquarium/World of Coca-Cola (you will need your activated badge to gain entry to the event)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013

• Community Managers Roundtable - 12-1 pm at the ASAE Engagement Lounge
• Tweetup - 2:45 pm at the ASAE Engagement Lounge
• Aptify Cocktail Reception (invitation only) - 5:00-7:00 pm
• AM&P's Reception - 5:30 pm at Dantanna's Downtown
• Higher Logic's Play It Forward Reception - 6:00-9:00 pm at Stats
• MemberClicks Small Staff Shindig - 6:30 pm at Stats
• ASI and Partners i-list Event (invitation only) - 6:30-8:30 pm at Meehan's Public House
• TMA and Peach New Media Party - 7:00 pm at Der Biergarten
• Multiview Party - 8:30 pm-1:30 am at The Tabernacle (#RockYourAssnOff is http://www.http://multiviewparty.com )

MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 2013

• Community Managers Roundtable - 12-1 pm at the ASAE Engagement Lounge
• Association Consultants Gathering - 4:45(ish) at Meehan's Public House
• Jeff De Cagna Annual Dinner - 6:30 pm (Must RSVP - contact @pinnovation on Twitter for link)
• ASAE Foundation's The Classic Reception - 7-10:00 pm at Fox Theater
• YAP Party - 9:00 pm-1:00 am at the CosmoLava Lounge
• 10th Annual LGBT Party - 10:01 pm-1:01 am at TEN Atlanta

TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013

• ASAE Closing Ceremony - 7-10 pm at Centennial Olympic Park

What other parties and receptions would you like to promote? What will you be attending?