Association virtual events: The ‘new normal’?
My work as an association executive entails that i have to continuously learn and be updated on association governance and management topics and trends. as such, i join a number of international societies of association professionals.
With my membership comes a lot of educational and certification resources to tap. i also subscribe to various e-newsletters and blogs of association-focused service providers such as association management companies, research organizations, software developers and hardware manufacturers.
With the current coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19) pandemic, i noticed a sudden surge of virtual events (podcasts and webinars) around the world. i get to be invited to attend or be part of a panel of speakers to these online programs because of my memberships and subscriptions.
During this 45-day enhanced community quarantine, i have already joined more than two webinars a week for the last two weeks and more are scheduled for the coming weeks.
This is not to say i do not pick and choose the webinars i attend. Here are my ‘mental’ criteria for selecting the webinars i attend or speak in:
Relevance. Many webinars offered nowadays deal with covid-19 and its impact on associations. i choose those focused on relevant aspects of running an association, not those that provide general information.
Organizers and speakers. Much like in social media, i look for credible sources of content. Watch out for some who are out only to sell a product or a service, or get your contact details. i also look for speakers who are association executives and practitioners themselves so i can gain experiential knowledge and applicability.
Time difference. Those organized from north america (US, canada) time their webinars mid-day or early afternoon which means midnight and early morning in the Philippines so these are difficult timings. Those organized in europe are six to seven hours lagging behind us so midday or early afternoon times are manageable. Those from australia are good since there are only two hours-time difference.
Free or for a fee. There are webinars that are free but exclusive only to members. Most service providers offer theirs for free in exchange for contact details and future marketing while others are fee-based. Whether the webinar is for free or for a fee, it is important to determine if the webinar will be relevant to your needs.
Takeaways. i like organizers who inform you at the outset that the presentation materials, a recording, and further Q&a will be available after the webinar. if there is no mention about this, you may consider taking photos of the slides and recording the event for future reference. you may, however, need to inform the organizers and speakers about this.
Will virtual events like webinars be the “new normal” past covid-19? Moving forward, it is inevitable that associations need to have a variety of educational portfolios for their members. a mixture of face-to-face and virtual events will be a prominent profile of an association’s programming agenda.
The column contributor, Octavio “Bobby” Peralta, is concurrently the secretary general of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific and the Founder & CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives. Pcaae is holding the Associations Summit 8 on November 25 and 26, 2020 at the Philippine International Convention Center which is expected to draw over 200 association professionals here and abroad. The 2-day event is supported by Adfiap, the Tourism Promotions Board, and the PICC. E-mail inquiries@adfiap.org for more details on AS8.