This session, led byEwald Consulting Accounting ManagerJacquie Strebe, will provide practical insights to help boards approach their budgets with clarity, discipline, and foresight. We’ll explore common pitfalls that lead to reactive or unrealistic budgets and instead highlight methods to create budgets that support both financial health and organizational impact. Whether your board struggles with conservative forecasting, unexpected expenses, or aligning dollars to strategic goals, this webinar will equip you with tools to lead more effective conversations and foster confidence in next year’s financial plan.
Many associations hold annual conferences in autumn. Associations are uniquely positioned to do more than deliver information during these events — they can create transformative experiences that resonate long after attendees return home. At Ewald Consulting, we believe the most successful events don’t just inform; they inspire, energize and unite. They create “wow moments” that surprise and delight attendees and spark lasting connections. These moments become stories attendees tell and retell, reinforcing the value of your organization.
Why Wow Moments Matter
A conference is more than a gathering. It’s a rare opportunity to activate your community in a shared experience of volunteer leaders, members, exhibitors and thought leaders. When we design events with wow moments in mind, we turn passive participation into emotional investment. That investment fuels member retention, increases engagement, and amplifies word-of-mouth promotion for future events.
Collaborating for Impact
Some of the most memorable experiences come from intentional collaboration. When volunteer leaders are part of the planning and delivery, their passion becomes infectious. When speakers go beyond slides to share their wisdom and humanity, they elevate the learning experience. When exhibitors feel like valued partners rather than salespeople, they engage more meaningfully. At Ewald Consulting, we work closely with clients to align all these voices into one cohesive, compelling experience.
How to Create Wow Moments
Design for Emotion: Go beyond logistics. Ask: how do we want attendees to feel at each stage of the event?
Think Immersive: Incorporate interactive elements, peer-to-peer engagement and sensory experiences.
Empower the Unexpected: Allow space for serendipity, i.e., moments where genuine connection and creativity emerge.
Celebrate the Community: Highlight the contributions and stories of members and volunteers throughout the event.
End on a High Note: Close with intention and energy, giving attendees a final moment that encapsulates the event’s spirit.
Shared Experience, Shared Purpose
At their best, conferences serve as a heartbeat for the association. They affirm identity, share purpose and remind every participant: You are part of something bigger. The wow moments are not fluff; they are the emotional glue that binds learning to loyalty.
As we support our clients this conference season, our goal is simple: to turn every event into a shared experience that leaves your members saying, “I can’t wait to come back.”
Contract negotiation isn’t just about fine print — it’s about strategy, relationships and collaboration. After attending a three-part training series on contract negotiations, our team walked away with insights that are practical, empowering and rooted in partnership. Huge thank you to Therese Jardine with Strategic Event Procurement for this impactful training.
Here are the top takeaways that are reshaping how we approach contracting:
💬 Negotiation Is a Conversation, Not a Conflict
One of the biggest mindset shifts was this: negotiating shouldn’t feel like a battle. It’s a two-way dialogue where both sides are working toward a shared goal. Whether you’re planning an event or booking a room block, the goal is the same — successful business for everyone involved. Approaching negotiations with curiosity rather than confrontation can change the tone of the entire process.
Instead of asking “why,” try asking, “What are your concerns?” or “What do you need to make this work?”
✍️ Everything Is Negotiable (Really!)
Contracts aren’t set in stone — room rates, food and beverage minimums, cancellation clauses, even AV fees can often be adjusted, and are dependent on so many factors. One key lesson: don’t assume anything is off-limits just because it’s labeled “standard.” From attrition policies, cancellation clauses and standards of service, you have room to shape terms that work for your event’s specific needs.
📞 Sometimes a Call Beats an Email
While keeping a paper trail is important, we were reminded that some of the best progress happens through a phone call. A quick, direct conversation can eliminate confusion, build trust, and move things along faster than a chain of emails ever could.
🧠 Preparation Is Power
Before any negotiation, do your homework. Know what your priorities are (must-haves vs. nice-to-haves) and take time to understand the goals of your counterpart. What pressures are they facing? What does success look like for them? A solid plan — grounded in both self-awareness and external awareness — sets the tone for a productive conversation.
🤝 Play the Long Game: Relationships Matter
Contracts are temporary — reputations are long-term. That’s why professionalism at the table matters. Don’t negotiate against yourself, and don’t let frustration derail the conversation. Staying composed and collaborative helps build credibility, trust, and better opportunities down the line.
🔍 Flexibility Over Formulas
Every organization — and every hotel — has different operating needs. There is no one-size-fits-all contract. We learned not to be afraid to rework or rewrite clauses in ways that suit the specific context. Just because a clause has always looked a certain way doesn’t mean it has to.
🧭 Reflect and Evolve
Finally, contract negotiation is a skill — one that gets stronger with experience. After each negotiation, pause to ask: How did that process feel? What went well? What would I do differently next time? These reflections are where real growth happens.
The Bottom Line
Contracting is more than transactional — it’s relational. With preparation, curiosity, and a collaborative mindset, negotiations can become opportunities to strengthen partnerships and create real value for both sides.
If there’s one golden rule we’re taking forward: Don’t be afraid to ask. The worst answer you’ll get is “no” — and even then, it opens the door to a new conversation.
Every day of the year has observances. Some are lighthearted (like National Hazelnut Cake Day and National Cream-Filled Donut Day) and some help to raise awareness or funds for causes or professions like Giving Tuesday. The team at Ewald Consulting has been able to capitalize on these celebrations and observances for our clients, increasing the name recognition for the associations and tapping into the energy focused observances can bring to the industries they serve. Our work has helped increase visibility for the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO) GO Month, the American Society of Extracorporeal Technology (AmSECT) Perfusion Week and the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology (SVIN) participation in World Stroke Thrombectomy Day, among others.
Here are some tips and success stories from our marketing experts to help make your awareness event a success.
Plan Ahead
Just like planning for a conference, it is vital to plan in advance (more than 6 months if possible, with 12 months even more desirable) when planning any observances for your association. Our marketing team collaborates across an association’s entire staff and with committee volunteers so that everyone knows the plan and has input along the way. Allow ample time for any applicable staff and volunteer teams to review the plan as well as deliverables.
It’s essential for the marketing team to collaborate with association committees. Volunteers provide insights on what is likely to resonate with members and other audiences. They can provide subject matter expertise — and help with the tasks involved in a successful observance. Ewald Consulting Marketing Manager Rebecca Wegscheid says, “Having (an involved volunteer as point person) takes the responsibility solely off the shoulders of staff and allows our subject matter experts, our member volunteers, to own a key part of the campaign and to provide key insights into relevant topics and trends.” NAPO’s marketing team also coordinates with our Sales & Partnership Development team to highlight NAPO’s business partners. Having clear policies and communication about partner benefits and deadlines helps set expectations.
Do Your Research
Know your targets and your messaging. Learn whether there are other organizations or associations that your association could collaborate with to make an even bigger impact. If you are just beginning a collaboration, it can take time to make the right connections and work through any formal agreements. Here are a few examples of associations that partner to make a bigger impact:
NAPO collaborates with partners like The Container Store for in-store events during Get Organized & Be Productive (GO Month) in January.
The American Foregut Society (AFS) partners with the Esophageal Cancer Action Network (ECAN) to promote Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month in April by collaborating on a podcast and a paid ad in New York City’s Times Square (shown below).
SVIN collaborates with Mission Thrombectomy to promote World Stroke Thrombectomy Day on May 15 to bring awareness to the benefits of stroke treatment intervention.
Make It Easy for Members to Participate
Our marketing team has found that toolkits help members to create their own unique messages as well as ensuring that social media posts and other user-created content stay true to the association’s brand. We provide access to the toolkits (which are usually housed on the association’s website) early and communicate often through standalone emails, newsletters, and other communications. For NAPO’s GO Month, we share the first mention of the event about six months in advance, with reminders about a month before the observance begins; we then follow up with additional resources each week. During GO Month, we send information and reminders with messaging, hashtags, and NAPO’s profiles. NAPO has a very active member online community, making it a great avenue to share information. If the association has chapters or special interest groups, be sure to engage leaders of those groups to help push out messages. Because every association has its own preferences for communication, put out your messages on the channels where you know members will see and respond to them.
NAPO also holds a contest during World Organizing Day, where prospective members can win a year of membership and current members can get a free year of membership. NAPO does collect data from people for this contest on Instagram, but we keep the process as simple as possible so that the barrier to participation remains low.
During Perfusion Week (May 1-7 each year), our team has increased the impact of member social media posts by liking, sharing and reposting. Rebecca notes, “The more you engage with other people’s content, the more they engage with yours. It can snowball fast and keep energy high.”
The image above is just one example of many that members shared.
Measure Your Results
We gauge the effectiveness of our clients’ work through website analytics, social listening and other tools. We can see where traffic is coming from and the pages where visitors land on the website; it can tell us which social media platforms work best for different associations and where to focus our work next time. It’s also important to look at year-over-year metrics to see trends and identify the strategies and tactics that worked best (as well as what may need to be tweaked).
For example, during GO Month, traffic on NAPO’s website and social media channels is very high, as is engagement. Traffic and engagement in the following month or two is likely to be much lower — but still above the annual average.
Play the Long Game
It can take several years to see an awareness celebration really take flight. GO Month has seen greater participation and better results every year.
To help lay the groundwork for success next year, inform members about your success once this year’s event concludes. AmSECT includes a house ad in its quarterly newsletter and shares social media posts about Perfusion Week, for example.
The image above shows a house ad that AmSECT staff created to celebrate the success of Perfusion Week 2025.
The image above is an example of AmSECT’s social media posts thanking members for participating in Perfusion Week 2025.
Conclusion
Annual awareness celebrations inform the public about the importance and power of your profession. With planning, measurement and follow-through, these events can improve name recognition and brand awareness for the organization.
To learn how we can help your association achieve success, contact us at info@ewald.com.
Looking for ways your association can improve the learning opportunities you provide to members? At our July 16 Associations Trends Talk, Ewald Consulting Directors of Professional Development Jessica Truhler and Danial Davis offered advice for how associations can use AI to create new professional development opportunities or improve on existing learning programs. Here are some of their top tips.
Data Readiness
AI can handle an incredible array of tasks, from developing outlines for a learning program, generating marketing content or suggesting learning paths. It’s also great at handling repetitive tasks, thereby freeing up people’s time so we can use our uniquely human skills (such as empathy, creativity and context). But AI has limitations. For instance, many certification and credentialing bodies have restrictions on the ways AI can be used.
AI is only as smart as the data it’s trained on. Ask these key questions when determining how to use AI:
What data do we already have? (e.g., completion rates, assessment scores, job roles, behavioral data)
Where is the data stored?
Do we have permission to use this data?
Human-in-the-Loop Design
AI can help improve accessibility by translating material into a different language or creating transcription that can be used to create subtitles. But this information still needs to be reviewed by subject matter experts or people who natively speak the translated language to ensure accuracy.
Key considerations for keeping humans in the loop:
Identify which decisions must remain human-led.
Train staff on ethical and effective AI use.
Automate with intention—not just for the sake of automation.
Tool Selection and LMS Integration
Many AI tools are available already, and many of the Learning Management Systems (LMSs) on the market are integrating AI. To begin your journey, choose tools that are easy to implement and align with your existing systems, provide high value to members and have a low risk. Try a pilot program with a select group of volunteers to ensure that all elements of the program are working as envisioned before a full launch.
Governance and Ethical Considerations
However you decide to use AI at your association, you need clear policies — about who can use it and how it’s used. AI-generated content needs to be labelled as such. If you’re feeding in proprietary information to an AI system, you need to be sure that appropriate privacy settings are in place.
Set Clear Boundaries:
Define acceptable AI use with a formal AI Use Policy.
Establish review processes for AI-generated content.
Monitor AI for bias and inaccuracies.
Transparency:
Label AI-generated content.
Remind stakeholders AI isn’t always accurate.
Track Your Success
Use metrics to track your success. Choose just two or three measures to begin with rather than trying to measure everything. Focus on the metrics that matter most to your organization:
Engagement
Chatbot response rates
Retention
Course completion
Learner return rates
Skill gains
Mastery improvements
Advancement outcomes
Time saved in content creation
Conclusion
When staff and volunteers have competing demands on their time, AI can help streamline your processes and automate some repetitive tasks. To use it effectively, association leaders need to keep three guiding questions in mind: What problem are we trying to solve? Will AI help solve it in a meaningful way? Are we maintaining authenticity in our learning experience? By focusing on these questions and emphasizing that AI supports people rather than replacing them, we can continue to improve the learner experience for our association education programs.
“We are your people. Come … and be among your people.”
Looking to increase conference attendance for your association’s next big event? In today’s crowded event calendar, encouraging members to register is a key challenge. The most compelling arguments for attending often come directly from those who’ve experienced it, or the experts shaping its content.
The Impact of Member Testimonials on Conference Attendance
Hearing directly from peers about their positive experiences at past conferences can be very influential. When your members share their personal takeaways—the specific learning, networking connections, or unique feeling of being part of the event—it creates a picture that speaks to potential attendees. It helps them envision their own experience and the tangible value they would gain, directly helping to increase event registrations.
“There is something about meeting in person where you can really dive deep.”
Attendees consistently highlight the deep sense of belonging and community they find. As one member put it, “AAMSE is the one place I can meet with people who understand what I do for my job and it’s the place I feel like I belong.” Many describe the conference as feeling like a reunion with cherished colleagues, offering unique networking opportunities. Members also value informal discussion sessions where they can “offer solutions to all … that we are facing,” gaining tangible takeaways for their practice.
Gathering these honest accounts can be challenging, especially with geographically dispersed members. Studio E helps associations overcome this. We capture these important perspectives, ensuring clear audio and video quality, whether in-person or remotely, making it straightforward to collect a range of credible voices that speak to the core benefits of your conference.
Leveraging Speaker Expertise for Higher Registrations
Beyond member experiences, the expertise presented at your conference is a primary draw. Showcasing your speakers provides a direct preview of the knowledge and insights attendees can expect. Featuring concise clips of your key presenters offers a glimpse into the quality of the educational program. Speaker promotion for events is crucial for building anticipation and encouraging sign-ups.
“I come every year because the world changes that much every year.”
Attendees frequently emphasize the high quality and relevance of educational content. Many appreciate the convenience of getting all their continuing education credits in one spot, ensuring they “hear something new every year” as the world changes. The conference provides a platform for people passionate about “getting better at what they do every day,” making it a vital resource for professional development.
Studio E helps you select and refine existing video of your speakers. We focus on highlighting moments that convey their expertise and the relevance of their topics, allowing you to spotlight the content that defines your conference. These short previews serve as a clear invitation to learn from leaders in the field and are a vital part of any effective event marketing strategy.
Video as a Strategic Tool to Increase Conference Attendance
Thinking of a conference promotion video as a strategic asset, rather than just a marketing piece, can transform your approach to attendance. By effectively sharing member experiences and significant speaker insights through video, you provide compelling reasons for people to prioritize your event. Communicating the value directly influences registration decisions, contributing to increased attendance that offsets the video production investment. It’s a powerful way to engage your audience before they even arrive, leading to better conference attendance results.
Beyond formal learning, unique aspects of a conference also add appeal. As one attendee enthusiastically noted, “Puppies. I heard the puppies are great. Everyone loves the puppies. So those will definitely be coming back.”
Ready to Boost Your Next Conference?
If your association is looking for effective ways to increase attendance for upcoming conferences, consider how credible member voices and speaker content, delivered via professional video, can strengthen your promotion campaign. Studio E, as part of Ewald Consulting, understands association goals. We offer a clear process for creating influential videos.
To learn more about how a focused video strategy can support your conference goals, contact Studio E today for a conversation: content@ewald.com
AI is rapidly transforming the ways associations design educational content for professional development, credentialing and continuing education — from streamlining workflows to enhancing creative processes. In this engaging and practical webinar, you’ll explore how artificial intelligence can become a powerful partner in designing your association’s educational content. We’ll share how AI tools are being used across the content lifecycle, from ideation and drafting to user research and iteration.
Join Ewald Consulting Professional Development Directors Jessica Truhler and Danial Davis to learn how to improve your education for association members through real-world examples and interactive discussions about AI in professional development without compromising ethical standards or the human voice.
Whether you’re new to AI or want to deepen your integration strategy, this session will give you the basic knowledge, critical considerations, and actionable ideas to start leveraging AI thoughtfully and effectively in your professional development content practice.
Join us on July 16 to learn:
How AI is reshaping content design workflows and roles for professional development.
Where and when to use AI tools to enhance creativity and productivity.
Practical strategies for evaluating and selecting AI tools.
Ethical implications and responsible use of AI-generated content.
Steps to begin incorporating AI into your professional development content processes.
Membership retention is something all associations strive for. The International Magnesium Association (IMA) has succeeded in increasing its member retention over the past few years. From the end of 2021 to the end of 2024, membership has grown by 45%, reflecting strong engagement and continued interest in the IMA community. Not only is this a great increase in membership, members are renewing earlier in the year.
What Does IMA Offer Its Members?
The IMA provides members with industry resources and information regularly through newsletters, educational webinars, and committee meetings throughout the year. With an international reach, IMA has committees representing a variety of interests across the magnesium industry. It’s important to make your association members see value consistently all year long to ensure that they view membership as a necessity.
Annual Conferences
Like most associations, the IMA offers a registration discount to members for its Annual Conference. These conferences provide attendees with the opportunity to connect with other industry leaders from across the world that they may not normally get to interact with. Conferences can be a big draw for membership renewals and new potential members.
Membership Options
Cost can often be a deciding factor when individuals or companies consider whether or not to become members of an association. By offering a variety of membership options, your association can better meet its recruitment goals and appeal to a broader audience. Flexible membership categories can be an incentive to join — such as those tailored for students, retirees, or other specific groups. In addition, having a discounted introductory membership option, similar to what the IMA offers, can be an effective way to engage potential members who may be hesitant to commit initially. To further encourage new members, IMA has just initiated a new member type for small businesses/start-ups.
A Strong Membership Committee Is Vital
IMA has an active membership committee. Committee members pay attention to industry trends and potential members to help identify new member segments and benefit options. IMA also has two regional staff representatives who network with members and non-members and conduct outreach to current and prospective members, including at events hosted by other organizations. Association staff also play an essential role in carrying out the day-to-day activities on behalf of the committee; staff can also recommend ways to make the membership decision easier for current members. In 2024, we introduced a direct payment link for dues — so members didn’t have to login and manually complete the renewal process. Our data show that a more seamless renewal process has contributed to improved retention.
At a meeting of association CEOs hosted by Ewald Consulting in March 2025, participants discussed how to shift a board governance from a culture of oversight to one of engagement — so board leaders focus on strategy more than operations.
Help a Board Stay Focused on the Big Picture
It can be easy for a board to go down a rabbit hole of focusing on operational details instead of strategic discussion and decisions. Here are some tactics that can help maintain focus:
Include time at each meeting for a generative discussion to make sense of industry circumstances, discover patterns and discern problems members face in their work, and to determine the organization’s role in addressing it.
Make time for a small element of governance training or a “mission in practice” moment at each board meeting.
Budget for the board chair and perhaps chair-elect to attend a governance training seminar along with the CEO each year; ASAE’s Exceptional Boards Conference and/or CEO Symposium are examples of excellent programs.
Additionally, carefully building a strategy-focused agenda for each board meeting can also help the board keep its focus on the bigger picture. One of our Associations Trends Talks addressed this topic.
Bring Discussion Back on Track
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, meeting discussion can go off topic or get stuck in wordsmithing. Every board member should feel comfortable bringing things back to the agenda — and so should the chief staff officer. Participants noted the need to “call board members back” rather than “calling them out” for crossing into discussion of operational items. While subtle, this reframing of the action keeps the positive intention behind it and disarms concern about getting stuck in a “gotcha” moment.
Align Board and CEO/Staff Roles
Clarity of roles is essential in creating a mission-driven, engaged board of directors. Some ideas for creating that clarity include:
Careful recruitment of board members can help identify those who demonstrate strategic thinking. Just because someone is a dedicated and hard-working committee member doesn’t mean they will make the transition to board service.
Once board members are elected, orientation is an essential step to reinforce expectations for service — in terms of time, talent and (perhaps) treasure.
So that the board can focus on higher-level matters, committee members and staff need to be aligned on their respective roles. Committee charters and orientation can help lay this groundwork. Check out ASAE’s Basics of Board Structure for ideas.
Use a strategy screen to introduce and evaluate new ideas. This term was introduced by David La Piana to encourage intentional, criteria-based decision making.
Board members can benefit from ongoing coaching by the staff CEO and other board members. Make time to have conversations between meetings about how things are going and to plan for upcoming board meetings.
Conclusion
In turbulent times, it’s more important than ever for association boards to consider how they are meeting the organization’s mission and the needs of members. It requires strategic thinking rather than obsession with details.
Blake Finger, Betsy Pierre and Bruce Rosenthal — experts in association sponsorship and sales — held a lively discussion of trends and top tips for building successful sponsorship programs. Seven of the key takeaways from the conversation include:
Why Non-Dues Revenue Is Important (and Challenging)
Vendor Value: It’s important for associations to provide ways for vendors to reach their target markets.
Understanding Market Reach: Associations may not always fully grasp the value of the audience they can offer.
Need for More Revenue: Associations require additional sources of revenue, while members demand more content.
Post-COVID Shift: Sponsors are now looking for measurable results, making it harder to secure support if the value isn’t clearly demonstrated.
The Role of Associations in Vendor Relations
Multiple Roles: Associations must manage relationships with clients, boards, and committees.
Effective Outreach: Ongoing follow-up is necessary to build commitment.
Experience Matters: Associations need to know how to ask the right questions and deliver a good experience to sponsors.
Follow Through: Ensure that promises made to sponsors are followed up on.
Building Long-Term Relationships with Sponsors
Understanding Sponsor Goals: Associations need to understand a sponsor’s business objectives to create a mutually beneficial relationship.
Key Question: “How does your company measure success?” is a valuable question to ask potential sponsors.
Going Beyond the Ask: Ask about sponsors’ goals in detail; there might be additional ways you can help, beyond what they initially requested. Or if you’re unable to fulfill a request, there may be a more helpful alternative.
A la Carte Options: Smaller companies may prefer more flexible, cost-effective options rather than committing to large sponsorship packages.
What Companies Want from Associations
Business Development: Companies are looking for opportunities to grow.
Brand Differentiation: They want to stand out in the market.
Thought Leadership: Companies want to be seen as leaders in their industry.
Involving the Board and Other Stakeholders
Get the Board on Board: It’s essential to engage the Board of Directors and have open conversations. Committee leaders (especially related to conference planning) can also be very useful in developing sponsor programs and/or identifying potential sponsors.
Vendor Engagement: Associations should not only focus on serving their members but also pay attention to vendor needs, because it ultimately benefits members.
Involve Vendors: A Partner Advisory Council (or similar group) is a great way to hear directly about vendor concerns. While some associations use a standing committee, others are successful with focus groups or task forces.
Innovative Sponsorship Ideas
Engagement Offerings: Encourage sponsors to think differently about how to engage attendees. Examples: Puppy stations, barista stations that encourage people to post selfies from the event.
Political Climate Opportunities: Associations should be aware of the current political and economic climate and how it can impact their vendors and members. Start the conversation on how to approach these issues.
Task Force Creation: Create a task force with committee members and corporate partners to address hot issues like the impact of tariffs.
Implementation Steps for Associations
Understand Your Association’s Strengths: Assess what your association is already doing well and why.
Evaluate Competitors: Look at what other associations in your space are doing and how they’re compelling vendors.
Be Realistic with Timeline: Assess your timeline and target companies. Are they too big for your association? Does it make sense for them to attend your conference?
Flexibility in Planning: Be open to changing your plans based on the political or economic climate. Consider the structure of your conference — does it need to be condensed or expanded? Adapt as needed.
