Webinars & Workshops

Past Webinars

December 8

Are Your Members Invested in Your Success?

How do you get your members engaged and invested in the success of your association? 10 tips to create a winning member engagement strategy.

Watch the recording here on YouTube.

November 15

Is Your Association in Sound Financial Shape?

Find out how to accurately assess your financial sustainability.

Watch the recording here on YouTube.

October 13

Member Renewal Campaign

Are you getting ready for your member renewal season? Find out how to increase your retention rate, speed up cash flow, and upsell your membership.

Watch the recording here on YouTube.

September 7

Best Practices for Governance Training for your Board

Governance Training is one of the most important elements of governance for your board, yet many directors lack enthusiasm for this learning. Learn Governance Training best practices to make sure it is effective, meaningful, and most of all, that your directors will look forward to it!

Watch the recording here on YouTube.

August 11

The New Reality of Sponsorship

Events and Sponsorship have changed forever. With some events returning to in-person and others being delivered in a hybrid format, find out the latest techniques in delivering sponsor value and attracting new partners.

Watch the recording here on YouTube.

May 26

Strategic Planning Master Class

Your Strategic Plan is one of the most important things your Board does. How do you create an aspirational yet realistic Strategic Plan and ensure that it is successfully implemented?

Watch the recording here on YouTube.

May 3

Is Your Chair a Great Facilitator?

The Chair’s facilitation skills can make or break the effectiveness of a board or committee meeting. How can you ensure that your leaders have the knowledge and the skills to make their strongest contribution?

Watch the recording here on YouTube.

March 29

Board Governance Master Class

Your board is, or can be, a massive resource. Are you shamelessly exploiting the energy, the talent, and the influence of all of your directors? Find out how to leverage the power of your directors.

Watch the recording here on YouTube.

February 22

Maximizing Your Government Relations Impact in an Election Year

Provincial elections are pending in Ontario and Quebec. How do you plan to leverage the election to maximize your association’s wins? Now is the time.

Watch the recording here on YouTube.

January 25

What’s in Store for Associations in 2022

How will your association fare through the unknown winds of 2022?

Watch the recording here on YouTube.

Past Webinars

December 9, 2021

Onboarding Your Members – Tactics that Work

January is a new membership year for many associations, and this means it’s time to welcome and engage new and renewing members. What’s the best way to immediately get them involved and demonstrate your MVP?  Join us to find out.

October 14, 2021

Budget Master Class: 10 Tips for 2022

Are you working on your budget for 2022?  Join us for ideas and tips to budget in an uncertain environment, and best practices you can use this year and every year.

September 24, 2021

5 Ways to Increase Member Renewals

Getting geared up for the renewal season? Follow these tips to increase your renewal rate, speed up cash flow, and save time cat-herding.

August 12, 2021

Goosing Your Board

Is your Board lacking motivation and productivity? Do you wish your Directors could accomplish more? We’ll share with you tips and ideas to inject new life into your Boardroom.

June 17, 2021

Keeping Your Board Onside

Having a truly engaged board is a chief executive’s dream…when everyone is working towards the same goal. But what if the board isn’t working well or together? What if they don’t share the same vision as the chief executive? Find out what your organization can do to keep the team together and working like a well-oiled machine.

May 27, 2021

Virtual Conference Success – Best Practices, Best Platforms

It’s a steep learning curve to deliver the best possible virtual conference. Learn from a panel of association leaders who have been there. They’ll share their tips on virtual platforms, agenda structure, live vs. on-demand, attendee pricing and engagement.

April 22, 2021

The New Face of Sponsorship. How to Retain and Grow Partnership in an Evolving Landscape

Sponsor budgets have been hammered and virtual deliverables are an evolving landscape. How can you stay ahead of the curve to retain and grow your sponsorships?

March 18, 2021

Changing of the Guard – Getting new Blood on the Board

Does it feel like your Board needs a change? Join us for proven Ideas and strategies to recruit active, energized, and focused Board members.

February 18, 2021

What’s in Store for Associations in 2021

How will your Association fare through the unknown winds of 2021? Join us as we interview a panel of Association leaders on their expectations and strategies for this year.

January 27, 2021

Maximizing Productivity for Your Team

Is your team finding it a challenge to get through their workload? Are you delaying projects that you’d like to start now? How can you increase productivity without burnout? Join us to find out.

December 15, 2020

Onboarding New and Renewing Members: Building engagement from Day 1

January is a new membership year for many associations and this means it’s time to welcome and engage new and renewing members. What’s the best way to immediately get them involved and demonstrate your MVP?

November 24, 2020

Financial Risk Management Planning for 2021 and Beyond.

The landscape for associations changed dramatically this year, and the change is far from over. Join us to find out how to manage your association’s ongoing financial health in a constantly evolving environment.

October 13, 2020

Budget Master Class: 10 Tips for 2021

Are you working on your budget for 2021?  Join us for ideas and tips to budget in an uncertain environment, and best practices you can use this year and every year.

September 22, 2020

5 Ways to Increase Member Renewals.

Getting geared up for the renewal season? Follow these tips to increase your renewal rate, speed up cash flow, and save time cat-herding.

August 20, 2020

Keep Your Board Fit and Strong – How to get there, and stay there.

Do your directors have what they need to be their best and stay out of trouble?

July 28, 2020

Build and Use a Coalition to Leverage Your GR Success

Why go it alone? Find out how to leverage the resources of your peers and stakeholders to support and promote your government relations objectives.

June 25, 2020

Leveraging Government Relations: Success in a Crisis

May 28, 2020

Member Communications in the Digital Jungle – oh – and in a pandemic

April 30, 2020

More Productive Board Meetings – Tips and Tactics

Having a truly engaged board is a chief executive’s dream…when everyone is working towards the same goal. But what if the board isn’t working well or together? What if they don’t share the same vision as the chief executive? Erin Roberts discusses how to find out what your organization can do to keep the team together and working like a well-oiled machine.

April 6, 2020

Risk Management for Associations – Where do you want to be positioned when this is over?

March 27, 2020

Planning for an event that may not happen? Whaaht?

It may seem odd or even trivial to be talking about event strategy during a pandemic, but it’s all about planning. We need to look after what we can control, and have a plan for what we can’t. We will get through this and life will go on. Associations that keep putting one foot in front of the other will retain their strength and demonstrate their leadership.

February 14, 2020

Making the Sale for Sponsorship – What is Your SVP?

Your event and association sponsors expect to receive value for their sponsorship. One of the best ways to demonstrate value to a sponsor is to quantify your association’s sponsor benefits. Join Erin Roberts and Asif Ahmed for this informative webinar. Get the tools you need to communicate your association’s return on investment (ROI) to current and potential sponsors.

January 31, 2020

Outsourcing 101: Get the best value from your suppliers

For membership associations, outsourcing is a fantastic way to get more done by utilizing the expertise of a trusted partner in a cost-effective way. Join Erin Roberts and Asif Ahmed as they share tips on outsourcing everything from board support to sponsorship sales. Get the best value from your suppliers and leverage your in-house resources to take your association to the next level.

December 10, 2019

Masterful Membership Renewal: Tips & Tricks

Year-end is a busy time for associations. For many, the membership renewal process is in full swing. Is your process foolproof? Join Erin Roberts and Asif Ahmed for this can’t-miss webinar to learn how to optimize your renewal process and maximize member retention.

November 22, 2019

Keeping Your Board Out of Hot Water (Webinar)

Does your board know what is required to govern an association? Attending board meetings and passing motions is just the tip of the iceberg. Failure to comply with the legal obligations regulating associations could result in serious consequences. Join Erin Roberts for this can’t-miss webinar. Learn how to keep your board (and you) from getting into a pickle.

October 16, 2019

How to Sell Your Association to Prospective (and Current!) Members (Webinar)

August 29, 2019

Evolution of Leadership: Changing the board focus from operations to governance (Webinar)

When board members work cohesively, it can drive the association forward faster and better. But the board must focus on the right initiatives. In this session, Erin Roberts will give you ideas, tips and tools to take your board’s focus from operational tasks to governance.

July 26, 2019

Attracting Exhibitors to Your Signature Event (Webinar)

Conference and tradeshows are an important marketing and revenue generation tool for many associations. They are a valuable source of visibility and can generate significant revenue. But the costs of exhibiting are also significant and will influence an exhibitor’s decision to participate in your signature event. Whether you’re selling large booth spaces or smaller table-tops, listen in as Erin Roberts gives you the tools you need to demonstrate the value of making the investment in your conference or tradeshow to your exhibitors.

June 5, 2019

CSAE Trillium PDX Workshop: Small Associations Achieving Big Results

Presented by Erin Roberts, this session will feature case studies of small associations that are achieving big results with a focus on marketing, member recruitment, and non-members dues.

May 15, 2019

Cat Herding 101: 5 tips for effective meeting facilitation (Webinar)

Do you sometimes feel you’re losing control of a meeting and don’t know how to keep it on track? It only takes one side conversation that takes a life of its own or one tenacious attendee to derail the focus of the entire group. Once you lose control, herding the cats can seem like an impossible task. If you ever have to chair or facilitate meetings, join Erin Roberts to get 5 tips to help you become a cat herding champion.

April 17, 2019

Taking Your Board from Meh to Magnificent (Webinar)

Are your board meetings running like a well-oiled machine? When board members work cohesively, it can drive the association forward faster and better. In this session, Erin Roberts will give you the tools you need to engage your board and build the association of your dreams.

March 5, 2019

Boost Your Sponsorship Revenue (Webinar)

Attracting and retaining sponsors is not an easy task. Why should a sponsor invest in your organization? More than ever before, sponsors want to see a quantifiable return on investment (ROI). A compelling sponsor value proposition is just one of the many ways you can secure their sponsorship dollars year after year.

February 1, 2019

Are You a Nervous Nellie? 5 tips for effective public speaking. (Webinar)

Public speaking can cause chills, sweating and/or temporary speech impediments. You could be asked to present in front of a group at any time and, when you do, you want to be confident and composed. One presentation could make or break your organization.

November 9, 2018

Effective Outsourcing for Membership Associations. Do what you do best and keep costs down. (Webinar)

Erin Roberts shared tips on outsourcing everything from event management to member renewal packages. Get the best value from suppliers and leverage your in-house resources to take your association to the next level.

October 3, 2018

Dealing with Difficult Board Members (Webinar)

Is there a director on your board that’s a challenge to work with?

August 24, 2018

What’s the Secret to Attracting Young Members?: Panel Discussion with Millennials (Webinar)

There’s a lot of talk about what millennials think; mostly heard from the perspective of boomers. In this panel discussion you’ll hear from them directly.

May 2, 2018

Keeping it Fresh. How to Ensure Repeat Attendees and Exhibitors at Your Tradeshow or Conference (Webinar)

Are you serving the same meal year after year? Even if it’s the best meal in the world human beings get bored with sameness and crave variety. In the webinar, you’ll learn how to take calculated risks and keep your attendees coming back.

April 11, 2018

Building a Powerful Member Value Proposition (Webinar)

Do your staff and directors know what they’re selling? Your association’s MVP (member value proposition) is ground zero for your association’s relevance and its very existence. Learn how to create and articulate a powerful and compelling (and true) MVP, and train your team how to use it.

March 8, 2018

Attracting & Retaining Sponsors: Trade Shows & Conferences (Webinar)

February 16, 2018

The Secrets to Tradeshow Success (Webinar)

A tradeshow is a series of beginnings. Every moment—from the second the doors open until the very end —is a moment where your exhibitors could be meeting potential customers. If all goes well, these crucial contacts will launch a mutually profitable relationship that will last for years. On the other hand, if the impression your exhibitors create is not so positive, they’ve missed the opportunity and may not come back.

January 31, 2018

How To Manage Tradeshow Rules & Regulations to Your Advantage (Webinar)

Do you know that every tradeshow has a set of rules and regulations that the exhibitors need to abide by? Rules concerning display specifications, exhibitor etiquette, move-in and move-out procedures, there’s a lot you need to know.

In this webinar, Erik Naar and Asif Ahmed will explain the complex rules and regulations that govern tradeshows and how to navigate them to your advantage.

December 14, 2017

Increasing Exhibitor Sales at Your Tradeshow (Webinar)

Tradeshows can be an important source of revenue and visibility for membership associations. Whether you’re selling booth space or table-top space, you need to demonstrate the value of making the investment to your exhibitors. Your tradeshow is just one of many marketing opportunities for them. More than ever before, they need to see quantifiable ROI.

November 15, 2017

Failing Fast, Hard and Often – Don’t make this a policy (Webinar)

You’ve heard that failure is the precursor to success. So more failure means more success, or does it? Associations are often afraid to take risks because failure can be very public and can reduce the credibility of the organization. But timidity doesn’t take us forward. Risk is necessary for forward movement. So how do we take risks and manage failure?

October 20, 2017

Performance Metrics, KPIs for Associations – If you don’t know them, you’re driving blind (Webinar)

One of the most powerful assets your association has, is data. You collect it every day, but do you mine it proactively for gems of critical information? Buried in your member data and activities is important predictive knowledge about the future of your membership and the sustainability of your association.

September 20, 2017

Non-Member Pricing – What’s the right price? (Webinar)

It’s a constant dilemma. We want non-members to attend our events so we don’t want to make it too expensive for them. But if we charge them little more than our members, then what’s the point of buying membership?

August 23, 2017

Consumer Culture Invasion (Webinar)

The new reality of membership is that our members are consumers. We must focus both the mindset and service delivery model of the association to serve a transaction-oriented consumer mentality while retaining the feeling of belonging that supports member engagement and retention.

Pundits tell us the membership model is dead. They also tell us that young professionals prefer to sit in a closet and text each other rather than interact face-to-face. Poppycock.

While it’s true the world has changed, as it always does, membership organizations continue to thrive in Canada and around the world. The successful membership organizations combine the attributes of a welcoming club of peers with a business-focused consumer service delivery model and mindset.

This webinar addresses the challenge and opportunity of attracting and retaining members in a consumer oriented culture.

July 14, 2017

The Saga At Nottawasaga – Go the Distance with 2 Association Experts

Watch two association sector experts go toe-to-toe in a battle for the ages. Gain valuable and thought-provoking insights into topics that will challenge your perception of the association model. Controversial or taboo, no topic is off limits: ‘Can associations continue to be all things to all members?’, ‘Are sponsorship and affiliate programs a waste of time?’ – these questions and more will be debated by Erin Roberts, Partner at Zzeem and Bill Shepherd, Owner/Consultant of the Centre for Association Leadership Training (CALT) during this fast paced, heated debate. Take in this event and much more at the CSAE Trillium Summer Summit.

June 8, 2017

High Performance Round Table (co-hosted by Zzeem and CSAE Trillium)

Join moderator Erin Roberts and our panel of High Performance CEOs and board members as they share their experience and tips to reach the high performance level of the association business.

Learn from the top leaders in our sector and find out how your association compares with the first tier.

May 24, 2017

Maximizing Sponsorship: How to Leverage Partner Relationships (Webinar)

Sponsorship can be a significant source of resources for associations. But it’s a tough old world out there and your sponsors have many other ways to spend their business development budget. Do you have a truly compelling SVP (sponsor value proposition)?

April 5, 2017

2016 Benchmark Survey Results (Webinar)

Join Erin Roberts and Gerald Bramm as they reveal the results of the 2016 Benchmark Survey for Membership Organizations. Find out what you need to know to lead your organization in 2017 and talk to your peers about their plans.

March 22, 2017

What You Don’t Know, Can Hurt You: What’s the risk of not following your bylaws? (Webinar)

Are you aware that you have a legal obligation to be compliant with your bylaws?

How confident are you that your management team and all of your board of directors know your bylaws?

What you don’t know, can hurt you. Tune in to this webinar for some easy tips to reduce risk.

February 24, 2017

When Should the CEO Tell the Board, “No?” (Webinar)

The CEO reports to the board. So when the board instructs the CEO to do something, it’s the CEO’s responsibility to do it. Right? Not necessarily.

Learn when and where it is the CEO’s responsibility to say “No” to the board, and how to avoid that conflict by laying ground rules in advance.

January 24, 2017

HPO™ Leadership Series (Webinar Interview)

Tune in with Erin Roberts as she interviews Nancy Allan, Executive Director of the Independent Financial Brokers of Canada.

In this webinar we’re talking about the associations’ successes in one of the 8 elements of the High Performance Membership Association: Governance. Nancy and her board have made some key decisions to take their board forward.

This webinar interview is part of our High Performance Leaders Series.

December 9, 2016

The Evolution of Leadership: Changing the board focus from operations to governance (Webinar Panel)

In this panel interview we’ll walk you through the evolution of the board of the Sign Association of Canada. In the past 5 years, three Presidents have contributed to the evolution of SAC’s governance structure, and the next President takes over in June. Starting from a heavily operations-oriented focus the board has evolved dramatically.

Hear from SAC’s past, current and future Presidents about how SAC’s board got out of operations and onto strategy; where it is today and where it is going.

November 25, 2016

Attracting and Retaining Members: A Case Study in Member Value (Webinar Interview with Rick Firth)

The 2016 Benchmark Survey for Membership Organizations revealed 16 elements for success. Here are 3 of them:

• Have a member marketing plan
• Have a budget for member recruitment
• Ensure all staff and directors know your member value proposition and can articulate it

Interestingly, the majority of the survey respondents do not have all 3 elements. Rick Firth has taken his association a great distance by using association-leading tactics and by refusing to say “we can’t”.

October 12, 2016

Lessons Learned from HPO Leaders: Top Tips for Association Success from 5 High Performing CEOs

In this webinar we’ll share some take-aways from the “High Performance Organization Panel and Round Table” co-hosted by Zzeem and CSAE Trillium on September 27. Find out the highlights that these CEOs shared with our audience. We’ll give you some of their tips in four critical areas.

1. Member Value Proposition and Member Engagement: How do you articulate your member value to keep the members you have and attract new ones? How do you ensure visibility and engagement so prospective members know you exist and existing members get involved?
   Rick Firth and Joan Rataic-Lang have two very different, but highly successful approaches.
2. Volunteer Engagement: Why do some boards have a line-up of willing and engaged volunteers and directors and others struggle to fill roles?
   Skip MacLean has created a stellar line-up of active volunteers.
3. Governance and Leadership Support: What are the components of a high performance training program for your directors?
   Bill Shepherd, CAE and his team have built an award-winning program with remarkable results.
4. Running a Successful Virtual Team: How do you run an association with no bricks and mortar and with no employees?
   Carol Ann Burrell, CAE has been doing this successfully for many years.

June 22, 2016

Your Organization Does Great Work. Who Cares? (Workshop)

Your organization does an excellent job but how many people – even your members – know what you do? How well does your organization communicate your value in a way that resonates with members and stakeholders? This is particularly challenging when government relations and/or advocacy are an important element of your value proposition. In this interactive workshop you’ll learn practical tips to increase your organization’s visibility, credibility and influence with your members, your prospective members and your stakeholders. We’ll focus on the 3 Keys to Clout:

1. Leverage
2. Communications
3. Cult

May 17, 2016

Does Your Association Need More Visibility? Using earned media to increase your profile (Webinar Interview with Warren Weeks)

Does your association have a high profile, high visibility and high credibility? Or do only your members know who you are? Learn how to increase your visibility and profile through the effective use of earned media.

April 12, 2016

Webinar – Engaging Members; from Millennials to Boomers

Is your association doing a great job of engaging with every cohort from your Boomers to your Millennials? Or does it seem like it’s hard to attract millennial members and hard to get them engaged with the association? Perhaps you’ve been told that millennials only want to engage with their devices? The truth may surprise you.

March 18, 2016

Webinar – Does Your Association have an Irresistible MVP?

What are the 3 Keys to an irresistible MVP? Does your association have a clear, compelling member value proposition? Can all your staff and directors state it; confidently and consistently?

February 19, 2016

Webinar – 2015 Benchmark Survey Results

Join Erin Roberts and Gerald Bramm as they reveal the results of the 2015 Benchmark Survey for Membership Organizations. Find out what you need to know to lead your organization in 2016 and talk to your peers about their plans.

December 15, 2015

Webinar – HPO™ Leadership Series

• Tune in with Erin Roberts as she interviews Dennis Hampson, Executive Director of the Canadian Professional Disc Jockey Association Inc. and the Executive Director of the Canadian Entertainment Standards Council Inc.
• In this webinar we’re talking about the associations’ successes in one of the 8 elements of the High Performance Membership Association.
• This webinar interview is part of our High Performance Leaders Series.

November 13, 2015

Webinar – HPO™ Leadership Series

• Tune in with Erin Roberts as she interviews Cathy Campbell, President of the Canadian Association of Chemical Distributors.
• In this webinar we’re talking about CACD’s success in one of the 8 elements of the High Performance Membership Association, the Member Value Proposition- specifically member engagement.
• This webinar interview is part of our High Performance Leaders Series.

October 09, 2015

Webinar – Irresistible Value Proposition for Your Members?

Do you Want to Build an Irresistible Value Proposition for Your Members? This webinar explores the four stages involved in developing outstanding member services.

August 25, 2015

Webinar – Preliminary 2015 Benchmark Survey Results

Join Erin Roberts (Zzeem) and Gerald Bramm (Bramm Research) for the preliminary results of the 2015 Benchmark Survey for Membership Organizations and the implications for Canadian associations. Jump ahead of the curve and be prepared for 2016 and beyond.

May 08, 2015 and June 05, 2015

Webinar (2-part series) – How to Inform Your Board in 5 Minutes or Less – Effective management reporting for smart people who hate numbers

This Zzeem webinar focuses on how to give your board members the information they need to make effective decisions in a format that is both easy to follow and relevant to them.

April 17, 2015

High Performance Round Table, co-presented with CSAE Trillium

Our panel of High Performance CEOs will share their experience and tips to reach the high performance level in all 8 elements of the association business. Learn from the top CEOs in our sector and find out how your association compares with the first tier. Engage in round table discussions with other association decision-makers, facilitated by our high performance panelists. Take away tips, templates and proceedings from this first annual event. Co-hosted with CSAE Trillium Chapter.

March 20, 2015

Webinar – HPO™ Leadership Series – Human Resource Management

Join Erin Roberts as she interviews Ed Barisa, CEO of the Ontario Real Estate Association. Ed will share his successes in a key element of the HPO™ – Human Resource Management. Find out Ed’s top three tips to take your organization to the HPO™ level in HR.

December 5, 2014

Webinar: The Attributes of High Performance for Associations

Is your organization an HPO™? In the second webinar of this 2 part series find out what the attributes of a High Performance Organization™ are, and what are the symptoms of organizations who are not yet at the HPO™ level. Does your organization have symptoms that need work. You’ll learn tips to take your association to the HPO™ level.

November 7, 2014

Webinar: Introduction to the High Performance Membership Organization™

In the first webinar of this 2 part series, find out about the 8 elements of the HPO™ and how they contribute to the sustainability of your association. You’ll learn how you can use the HPO™ Assessment to evaluate your score.

September 5, 2014

Webinar: Revenue Generating Knowledge Products

Join Erin Roberts, partner at Zzeem as she interviews Gerald Bramm, principal at Bramm Research. Gerald will give you his top tips for designing member surveys and discuss how you can use surveys to produce revenue generating knowledge products. Are effective member surveys a feature of the High Performance Membership Organization™? Yes. Find out why.

August 22, 2014

Webinar: HPO™ Leadership Series – Member Value Proposition

Join Erin Roberts as she interviews Joan Mackenzie Davies, Executive Director of the Ontario Association of Social Workers. Joan will share her successes in one of the elements of the HPO™ – the Member Value Proposition. Find out Joan’s top three tips to take your organization to the HPO™ level in Member Value.

July 4, 2014

Webinar: The High Performance CEO – “What roles do Planning and Governance play in the High Performance Organization?”

Join Erin Roberts as she interviews Gary Bernard, CEO of the PGA of Canada. Gary will share his successes in two of the elements of the HPO™ – Planning and Governance. Find out Gary’s top three tips to take your organization to the HPO™ level in Planning and Governance.

May 9, 2014

Webinar: Outsourcing for Associations: “How to Get What You Need at a Price you can Afford.”

Join Erin Roberts as she interviews Joy Nott, President, IE Canada; Perry Brooks, Past President, Sign Association of Canada; and Booki Yakobi, Data Protector, Essential Data Services on how to effectively outsource.

April 4, 2014

Webinar: The High Performance CEO – “How to leverage your resources for maximum member impact.”

Erin Roberts interviews Joy Nott, President, IE Canada.

March 13, 2014

Webinar: The High Performance CEO – “How to attract and retain members through effective government relations and issues management”.

Erin Roberts interviews Jim Quick, President and CEO of Aerospace Industries Association of Canada