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Managed webinars vs. unmanaged webinars

2/2/2015

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The world of live webinars can at times be a very confusing one. Figuring out what features are absolutely necessary, the level of technical support that is needed for the day of the webinar and how to transfer recorded webinar content to your Learning Management System, are all questions many associations struggle with daily.

At ScholarLab our definition of a live webinar is an online event that has the following: 

  1. A presenter or a group of presenters sitting at a computer
  2. The presenter(s) are usually sharing information to a group of individuals located in multiple locations. We will call these individuals attendees
  3. The presenters may choose to have the attendees see them via video or just hear their voices
  4. Attendees can communicate with the presenter via a text chat feature
  5. Both presenter(s) and attendees must be online at the same time

We offer what we call Managed Webinars. So you may ask, what is a managed webinar vs. an unmanaged webinar? 

A managed webinar has the following characteristics: 

ScholarLab 
  1. Manages the setup of the webinar
  2. Designs the marketing or communication emails
  3. Trains your presenters
  4. Acts as moderator during your live webinar
  5. Provides technical support during the live webinar
  6. Administers a survey at the end of your webinar
  7. Provides you with a summary of the survey results

An unmanaged webinar is simply- you do it all yourself.

Benefits of a simple managed webinar:

  1. For many of your presenters who are either busy or not tech savvy, figuring it out all by themselves is a daunting task
  2. You may have a small staff, and training presenters on how to use your webinar platform takes them away from critical day to day activities
  3. Our webinar platform is simple and easy to use
  4. You get the important technical support that is often needed during a live webinar. Let’s face it- many of the large webinar companies do not provide technical support during a live webinar
  5. After your webinar is over, the recorded content is quickly transfered to your ScholarLab Online Learning System
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NABE's 2015 Midyear Meeting

1/9/2015

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ScholarLab will be hitting the road to attend the 2015 National Association of Bar Executives (NABE) Midyear Meeting in Houston Texas, February 3 -5.

This year’s theme is a continuation of the RISE challenge. This challenge is all about empowering associations to “REACH the young/new, seasoned and diverse members of your bar, INVEST in your staff, and SERVE and ENGAGE your members and the public in innovative ways.”

At ScholarLab, our values are strongly aligned with the RISE challenge. Our approach to online CLE is one that is deeply anchored in the belief that education and technology should engage members and staff in innovative ways, yet be simple to use and administer.

To learn how we help bar associations create complete, networked and engaged learning experiences, come visit our booth at the mid year meeting.
Click Here for More Information on the Mid-Year Meeting
Click Here to Download our Free/Short Ebook
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Switching Tracks With Your Marketing: Do you know the 5 career stages of your potential members?

7/24/2014

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By Christine Oh

Where an individual is in his/her career makes a big difference in what he/she is expecting to gain from joining an association. Career stage also makes a critical difference in whether or not someone chooses to participate in your association’s events and courses. Understanding these career stages and tailoring your marketing approach for each will make the difference between a successful education program or a disappointing one. Discover the five career stages below: The Student, The New Grad, The Early Career Worker, The Mid-Career Professional, and The Seasoned Expert.


The Student
The Student may still be in school, but they’re already thinking about career direction, wanting information about the industry, and looking for mentorship. Although The Student is not an ideal candidate for education sales at this particular stage (after all, they do juggle a full load of courses already, and may not even have the prerequisites to qualify for professional development courses), it is still important to market the overall value of your association for their future careers.

If you’re able to build a good relationship at this stage, The Student has strong potential to become a lifelong member. The good news is that as an association, you have the authority, credibility and neutrality to provide The Student with the type of guidance they’re looking for. Collaborate with career centers and participate in career fairs, speak to professors about coming in for guest lectures, and recruit student ambassadors to share information about your association and what it can do for The Student’s future career. This investment will pay off in the long run.

The New Grad

Having recently graduated from school, The New Grad’s driving motivation is finding a job and getting a career started. Education sales from this group is likely to come from new graduates on the job search, looking to pad their resumes with certifications, courses, and new skills. They may also be hungry for opportunities to network as part of their job search and eager to participate in industry conferences and events. So, when you’re marketing to this group, make sure to emphasize the networking, mentorship, and job search related benefits of becoming a member of your association and/or participating in your events and education programs.

Employed or not, The New Grad is making the transition from student life, getting their footing in the industry, and seeking validation that this career path is right for them. Similarly to The Student, the impressionable and malleable New Grad could become a valuable member for life if engaged in the right way—in other words, with education programs that resonate with them. In a previous article we covered the top 5 reasons why your conference needs to go digital, which included reasons like connecting with the net generation and attracting new members. If you haven’t already, we encourage you to check it out!

The Early Career Worker
Having completed the school-work transition, The Early Career Worker continues to network, make connections in the industry, and expand their professional network. The Early Career Worker enjoys more stability and disposable income than The New Grad, giving them the flexibility to join new organizations, attend events, enroll in courses, and generally incorporate more extracurricular activities into their lives. Furthermore due to their work experience and practical knowledge of the field, this group is more likely than The Student or The New Grad to be looking for specific skills or training from an association rather than broad, general benefits of joining. Therefore, when marketing to this group, it is important to explain specific skills and learning objectives to be gained from your courses and how those skills can be applied in the workplace.

With relatively fewer years of experience in the industry, The Early Career Worker is less likely to be attached to existing norms and more likely to be open to trying newer forms of education and communication. If your association is able to engage The Early Career Worker, they could become valuable brand ambassadors and key players in your word-of-mouth marketing.

The Mid-Career Professional
The Mid-Career Professional has likely reached a point in their career where they are looking for a major update in their skill sets, or even a career change. They may be considering returning to school for another degree or exploring new certificate programs. They are more likely than other groups to be looking for tools to help them move up in their careers, such as managerial and soft skills training. They are researching options, meaning they are visiting your association's website to see what educational opportunities are available. Make sure you are prepared for them! If you haven’t already, check out our previous article on turning wandering website visitors into valuable online learners.  

The Mid-Career Professional has significant influence on many of the other groups that could be potential members or participants of your education programs and events. As managers and supervisors, they may recommend (or even make mandatory) your association and your courses to the Early Career Workers and New Grads they mentor or supervise. The Mid-Career Professional has had the time to build a meaningful professional network, which serves as a valuable resource for word-of-mouth marketing. Furthermore, the Mid-Career Professional has greater access to top tier decision makers of the companies they work for, which is particularly relevant for associations targeting institutional members or selling group licenses for their education programs.

The Seasoned Expert
With years of experience in the industry, The Seasoned Expert may be looking for a convenient and quick way to update their skills. They may also be motivated to make their mark or give back to the industry by sharing their knowledge, mentoring, and presenting at events. This group is instrumental not only in generating a sense of community within your association, but also in creating meaningful educational content that attract the other career groups to your association. With their wide professional network and decision making authority in the workplace, this group is also likely to have access to internships and career opportunities that catch the attention of The Student, The New Grad, and The Early Career Worker.
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ScholarLab, MPower Technologies & Moneris Solutions Team up: Join Us August 8th In Toronto!

6/27/2014

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Growing Your Membership - The Necessities of Modern eLearning & Effective Association Management

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Date: Friday, August 8th, 2014
Time: 10 am - 1 pm
Admission: No Fee
10:00 - 12:00 Morning: Open to the public
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch will be provided

Location: Moneris Solutions
3300 Bloor Street West
West Tower, 5th Floor
Toronto, ON, M8X 2X2
Show Directions
Join us on August 8th in Toronto! Click here to register now.

Our speakers

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Dr. Laurelle Jno Baptiste
Chief Operating Officer, ScholarLab Online Learning
Laurelle is an award-winning innovator in online learning and communication technologies. She is considered a leader of eLearning in North America and advises educational institutions and associations worldwide.

Laurelle will discuss how new technologies are revolutionizing traditional Learning Management Systems and what you need to know:
  • Get rid of your clunky LMS.
  • Revolutionize the way you create content.
  • Integrate: why single sign-on?
  • Make learning social.
  • Instructional design to spice up your eLearning.
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Christine Oh
Head of Marketing, Scholarlab Online Learning
With her keen understanding of the evolution of marketing, learning, communication and design in the digital age, Christine works directly with some of the largest associations across North America to develop innovative marketing strategies for their eLearning programs.

Are you letting valuable eLearning sales slip through your fingers? Christine will discuss the following seven marketing mistakes you can't afford to make
  • Not understanding your own product.
  • Forgetting to create a marketing plan.
  • Thinking of your eLearning programs as side projects.
  • Treating pricing as an afterthought.
  • Neglecting your existing website.
  • Having the wrong approach to advertising.
  • Trying to do it all alone.
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Darryl Wignall
Account Manager, Moneris Solutions

Darryl has been working exclusively with MPower's clients to bring significant annual savings and enhanced services. Darryl will present the latest tools and flexible payment options available to you and your members.
  • Moneris services, what's new for 2014
  • The latest payment options:
                o Credit and debit
                o Recurring payment options (monthly, annually)
                o Credit card security
  • Free analysis on what savings Moneris can provide
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Carolyn Tucker
Vice President, MPower Technologies

Carolyn has 10+ years' experience working with MPower's 70 + member-driven organizations that supports over 800,000 global end-users . She will share the latest tools and trends that are critical to maintaining and growing your membership.
  • Prospect Engagement = Membership Growth.
  • Member Retention.
  • Member Management.
  • Bringing it all together.

Click here to join us on August 8th in Toronto!
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eLearning in a silo: Is your association guilty of applying the silo mentality to eLearning?

6/25/2014

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association guilty of applying the silo mentality to elearning?
Anndré Robillard
By Christine Oh

What is the silo mentality?
The silo mentality in the workplace is a phenomenon where departments or groups within one organization do not cooperate, withhold information, and even develop animosity due to a sense of competitiveness and independence from one department to another. This attitude causes inefficiencies and missed opportunities for collaboration, resulting in scattered and ineffective actions that don’t come together as one united and focused effort.

Consider: Are you guilty of...
Are you guilty of creating silos when it comes to your eLearning programs? Is your education team the only one responsible for the planning and marketing of your webinars, webcasts, and online courses? Are individuals from other functions completely unaware and uninvolved? Worse, do you and your team think of eLearning as a side project?

We’re a small association. We don’t even have departments!
Even smaller associations without separate “departments” per se can be just as guilty of creating silos by separating the eLearning conversation from the association’s other initiatives, such as its in-person events or website. Creating one cohesive front when it comes to your eLearning is critical to demonstrating value and establishing consistency in your communication to your learners. After all, learners will have no reason to value your eLearning programs if it appears that your association does not either.

Key Takeaway:
Education, events, professional development, marketing, sales, IT, and of course executive level functions should all be involved in (or at least informed of) the decision making, planning, and execution of your eLearning programs.

Guilty as charged? How to minimize the silo mentality in elearning:

1. Establish basic understanding of your eLearning with everyone in your association.
Each person in your association, regardless of their formal function or title, is an ambassador and representative of your eLearning programs. Make sure you have informed brand ambassadors! They don’t necessarily have to understand the technology inside out, but they should be able to answer basic questions. Sit down with your colleagues to demonstrate the learning system, explain the content, and address questions they may have. Test them on these six questions members will ask about your eLearning programs, as previously covered on the ScholarLab Research Desk.

2. Thoroughly incorporate eLearning into your in-person events.

Consider:
  • Conference packages (e.g. offer a "complete experience" conference package - attendees can purchase the in-person and online experience together at a discounted price)
  • Incentives (e.g. early bird registrants for the in-person event receive 20% off on the online event)
  • Prizes (e.g. host an interactive activity at the in-person event and reward participants with access passes to the online event)
Raise your members’ awareness and openness to eLearning by initiating conversations and educating your members on the topic. For example, remind audiences before and after each speaker that the session will be available online for those who want to revisit the content. Have one of the sessions at your conference focus on the benefits of learning online.

Just because your in-person event is over, it doesn't mean that your marketing is done—keep your members engaged and excited. Constantly remind your members about your eLearning through email blasts, newsletters, in-person announcements, website advertising, and social media. Tell them why your programs are important and where they can be accessed.

3. Work closely with your IT and marketing team to optimize your website’s marketing power.
In a previous post we discussed the importance of setting up your association’s website to maximize its marketing power. Your association has full control of the website’s content and doesn't have to pay advertising fees to an external vendor. Best of all, you have potential learners at a computer, receptive to information about your programs. If you haven’t already, check out our piece on how to revamp your website to convert wandering website visitors into valuable online learners.

4. Coordinate with other timelines within your association and industry.
If your association has an annual membership renewal season, use this as an opportunity to promote your eLearning programs. For example, members who renew their membership by a certain date may receive a free access pass to an online course.

If there is a deadline coming up for members to submit their continuing education credits for the year, they will definitely be looking for quick and convenient education opportunities in the few weeks leading up to the deadline. Online courses are the perfect solution for these members, so make sure to increase your marketing efforts around this time.

Remember to keep conflicting industry-wide deadlines or events in mind. Members can only handle so many marketing blasts at once, and they won’t react positively to yours if they have other priorities. For example, avoid sending emails when there is an industry-wide annual conference approaching (unless of course, you are co-marketing with the conference).

5. Consolidate your library.
Minimize the amount of work your members have to do to access your complete eLearning library. If your content is spread out over various platforms and systems, your members have to figure out where to find the specific information they are looking for. They will also have to memorize and keep track of several usernames and passwords. This inconvenience discourages them from going online more often, and ultimately makes it difficult for you to build a powerful, memorable presence in one go-to place.
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[ScholarLab Dispatch] "How to create the elearning your members need" at the Texas Society of Association Executives' Tech Talks Conference

5/19/2014

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By Alexandra Caufin

Earlier this month Dr. Laurelle Jno Baptiste, ScholarLab's COO and Co-founder, travelled to Austin, Texas to present her innovative new workshop iLearn, iConnect, iGrow at Texas Society of Association Executives' Tech Talks Conference. Check out this summary that highlights the workshop's most important ideas about the future of learning online and why organizations around the world need to take notice!

Meet Madison
PictureImage (C) Christine Oh, 2014
In the Age of Information, Madison is your quintessential digital native and more importantly, your new member. She is digitally literate, digitally socialized, and digitally cultured, looking to learn in the same ways she connects with the world every day. She has never known a world that couldn't be googled, and thus, access to information defines the tools she uses in daily life. Most importantly, she’s spurred by the wealth of knowledge, discourse, and communication that’s right at her fingertips, online.

As an association executive, you should get to know Madison, because someone just like her is coming to a classroom, workplace or association near you.  The question is, how are you going to capture her attention?

Web 2.0: A new era of online learning technologies
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Web 2.0
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Web 1.0: Many associations are still using systems rooted in web 1.0 technologies
In 2014, we’re securely in the Web 2.0 age of the internet. It’s the age of mobile devices, tablets, apps, video conferencing and instant messaging technologies. With these technologies, the world has seen an upheaval of outdated and inefficient online learning systems and watched a new era of global education, digital literacy and cross-the-world communication emerge. For the first time in history, we have the technology and the tools to create a virtual experience that is on par or even superior to the in-person equivalent.
75% of American colleges and universities now offer online education programs.
Over 6 million learners in the post secondary system are taking courses online.
67% of educators believe that online education is on-par with or superior to learning in the classroom.


Barriers: Do you have learning communities for people like Madison?

Learning communities mean much more than just a classroom or some online courses. They represent an ecosystem of tools for members to not only learn, but to discuss, share, create and network along the way.

Issue 1: Madison wants to take your course but can’t make the 45 minute commute to your association’s headquarters. Plus between her school, practicum and other volunteer responsibilities, she can’t guarantee her availability every week at the same time.

Issue 2: Madison has taken one of your courses online but found the course layout, design, and content delivery outdated, text-heavy and administrative.

Issue 3: Madison is interested in your online learning programs, but none of your courses or events can be viewed on her iPhone or iPad, nor do they involve any kind of networking or social media functions. She instead opts for an online course or event that is mobile-friendly and collaboration-oriented.

What started out as a great opportunity for Madison to connect with your association has become complicated and stressful, so she seeks another vendor.

Breaking down barriers:
What are your new and existing members looking for?


Are you developing your education strategy with learners like Madison in mind? Here are some of the elements that new learners look for, and elements that you can provide by making the jump to learning in the digital:

Just-in-time learning: Turn your one-way, one-time only courses, presentations or events into ongoing resources, with unlimited outreach to potential members worldwide.

Mobile-friendly technology: With the mobile classroom, learners can use their smart phones and tablets to view your courses, conferences, presentations and events anywhere they want, whenever works for them.

24/7 access: Give members around-the-clock access to course presentations and materials, and the flexibility to learn in the way that works best for them.

Pause, skip ahead, replay: Let your members learn at their own pace, take notes, review or move ahead. You’ll be creating learning environments that cater to individual learners instead of the masses and your members will appreciate it.
 
Economic renaissance:
The rapid development of technology has made it far more economical to bring content online. Associations all over the world are using new forms of webinars, learning systems, video conferencing and more to attract and connect with learners all over the world.


Why use video?

68% of teachers
believe that video content helps stimulate discussions.


44% of high school students
in a study scored higher on their exams when material was presented in video format.



62% of teachers
believe that video helps them be more effective.


When you
hear information,
3 days later you will recall
10%.


When you
see images with audio, 3 days later you recall 65%.



Uncover the potential! 
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Digital learning communities open doors and create borderless connections. Your biggest question as an association should be: how do I attract the enormous demographic of new members?

Remember that these new members are intricately attracted to new learning communities.

We now have the technologies to address the biggest issue that associations face: how to connect with all the people who would like to come to take courses or attend your events, but can’t.


Adapted from Dr. Laurelle Jno Baptiste’s Tech Talks workshop “iLearn, iConnect, iGrow: How to create the online learning your members need.”

Source List
Infographic clip: 75% of American post-secondaries offering online education etc. http://blog.hotspotshield.com/2014/01/16/rise-online-education-infographic/
Online Learning Stats: http://www.edudemic.com/thumbs-online-learning/ 
via, created by http://www.coloradotech.edu/
“Why use video?” statistics from http://brainrules.net/pdf/BrainRules_JohnMedina_MediaKit.pdf and http://www.edudemic.com/use-video-education/

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Top 5 reasons why your conference needs to go digital

4/15/2014

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Digital/online conferences/events/meetingsMaxim Blinkov/Shutterstock.com
By Alexandra Caufin

As the leader of an association, you know how important your annual conferences and meetings are for your members and for the financial strength of your organization. Conferences across the world are going digital with an exciting array of  new live streaming and video-conferencing technologies, and yours should be no exception.

Going digital with your conference is no longer a cutting-edge idea only for the technologically brave. It’s now both easy and inexpensive—and more than this, it’s going to be necessary for the survival of your association. Here’s why:


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Expand your reach.
By going digital, your conference suddenly becomes accessible to members and potential attendees all over the country, and even, the world. By creating an online knowledge environment, physical location is no longer a  factor or barrier for people interested in attending your conference.

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Connect with the net generation.
The upcoming generation of learners are tech savvy and eager to learn in the same way they’ve been socialized. This means digitally. Being able to provide your net generation members with digital opportunities to participate in conferences will set your organization apart from those that are still stuck in traditional and limited conferencing delivery.


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Maximize value proposition for attendees.
The simple fact is, you can’t be in two places at once. This is especially problematic when your conference attendee wants to attend multiple sessions at the same time. If conference-goers had the opportunity to participate in every session of a conference, some physically and some that have been digitally recorded, it would present an obviously greater value proposition than one-time only conference sessions.


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Attract potential new members with more economic online pricing.
Non-member tickets for conferences can be very pricey, and yet, conferences are an amazing way to attract potential members to your organization. By digitizing your conferences, you can offer special online passes for the conference at a reduced rate. It will appeal to your non-members who are considering joining the organization, want to see what it’s all about, but don’t want to pay a massive non-member fee to attend.

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Build new revenue streams.
Going digital means that you can offer potential attendees more options for attending the conference, and a wider price range in tickets. Participants can buy a pass for a certain amount of online sessions, a full online pass or an inclusive conference pass that allows them access to all physical and online sessions. The options are endless and you’ll be appealing to all kinds of learners, some of whom want an in-depth conference experience and some who want less of a time and financial commitment. You’ll also be able to repurpose recorded sessions for online courses. Add quizzes, surveys and certificates and create accredited courses for your members online!

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