ASAE MMC Conference Offered Insight, Solutions
June 17, 2016
Porter Gale, former V.P. of marketing at Virgin America.
During ASAE’s 2016 Marketing, Membership, & Communications Conference (MMCC), June 13–14, 967 attendees and industry partners took part in more than 37 learning labs, two keynote sessions, and the exhibit hall at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Participants learned new strategies and ideas and networked with providers, so they could find solutions for their association. The learning labs focused on these areas: marketing, membership, communications, leadership and governance.
“Our members loved this year’s meeting because it inspired them to think differently, focus on creating meaningful relationships, and the content they need to enhance their career and move their association forward,” said ASAE President and CEO John H. Graham, IV, FASAE, CAE.
Kicking off MMCC as the opening keynote was Porter Gale, the former V.P. of marketing at Virgin America, a world-renowned branding leader, and an award-winning author of the Your Network Is Your Net Worth. She emphasized the key to networking is building authentic connections and relationships, not just handing out business cards. If we focused on creating the right relationships, it will lead to happiness, productivity and revenue. She discussed how storytelling and PR has changed, and it’s critical for associations to think differently on how they communicate to their members.
On June 13, ASAE announced the Gold Circle Award for Overall Excellence winner is the American Nurses Association: Celebrating the Power of Nursing: #NursesShareYourStethoscopes. Here’s a full list of all the 2016 Gold Circle Awards winners, which is sponsored by High Roads Solution.
Brian Bordainick, an entrepreneur who founded 9th Ward Field of Dreams in order to support the construction of a state-of-the-art football field and track on Carver’s campus, was the closing keynote speaker. He told stories about the different endeavors he’s tried, the failures that occurred, and the lessons he learned. He reminded participants that the process is messy, but it’s important to think big, figure out the right story to tell and communicate it effectively.