It’s Fall, Y’all!

Sweater weather, leaves, pumpkin stuff, political ads, Christmas decor in all the stores…yep, it’s definitely the most wonderful time of the year! Hope everyone had a great summer as we took a wee break from the newsletter. Now let’s get back into it!

In this edition:

• Get more out of your membership
• On your mark, get set…session proposals!
• California knows how to party (with restrictions)

Thanks for a Great Time In Milwaukee!

Huge shout out to everyone who was able to join us in Milwaukee for the NASFAA 2024 National Conference. From the chilly Charity 5K kick-off, to the Harley Davidson night, to trivia shenanigans, to the Exhibit Hall that was so popular we had folks LINED UP to get in, a time was had! Thank you for your support and participation; you helped make this an even bigger and better event than we could have hoped for!

• Total Registrants: 2,461
• Total Exhibitors/Sponsors: 71
• Survey responses:
• 78% of respondents attended events in the Exhibit Hall (opening reception, breaks, etc)
• 77% of respondents spoke with exhibitors about products and services

What’s Associated with Associate Membership?

My mantra across this year has been “Associate Members are NASFAA community members, too,” and I’ve spent my first year in this role to spread that message internally and externally, while also bringing you new and improved tools. But there may be Associate Members who may not hear that enough, or know what their membership benefits entail. So let’s take a moment to bring everyone up to speed.

First, myself and the NASFAA team have revamped the Associate Member pages on the NASFAA website to give you a better user experience, with a central hub to find the information you need quickly. Check out your redesigned corner of the site.

Second, you may notice some changes to the conference sites to make navigation easier. We’ve included links for signing up vs managing your exhibitor record, and included a communications and resources page to keep everyone in the know. I’ll also be using the Slack channel for exhibitors & sponsors again this year to share key info and interact with all of you.

Finally, what does being an Associate Member mean? Well, for us here at NASFAA, it means that you are valued as part of our membership community; you support and assist our institutional members in achieving their minor (sometimes major!) victories every day, and you play a critical role in navigating myriad financial processes.

To help you spread your message, the benefits we offer as part of your Associate Membership include:

• Member-only opportunities like hosting your own webinar or sponsoring a NASFAA webinar
• Special pricing and discounts on NASFAA products, including conference participation
• Inclusion in our Buyer’s Guide
• Ability to share industry news updates in Today’s News
• Representation via our NASFAA Associate Member Advisory Board (more on that below)

I’ll continue to brainstorm ways to make your membership valuable and improve your experience, and I welcome your feedback in helping me do so! Please reach out to me with any questions about membership or suggestions.

It’s All in the NAMAB

Did you know there is a group of Associate Members meeting monthly to represent your interests and work with NASFAA staff in creating desired associate member outcomes?

With a lead-in like that, you probably already guessed that there is: the NASFAA Associate Member Advisory Board (NAMAB for short).

This dedicated group has moved forward many of the changes you may have noticed over the past year in associate member resources and exhibitor pricing and benefits. In the year ahead, the focus is shifting to broader engagement with the Associate Member community at large and including all of you in the work they do.

To that end, you may receive surveys from this group, invitations to associate member-only events like town hall webinars, or even just see them at regional events with a NAMAB button. I highly encourage you to connect with our advisory board members to share your thoughts and suggestions. Ensure your voice is heard with the people representing you!

Call For Proposals: Best Practices

In keeping with fall traditions, it wouldn’t be fall without the opening of NASFAA’s National Conference Call for Proposals! Submissions are now being accepted through October 25, 2024.

We have heard many requests from our Associate Members for tips and best practices on writing a proposal that gets noticed and selected. So, without further ado, here’s some insight into what we’re looking for from this select group:

• Information, not a sales pitch. Address a specific topic, not how your product or program can fix it. Leave the sales talk for the Exhibit Hall, and let your mastery of the topic be your calling card.
• Partner with someone on the front lines.
  • DO: Include a higher education co-presenter.
  • DON’T: Let your co-presenter veer into a product testimonial for your organization. You may also include non-academic guest speakers outside your organization with in-depth knowledge of your particular topic (be sure to highlight them in your proposal).
• Bring in an internal expert. Is there a hot topic that your legal team can better explain? A staffing shortage challenge that your HR team is eager to address? Invite them along, but highlight the presenter(s) unique qualifications in your submission. Help our selection committee understand that it’s not just multiple random members of your organization, but those that can offer a specialized perspective on and mastery of the topic.
• Hot topics. We anticipate high demand for the following session topics:
  • Staffing challenges
  • Succession planning
  • Mental health
    We recommend avoiding sessions on soft skills like customer service.
• Make your session stand out. Have your best copywriter take a swing at crafting an engaging proposal. If you don’t have one available, use an AI program to help you polish your thoughts. Put in your best effort to create a proposal that leaves the reader wanting to attend your session.

Visit our website for more information on the session proposal process, and happy submitting!

Only YOU Can Prevent Anaheim Fires (and other restrictions)

For those of you joining us in Anaheim for the NASFAA 2025 National Conference, please be aware that the Anaheim Convention Center has specific exhibitor requirements that require extra attention:

• 1-day Collateral Storage
• All booth items must be flame-resistant
• Balloons and helium must be secured
• Permits may be required for heat-producing items

It is the responsibility of exhibitors to be aware of these policies, apply for any necessary permits, and ensure your booth materials are flame-retardant. Please refer to this exhibitor information sheet for a comprehensive list of restrictions and permit requirements, as well as the permit application itself. The Anaheim Facility Guide may also be a helpful resource, with these exhibitor restrictions found on pages 20-21.

Last Call for Leadership Conference Exhibitors and Sponsors

The NASFAA 2025 Leadership and Legislative Conference & Expo exhibit area has already sold out once, but we’ve created additional space for more exhibitors and sponsors. Don’t miss your chance to grab one of the seven remaining tables!

Head to the website to claim your spot, or email me to secure your place at next year’s event in our NEW venue, the JW Marriott Washington, DC.

Just Because and Let's Chat

Here’s a fun little “just because” we did here amongst NASFAA staff this week: what’s your favorite fall tradition? Mine is the kickoff to decorating season, which used to be just fall decor, but has rapidly expanded to more Halloween decorations than is reasonable.

What’s your favorite fall tradition? Send me pics, recipes, whatever you want to share!