Sure, your annual conference might not play out like a Taylor Swift sellout or a Patriots versus Giants game, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be exciting. Treating your next association conference like the Super Bowl or the concert event of the year adds to its excitement and staying power. Are you doing it right?

Rocking out: Be honest with yourself. How memorable is your event? By choreographing, er, planning an energizing conference, you’ll give it longevity and buzz. Steve Drake talks about how to make your conference more like a tailgating party over in his latest blog post, “Building Experience Into Your Annual Association Conference.” What are some creative ways you’re jazzing up your annual events?

In the cloud: It’s a lesson that associations and other enterprises have learned this year: Without focusing on the consumer—the people most likely to buy or use your product—you’re doomed to fail. CMS Wire’s Rich Blank highlights this notion using Microsoft’s failure to connect with the average Joe as an example, but showing that, in the end, the software company may have a chance at true competition with Apple if it plays its cards right. “As the consumerization in the enterprise evolves in 2013, users will continue to demand usability, mobility and the ability to easily share and collaborate,” he says.

The money tree: Just what has the economy done to fundraising? With donors tightening their purse strings, fundraisers are thinking more creatively than ever. But what’s the real reason behind the flat trending? A guest post by Steve MacLaughlin, the director of the Idea Lab at Blackbaud, on Beth Kanter’s fundraising blog sheds some light on what actually is happening, and what fundraising needs to get an extra boost in coming years.

What are you reading over lunch? Show us your best links in the comments.

(Fuse/Thinkstock)