Webinar Topics

Improve your presentation skills with storytelling techniques such as effective use of your voice, gestures, and methods to capture and keep your audience’s attention. Humans are hardwired to respond to storytelling. Incorporating elements that tap into this mode of communication can help presenters resonate with their audiences in a more positive way, ensuring that audiences will be more likely to remember both the material being presented and the presenters themselves.

Genealogists spend their careers uncovering the past, but what about protecting the present for the future? With baby boomers downsizing and families facing the question of what to do with records, heirlooms, and decades of research, genealogists are uniquely positioned to guide clients through “legacy planning.” This session explores how professionals can add this service to their practice without venturing into financial or legal territory. Learn how to help clients identify what is worth preserving, organize family papers and digital files, prepare research for archival donation or inheritance, and craft meaningful narratives that endure. Attendees will gain practical strategies for packaging legacy planning as a service, from heirloom inventories to final family history books. By becoming trusted partners in preservation, genealogists ensure that the stories, artifacts, and research entrusted to them will outlast a single lifetime.

Professional genealogy involves more than research. It is also a business. From handling taxes and client contracts to editing reports, marketing services, and responding to calls for presentations, genealogists face a wide range of administrative tasks that consume valuable time. AI tools can lighten this load. In this webinar, we will explore practical, real-world applications of AI for professional genealogists, from classifying expenses for Schedule C deductions, to reviewing contracts, to tailoring proposals to fit conference submission requirements. We will also discuss privacy and other concerns. Attendees will leave with specific ideas for using AI effectively, freeing time for the more satisfying research tasks.

Running a genealogy business requires more than excellent research skills. Professional genealogists are also content creators, website designers, marketing experts and report writers, to name a few examples. This webinar shows professional genealogists how to use AI as a practical business partner. Learn how well-crafted prompts can generate SEO-friendly website copy, develop branding ideas, and draft newsletters & social media posts. We’ll also explore how AI can streamline report writing, create citations, and repurpose research into client-ready narratives and images. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies for saving time, boosting visibility, and strengthening their professional brand.

Are you trying to decide between a class, conference, or self-paced study to grow your genealogy skills? It is time to become the genealogist you aspire to be. This session will guide you to becoming a successful genealogist by finding the ideal learning path for you. We will explore critical questions to ensure you have the best fit for your unique learning goals. We will assess the power of networking, discussing how to connect with others through Facebook groups, student circles, and study groups. Understanding how your personality and lifestyle affect your learning choices is key. From books and videos to formal institutes, this session will empower you to craft a personalized, practical education plan that matches your goals, budget, and schedule. You will gain the tools to craft your own personalized genealogy education plan that aligns with your future in genealogy. Perfect for genealogists at any level, from beginner to advanced, looking for new ways to learn effectively.

At some point in many genealogists’ careers, writing for publication can be a strategic and rewarding part of your plan. Writing can be motivated by many factors, from experience and exposure at the outset, to pay (for experienced writers), to–later in a career–the satisfaction of sharing a lifetime’s worth of knowledge (and possibly more pay). As a longtime Contributing Editor at Family Tree Magazine, past Editor of Ohio Genealogy News, and current Editor of NGS Magazine, I will walk you through the various options for why and where to publish, depending on your primary goals. While most options don’t pay (or don’t pay well), your published writing can serve as a self-built platform upon which you can build other elements of your career.

Using case studies to demonstrate various methodology tools can reach a great number of people who are not comfortable with bullet-point lists of steps. Humans are natural storytellers, according to Walter Fisher in his work on the Narrative Paradigm (https://www.communicationtheory.org/the-narrative-paradigm/). When considering the variety of genealogy tools, it is hypothesized that the use of stories (case studies) to illustrate ways of researching, developing, and sharing family history is likely to reach more people (students and/or family members) than simply providing a list or bibliography of resources.

Create a stunning family history book on all budgets. This class will guide you through designing and printing professional-looking books. We will explore the pros and cons of software options—InDesign, Canva (with AI tools), and Blurb Book Wright. Learn best practices for layout, and participants will receive my layout checklist. Also, know when to outsource the job. Finally, compare the amazing printing options available today from Amazon, Blurb, Shutterfly, BYU’s print and mail service, and other heritage book printers. This class will review current cost and quality breakdowns. You will leave ready to plan your book project, select the best software for your needs, and choose a printing service. No design experience is needed. Rhonda Lauritzen is a professional biographer who has written more than a dozen books, four of which have been or are in the process of being traditionally published. She has field-tested all the services and software options shared in this class and will share practical approaches.

In this webinar we will discusses the various roles of a professional genealogist: Researcher, Author, Lecturer, Publisher and Educator and how they help to make a living in genealogy.

Discover how AI can act as your personal research assistant. This class will introduce you to AI tools like ChatGPT and FamilySearch’s full text search, offering practical tips and techniques to save time, find hidden records, and enhance the accuracy of your family history research.

You do a deep dive into the records you find. But have you ever thought about doing a deep dive into you photos? Who else in the picture? What are they wearing? Is there anything in the picture that may indicate they were part of an organization (medallions, lapel pins, rings, etc.). Does anything in the background tell you something? Allyson explains using your photos in your research in detail.

Although some have declared blogging dead, it is still alive and well and can be a successful avenue to drive traffic to you and your business. In Blogging for Clients: Bringing in Customers a Post at a Time, learn how and why a blog can be a great way to showcase your knowledge and skills to potential clients.

Need a website? In this engaging session, we’ll dive into the must-know tips for professional genealogists looking to hire the right web developer. Whether you’re dreaming of a sleek blog, an interactive family tree, or a robust database, knowing how to navigate the tech world is key. Packed with practical advice and real-world examples, this talk will empower you to confidently bringyour genealogical projects to life online.

This presentation will cover different institutions to further your genealogy expertise: Brigham Young University, SLIG, Boston University, Genealogical Institute on Federal Records, VIGR, GRIP, Texas Institute of Genealogical Research, IGHR, University of Strathclyde, Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies. We aim to discuss benefits and limitations, courses available, study options that influence your decision to further your genealogical education and gain practical knowledge. Moreover we will aim to discuss different conferences that can be helpful in furthering your education, depanding on your research area. We will discuss your niche, geographic specialty and how different genealogical institutions can benefit in building your skills, boost your career and business.

Navigating the Darker Side of Family History explores the delicate process of uncovering and handling sensitive genealogical discoveries. This presentation delves into the emotional and ethical challenges genealogists face when confronted with family secrets, from unexpected DNA results to historical transgressions, offering strategies for respectful communication and thoughtful preservation of family stories.

Genealogy has become a popular pastime and a growing profession worldwide. The majority of the public likely develop an interest in genealogy through the various family history themed television series, consumer DNA tests, the creation of an online family tree or membership of a local family history society. Many of the digital collections made available by libraries and archives is in response to this growing interest in family history. Despite this public interest, can we claim the existence of such a thing as public genealogy? This presentation will encourage discussion regarding public interactions with genealogy and the steps those of us who work as professionals can take to encourage positive public experiences.

This workshop is one part tough love, one part strategic pep talk, and one part practical data. I have been collecting data for years from official and unofficial sources on what the going rate is in our industry. In addition to what to charge, a bigger question can be HOW to profitably bid projects. The single biggest threat to your business is not charging enough, and I will help you overcome imposter syndrome to raise your rates and frame your proposals for success.

We will focus on many possible income streams in the genealogy field, business costs associated with these ventures (including options for promoting name recognition), and understanding which of these options might be best for our personality.

Crossroads wants your work! We will discuss the essentials you need to know when writing for Crossroads and review the writing and editing process. Learn how you can craft articles readers can’t resist. Feel free to bring your questions.

This presentation will cover topics like networking, cooperation with other professionals, subcontracting and referring clients to other professionals, how to network and what are the benefits for your business. We aim to discuss when it’s better to subcontract, and what can be the challenges of managing subcontractors. Moreover, we will talk about different channels to succeed in networking and boosting your business or kickstart your new venture.