How to Manage Chapter Communications

1. How to Manage Chapter Communications Amy MiedemaDirector of Communications NCMA Leadership Summit 2005Charleston, South CarolinaJune 17-18, 2005

2. Key Items • Communicate, Communicate, and Communicate again. Repeat your message over and over again. • Use multiple forms of communication. Hit your audience with an email, a postcard, a phone call, etc.

3. Develop a Chapter Communication Plan • Establish objectives • Identify audiences • Develop messages • Specify vehicles • Create strategies • Create schedules • Establish evaluation methods

4. Establish Objectives • Your objectives will provide a coherent framework for your communications messages and activities. • They serve as a check-and-balance device by which you can measure your messages and activities.

5. Establish Objectives Examples: • Increase awareness of NCMA • Foster membership growth in our chapter (3) Enhance credibility of the association

6. Identify Audiences • Business Community (corporate leaders, chambers of commerce, foundations, small- and mid-size businesses) • Association Community (members, prospects, students, volunteers, other related associations, academic think tanks, etc.) • Government/Military Community (federal, state, and local leaders, networks, and organizations ) • The Public (Internet)

7. Develop Messages Messages must be developed to meet specific audiences and needs. Examples: • NCMA chapters offer opportunities to get involved. Tap in locally, through regular meetings, newsletters, Web sites, and social activities. Audience Type?

8. Develop Messages Examples cont. • Our March 8th National Education Seminar on Contract Negotiations will be held at the Doubletree Hotel in downtown Phoenix, AZ…. Audience Type?

9. Develop Messages Examples cont. • By helping to organize our chapter’s meetings and events, you are essential to the successful operation of the association at all levels. Audience Type?

10. Specify Vehicles • Considering your audience, what is the most effective way to communicate? • What are resources? Be Creative and Use Multiple Forms of Communication

11. Specify Vehicles Vehicle Audience? • Ads • Articles • Association meetings • Brochures • Chat rooms • Columns • Conference calls

12. Specify Vehicles Vehicle Audience? • Direct mail • Exhibits • Fact sheets • Flip charts • Focus groups • Hotel channels

13. Specify Vehicles Vehicle Audience? • Posters • Post cards • Press releases • Proclamations • Slide shows • Special events • Speeches • Telephone • White papers • Word of mouth

14. Discussion • What messages does your chapter communicate? • What audiences do you target? • What vehicles do you use? • Where have you found success?

15. Create Strategies Now that you have your objectives, audience types, messages, and vehicles, you must develop the strategies for meeting those objectives.

16. Create Strategies Strategy #1 Audience: Members Seek opportunities to educate members on the latest FAR XXX Clause. Tactic: Write an article for chapter newsletter and CM magazine. Tactic: Retain speaker on this topic for chapter meeting.

17. Create Strategies Strategy #2 Audience: Local Business Community Involve local businesses in awareness of NCMA. Tactic: Plan a CM day in the community Tactic: Blanket local press with articles about NCMA business-oriented activities. Tactic: Send a postcard to local community leaders.

18. Create Strategies Strategy #3 Audience: Chapter Officers Establish your chapter communication plan. Tactic: Schedule a telecon. Tactic: Develop a written plan. Tactic: Schedule a face-to-face meeting.

19. Create a Schedule The objectives, messages, audiences, and strategies are nothing without a frequent and consistent schedule. Hit Your Audience Multiple Times Use Multiple Communication Vehicles

20. Create a Schedule • Develop a calendar and stick to it! • Make a checklist and apply it to each activity • Announcement in our chapter newsletter • Announcement on our chapter Web site • Announcements on related Web sites • Announcement in related newsletters • Flyer at our chapter meetings • Flyer at local events attended by our chapter • Phone calls to past attendees • Email to all chapter members • Ad in local media • Article in local media • Exhibit opportunities • Telecons

21. Evaluate Your Progress Are you meeting your objectives? Did your tactics work? Why? Or Why Not? • Build periodic evaluation points into your calendar. • Add, drop, or revise your goals as needed.

22. Summary Remember: • Every chapter communication plan is different. Find what works for you. • You have to evaluate your chapter’s resources upon developing this plan. • You can accomplish effective communication without spending a lot of money. • Hit your audience multiple times and use multiple communication vehicles.

23. Chapter Communications Additional information on how to execute effective communication forms… • Web site • E-mail and E-newsletters

24. Web sites • NCMA-hosted site • Site is FREE • Site is user-friendly • Site users do not need specific Web skills • Site allows multiple contributors/authors and/or administrators as needed • Site design and layout are limited • Site features are limited (cannot do on-line registration, etc.)

25. Web sites • Internet Service Provider (ISP)-hosted sites • Site costs money, although some are free • Check out: www.50megs.com, www.brinkster.com, www.freewebs.com, and www.free-web-space-finder.com • Site requires skilled Webmaster • Site allows for open design and features (on-line registration, etc.)

26. Web sites Your chapter Web site should be: • Accurate and up-to-date • Branded properly with NCMA’s current logo and colors • Well-organized • Practical • Easy-to-navigate • Aesthetically pleasing • A resource for members and members-to-be

27. Web sites, Content Your chapter Web site should include: • NCMA Name, Current Logo, and Chapter Name • About NCMA (Vision, Mission, and Values) • Chapter Officers and Their Contact Information • Membership Information (How to Join and Member Benefits) • Education and Certification Opportunities (NES, Certification Study Groups • CM Links and Resources (About the Profession, Best Practices) • Calendar of Meetings/Events • Special Announcements (CM Week, Award Winners) • News Briefs • Newsletters • Presentations • Link to NCMA Home Page

28. Web sites, Content Your chapter Web site may also include: • Volunteer Opportunities(Write for CM magazine, Become a Chapter Officer) • Employment Opportunities (Link to www.NCMAjobs.com) • Chapter By-Laws • Chapter Plans • New Member Welcome List • New CPCMs, CCCMs, and CFCMs Find out what is important to your chapter members. Your key audience determines what content you offer on your site.

29. Web sites, Content • “Content Is King” • If the content you provide on your site is not compelling, users won’t stay long—much less return on a regular basis.

30. Web sites, Design • How a site looks will affect the credibility of the entire organization. The biggest mistake: Trying to do too much. • Manage the information with graphics and color to segment key items on the home page. • Use bold navigation tools to invite the user deeper into the site.

31. Web sites, Design Remember: • Users don’t read Web pages, they scan them. • The upper, left-hand corner is prime real estate, don’t waste it. • White space is highly desirable. • Duplicate and redundant links are not necessary.

32. Web sites, Navigation • Function over form… • Visitors should always know where they are on the site. • And, they should be able to get to any other page of the site within three clicks. • Include a navigation bar and site map on each page. Remember: The site is accessed by members, but also by members-to-be.

33. E-mails and E-Newsletters Again, “Content Is King” • Provide information • Chapter officer contact list, • New member list, • New CPCMs, CCCMs, or CFCMs, • Award winners, • Employment opportunities, • Contracting news, • Best practices, etc. (2) Market products and services • Events (NES, audio seminar) • Membership opportunities, • Education and Certification opportunities

34. E-mail and E-Newsletters Carefully craft your messages and include the following: Return Address—must work and be the same with every message (increases recognition with the recipients) Subject Line—newsletter’s name, type of content, major benefit of the issue, and issue date and number (NCMA Tysons Corner Chapter News, June 2005) Masthead—provides information about the newsletter and the publisher, and readily identifies the correspondence Table of Contents—easily presents the content of the correspondence, so readers can pick and choose what they can read. Actual Content—Each article should include the author’s name, bio/photo, email address, and links to more information (related Web sites or background material) Promotion—sell NCMA’s products and services, spread the word about your chapter and what you are doing…events, meetings, etc.

35. E-mails and E-Newsletters Remember to make sure: • All links work, • There are no typos or bad grammar, • A printer-friendly version is provided, • There is a easy way to send the newsletter to a colleague, • A text-only version is available, and • If content is not original, the source is credited.

36. E-mail and E-Newsletters Remember: Send monthly e-newsletters out at the same time each month. And, supplement other e-news a few times a month. Your e-news should cross-inform and cross-promote the information on your Web site and in your printed materials.