Note: I sent this out to Regional Directors earlier this month, but I thought I share it more broadly as well.

As the spring conferences blossom across the country, I encourage you to use the opportunity to spread the SPJ message to attendees who are not already members.

Your SPJ conference coordinator from HQ will have the membership brochures on hand for the spring conferences, and there are ways to build on that.

1. Email me for talking points developed by HQ to help: me@hollyedgell.com
2. Wherever appropriate, focusing on your great local chapter services, events, and resources is encouraged!
3. These are things RDs can do and/or deputize chapter leaders & members to help out.

Here’s a menu you can consider choosing from! I’d also love to hear ideas from you, so please share.

Remarks at Friday night reception/social event

• As you welcome attendees, say a few remarks about membership benefits. “It’s an investment in yourself and your career.”
• Have a list of people who joined when they registered for the conference and welcome by name
• Have literature (e.g. postcards or flyers) on hand that show your meeting calendar and/or social events coming up; website info; chapter contacts
• Consider doing a raffle/door prize for one year of free local dues to the pro chapters in your region

Opening business session

• Include a few key points about membership in your presentation.
• Use specific examples of value for the membership dollar: training online; ethics, legal and FOI support/resources; Quill; discounted services; national conference as well as local chapter activities/benefits
• Invite attendees to find you at the conference if they have questions
• Have literature (e.g. postcards or flyers) on hand that show your meeting calendar and/or social events coming up; website info; chapter contacts

Breakout sessions

• Have membership literature in each room
• Pre-arrange with panel/session moderators to welcome attendees and do a brief plug for memberships at the beginning or end of the breakout
• Invite attendees to find you at the conference if they have questions

Mark of Excellence lunch

• Include a few key points about membership in your presentation OR considering tapping a student chapter leader to do so.
• Be sure to explain the deal students get on membership after they graduate
• Point to specific examples of value for the membership dollar: training online; ethics, legal and FOI support/resources; Quill; discounted services; national conference

Closing business session

• Remind people where they can find membership info: national and local chapter
• Invite attendees to contact you after the conference if they have questions
• Have literature (e.g. postcards or flyers) on hand that show your meeting calendar and/or social events coming up; website info; chapter contacts

After the spring conference

• Use the list of attendees to reach out via email, phone or postcard to thank attendees for coming; include language about how/why to join SPJ

After spring conferences, I invite RDs to do a guest posts for the The SPJ Garden Center about feedback and questions from attendees about your membership messaging.

Happy spring conferencing!

Tags: benefits, ideas, membership, Society of Professional Journalists, SPJ, spring conferences

This entry was posted by Holly Edgell on Monday, March 26th, 2012 at 8:34 am and is filed under Ideas, Membership. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.