Chad Janovec

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Managing Chapter Websites, Communications, and
Publicity
Chad Janovec Mid Florida Chapter June 21, 2008
200-230pm
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Overview

• Communications
• Website
• Publicity

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Communication

• Frequent communications lets your members know
  you are there and active.
• Communication is one of the most important tasks
  for a chapter.

Most frequent complaint received by national
about chapters Is my chapter active? Why has no
one from my chapter contacted me?
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Develop a Chapter Communication Plan

• When creating your annual operating plan,
  include a section on communications.
• Establish objectives
• Your objectives will provide the framework for
  your communications messages and activities.
• Examples Increase awareness of NCMA, foster
  membership growth in our chapter, provide timely
  and relevant training
• Identify your audience
• Business/Commercial Community
• Government/Military Community
• Association Community

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Develop a Chapter Communication Plan

• What tools will you use?
• Use multiple forms of communication.
• Ads/articles in the local paper
• Brochures
• Discussion boards
• Newsletters
• Post cards
• Telephone
• Email
• Website
• Word of mouth

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Develop a Chapter Communication Plan

• Create schedules
• Develop a calendar and stick to it!
• Make a checklist and apply it to each activity
• Ad in local media
• Announcement in chapter newsletter
• Announcement on chapter Web site
• Announcements on related Web sites
• Announcement in related newsletters
• Email to all chapter members and prospects
• Flyer at our chapter meetings
• Flyer at local events attended by our chapter
• Posting on national calendar of events
• Phone calls to past attendees

The objectives, messages, audiences, and
strategies are nothing without a frequent and
consistent schedule.
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E-mail Messages

• Keep it short
• Use a specific subject line a brief subject
  line that provides information about your emails
  content
• Use the bcc field for addressing
• State the desired action if you want the reader
  to do something in response to your message, say
  so.
• Tone a writers tone is often misinterpreted
• Signature line include your name, chapter name,
  phone number, and email address
• Link to the website for additional information
• Is it really urgent? dont overdo the urgent
  flag on your emails
• Proper grammar and spelling use your spell
  check!
• Review carefully before you send spell check
  will not catch everything

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Phone Calls

• Welcome new members
• Renewal reminder
• Notice of upcoming elections
• Obtain current contact information

Phone calls add a personal touch.
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Print Communications

• Postcards
• - inexpensive way to reach your members
• - drives your members to your website
• Invitation
• - creative way to invite non-members to
• your monthly meetings or special events
• Brochures
• - market your chapter at local trade shows
• - customized membership brochures with chapter
  name and
• contacts will soon be available from national

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Letters

• Welcome letter for new members
• Introduce the chapter leaders
• Provide contact information for chapter officers
• Include website address
• Include a calendar of events for your chapter
• Invite to the next monthly meeting or event
• Recruit new volunteers
• Introduce the chapter leaders
• Why should they volunteer?
• Why do you volunteer?
• Short description of available positions
• Include website address for more information

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Letters

• Membership anniversary
• Thank you for continued support of NCMA
• Invite to receive membership pin at the next
  event
• Membership anniversary certificate
• Request for speakers
• Brief description of topics
• Why did they receive this letter?
• Who can they contact for more information?
• Include website address for more information

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Newsletters

• Content
• - How well does it cover news that is important
  to
• your members?
• - Do your messages tie into your strategic
  objectives
• for the year?
• - Does it include information about national
  events
• and important messages?
• - Does it include a point of contact for events
  listed?

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Newsletters

• Provide information
• Chapter officer contact list
• Link to the website
• Conference Information
• Chapter meetings schedule
• Employment opportunities
• Contracting news
• Best practices, etc.
• Market products and services
• Events (Chapter workshops, NES, audio seminar)
• Volunteer opportunities
• Awards

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Newsletters

• Recognize your members
• Welcome new members
• Announce awards won by your members
• Promotion or job change announcements
• Congratulations on certifications or degrees
  earned by members
• Thank your volunteers

Send your chapter newsletters to chapterrelations_at_
ncmahq.org
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Newsletter Formatting

• 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 authors name,
  bio/photo, email address, and links to more
  information (related Web sites or background
  material).
• Promotion
• Sell NCMAs products and services, spread the
  word about your chapter and what you are
  doingevents, etc.

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Newsletter Formatting

• E-Newsletters should also include
• Return Address
• Must work and should be the same with every
  message (increases recognition with the
  recipients).
• Subject Line
• Newsletters name and issue date.

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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.
• If content is not original, the source is
  credited.
• Send monthly e-newsletters out at the same time
  each month.
• Your e-news should cross-inform and cross-promote
  the information on your Web site and in your
  printed materials.
• Post newsletters to your website.

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The Need for Chapter Websites

• All NCMA Chapters should have a website.
• The website is your Chapters introduction to
  your members
• Its a great marketing tool for NCMA
• Potential members often refer to the Chapter list
  on the
• NCMA website,
• The link to the local chapter website offers the
  potential member a peak at what your chapter has
  to offer.
• Access to useful and timely information is one of
  the top
• reasons a member joins
• A website is the most convenient way to provide
  quick and easy access to that information.
• NCMA will provide a website to your Chapter
• free of charge upon request.

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NCMA Hosted Website

• FREE
• User-friendly
• Uses Sharepoint
• Web design skills are not needed
• Special software is not needed
• 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.)

Contact Mary Beth Lech, Chapter Relations
Manager at mlech_at_ncmahq.org
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Your Chapter Website

• Accurate and up-to-date information
• Branded properly with NCMAs current logo and
  colors
• Well-organized
• Practical
• Easy-to-navigate
• A resource for members and potential members
• The most important information should be
  highlighted on the homepage.

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Chapter Website Guidelines

• 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
• Volunteer opportunities
• Membership information (How to join and member
  benefits)
• Education and certification opportunities
• CM Links and Resources (About the Profession,
  Best Practices)
• Calendar of Meetings/Events
• Special announcements (CM Week, Award Winners)
• Newsletters
• Presentations
• Link to NCMA home page and other related websites

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Publicity

• Publicity creates recognition in the community
  for both NCMA and your local chapter.
• Appoint a Publicity Chair or Committee
• At least one person should be assigned the task
  of generating favorable publicity for your
  chapter.
• Include a section on public relations in your
  annual operating plan.

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Publicity

• Submit photos to Contract Management magazine
• Your members will be proud to belong to your
  chapter.
• Submit articles to local agency newsletters
• Short write up on award winning members.
• Upcoming chapter events.
• Important updates in the world of contracting.
• Submit press releases to local newspapers
• Short write up on award winning members.
• Job promotions.
• Upcoming chapter events.

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Get Your Chapter Name Out There!

• Did we see your chapter name along the highway?
• Several chapters have sponsored highway sections
  and do road side clean up!
• Did we see you on TV?
• Texoma Chapter works the Jerry Lewis Muscular
  Dystrophy Telethon
• Did we see your chapter name in print or on a T
  Shirt?
• Dayton Chapter is a sponsor of the Air Force
  Marathon

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Points to Remember

• Every chapter communication plan is different.
  Find what works for you.
• You have to evaluate your chapters 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 tools.
• Keep your website current.
• Good PR can help grow your chapter and increase
  recognition of the CM profession.

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What is working for your chapter?
?
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