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 chapters 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 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 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.co
  m
  
• 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 NCMAs 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 wont stay longmuch 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 dont read Web pages, they scan them.
• The upper, left-hand corner is prime real estate,
  dont 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 Addressmust work and be the same with
  every message (increases recognition with the
  recipients)
  
• Subject Linenewsletters name, type of content,
  major benefit of the issue, and issue date and
  number (NCMA Tysons Corner Chapter News, June
  2005)
• Mastheadprovides information about the
  newsletter and the publisher, and readily
  identifies the correspondence
  
• Table of Contentseasily presents the content of
  the correspondence, so readers can pick and
  choose what they can read.
  
• Actual ContentEach article should include the
  authors name, bio/photo, email address, and
  links to more information (related Web sites or
  background material)
• Promotionsell NCMAs products and services,
  spread the word about your chapter and what you
  are doingevents, 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.