Some ideas
for recruiting and keeping members (happy)
- offer reductions
(reduced fees for institutions, students and pensioners)
- offer
fringe benefits (e.g. discounts in shops, cinemas etc.)
distribute leaflet listing benefits
- offer to provide references
/ recommendations to active members (e.g. for scholarships)
- reward
long-time members (e.g. free books, certificates, priority
when applying for grants)
- send out subscription renewal
reminders / invitations to events to ex-members
- hold
a prize-draw which only members can enter (prizes: books
from publishers, sponsored study trips or attendance
at conferences)
- have a website with up-to-date information
(e.g. about upcoming events, scholarship opportunities)
- send
out intro letters to pedagogic institutions, teacher
training colleges etc.
- have an IATEFL desk with leaflets,
sample Newsletters at conferences, exhibitions
- have
local representatives in different parts of the country
to disseminate information about your association
- if
you have an annual conference, adjust membership renewal
dates to the time of the conference.
Regional Meeting of Teacher Associations,
Budapest 2000 - Tips for TA Newsletters
- reduce costs by including advertisements e.g. for
publishers
- reduce costs of postage: smaller
size
- have an electronic version accessible
through your website
- include photocopiable materials,
activities
- go over Newsletters of other associates
to broaden your range of publications (e.g. start a 'Meet
a fellow teacher' column)
- ask your readers for feedback:
what would they like to see included?
- have a (native
speaker) proofreader
- run workshops / seminars on how
to write a Newsletter article (in order to increase the
number of contributors)
- get an ISSN number: increases the
respectability of your publication
- organise a prize draw
for contributors
- regional representatives can help
with finding contributors
- give priority to those who have
contributed to the Newsletter e.g. when they apply for
a travel grant
