Posted by Jay Bertolet on March 30, 1999 at 08:33:55:
In Reply to: TUBA posted by Brian Paul on March 30, 1999 at 07:03:23:
It is a good idea you propose but I think that it is maybe too complicated in that it doesn't address the real problem. My guess is that if T.U.B.A. appealed to potential members, they would join. I think that if we're trying to increase the membership, whether in a general sense or in a specific demographic, we need to make sure the membership benefits are desireable for the money we charge. In my mind, speaking specifically about the student rate, $25 is an exceptional value for membership in a professional organization like T.U.B.A. I think what we need to focus on as an organization is making the benefits of T.U.B.A. attractive and desireable to the segment of population we're trying to entice. If that means more local chapters, as you suggest, then maybe that is something that can be looked into. I think people are more interested in the Journal and what information they can get from that. So I'm thinking that we need to find some answers about what people want in the Journal and then see if we can provide that. Speaking strictly as a veteran of volunteer organizations, I know that you never get even close to a majority of members being "active" and participating in group activities. My information leads me to believe that if you get around %20 participation you're doing phenomenal. So the vast majority of our members only contact with the organization is the Journal. It is their only link to the group and the lifeblood of their membership. I think the Journal is the area that we have to be successful in. My guess is that if the Journal is exceptionally desireable to potential members, they will join. We just need to find out what, if anything, would make the Journal more attractive to the membership...