 |
|
Welcome
Summer has arrived in Chicago and the hot, sunny, long days are welcomed, but as June sees the longest day of the year for this corner of the world, it also makes me reflect on our accomplishments for 2007 and serves as an inspiration to stay focused for the rest of the year. In my personal life, my six year old son, Evan, is very excited about his first organized team experience of playing baseball. All the kids on his team are five and six years old, and this is their first opportunity to really learn the game and, more importantly, what part of being a team is like and how to best contribute. The kids have to work together to make the plays and everyone supports each other. If some of the players miss a game, the whole team is affected. In turn, they share their successes, losses and experiences. In this cooperative effort, it's not about winning and losing, but working together and having fun. Your chapter is a “team” as well. As a chapter leader, you are a team player, but are you doing your best? Are you working in cooperation with your “team” to meet your goals? Are you playing fair? Cheering for your fellow teammates? I realize leading a chapter is inherently different than playing a sport, but the basics are the same. Everyone needs to contribute positively or nothing will happen. Additionally, as you create and develop your team, you all share in the rewards, successes and “wins.” Our SITE chapter network is comprised of many “teams”. I, along with the SITE Chapter Leadership Council (CLC), serve as your coaches and development team. Communication is key. Call me, email your CLC representative, be involved. As you read this issue of Globetrotting, you will be reminded of all the programs and opportunities available to you. If you want more information, or are not sure how to best optimize your resources, please contact me. My cyber-door and telephone line are always open to you. Finally, remember, a little healthy competition is good…so get thinking about your 2007 Chapter of the Year Award entry. Every chapter does something right, this is your chance to get recognized.
Get to Know your SITE Chapter Leaders
Who introduced you to SITE? If money were no object, where in the world would you go for a vacation?
Who introduced you to SITE? Why are chapters important to SITE? What do you like most about your job / career? If money were no object, where in the world would you go for a vacation? What are you usually found doing on a Sunday? What SITE event are you most looking forward to this year and why? Difficult question. To be honest I do not know. Maybe the General Assembly in the Netherlands this year. It will be the end of my first year as President of SITE The Netherlands. I hope I can look back at a successful and interesting year for our members and for the new board we have now in the Netherlands.
New Chapter Development SITE Headquarters and the Chapter Leadership Council are working with members to develop new chapters in the following areas: Orlando, FL Additionally, SITE Portugal and SITE New York are looking for volunteers to help lead the chapter. If you are in these regions, or know someone that might be interested, please notify SITE at hq@site-intl.org.
Chapter Management Reminders & Events 2nd quarter chapter revenue sharing reports are due 30 July. Reminders
Did you know? SITE currently has a website program for chapters who do not have a chapter website set up on their own servers. SITE has created space to host chapter mini-website on their servers where you can go to post information about your chapter, including; board information, upcoming chapter events, and newsletters. In an effort to expand this program SITE has extended an opportunity to chapters who are taking advantage of the SITE Chapter mini-website program to create a unique url for your mini-website. SITE will buy your chapter the url and then set it up so that it directs people to your chapter mini-website hosted on the SITE servers. For more information about this program and for help setting up your chapter mini-website please contact Ross Moreno, technology services specialist for SITE, at Ross_Moreno@site-intl.org.
Upcoming Chapter Events
Tales from the Front: Chapters Helping Chapters Among all strong, vibrant and active chapters you will find a shared commonality: quality educational offerings. For smaller chapters, finding and securing good speakers with little or no budget is a challenge. They cannot jeopardize their financial position if there is not enough attendance and risk not being able to find the right topics to engage their audience. On the other end of the spectrum are large, well established chapters that challenge themselves to search for new ideas and presenters within the incentive and travel community that will live up to the chapter's reputation and also provide leading, interesting and relevant discussions. Chapters operate differently, that is true, but all chapters know that focusing on education is key to keeping members, growing attendance at events and, ultimately, advancing the chapter. Recently, three past Chapter of the Year Award winners were asked to comment on how their chapter successfully managed to secure quality, award-winning educational programs and also provide some tips that all chapters, no matter the size, can use to their benefit. Dan Tavrytzky , SITE Arizona Chapter President, Freddy Muller, SITE Florida Chapter President and Jim Feldman, SITE Chicago Chapter Past President participated. What steps should a chapter consider when implementing a quality educational program? Freddy Muller : Survey your members see what they want, offer variety. We make sure that it's also they can take home with them and use immediately. Dan Tavrytzky : Our chapter has had success in creating events that will get members out of their chair. Focusing on venues/speakers that our members will want to see or provide value to their individual business. Jim Feldman : Education should be focused on ‘immediate takeaway.' Our members, like every other business are stretched. They need to spend time that results in either making or saving money, time, resources, etc. Real world solutions to real world problems are required. Our organization is unique. Our meeting is as well unique. Your speaker should be confident on his or her speech that could change people's life. What advice can you offer smaller chapters to inspire them to continue to think “outside the box” in creating educational ideas and recruiting new speakers? Freddy Muller: We have used from past vendors, such as Marketing companies that speak about E_Marketing. Also use some of the Suppliers with in their chapters to speak about trends, such as Cruise Lines and luxury resorts. Also if someone has a Golf Club that has a Sports Psychiatrist or pro. Jim Feldman: Chapter size has nothing to do with how to think. The problem is not ‘outside the box' but ‘inside' of it. Speakers must be worth members' time. Too often the chapter allows friends or associates to have the ‘privilege of the platform.' You would not let a student pilot learn how to fly you to Europe would you? No you expect a professional. pilot Speakers often want to get in front of the chapters members. Don't assume that only a big name or big fee speaker will do. Consider your reasons for the topic or speaker. Is it to attract more people to the SITE meeting? Is it to bring information that the audience could not get elsewhere? You may want to consider using two more moderately priced speakers who will tailor their presentation to your chapter and meet the members. In financial terms, finding speakers with little to no budget is difficult. What has your chapter done to handle this dilemma? Freddy Muller: Most if not all of our speakers have been complimentary. All we have had to do is take care of their expenses. Dan Tavrytzky: Our “Sip with SITE” program puts the financial support on the hosting entity and therefore we are able to educate without breaking the bank. Jim Feldman: SITE like other associations seems to expect speakers to speak for free. Instead, make it a win-win. Promote the speaker. Find a sponsor. Make the reason compelling for the speaker to waive or reduce their fees. Encourage them to sell their books or tapes at the end of the presentation. Offer them VIP status. Go to your members and ask them to donate free rooms, cruises, air travel to be used to barter with the speaker. We have the power of ‘incentive travel' and it is not used to obtain quality speakers. I recently met a speaker that commands $10,000 per speech but would happily barter for a cruise...any where...any time...any amount of time. Inventory like a cabin or hotel room is lost if not used. Simply offer a space available barter and any chapter can ‘hire' the best speakers in the world. Explain that air is not included. Manage expectations by getting a sponsor or sponsors for the event. The National Speakers Association has chapters all over the USA . Visit their website and find the topic you want and contact the speakers. Explain what you can offer them. Since many of the chapter meetings are in the middle of the week and hopefully you have found a local speaker you may be able to negotiate a small honorarium etc. However, I assure you, offer a nice incentive travel reward and you can have almost anyone you want.
Chapter Leadership Council Contact Information
Additional chapter support supplied by:
|
