NEBRASKA CHAPTER: Themes Are for More Than Just Programming
SUMMARY: To strengthen its brand and grow member engagement, the Nebraska Chapter developed a theme beyond its annual programming—“Get in your VAN and go!” VAN stands for volunteer, attend events, and network. This theme helped the chapter coordinate its efforts around programming, membership, professional development opportunities, marketing, and even sponsorships. As a result, the chapter increased attendance at its summer social to an all-time high and recruited new board members and volunteers from a wide variety of professional backgrounds.
YEAR: 2022
SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN: Defining Chapter Strategy Through Market Landscape Analysis
SUMMARY: The Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter sought to differentiate and market the chapter in a unique way from the other organizations. The board organized a market landscape analysis to help the chapter know how to better communicate to their core audience and determine the chapter’s value proposition. The board mapped the current market by listing other players in the market and what key attributes there are in the market. Then the board scored each player on the various attributes. Using the data, the chapter organized how they can use it to communicate with our internal and external stakeholders. Immediately after this initiative, the chapter is seeing more alignment around volunteer work and strategy alignment. Chapter members now have consistent language to describe the chapter’s value proposition across its member communication, sponsor and partner outreach, and internal board discussions.
YEAR: 2021
CHICAGOLAND CHAPTER: Three-Pronged Approach to Marketing—1-2-3 GO!
SUMMARY: The Chicagoland Chapter adopted a three-pronged approach to improve the results of its LinkedIn marketing efforts for in-person and virtual events. First, the vice president of marketing promotes the event using a customized image that relates to the subject matter. She then highlights the event topic and speaker using an image that is similar to the initial image. Finally, she publicizes a short video that includes the custom images and event details. The chapter used Canva and Lumen5 to create the images and videos for free. The new strategy has more than doubled the chapter’s total number of LinkedIn visitors and has increased visibility of the chapter’s website.
YEAR: 2019
NEW YORK CITY CHAPTER: Using Instagram to Promote Board Roles
SUMMARY: To promote the chapter election process, introduce chapter members to board members, and target a broader audience for the chapter, the board used Instagram to create visibility. Board members had set questions to answer in addition to an open Q&A for viewers who had follow-up questions. These posts generated content for the chapter’s website and newsletter, and the use of the social media platform increased the chapter’s brand awareness within the New York City area.
YEAR: 2018
KANSAS CITY CHAPTER: Using Trello to Collaborate With Programs
SUMMARY: The programming director used Trello, a web-based project management application, to manage chapter projects and events and to promote better communication and organization among board members and volunteers. All volunteers get access to each program so that they can find the information at the moment of need. Each event/program has its own plan in Trello, allowing for all information to be in one place and providing notifications if something is updated, added, or completed so that stakeholders know the status of a project in real time. The system allowed for better work flow, thus creating better programs for members and higher satisfaction among stakeholders.
YEAR: 2018
CENTRAL INDIANA CHAPTER: Making Connections at ALC
SUMMARY: In 2017, the focus of the Indiana Chapter was to connect, learn, and grow. In staying true to its vision, the chapter wanted to ensure its new board members attending the ATD Chapter Leaders Conference (ALC) would take the opportunity to connect, learn, and grow from their peers. The president purchased stickers of the 50 states. The president provided each chapter leader with a set of stickers with directions to meet as many people as they could from different states and learn their names, roles, and their chapters’ focus. Following ALC, the chapter president awarded the leader with the most stickers distributed with a $5 Starbucks gift card. The Indiana Chapter walked away with new ideas and connections to help make the chapter’s vision a reality.
YEAR: 2018
HOUSTON CHAPTER: Using a Mobile Mic to Capture Content
SUMMARY: To provide more meaningful, targeted marketing messages, the chapter purchased an iRig microphone that plugs into Apple and Android devices for on-the-go content development. The tool works with a cell phone to capture testimonials for the chapter’s website, YouTube channel, monthly events, weekly emails, marketing for future events, and sponsorship opportunities. The mobile mic allows the chapter to do voice-overs for its presentations, capture better quality audio for presentations and other e-learning, and provide live feeds for programs. The mic has increased the chapter’s social media presence through custom, short videos on its website.
YEAR: 2018
CHATTANOOGA CHAPTER: #Slack
SUMMARY: After learning about Slack from another chapter, the Chattanooga Chapter adopted the platform to help maximize real-time communications and strategy planning. Having a communication tool that can be used through group channels, private messages, video conference, and sharing documents has allowed the board to visualize conversation and subsequently be more productive as a team. The platform allows for quicker responses from the group and people can easily search for key information. The board created topic-based channels such as finance, programming and marketing.
YEAR: 2017
GREATER ATLANTA CHAPTER: Leveraging SLACK as a Leader Communication Alternative to E-mail
SUMMARY: The chapter utilized a free messaging tool called Slack to minimize the amount of emails board members received. The tool helped to keep everyone in the loop without feeling overwhelmed by information and created an archive of all past communication. Once the chapter figured out the tool was a more efficient system than emailing, each board member’s team was then added. The tool was originally implemented at the beginning of the new board’s term to start building out the channel framework, then opened the channels to their teams as the year went on.
YEAR: 2016
CENTRAL INDIANA CHAPTER: Board Communication & Accountability with Basecamp
SUMMARY: The chapter implemented the collaborative work platform, Basecamp, to streamline the chapter’s internal communication and create transparency. Emails were reduced by over 75 percent, and the platform ensured that board members were receiving the information. The chapter leaders were able to spend less time focused on administrative tasks and more time strategizing and engaging with its membership.
YEAR: 2016
SOUTH CAROLINA MIDLANDS CHAPTER: Mobile App
SUMMARY: To streamline communication and provide a platform to engage its members, the chapter worked with AppyPie to create its own mobile app that hosts all the chapter’s online offerings. The app was created to offer a mobile version of the, “Member Rewards Card,” but the chapter soon realized the vast possibilities the application permitted. The mobile app allows for full access to the chapter’s Wild Apricot website, YouTube Channel, and social media platforms. The chapter also now has its own “Social Wall,” which functions much like Facebook allowing app users to engage with one another.
YEAR: 2016
