March 2, 2017 lunch brainstorm meeting IHOP, Tampa, 12pm-1:30pm. Attendees: Devon Higginbotham and Jonnie Spitler
For discussion:
1. Reinstitute lifetime memberships- $1,000 will earn 3x the money in 29 years than $35 ea yr of same amount of time. financially worthwhile.
2. Devon listed other possible encouragements for chapter level recruitment: chapters give non-member speakers a membership; "good neighbor program" - give good neighbors memberships; reward system or competition among members or even chapters
3. Renew automatically box on membership application on-line. Using credit card. Will save sending out renewals. Shirley needs to get involved.
4. Sustaining memberships should be allowed to have up to 3 members just as households have. They pay $120 per year.
5. Should chapters meet in more metropolitan areas or should we add chapters in more convenient locations across counties.
6. Palmetto- as first publication a member gets, should always have president's message and be a tool for non-science minded people as well. Thank members for joining and belonging and have 1 article non-science related. (interview chapter, someone's yard, etc) Membership application should be in every issue. And more issues should be printed and available for chapters to disburse.
7. Speakers bureau- check out Georgia Native Plant Society.- good one.- Speakers to non-member organizations teach the public who we are and encourage membership. - training sessions for powerpoint usage.
8. Advertise chapter meetings in all papers. -
9. Publicity, publicity,publicity. Andy on State level; chapter level. Join for social and eductional as well as scientific reasons.
10. State should be guide for chapters. Communicate, advise and train chapters: how to have good meetings, give talks, etc.
Summary: need another meeting end of March to continue discussion and firm up ideas to present at conference. Anyone interested in joining let Devon or Jonnie know.
