OK, PPFA members, do you have ideas about how we can reach out to non-members and get them better acquainted with our industry's only trade association?
That question has come up many times in the past, and the discussions usually focus on how to boost membership. That would be great, but the recruiting approach doesn't seem to work very well. I mean, maybe we ought to admit that PPFA membership isn't for everyone, and shift our focus more toward informing non-members, rather than simply recruiting them. The recruiting approach seems to have unfortunate side-effects.
Non-member framers often have a poor opinion of PPFA based on wrong information, innuendo or assumptions, or some personal offense that happened years ago. Or, non-members may believe PPFA membership ought to provide some tangible, direct benefit or payback, which they can not identify. This may manifest as "I'll join PPFA when I can get my money's worth".
In all its years, PPFA has not managed to address the majority of nay-sayers successfully, and I'm wondering why. Why do non-members believe PPFA members are arrogant? Why do they think PPFA consists of an "old boy network" that does not want them to become involved? Why do they believe PPFA owes them a profit over their dues?
More to the point, how can we, as informed, involved members, correct their misperceptions?
That question has come up many times in the past, and the discussions usually focus on how to boost membership. That would be great, but the recruiting approach doesn't seem to work very well. I mean, maybe we ought to admit that PPFA membership isn't for everyone, and shift our focus more toward informing non-members, rather than simply recruiting them. The recruiting approach seems to have unfortunate side-effects.
Non-member framers often have a poor opinion of PPFA based on wrong information, innuendo or assumptions, or some personal offense that happened years ago. Or, non-members may believe PPFA membership ought to provide some tangible, direct benefit or payback, which they can not identify. This may manifest as "I'll join PPFA when I can get my money's worth".
In all its years, PPFA has not managed to address the majority of nay-sayers successfully, and I'm wondering why. Why do non-members believe PPFA members are arrogant? Why do they think PPFA consists of an "old boy network" that does not want them to become involved? Why do they believe PPFA owes them a profit over their dues?
More to the point, how can we, as informed, involved members, correct their misperceptions?