Good Programming Officers Help Make the Chapter Great.
You were selected to be in charge of programming because you understand the most pressing issues in the industry today. You’re more than just a “party planner.” You understand that your members want networking opportunities, career development opportunities, and (importantly) insights on issues facing information management professionals today. And you also understand the needs of other audiences who can benefit from ARMA’s knowledge and resources (like legal and IT, to name just two).

Some of the most successful chapter’s programming officers streamline the workflow so that they don’t have to re-invent the wheel every time they hold an event. The best way to do that is to use templates and workflow outlines. Then, they assign some of those tasks to volunteer committee members.

You don’t have a volunteer programming committee? Get one! Compliment your strengths with other members who have better organizational skills, better speaker contacts, or better marketing skills. This way, no one person carries too much of the load!

Work Closely With Membership
Because of their impact on the chapter, programming and membership work best when they work together. When both functions work together, the membership’s needs are clearly communicated and, therefore, fulfilled through great programming!

When it’s time to publicize an event, communications should always provide a benefit for the member. Be sure to use all available communication methods including Website, email, direct mail, PR newspaper announcements, and sometimes even posters. But, be sure to do it in a planned, targeted manner to make the most of your efforts.

Conduct a Post-event Review Quickly.
It’s important to know if your members were happy with the program. And if they weren’t, why not? The best way to understand how your members feel is to ask them! Have surveys available at the event for each attendee. Ask if they’re a member or non-member (if they’re a non-member, follow up!). You’ll be able to deal with potential difficulties early enough to prevent them for the next meeting if you review the event surveys soon after the event. Focus on continual improvement in your programming and you’ll immediately see the results.