On Friday, January 6, 2012, the American Numismatic Association Board of Governors held an open meeting at the annual Florida United Numismatists Show in Orlando, Florida. Although it was reported that it was a "dull" meeting, I was disappointed to find out about the meeting on Monday from the press. No other communication options were offered.
This is not making the organization open to its members.
During a Board of Governors meeting in November, an ANA staff member posted highlights to the ANA Twitter and Facebook accounts—and only if you happen to be paying attention at the time. After the meeting I wrote, “Someday the ANA will have a better information management and communications policies so that this information is more accessible to the membership in ways other than relying on Twitter.”
This time, the ANA did not even use Twitter or Facebook.
For an organization whose membership has remained relatively stagnant for the last 20 years, the ANA must find ways to involve membership, especially those under 40 who should be mentored to carry on the association’s long term visions.
Every time I discuss the issue of communications and leveraging social media, I am told that the nuances of social media has to be explained to one or more board members. With all due respect to the members of the Board of Governors, social media is the future of communications and this is how you are going to reach potential members under 40.
I know that Governor Greg Lyon is leading an effort from the Board to look at how technology can help the ANA. But that committee will require a little time to start looking into the issues and suggest policy. That does not mean the Board of Governors could not set interim policies. The new policy can be something as simple as requiring that ANA communications use social media to announce meetings and perform live updates during those meetings.
At least make an attempt to reach out using social media. You might find interest not only with current members but find potential new members in the process.
5 comments:
Hi Scott,
The bad news: Budgetary constraints prevented a member of the ANA's communication department from travelling to Florida to cover this board meeting -- despite our lobbying for this to happen.
The good news: The ANA will continue to cover board meetings through press releases, Twitter and Facebook. A representative will be at every meeting for the remainder of the year.
Plus, we are exploring our options to livestream or podcast these meetings. We'd love your insights on the best way to do so. My contact info is below.
RyAnne Scott
Library & Communication Director
scott@money.org
Social media works for some, but not for others. E-mail is something everyone uses. Why couldn't someone from the board send an e-mail to the membership indicating there would be an open meeting at the FUN, and then a follow-up e-mail briefly summarizing what happened for those who could not make the show?
Try using the Search at wwww.money.org and you will see how woefully inadequate the ANA is. Look under COMMUNICATIONS for "Press Releases" and you will now find only Janaury 2012, with no links for previous press releases. That said, it remains fallacious to assume that the ANA must have more new members. Membership is steady for many positive reasons.
In reply to Louis Golino above, Board members have been dismissed for communicating without permission.
An ANA member for 20 years, I have yet to renew for 2012.
Yes Scott,
I was aware the ANA Board had a meeting, and I attended, as I did in Chicago in August, and Pittsburgh in October. The number of people NOT on the Board, and not an ANA staffer or contractor who attended all three, was, well... one, me, I think.
The ANA Board alternates winter meetings between NYINC in odd-numbered years amd F.U.N. in even-numbered ones. THis was made clear at Pittsburgh in October.
V. Kurt Bellman
Reading, PA
By the way, Scott, not even Dave Harper from Numismatic News, nor Beth Deisher from Coin World, made all three. Beth wasn't in Orlando, and Dave wasn't in Pittsburgh. They were both in Chicago.
Post a Comment