Renewing Membership

It’s the time of year when chapter dues are being collected to renew membership. As you contact members, remember to highlight the benefits of being part of DKG. 

• Programs and Publications that foster personal and professional growth
• Projects that impact education in your community and the world
• Personal connections that offer support and fellowship

Please communicate that renewal is more than writing a check. It’s also about refreshing our commitment to the Mission, Vision, and Purposes of DKG.

This is the perfect time for the chapter president, treasurer, and membership chair to team up to make sure that no member slips away. Divide the list of members who haven’t renewed and make a plan to contact them. Here are some ideas: 

• Personal note  
• Phone call
• Email
• Text
• Messenger
• Personal visit

Before you drop a member because she forgot to pay dues, send reminders at least 3 different ways!

When a member is undecided about renewing, a personal connection often makes her decide to remain in DKG. Reach out today to let her know she is important to you. Have several members contact her, so she knows she’s important to the whole chapter! Watch for our next blog with ideas on how to make her feel valued all year long. 

Why You Need a Password Manager

News reports about hacking of online accounts are frequent nowadays, and knowing how to keep your information safe is important. Having a strong password is an important component of online safety!

Creating strong passwords is not easy, but remembering them is a real challenge. Because of this, many people choose to create one that is easy to remember and then use the same password for everything. If you are one of these people, PLEASE reconsider. Such a practice is a recipe for inviting trouble!

Instead, consider using a password manager. A number are available. Password managers suggest (generate) a unique, complicated password, encrypt it (convert to a cipher or code), and save your login information. All you have to do is create and remember one password to access this information.

A number of excellent password managers are available, with most available for all platforms. Listed below are a few of the most popular.

LastPass (free basic version, up to $48 per user, annually)--available for Windows, Mac, Linux and mobile.

Dashlane (free, or $40 annually)-- available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android.

1Password ($3/month for personal, $5/month family plan)-- available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android.

PLEASE, consider using a password manager. Or, at the very least, create unique passwords for every site. Don’t wait! Do it today!

Tell Them and Show Them

In the early days of DKG, the Founders and I traveled by train to meet with women educators to recruit them to membership and to establish new chapters. Look at your state organization and chapter history to learn which of us went directly to potential members, talked to them face-to-face, gave them hands-on attention for the sole purpose of providing a Society that would give women educators unity and support. We wrote many letters, of course, but we knew that personal communication was more effective. 

            The Society today is searching for ways to recruit and retain members. You are handing out brochures and sending digital messages with some success, I suppose. The best way to attract members is to actually talk to them. Tell potential members about our Purposes and what they mean to you. Tell them about what you learn in your meetings or read in DKG publications that has helped you be a better educator. Talk to them about how the combined energy of the Society changes lives for women by providing scholarships to members and to non-member women from non-member countries, emergency funds, money for professional development and educational projects—and point out to them that their dues make it possible. Tell them too that a single person cannot do as much as all of us can do. Let potential members know the impact of the Society on the world. 

            You should also tell them that membership is not only about what they make possible for others and that membership brings benefits such as eligibility for a scholarship, funds in an emergency, and opportunities for professional growth, professional conferences, leadership and leadership training, and involvement in educational arenas beyond their schools. 

Tell them about your chapter and why it is important to you. Then take them with you to state and international meetings. Let those potential members know that they have much to contribute AND much to receive. Tell them and show them. And your numbers will grow.