Marketing Templates on the Website

In today's fast-paced world, effective and efficient communication plays a crucial role in our organization’s success. As a DKG member, having access to well-crafted templates can significantly streamline your communication and marketing process. Many valuable resources to enhance Society communication and marketing for state organizations, chapters, and members can be found at  www.dkg.org.  Have you explored the various templates available on www.dkg.org and how they can benefit your chapter?

Marketing Templates:

●      Chapter Information Templates: The website provides a variety of information templates, such as brochures and rack cards. These templates serve as starting points, helping chapters draft personalized and professional correspondence more efficiently.

●      Presentation Templates: Engaging and visually appealing presentations are essential for conveying information to potential or current members. These templates feature visually appealing layouts and designs, saving time and effort in creating impactful presentations.

●      Business and Social Media Cards: The business card template can incorporate DKG's logo, colors, and visual elements to maintain a cohesive and recognizable brand identity. This helps to establish a professional and consistent image for DKG members and reinforces the organization's values and mission.

Benefits of Using Templates from www.dkg.org:

●      Time-saving: Templates serve as time-saving tools, enabling educators and professionals to focus on content rather than formatting. By providing ready-made structures, www.dkg.org's templates eliminate the need to start from scratch, allowing users to create professional documents more efficiently.

●      Consistency: Consistency in communication is vital for maintaining a professional image. The templates on www.dkg.org help ensure consistency in formatting, tone, and structure across various documents. This consistency enhances professionalism and builds trust among recipients.

●      Professionalism: The templates provided by www.dkg.org are crafted with professionalism in mind. They incorporate best practices and industry standards, enabling users to create documents that align with professional expectations. This professionalism can positively impact DKG’s reputation and credibility.

●     Customization: While templates provide a structured foundation, they can be customized to suit individual needs. Users can adapt the templates to their specific contexts, inserting personal details, modifying content, and adjusting layouts as necessary.

In the realm of communication and marketing, the templates are invaluable tools that streamline processes, enhance productivity, and ensure professionalism. By utilizing these templates, members can save time, maintain consistency, and create documents that align with DKG’s mission and vision. Visit www.dkg.org today and leverage its vast array of templates to enhance your communication and take our society to new heights.

Communications & Marketing Committee: Facebook for Marketing & Communication

Have you ever searched for Delta Kappa Gamma on Facebook and been confused by the number of results that come up? When you do a search, you will see many suggestions including profiles, pages, and groups.

Profiles are usually where one goes to find friends. 

Pages are designed for businesses, organizations, nonprofits, etc. Delta Kappa Gamma has an official Facebook nonprofit page. This page has the red rose logo as a profile picture. The staff at headquarters are responsible for posting approved content to the page. Individuals can connect and engage by commenting on the posts but cannot initiate a post. Other pages you discover should be State Organizations and Chapters and should be clearly labeled as such. Chapters and states should be using pages to market DKG.

Groups are a place to connect, learn and share with people who have similar interests. You can create or join a group for anything — teaching, doodle lovers, VIP groups, church groups, etc. — with people across the world or just your neighborhood. Groups can be public or private. Many states, chapters, and individuals have set up DKG groups. What is good about groups? It gives our members a voice. It’s a place for individuals to share ideas or information or ask questions. Groups are a place members should use to communicate.

Considerations for states, chapters, and individuals to consider:

·      Does your page or group name include the organization, state, and chapter name? This makes it easier for members to find the page they are interested in and cuts down on confusion. For example, a group called DKG Omega Psi does not show people searching what state the page or group is located in.

·       Remember pages are public and can be viewed by anyone in the world. Pages should be used as a means of sharing positive things that are happening in your organization and promoting DKG. Pages are a marketing tool. Only a few members should be editors of your page.  Encourage others to like, love, comment, and share posts so your page is more visible to current members and prospects.

·      Groups can be public or private. It is highly recommended that your group is private. Groups are not a platform where we are publicizing or recruiting. They should be a place where members only share with each other. We do not want anyone joining our groups and spamming members. Nor do we want nonmembers joining and learning confidential information about our members. Individuals who are not members do not need to know when meetings are canceled, a member has passed away, or that a member is sick and we need to start a meal train. Remember, use groups for communicating with members.

Facebook is a useful tool for communicating and marketing with our members and the community. Let’s make sure we use it the way it is intended.

Resource Spotlight - Communities

Do you know that there are at least 25 different interest communities that members can join in My DKG. Log in to DKG.org then click on MYDKG. From this page you can click on My Communities. “Click here to join a community” will take you to a list of communities. If you are interested in best practices using social media, there is a group for that. If you are interested in leading effective meetings, there is a group for that also. You might want to be part of increasing knowledge and awareness of global issues, join DKG Global Awareness. If you would like to create a new community, contact Trish Woodley at trishw@dkg.org.

Whatever your passion a world of possibilities, opportunities, and resources exist within The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. Communities are one of the resources members can utilize as an opportunity to let your voice be heard and pursue passions.

Gaining Members through Out-of-the-Box Marketing

One of the difficulties faced by our organization is that as many members age and retire, they are removed from immediate knowledge of women who would be outstanding member prospects. Chapter presidents bemoan the “I don’t know any teachers anymore” responses they get when encouraging members to nominate new members. Old recruitment strategies of word-of-mouth and relationships with work colleagues don’t work as well anymore.

In today’s environment chapters need to market DKG in new ways, using out-of-the-box strategies to familiarize active educators with the organization and to appeal to younger and diverse educators. DKG International has hired the advertising firm Avenue M to evaluate our Society’s marketing and membership program. The results of their research will no doubt engage us in active debate for some time to come. But as we await those results, there is much that chapters and state organizations can do to promote membership growth. Below are listed a few that are being tried and found successful.

• Displaying a state recruitment poster in schools and public places. (One chapter got results by placing them in women’s bathrooms.)
• Develop a partnership with a University teacher training program; provide speakers on topics such as planning for substitutes, classroom management, using volunteers, parent-teacher partnerships.
• Host practice interview sessions for college seniors to gear them up for job hunting experiences.
• Provide training seminars (for continuing education credit) on topics related to diverse and special needs populations and STEM open to all educators.
• Host a recognition of outstanding teachers (male and female) in the county, nominated by students, parents and colleagues to increase visibility in the schools and the community.
• Have a display booth with scholarship information, chapter brochures, treats and opportunity to win a basket of supplies at new teacher orientation.
• Host new teachers for dinner and DKG orientation.
• Sip ‘n’ snack sessions communicate caring while giving opportunity to tell educators about DKG.
  Locate them at a coffee house, or a wine and chocolate tasting event.
• Put a QR code linked to the chapter web site on business cards, brochures and affirmation materials given to educators.
• Place a window display in the public library sharing chapter services and member information.
• Don’t forget to seek out educators in non-school settings: extension agents, nurse educators, museum staff, etc. And para-educators.

These are but a few ways your chapter can find prospects even though many of your members are not currently in school buildings. Let’s put our heads together and come up with an even bigger list of possibilities!

The Rose is a Copyrighted Brand

Resource Spotlight - Did you know that the rose is a copyrighted brand? Go to DKG.org and check out "Resources."  Under "Logos," you will see a variety of approved options for chapter and state organizations. These can be used for marketing and communication. 

Why Did You Choose DKG? Share Your Story!

 

Why did you choose DKG? It is likely all of us have been asked this question. The Communications and Marketing Committee would like to hear your answer. Your answers will help us promote the value of membership and communicate this value to key women educators throughout the world.

Of course, we want every key woman educator to be a member of DKG, but how do we get the message out? One way our committee wants to spread the word is through “My DKG Story”. Everyone has a story and we want to hear it! We encourage you to complete this form. We would love to hear from:

• The 50 year DKG member to the first year DKG member
• Members from Canada to Panama and Japan to Finland and all those in between
• Retired, veteran, and early career teachers
• Members with a long list of awards and those with a long list of goals.

In short, we want to hear from you!

Our committee will randomly select members from the completed DKG Story forms to interview in a podcast. These podcasts may be shared on the website and social media platforms. Perhaps yours will be selected for a follow up interview. Each of you is urged to fill out the story form. Help us thrive and grow our society.

SHARE YOUR STORY

WEBSITE REDESIGN

 

ATTENTION DKG Members

We’ve got some awesome news!

 

The Website Design Team (a subcommittee of CTOG) is rolling out a new DKG website (late fall 2022) that is focused on users’ needs.

We have heard your concerns and comments. That is why the website redesign is driven by two key principles: User-Focused and User-Friendly.

Interested in learning more and/or offering your feedback? Visit DKG Website Redesign for design site maps, a video presentation, a PowerPoint with notes, and a feedback form.

Hope you are getting excited to see the new design. Hope you will take time to share this information with a friend, your chapter, and your state organization membership.

Hope you will see and appreciate that your concerns and comments have been heard and responded to given the parameters within  which we had to work. 

Contact Teresa Cowan or Judy Merz if you have questions using contact information provided on the video presentation.

Are You in the Know?

 

Want to improve your DKG member engagement?

Want to increase your knowledge as a current or future DKG leader?

Want to proactively prepare for a leadership change in your DKG organization?

If the answer to any or all of these questions is “YES” then the International C&M Committee has developed something that you might find helpful.

In response to a member’s comment, “I do not know what I do not know,” the International C&M Committee is attempting to organize an inclusive chart that includes periodic publications and correspondence that originates from International DKG representatives. The chart is designed to inform DKG members and leaders details of these external forms of communication.

Now, it is time for your input. The committee is asking for your input. Take time to open the link provided. Review the information for accuracy, omissions, etc. Post your comments here or email your C&M Committee representative. Contact information is provided on dkg.org. The committee looks forward to your input and appreciates your willingness to make a difference in the overall DKG experience.

External Communications Chart (6/2022)

Did You Know?

Utah, the 45th US state, is nicknamed the Beehive State, symbolizing thrift and industry. Utah includes five national parks, seven national monuments, two national recreation areas, and six national forests. This equates to the United States government owning 65% of the state’s land.

Photos: Courtesy of GW Holt (brother of Dr. Teresa Cowan, NC DKG)

Arches National Park - Top two photos

Bryce Canyon National Park - Middle two photos

Zion National Park - Bottom two photos

Members Share DKG International Speaker Fund Experiences

 

Thoughts from the presenter:

The DKG International Society’s International Speaker Fund (ISF) serves as an excellent program to promote and increase diversity, international experiences, and cultural exchange throughout the organization.

I have had the pleasure of presenting to a DKG group as an international speaker four times. My most recent speaking experiences include Nebraska (2017) and Washington (2018) in person, and in late April 2022 at the DKG California Convention via Zoom, a new experience for me.

I think the experience for a speaker from the International Speaker Fund is almost like a scholarship to get to know DKG sisters in different parts of the world. The experience helps to make new friends, meet them later in the convention, or be in contact with them e.g., by email. The state convention creates a unique experience and excellent contacts among the speakers, the organizers, and the audience.

The virtual meeting is very different because one misses the in person contact. However, it offers another dimension; it makes meeting possible in difficult times. During the DKG California Convention, I gave a talk during the banquet about music, wellbeing, and the brain which are some of my favorite themes. I also presented during a workshop about Finnish education. Since the audience was smaller in the workshop, I could see the participants, create a connection with them, and answer their questions. I hope that was a win-win situation.

I have also had the pleasure as the Finland state president of twice inviting an ISF speaker– one in early 2000’s and one in 2021 online. Those speakers offered the audience enlightening experiences as well and created connections.

The ISF program is great. It is worth applying for the ISF program to be a speaker or have a speaker attend an event. The application time is now so you should send your application in by the 15^th of September. I warmly recommend it.

Eija Liisa  Sokka-Meaney, Finland, DKG International Speakers Fund and Member of the International Communications and Marketing Committee

Thoughts from a member of the audience:

When I first discovered that Eija Liisa was going to speak at the DKG California Convention, I was thrilled! Eija Liisa and I currently serve on the DKG International Communications and Marketing Committee. Eija Liisa certainly brought the international spirit to the California convention. Via Zoom, Eija Liisa came halfway around the world to the convention in Burbank to share her life experiences in Finland. She spoke about her favorite themes, including music, well-being and the brain, and offered slides to illustrate her thoughts.

I highly recommend that your state take advantage of the ISF program. The speaker will add depth to your convention through her keynote presentations and workshop, especially if your speaker is able to travel to your location now that travel has opened up.

Julie Drysdale, California, DKG International Communications and Marketing Committee

International Speakers Fund Flyer

Time to share your experiences with the ISF. Leave a comment to this blog to share your experiences.

Communications and Marketing: The New Normal

Join the International Communications and Marketing Committee as we explore post pandemic communications and marketing approaches. The New Orleans session will be an interactive “roundtable” workshop, a speed dating experience for C&M agents. Presenters and participants will work to embrace “the new normal.” Topics will include: How to Meet and Greet our DKG Sisters - exploring our cultural differences; Marketing Strategies Chart - Awareness, utilization, and outcomes!; How and Where Should We Meet? - the many options available in today’s ‘new normal’; Emotional Branding - Using the DKG Brand; and more. See you in New Orleans. 

  

“Did You Know?” 

 

Hawaii (50th US State, 14 DKG chapters) is an archipelago located in the tropics. Hawaii, the state, includes eight main islands, one of which is often called the ‘Big Island.’ Natives of the Hawaiian Islands, previously ruled by kings and queens, use the term ‘aloha’ for hello and goodbye. Literally translated, aloha is ‘breath of life.’ 

 

 

Top Left: Papakōlea Beach (Green Sands Beach) is the southernmost point of the United States. 

Bottom Left: Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach is the most famous black sand beach on the Island of Hawaiʻi. 

Right: The Kamehameha I statue (original cast) stands in front of the old country courthouse in the town of Kapaʻau on the Island of Hawaiʻi. 

 

Photos Courtesy of Dr. Teresa H. Cowan, C&M Committee