Communications, and Public Relations

[ChatOWhitehall@aol.com]

Good morning.
 
Mr. Pries said:
 
<<  At present I dont feel comfortable forward a precious  lead for a new 
member to affiliate presidents, or RVPs if cant count on them  following 
through.  Maybe another layer of organization would just make  life more complex. I 
am interested in thoughts on this from others.  >>
 
I have a moment here, which may not be the case of everyone at this time,  
and I can respond from experience.
 
When AIS Membership Secretary, I received many communications of diverse  
kinds from the general public, and also the more isolated AIS members. The  
preponderance of these could be addressed in a very few minutes via  email, or 
incoming phone call, and I did not find them burdensome; indeed,  I enjoyed 
hearing from most people. 
 
After I got a feel for the recurring  issues, I prepared information sheets 
on the more often  raised questions or topics. I kept these on file to be 
printed off as  needed, and just sent them out with an Invitation to Join,  where 
apposite, and a brief personal letter. This took a very short time,  and a few 
AIS resources, and constituted public education, a  major part of the the AIS 
mission, and also Public Relations, in its  most immediate, and personal, 
form. 
 
If you cannot find the time, yourself, to deal with these things  to your 
satisfaction, or to make a comprehensive pitch for AIS membership,  you may wish 
to refer the prospect to the AIS Membership Office,  who will, I know, oblige. 
 
But not all questions fall into the routine and general issues  category. 
Those which involve cultural knowledge specific to a  geographical area, or 
knowledge of the resources within an area,  including the Affliates, or anything 
sensitive, should, I believe, be referred  directly to the RVP, who will have 
his or her finger directly on the pulse  of things, and will have, or should 
have, an intimate knowledge of the  strengths, and weaknesses, and personalities, 
within his or her  geographical realm of responsibility. 
 
I, personally, never had one moment's reservation about  referring anyone to 
any RVP, with the exception of one in the Midwest  who seemed intent upon 
causing trouble for the AIS Membership  Office. I encourage you to place your full 
faith in the RVPs. They  will not, I am confident, let you, or any potential 
new member, or AIS,  down. 
 
As for the information on the AIS webpage being monitored for currency:  
Well, yes, if course, if the information is up there it needs always to be  valid. 
Someone needs to confirm all information on the  AIS webpage on a quarterly 
basis, at the very least, and more often in  prime recruitment season. I'd say 
the Electronic Services  Committee was the one to take care of that, 
soliciting  confirmation on Affiliate contacts and so forth from the RVPs, who should  
have it readily at hand, or, failing that, from the Membership  Office.
 
Perhaps the RVPs might be asked to supply Electronic Services with  updates 
as they occur, and the AIS Secretary might be asked to supply  Electronic 
Services with AIS national updates as they occur, and all such  updates might be 
forwarded by the Chairman to the Webmaster, with  instructions to deal with it 
in a timely manner. 
 
Bottom line: Resolution of these issues lies  in optimal use of existing 
resources.
 
Anner Whitehead 
Richmond VA USA
 



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