Tips for Component Associations

Brenda J. Hurley, CMT, AHDI-F

AHDI Speaker of the House

Meeting Planning

• Here are some tips for meeting planning…

Special thanks to Carol Croft, CMT, AHDI-F

How soon should I plan How soon should I plan ahead for our meeting?ahead for our meeting?• It is never too soon. Depending on

whether this is one of your monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly component meeting, or whether it is your large once-a-year symposium, getting people to put this on their calendar as early as possible is key.

Regularly-scheduled Regularly-scheduled component meetingscomponent meetings

• If it is your regularly-scheduled component meeting, giving the whole year at a time is one effective way.

• Have these printed out at your first meeting of the year, or, preferably, at the last meeting of the year for the following year. You do not need to have the speakers arranged, but have the dates chosen and even the sites

What date should we What date should we look at?look at?• What days work well for your

attendees? If a regular component meeting, maybe a weekday evening would work or a Saturday. Maybe hold it the 2nd Saturday of every month or every other month. Think about using some “pattern” so people can count on when meetings may possibly be happening

Having a once-a-year large Having a once-a-year large meeting or symposiummeeting or symposium• Planning and advertising this as far ahead of

time is key. Having the date and site of the following year’s meeting available at your current meeting is a great idea, especially if you have an excited group of people at a great symposium.

• Again, they can put this information on their calendar ahead of time and not try to squeeze it into their schedule or have to make a choice

One day or One day or multiday?multiday?

• If this is your first attempt at meeting planning take it easy on yourself and others

• Do you have a great team to work with, follow-through people?

• If after helping or planning a couple of times, you may expand your meeting gradually to include perhaps the Friday evening and Saturday daytime

Where should we meet? Where should we meet? Things to considerThings to consider

• Look at where your membership lives• Is your targeted meeting area easily

accessible by the majority of your membership who attends your meeting?

• What is your treasury like? Is this something you can afford to have at a restaurant or at a hotel with meeting facilities?

Perhaps if your treasury is Perhaps if your treasury is limited:limited:• What medical facilities are available in

your area? Do they have a meeting room that would accommodate your attendance? This could be both a hospital or a large medical clinic. Great way to get involvement of the healthcare community

• Check out community meeting sites, such as a library. There is often no fee to use this room or perhaps a donation. This is also educating your community about medical transcription and the need for continuing education

Other options for Other options for meetingsmeetings• Have you

considered meeting through webinar technology?

• Student night!• Do a tour of the

OR, the lab or special departments

Some Speaker TipsSome Speaker Tips• Consider some topic of major

interest to be the last speaker – keeping everyone there all day!

• Consider inviting a local elected official, state AHIMA president, chief of staff of a hospital, etc., to kick off your day! You would be educating them as well as starting your meeting off on a super note!

Speaker TipsSpeaker Tips• Consider a theme –

heart, psychiatry, wellness, and choose speakers based on some of these topics

• Or have a diversity of topics, but interesting topics

• Consider hard-to-find CE speakers (medicolegal)

• Consider inviting MT colleagues or other healthcare professionals other than MDs

• Consider speakers from MTSOs or MT schools

• Consider legislators• Consider someone

from the local zoo!• Think out of the box

for topics!

ALWAYS SAY THANKS – TO ALWAYS SAY THANKS – TO THOSE ATTENDING AND THOSE ATTENDING AND THOSE WHO HELPED!! IT THOSE WHO HELPED!! IT TAKES A TEAM TO MAKE A TAKES A TEAM TO MAKE A SUCCESSFUL MEETING. SUCCESSFUL MEETING.

*

What about Marketing?Meetings and events need to be marketed to

be successful – here are some tips…

How soon do we start How soon do we start advertising?advertising?• As soon as you have a schedule of

meetings, whether your regular component meeting or a larger symposium or membership drive, get that information out.

• One thing we have noticed is that components sometimes schedule a great meeting with a super line-up of speakers, only to get the information out the month before, or even less!

Where/How do we Where/How do we advertise?advertise?• AHDI web site

calendar of events• On your component

web site• Put a small ad

promoting your meeting in Plexus – free!

• On-Line Association• On bulletin boards at

MTSOs or MT schools

• Get the email addresses of AHDI members in your area from AHDI

• AHDI publications• With other components• Advance calendar of

events• Newspapers in your

area under upcoming events (though this is usually close to the date)

Where do we send Where do we send info?info?

• Your old registrations – make a data base of all past attendees and make sure they are on your list

• Send to hospitals in your targeted area – try to get a contact name

• Send to local MTSOs and MT schools • Get the email addresses for people

you are targeting and send out blast emails

Where else?Where else?

• Send your information electronically to your colleagues and component associations throughout the neighboring areas.

• Post it all on your website.• Ask to have it put on the

bulletin boards, either in the office or virtually, for the schools and MTSOs

And more ideas how to And more ideas how to spread the word about spread the word about your events...your events...

• Write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper.

• Send your information to the local community calendar of events--radio and TV stations offer this service.

• Write an article about the event and submit it to the local newspaper.

• Cover all details in your newsletter/website.

Develop your own e-Develop your own e-mailing list.mailing list.• Collect all MT prospects in your area.• MT employers.• MT independent contractors.• Vendors.• Guests at component association

events.• Members of AHDI who have not yet

joined your chapter.

Create a brochure or an Create a brochure or an e-flyer.e-flyer.• Use personal testimonials.• Positivity promotes the organization. • Be sure to give the contact information

for your organization.• Be creative, not boring.• Be professional but not stuffy.

Remember you are representative of your component association.

Here are some other ideas and tips!

Commit to doing one or more of these to spark interest in current and new members!

Tip #1Tip #1• Assign

seasoned leaders to work with new volunteers

Tip #2Tip #2 • Don’t let the answer of “no” discourage you!

Tip #3Tip #3• Reasons for

volunteering are not all the same.

Tip #4Tip #4 • People learn by different methods.

Tip #5Tip #5• No busy

work!

Don’t waste my time!

Tip #6Tip #6• Deadlines are

important – make sure you allow sufficient time.

Tip #7Tip #7• Don’t

micromanage or hover.

Tip #8Tip #8• Use technology to

make the task easier!

Tip #9Tip #9 • Followup and feedback are important both during and after the task has been completed.

Tip #10Tip #10

• Teamwork works!

“It’s not my job” is never said in groups that work as a team!

Networking is truly Networking is truly human connectivity!human connectivity!• Connections to people!• Building of relationships.• Eliminates isolation for remote

workers.• Becomes of a resource.• It is energizing!• It really takes a village…

Networking is not…Networking is not…• just for job seekers.• just for those seeking a promotion.• just a trend.• just collecting names and email

addresses.• limited to face-to-face events.• limited to managers and supervisors.• limited to certain age groups.• limited to geographic boundaries.

Growing Leadership Growing Leadership Skills…Skills…

• Recognize we all have untapped potential.

• Leadership is not telling others what to do, but instead inspiring others to be their best.

• Look for role models and mentors.• Seek challenges – don’t wait to be asked,

jump in!• Be active in your association - volunteer,

volunteer, and volunteer some more!• Read, seek, observe, ask…be a

knowledge sponge.

A potential leader A potential leader will…will…

• Seek clarification by asking questions.

• Be interested in activities.• Make suggestions.• Pitch in when given a specific

task.• Desire for success in the

profession• Follow up when asked to do so.• Want to do things right and on

time!• But could be waiting for someone

to ask…

People want to be People want to be associated associated with a winner so be careful with a winner so be careful with the message that you with the message that you give.give.• Component associations in “big trouble”

can scare off new volunteers as they don’t want to be associated with failure.

• Or to new volunteers a highly successful component association could seem to be working fine, so they may think that their assistance is not be needed.

Everyone gets a “job”Everyone gets a “job” • Membership application includes a

place to check for your choice of “jobs” to select.

• When no “job” is selected on the form, they will be assigned.

• Place them in a “job” and on a team where they will succeed.

• Use the teams to cultivate new leaders.• Always thank all those who contribute –

it shows what they did was important and appreciated.

 

Volunteering is an excellent way to show your support for your local chapter. Please check at least 1 committee on which you would like to serve.  

Hospitality _____Newsletter _____Program _____ Fund Raising ______Cert. Connector ______Bylaws ________Policies and Procedures ________Publicity _______

 

Have detailed job descriptions linked (if online) or available at the time of your meeting.

Magnets for Success!Magnets for Success!• Positive energy.• Committed leaders.• Creativity.• Enthusiasm.• Teamwork.• Pertinent information.• Relevant networking.• Organized.• Fun!

• Open to new ideas.• Activities/projects that

make a difference.• Clear missions/goals.• Supportive

environment.• Useful resources.• Excitement.• Friendly – making

everyone feel welcome.

Real motivation comes when Real motivation comes when you feel that you have made a you feel that you have made a contribution!contribution!Be sure you clearly share the importance of each assigned project and explain how that contributes to the goals for your component association and to the success of AHDI…

Don’t assume they know this!

If members followed your If members followed your example, would they be...example, would they be...• enthusiastic• a good role model• informed of factors impacting our profession• an active participant in component association

and AHDI activities• exhibiting a positive attitude• demonstrating professionalism• promoting membership

Do you remember before Do you remember before there was AAMT or AHDI?there was AAMT or AHDI?• Try to picture our professional

world without an AHDI.• Scary isn’t?• It takes resources such as

money and volunteers to make AHDI successful.

• Everyone needs to be working together for us to achieve what needs to be done!

Just imagine what AHDIJust imagine what AHDI could do with… could do with…

• 50,000 members• a staff of 100+• enough financial

resources to fund ambitious educational, marketing, and legislative projects.

• certification respected by all and a requirement to enter the profession.

• all MTs understanding that membership is too important not to have.

You MAKE a difference!You MAKE a difference!

Thank you…we do Thank you…we do appreciate you!appreciate you!

Brenda J. Hurley, CMT, AHDI-FBrenda J. Hurley, CMT, AHDI-Fbjhurley@aol.com

Speaker of the House

If you would like a copy of this presentation, just let me know!If you would like a copy of this presentation, just let me know!