TTC communications channels
This information informs discussions about communicating with members and vice versa. Communications channels are the means by which the TTC maintains contacts with its members. The use of the web and email have the potential to significantly improve the communication with and between members.
| Comms channel | Format
frequency | Distribution | Content | Pros | Cons | |
| Tararua Tramper | A5 pdf newsletter
monthly | Distributed electronically to the email list, available from website
Optionally posted to exisitng members | Trip and activity descriptions, and club night information, contact information | good reference for activities, delivered promptly electronically (very economical for club), archived on website | information may be dated or arrive late. In the past delivery has been erratic and late. Requires committed enthusiastic editor to be successful. Requires content from club members | |
| Tararua Annual | A4 colour magazine | Members
Optionally posted | Trip descriptions and photographs, record of club officials | |||
| Website | Online web content management system, available 24x7 | Anyone with web access. Note web access is available gratis from many libraries | Trip list; Tramper; Constitution; Introduction and how to join; Description of club activities, facilities, and publications; Contacts. | First point of contact for members and prospective members. Can provide as much information as required. Available all the time. Useful resources for members. Can attract new members.
Available to anyone | Limited support from officials in provision of content.
Hampered by missing information (eg descriptions of all activities and contact details, official activity) and slow turnover of updated trip information. | |
| Annual Report | Paper A4, b/w
annual | Members
Website | Formal report of club activities | Formal report, historical record | ||
| Weekly meeting | Weekly meeting, spoken announcements and notices | Attendees | Speaker, with notices and advice of trips. | Personal contact with club officials and some trip leaders | Members with families, or conflicting engagements, or who live farther afield (eg Upper Hutt, Kapiti Coast) find it difficult to attend | |
| Clubnight speaker | Weekly meeting | Attendees | Speaking about club and other activities that may encourage participation in club activities | Personal contact with club members | Members with families, or conflicting engagements, or who live farther afield (eg Upper Hutt, Kapiti Coast) find it difficult to attend | |
| Officials phone | Ad hoc, anytime, evening | Anyone, advertised in Tramper, brochures, and website | Personal response to queries | Personal contact and information | Reliant on person’s availability. Do we know what queries we receive? | |
| Email queries | Ad hoc, anytime | Anyone, advertised in Tramper, and website | ||||
| Email lists | Electronic messages, 24x7 | Anyone with email access. Note most people have web access from work or home | Club announcements | Timely
Members can participate. Members can administer one details (eg change of address), moderators can ensure appropriate use. | Requires support and recognition from club officials.
Requires promotion; requires strong support from Committees | |
| 24x7 | Anyone with web access | Can be interactive | Requires prompt response from club
Not everyone has or likes Facebook | |||
| New members pack | Once, on joining. Printed material | Members | Great way to encourage people | |||
| Brochures, pamphlets, cards | Annual, or erratic | Anyone | Promotion of club and activities, eg join the club; new members night; instruction evenings; | Distributed via retailers, libraries, community groups, other clubs | Variable consistency and quality
Needs support from committee and members. None currently in retailers or libraries. | |
| Fixture card | Bi-annually | Included in Tramper monthly, website version with email addresses and links updated on advice of changes | Trip information: date, location, grade, leader name and contact details | Kept up to date on the website. | No longer printed and distributed with the Tramper to save cost.
Out of date by the end of the six month. | |
| MailChimp | Email
Less than 20 emails per year | From email adresses provided when members join to advise of email address change. Members can and do unsubscribe. | Monthly Tramper notification, and for major administrative matters only a few times a year
These messages must be, and are also sent to the ttc.news email group | Members are subscribed to this email list.
For members only. Gets communications to some members who are not members of ttc.news | Members can unsubscribe, but cannot change their subscription
Requires significant administration. Sending messages is more complicated than using google groups. |
Communication discussion points
Membership Services vs Open Community
Should there be additional services available to members from the website?
Some clubs provide additional services or information to club members via members only sections on their website.
Others view their websites as a portal that attract new members, acts as a community, retains current members, and keeps friends, potential members, and previous members in touch. Membership of the TTC has its benefits, including:
- participation in club affairs, eg Annual General Meeting
- Subscriptions to the Tararua Tramper, Tararua Annual, and NZFMC bulletin (although this can be obtained independently by joining FMC)
- use of the club library
- hire of club gear
- discounts, eg FMC, Tararua Lodge
- preferential bookings on trips and activities
On the club Email Groups we allow both members and non members to join and participate.
Membership only services:
Open community:
Use of Email
Email is now a mature and ubiquitous technology. Most people have it at work or at home. It should not be used to replace paper based communications, although if offered as an option some members may choose to, say, receive the Tramper by email (eg as a link to the PDF on the website) or download it from the website, especially if it arrives earlier than the printed version.
In general people prefer to be able to select the level and topics of email (and other communications) they receive. There are a number of providers of quality free (advertising supported) email discussion lists, that not only provide a good service to subscribers, but provide additional web based features to list administrators and moderators.
The club has had an excellent run with its existing Yahoo!Groups, and is now transferring to Google Groups under its own domain name. Email provides a timely facility to notify club members of club activities, eg the weekly meeting speaker, or changes in trips, and can be targeted (by clubmember opt in) to their area of interest. It is an effective way of promoting participation in the club. Recommendations:
- Continue with open services community based club vision
- Commit to use of email as a means of communicating with club members by general and social committees
- Use free Google Groups as service provider, retaining the following:
- the news list
- the special interest groups
- Tramper
- use by committee to provide access and an archive of committee business, and well as potential use of file sharing and calendar features (as was done previously)
- Continue to support the webmaster and tramper editor in developing the website
- Consider the website as the first point of contact for many club members and prospective members
- Make more information available on the website, eg
- annual report and statistics
- committee decisions
- noticeboard information
- role descriptions
- club policies