Let ’ s Give GWA Membership a Big Bounce : Bring in 5 members and your annual fee is paid ; win free books
BY JO ELLEN MEYERS SHARP
It may be March Madness in basketball land , but at GWA , March is Members Month .
The GWA Board of Directors challenges members to bring in at least one new person or business to the fold during March . Tell someone your story about why you ’ re a member , or share Rob Cardillo ’ s ( page 14 ) or Angela Treadwell- Palmer ’ s ( page 15 ).
As a reminder , here are some of the benefits of being a GWA member :
• No-cost access to intellectual property attorney for reviewing contracts and other services .
• No-cost attendance to key trade shows and education programs such as Cultivate ’ 17 , MANTS , TPIE and ICG .
• Professional courtesy admissions to dozens of public botanic gardens and arboreta .
• Mentoring opportunities from many of the industry ’ s most well-known garden communicators .
• No-cost attendance at important consumer shows , including the Chicago Flower and Garden Show , Northwest Flower and Garden Show and Philadelphia Flower Show .
• Participation in regional , national GWA meetings and Connect gatherings for unbeatable networking opportunities .
• Advance information and trial opportunities for new plants , products and services .
• On the QT , GWA ’ s informative , lively and attractive , bimonthly newsletter , with tips on successful business practices , profiles of members , upcoming events and the latest news about the organization and its members .
MEMBERSHIP TRENDS
Potential members include : Writers , editors , photographers , bloggers , speakers , podcasters , television and radio personalities , garden center owners or employees , landscapers , plant breeders , marketers , public relations practitioners , book authors , publishers and others who work in or represent the green industry .
Over the last few years , new members have been coming in at about the same rate as members have been leaving GWA . Most members have left because they ’ ve retired and no longer work as a garden communicator , or they have left the field for jobs elsewhere . Some members can ’ t afford the dues . Others forgot to renew their membership , but they usually rejoin when asked . If you ’ d like to contact members you know who have not renewed , please give the GWA office a call ( 212-297-2198 ) for some suggestions .
Allied and trade members get no-cost ads in GWA ’ s Clippings , the weekly electronic newsletter , and On the QT . They also get access to GWA members ’ contact info , giving them the ability to share their news in a timely fashion with the very people who can get their messages out to the end users . And , as exhibitors or sponsors , they get the opportunity to meet members face-to-face to talk about new products , plants and services at the annual GWA Conference & Expo .
HOW DO YOU BENEFIT ?
First , you ’ ll get your annual membership fee reduced by $ 20 for each new person or company you bring to GWA . Bring in five members , and your annual fee is paid . And , thanks to the generosity of St . Lynn ’ s Press , the member who brings in the most new people during March will receive free books : The Monarch by Kylee Baumle , The Downsized Veggie Garden by Kate Copsey and The 20-30 Something Garden Guide by Dee Nash .
You benefit in other ways , too . A growing membership reflects a growing organization that is on sound financial footing . That enables more programming , services and other benefits that come from a thriving professional , member-focused organization . And you ’ ll sow the seeds for the future of our industry .
Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp is editor of On the QT .
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