It starts with a conversation.

The “it” is growing NFPW membership and keeping members involved. NFPW is fortunate that our membership has stabilized, which was a goal of my presidency. We know that the economy and job layoffs have made membership difficult for some members. We also know the value of membership.

This year at conference we held a POWER Networking session where members could quickly get to know each other and make powerful connections throughout the country.  We’re making sure our first-timers are recognized and welcomed.

And we’re finding new ways of doing business. We’re firming plans around an online communciations contest. We won’t have it in place for the upcoming contest, but we expect that by 2013, we’ll be online, saving on postage, making it easier to enter and generally streamlining the process. A committee is reviewing proposals from two firms and working out the details. We’ll communicate often and will provide training.

We also identified conference locations for the next few years. For 2012 we are in Arizona (note that the Sept. 20-22 date is later to avoid the heat). In 2013 we’ll be in Utah, where we’ll have a strong focus on using our member expertise for presentations. We’re still securing a venue for 2014, and in 2015 we’ll be in Alaska. Keep your bags packed!

We also elected a new slate of officers. I’ll turn the gavel over Saturday night. Incoming president is Lori Potter; Teri Ehresman is first vice president; Marsha Hoffman second vice president; Ellen Crawford, treasurer; and Marianne Wolfe-Astrauskas, secretary.

Now that the business is handled, we’ll be spend the next two days engaged in professional development and networking.

SNAP!

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but for journalists it’s their lifeblood.

For those being interviewed by a journalist, it may seem like the curiosity, aka questions, never ends. Now put that person on a bus filled with journalists and imagine the learning that takes place. That’s exactly what happened throughout Labor Day weekend as a group of NFPW members toured Nebraska learning about the state’s agriculture, historical sites and other curiosities.

Did you know that farmers plant sunflowers around their fields to protect the corn from the wind?

Did you know that the Sandhill crane has a 20-year life span and mates for life (although it’s been known to stray a time or two)?

Did you know that Nebraska is faring fairly well off in these difficult economic times because there is a worldwide shortage of grain so it’s a boom time for Nebraska farmers?

Did you know that when the pioneers came west there were no trees on the prairies and that every tree seen today was planted?

Did you know that a farmer often carries a golf club? He uses it to help with irrigation by opening the gates on the irrigation pipes so he doesn’t have to keep bending over.

Although the NFPW conference is a great time for professional learning, some of the best knowledge is gained during the pre-tours and post-tours. Why? Because the people organizing the tours are from the state and know the best sources to go to.

So when we learned about the Pawnee and the efforts to bring back their native corn, we heard directly from Ronnie O’Brien, director of cultural education for the Great Platte River Road Archway.

And when we learned about the crops of Nebraska and irrigation, we heard directly from Don and Barb Batie of Lexington, NE, who not only shared their knowledge, but allowed a bunch of press women to climb around on their combines and tractors and offered them coffee in the cornfields.

Then there was Sallie and Al Atkins, who operate a ranch near Halsey, who not only gave us the scoop on cattle, but also served a delicious supper of Angus steaks and berry and peach cobblers prepared by Rustic Tavern.

Along the journey I learned about Willa Cather and how she came to appreciate the beauty of the prairie. I learned about a canteen that served six million troops during World War II. And I discovered the reasons behind the opulence of the capitol in Lincoln.

If you missed this year’s tour, it’s not too early to start thinking about next year’s conference, which will be in Arizona.

Who knows what adventure we’ll embark on, but the other good thing about journalists is they seem to have many lives!

The NFPW conference registration is open. If you’re attending conference this year, what are you doing to get ready? Here are a few tips:

1)      Bring plenty of business cards and then make a point to network with members whom you don’t know. If possible, reach out to first-timers and provide them with tips. When you do meet someone and exchange business cards, make a note on the back of the person’s card so you’ll recall the encounter and have a reason for following up.

2)      Plan to follow-up with everyone you meet. That’s the point of networking. Better yet, connect with your fellow members through LinkedIn. It’s a great way to share what you’re doing professionally throughout the year and learn what others are doing. You might want to bring your smartphone, iPad or netbook to keep your social connections up-to-date.

 

3)      Take time to review the conference sessions and highlight the sessions you want to attend. You don’t want to miss any because you overlooked a session in the program. Again, sit by someone you don’t know. Talk with her after the session to see what she thought. What was the key take away? It’s a great conversation starter and an even better way to recall the session later.

4)      Visit the contest display and read what the judges wrote. You can find out what makes a winning entry. I also get ideas for stories and projects when I review the entries. And if you’re a winner, celebrate knowing that you competed with the best and you won!

5)      Finally, allow some time to explore the region. If you have the time and resources, I would encourage you to sign up for the pre- or post-tour (or both). Our members know what’s worth seeing so you’ll get a great look at another part of the country. If you plan to explore on your own, visit the websites now so you can find out what to see and do.

I always make a list of follow-up items while I’m at the conference. As soon as I return to the office I give myself a week to complete the follow-up items. If I wait longer, they don’t get done.  This, of course, means I must go buy a pretty notebook to use at the conference for note taking and list making.

I hope to see you at the conference. Now, I’ve got to run and purchase my notebook – and maybe a nice pen to go with it.

The NFPW board is meeting in Greenville, SC, hosted by Media Women of South Carolina. Friday was a beautiful, sunny day in town, but the board members were inside a hotel meeting room with no windows. The AC made it slightly chilly.

Why would we give up a day to explore the city and enjoy a beautiful spring day, especially those members coming from winter states (Idaho, Illinois, Pennsylvania)? Because we’re passionate about NFPW.

The meeting took a few minutes to begin because we had to catch up on what each person had been doing since we last met face to face. Those friendships are one of the hallmarks of this organization. It’s the value add that you don’t find in many professional groups.

So where did day one find us? We used a quote to keep us focused —

“Strategy is not primarily about planning. It is about intentional, informed and integrated choices.” — Hambrick & Frederickson

We heard a presentation from Better BNC about taking the communications contest online. Now don’t anyone panic! We’re only in the exploratory stages. However, we’ve learned from other organizations that run online contests that everyone finds it easier once they make the adjustment. This includes the administrator, the contestants and the judges. It also is less expensive because there are less administrative expensives (think shipping all of the entries all around the country) and more members enter because of the ease.

We plan to hear presentations from other firms at the September board meeting before taking further steps. Have any of you entered a communications contest online? If so, let us know what you thought of it.

We also heard from Marsha Hoffman and Lori Potter, two of our members who are hard at work on the 2011 conference in Nebraska and Iowa. These two affiliates decided to partner to put together a fantastic conference with great speakers and pre- and post-tours. We expect to have everything on the website by May 15, including the option to pay for everything (registration and tours) by credit card.

Where do we go from Nebraska and Iowa? Arizona is hosting us in 2012. The hotel contract has been signed. We’ll be in Scottsdale. Two affiliates plan to submit proposals for 2015 and 2016. That means we’re still looking for hosts for 2013 and 2014. Is your affiliate ready to step up?

We also are exploring membership and how we can better reach out to our members. We started brainstorming late in the date, and everyone asked for extra time to finish sharing their ideas. We’ll pick up with the brainstorming and other business by 8 a.m. today.

Yes, it’s Saturday. And yes, it’s another beautiful day. Our incentive is that each of cares passionately about NFPW and wants to continue to make it stronger.

We have a few other incentives, though. We’ll work through lunch eating pizza (why does pizza make everything more enjoyable?) and if we finish early, we’ll have that much more time to explore Greenville.

You’ve renewed your membership in NFPW. Now what?

How about making a commitment to get involved with NFPW? There are so many ways to get involved. Here are seven–

1)      Enter the communications contest. The deadlines at the affiliate level are fast upon us so review the rules, the categories and enter your best work. If you place first in your category, you’ll go on to compete against all the other first-place winners through the national contest. Judges are encouraged to provide feedback, which is great for enhancing your work as you go forward.

2)      Bring in a new member, or mentor a member who has recently joined. It’s a great way to encourage others and share the organization with colleagues. When you join a group, it takes time to learn the dynamics and you can provide guidance for a new member.

3)      Plan to come to conference. This year’s conference will be held Sept. 8-10 in Council Bluffs, IA and Omaha, NE. It’s hosted by Iowa Press Women and Nebraska Press Women. The hotel is Harrah’s Council Bluffs Casino & Hotel.  

4)      Propose a solution, instead of complaining. Too often I hear a member complaining about how something is being handled or organized, but they don’t offer an alternative solution. Complaining isn’t helpful; offering a solution is. Even if it’s not feasible, it might lead to another approach that is.

5)      Be active in your affiliate. If your state has an affiliate, get involved. Again, you can attend meetings. You could offer to secure a speaker. You could coordinate a dinner at a local restaurant so members can network.

6)      Contribute to the website and newsletter. We’re always looking for copy. Great things are happening at the affiliate level that could benefit other members so submit it to NFPW. Members also are doing great things. Your career is not the time to be humble, so again, share it with others.

7)      Have fun! Each year the affiliate that hosts the national conference also offers tours of the region. It’s a great way to get a first-hand look at other parts of the country. One of my favorites of all times was a tour in North Dakota. We were visiting a fort along the Missouri River. The sun was setting in the West and in the East the moon was glowing in the dusk sky. That image is forever etched in my mind. In Colorado I slept in a “haunted” house. In Washington, I went whale watching. Last year, I got my Kicks on Rte. 66!

What ways do you get involved with NFPW?