| JUNE 4, 2012 -- Image… Is it important to you as a Grange, as a Granger, as a person? Your public image is who people think you are, how they perceive you as a Granger and as a Grange. The image you as a Granger give is received as the total image of all Grangers and Granges throughout the country.
Media coverage is so important to the advancement of our Grange image. Today print media is lagging, while internet and social media is exploding. More and more people have access to our information sooner. This is good, right? I think so, as long as we are sending the right message.
When you have the opportunity to speak to the media, are you telling them of current activities and growth goals? Too many times we read articles that reflect the past, what activities we USED to have, what our membership USED to be. What image of our Grange does this give? Not a true image that is for certain. We are more actively involved in many communities, our Grangers and friends gave around 100,000 hours of their time to their communities last year. Most of our Granges are hosting incredible programs that benefit the quality of life in their communities, how about the 10 new members in Wolcott, 16 in Southington, 8 in Simsbury and 11 taken in by the various Granges in Mountain County and those are just the ones I have been told about. What is better for our image to the public, what we used to do or where we are headed?
For those who own their Grange halls, are they well maintained? Yards well groomed? Is it well lit, does it look vibrant? Do you have good, clear signage on your property? IS IT ACTIVILY USED? How many of us have heard, there used to be a Grange in town, when in fact it is still there and they are still meeting? This is the image we give when we are not using our property to its potential. We should be presenting our Grange halls and property with pride; they need to be ascetically pleasing to those passing by. They need to continually send a message you are a prominent presence in your town. Is this the image your Grange halls give?
What is the impression of our image to guests and new members? We touched on this last month, is our image one of fostering an atmosphere of belonging, of cultivating LEADERS, of community betterment? If not, change it NOW! Our future, YOUR future depends on it. A Grange that is bringing Grangers into a progressive team atmosphere will be strong and prosperous. Our possibilities are boundless when we embrace this philosophy. I know I am changing the paradigm on our State Grange’s approach to true Grange Growth, building our organization not just membership. We are focusing on giving every Grange the tools to bring in Grangers and not just members. This image change will transform your Grange with unimaginable sustainable growth.
Image … Is it important to you as a Grange, as a Granger, as a person? |
