Agri-Insights Issue 17 | Page 24

1401 North C Avenue Sioux Falls, SD 57104 www.VistaComm.com By Jane Wooldridge VistaComm Journalist PACK ‘EM IN AT YOUR ANNUAL MEETING If your business is a cooperative, your bylaws typically require formal notification for annual meetings—legally, just a statement of date, time and place. But for no additional cost, and very little effort, you can beef up the annual meeting notice to make it more interesting and enticing for members. Here are a few ideas: • Ask a local high school art class to have a poster design contest for your annual meeting. Give the winning design a gift certificate to your c-store. You get a great poster … and you create goodwill with the community when you publicize the winner of the contest. • Publicize the meeting on your Facebook page. • Instead of just putting a notice in your newsletter, write an article telling members something interesting and different they can expect at the meeting. Now, once you have them there, be sure to take photos during your meeting. Think beyond the typical “crowd photos,” and try to capture shots of attendees interacting with each other. Then post the best photos on your Facebook page or Instagram account as a way to continue this interaction online. FOR MORE INFO Keep attendees interested before, during and after your annual meeting. For these and other suggestions on how to increase attendance and make your annual meetings more effective, read the complete story featuring more annual meeting tips at VistaComm.com/annual-meeting-ideas.