Communication is a vital part of running a successful surf club. Whether the communication comes from the administration or the membership it all contributes to ensuring everyone involved in the club is informed about what is happening.
Those clubs that are able to create a culture of strong communication will reap the benefits of happier members and increased retention and recruitment. In today’s society where people are being bombarded with an abundance of messages and information from all angles the need to provide clear and concise communication that is directly related to them is vital.
a) Tips for Communication Effectively
- Be clear and concise with your communications to ensure your message is understood by the recipient. Long and unclear messages can be frustrating for the recipient and result in poor engagement.
- Follow up your messages to ensure they have been understood, particularly when you have had no face-to-face contact with the recipients.
- Make sure your form of communication is reflective of the message you are trying to convey. For instance, if a message is only relevant to a few people, a phone call to each person would be more appropriate than an email to the whole club. Similarly, if it is a club issue which affects all members, emails, website, social media and noticeboards are much better than face-to-face or phone conversations both in efficiency and effectiveness.
- Regular communication is vital to ensure members are kept informed of all activities relevant to them. It makes them feel like they are a valued member of the organisation.
- Keep your communications interesting by adding visual aids or pictures when possible. If your communications are boring, be it when personally addressing people or in the design of communications materials, the message will not get through. The start of a document, letter, email or speech is the most important part of the communication cycle. If the communication is dull or seems unimportant to the reader or audience it is unlikely to be read or noticed. A powerful opening or catchy headline can help to improve your chances of gaining interest in your message.
- Continually refer to previous messages to highlight to members the importance of keeping track of all communication from the club. When possible keep records of previous communication to ensure that your message is consistent and that your next communication can follow on from the previous.
- Use your communication tools to develop relationships with members, staff, volunteers, sponsors and government. The better your relationships are with these parties, the more they are going to want to deal with you.
- Where appropriate use online technology (eg. Email, internet, social media, SMS) to get your message out to a wider audience more quickly. Also, use good design software to make your printed or electronic material stand out.
- Clubs should provide a mix of formal and informal communication. Informal communication could include simple instructions and feedback on the day’s operations and results, while formal communication might include meetings and newsletters.
- Clubs should seek to keep members involved in decisions not only affecting their position but those that affect the club in general. This could include providing updates on decision made or seek advice or opinions from the members on a course of action to be taken.
- A major component of communication with members should be in recognising a member’s performance or contribution to the club.
- People will often respond best to communication, particularly feedback on performance (be it good or bad) if it’s don’t consistently. Clubs that are inconsistent in their communication may quickly lose the passion and drive of the member.
Last modified:
13 July 2023