2009 Membership Breakout

Retention

  • Add a personal touch by following-up personally with new attendees to your events.
  • Keep a sign-in sheet for each event and make sure someone keeps track of following up with the new attendees. Possibly divide many new attendees among officers to share the responsibility and also allow for many officers to meet the new members.
  • On this sign in, perhaps have a check box for New Returnee? or JETAA Member?
  • Ask new members/potential members of their interests and if they show any interest ask them to host or lead an event/activity
  • Offer mentorship to new returnees on job search, reverse culture shock, etc.
  • Offer transportation and carpool to/from events.
  • Make contact with returned alumni as soon as you receive the list from Consulate or CLAIR.
  • Email and call new returnees. Make the extra effort to get in touch with them.

Returnee Party/Picnic

  • Most chapters suggested holding this event in the Fall (September through October)
  • Some hold Happy Hours between the official return date of JETAs and the official date of the returnee event in the Fall.
  • Best/Suggested formats Picnic, BBQ, or other outdoor activity. Post on FB and through the Consulate.

Branding

  • Attend JET Program events as Alumni and spread the good word about JETAA!
  • Post events on Facebook and invite current JET participants to join the group. If they see that there are lots of cool events going on they will be more likely to remember to join when they return.
  • Keep in touch with those in Japan via Facebook to maintain the connection.
  • Include information for other JETAA organizations in your email communications with new returnees and also include this in newsletters and other publications in print or online.

Database Thoughts

  • Some chapters use a spreadsheet and manually update it with the necessary information.
  • Some use surveys to ask information that they will then use to manually update (make sure to ask for email in the survey or you won't know which records to update when you get the aggregate information.)
  • Some contact members with S.A.S.Postcard and request a response.
  • Some use their website to request information from new JETAs and manually update.

Survey Questions

What kind of events would you attend?
How often do you anticipate participating in JETAA events?
What type of event interests you?
Do you want to host any events? If so, what kind?
How have you participated in past events?
Are there any events that you would have participated in if you could?
Please rate our newsletter/website.

National AJET - Collaborate with JETs in Japan

  • Inform National AJET of events and notices that they could include in their newsletters or send out via listserve.
  • Become member of National AJET Facebook page and post messages and events so that all membership can see.

Fundraising

  • Cost Share to stretch dollars.
  • If you have a newsletter, whether online or print, consider selling ads.
  • Career Fairs or Forums can be a good way to fundraise. Charge both for- and non-profit vendors a fee to exhibit. Give the NPOs a cheaper rate.
  • Use the Shinnenkai or other popular events to raise a few extra funds.
  • Organize competitive sports tournament in the community and charge per team. This is also a great way to build and retain membership.

Links, Surveys, Other Thoughts

  • EROI - database you could use to organize mailings
  • zabasearch.com - You could pay to search for member information
  • CRs could email all returnees (via list from CLAIR) and invite them to join a chapter near them (information would be included in email.)
  • Send notices to prefectural advisors (P.A.s)
  • Survey departing JETs and ask if any have Blogs if some could be used in newsletters.
  • Join each others Facebook pages (USA JETAA chapters)
  • Golf Eikaiwa - organizing golf with local Japanese for language exchange
  • Put up pictures on website, Facebook, etc. to let visitors and JETAs know that you're active and that you actually exist!
  • Include a mix of spontaneous and some planned events.
  • Should there be a standard survey used by all JETAA USA chapters?
  • Include testimony of recently returned JETAs on website or other material (on how much they love participating in JETAA).
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