Give The Members What They Want!

SunnyHillsPTA1

Survey results from PTA members across the country have helped National PTA understand more about what our members want and need from their PTA membership.

This research has been instrumental in providing us with insight for moving forward in securing new benefit providers, creating programs and initiatives, and tailoring our resources.  When was the last time you surveyed your member base? Are you aware of what parents really want from their PTA membership at every level? Knowing and responding to the needs of our membership is critical to remaining relevant to their lives and in the lives of their children.

This school year, ask questions before making plans. Before scheduling PTA meeting times, do a quick survey and ask members what times and even locations they prefer? Is daycare a necessity? Is translation of materials needed? Having the answers to these few questions alone and incorporating them into your unit, can increase meeting attendance, membership growth, and enhance the PTA experience in your school and community.

Whether you use a formal survey tool such as SurveyMonkey or Zoomerang or a simple conversation with members to elicit feedback, the answers can help shape your PTAs future direction, and ensure all perspectives are taken into account. PTAs can also use social media to get quick responses from members on important topics. Sunny Hills Elementary PTA in Washington State used Facebook to post the link to their year-end survey:

At National PTA we continue to review  the survey results to aid us  shaping what we offer our members and our units. For example, the survey revealed that the #1 requested discount by PTA members was a discount in school supply stores. Well, if you haven’t heard by now, PTA membership now offers exclusive discounts at Staples stores! PTA members who log onto PTA.org/activate to activate their 2013-2014 membership cards, will then be able to sign up for the PTA Staples Rewards program and begin saving. Year round savings include: 10% discount on supplies and 25% discount on copy and print purchases, with some exclusions. This flyer will help you promote the new Staples discount and all of our other member benefit discounts as well.

What was probably the most prominent statistic from the National PTA survey, is also the one constant mission of PTA. Outside of discounts, the #1 reason parents join PTA is to play a role in their child’s educational success. While this statistic was not new news to us and is probably not new news to you, the survey does help reinforce our goal. Let’s be sure to give the members what they want!

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