A printed Directory provides many Benefits to an Organization and its Members
Many organizations print and distribute a member Directory, which contains a listing of all members and corresponding contact information.
Organizations that regularly print directories include professional trade associations, chambers of commerce, school and alumni groups, clubs, churches, foundations and others.
The primary Benefits of printing a Directory for your organization include-
1) It Promotes Your Organization - In order to prosper, all groups and associations must attract and retain quality members. A printed directory is an excellent way to emphasize the benefits of membership. It is also a great way to share interesting articles and accomplishments, plus highlight your organization's history and its vision for the future.
2) It Provides an Easy Format to Stay in Touch - A well-organized directory makes it simple for members and leaders to keep in touch with one another. Member listings can be grouped in a variety of ways, such as alphabetically, geographically or by specialty. Also, directories are often created with indexes and tabs to assist in locating the information. Many directories encourage member interaction by including a calendar of upcoming events such as seminars, conferences and social activities.
3) It Helps Generate Revenue - Directories often contain advertisements for products and services which may be of interest to the members. Organizations use the revenue from these ads to cover the printing costs of the directory and for general fund raising. Directories are also a good vehicle for encouraging membership renewal, soliciting donations and dues, or promoting fund drives. A member directory can even be produced with remittance envelopes inside.
4) It Enhances the Value of Membership - When a member receives a professionally-printed directory, it is a tangible reminder of the importance of his/her membership in the organization. In addition to providing year 'round contact information for fellow members and leaders, a directory often includes articles of interest, organizational updates, industry news, upcoming events, surveys and more. Also, if the organization accepts advertising, the directory may contain special offers or discounts to members.
Never Created a Directory Before? Here's a Few Tips-
A printed membership directory is usually created as 8.5" x 11" or 5.5" x 8.5". These are the two most economical size choices. Also, directories are usually bound with the spiral binding method unless the page count is relatively low, in which case saddle stitch binding may be the better option.
For a professional look, the cover of a directory is usually printed in full color. In addition, full color photos and images are commonly used within the directory. Contact information and member listings are usually printed in black ink.
To streamline the process, some printers will even ship the finished copies to all your members. This will save you the time, energy and hassles associated with physical distribution.
Important: Get your Printer involved early in the Process
If you are planning to create a printed directory, it is recommended that you contact your printer early in the process to discuss all your options. Just five minutes with your printer at the beginning of your directory project can save days of headaches down the road.
Give Formax Printing Solutions a call when it's time to work on your next directory. We can help you with the printing and distribution.
Take care! Rick
