1. Q2 2011 Anchorage Club #289 report 

2. Letter from SIUSA President Llana Smith

re: new membership priority

3. New Skal Video from Skal International

4. Q4 2010 SIUSA Region III Newsletter from V.P. Nahid Olfati

SKAL Anchorage Club # 289

Second Quarter 2011 Highlights:

April, 2011.  Monthly luncheon was held at Snow Goose Restaurant and Brew Pub in Anchorage. Excellent turnout.  New member, Elizabeth Johnson, of CIRI Alaska Tourism, was inducted by her sponsor, Ruth Rosewarne of the Alaska Railroad Corp.

Several guests were introduced. Among those was former Anchorage Skalleague, Tony Hancuff, who is returning to Anchorage after living in Anaheim, California for the past five years. Everyone was excited to welcome him “home”!!

May, 2011.  Maxine’s in Girdwood, Alaska (one hour South of Anchorage) was the location for our May 19 dinner meeting. Motorcoach transportation was provided by Club member, Tim Worthen, of Premier Alaska Tours. New member, James Pepper-Henry, Director of the Anchorage Museum was “musically” inducted by his sponsor, Jara Haas, also with the Museum.

Club EST, Mary Pignalberi, gave a report on the NAASC Congress held in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. She and Club Vice-President, Glen Hemingson, attended on behalf of SKAL Anchorage.

An Orlando, Florida vacation package was auctioned which raised $750.00 for our Club treasury.

June, 2011.  Club Executive Committee met on June 30. Officers discussed financial status which is good; plans, location and menu for the upcoming annual summer BBQ to be held July 21 and potential dinner meeting venues for remainder of calendar year. Candidates for Club membership were also discussed and vetted. Club President Tanguy Libbrecht has offered to represent SKAL Anchorage at the Int’l SKAL Congress in Turku, Finland. SIUSA Rep, John Woodbury, is unable to attend.

No monthly dinner meeting is held in June.

Membership total at the end of June, 2011 is 45 members.    

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October 31, 2011

Greetings from your SIUSA President, 

As promised, this is the third of my emails in a series to the entire membership of SKÅL INTERNATIONAL USA (SIUSA). The Skål year is half over and hopefully the Skål experience has enriched your life so far this year. By the way, Skål will go to a calendar year starting in 2013. We just returned about a month ago from the International Congress in Turku with some great memories and many new friends. If haven’t thought about it yet, please make plans to attend the next World Congress in South Korea; the experience is more than business and education, its personally rewarding. 

Now, to New Membership. I know that was the subject of my first email to you, and you may ask: Why is she addressing me on this again? We have a board, committee chairperson, or committee for that. Membership recruiting is everyone’s responsibility and job number one to keep our organization up-to-date and moving interactive tourism forward in today’s environment. The key to membership is individual responsibility to bring in a new member and help others do the same. What have YOU done to increase membership this year? Today?

**Special deal for new members starting November 1

Any new members brought into your club starting November 1st till the end of the year pay ONLY next year’s dues. You get 14 months for the price of 12!

Make a Target list

• Who are the movers and shakers in the industry? If you get them to join, the others will follow.
• What membership categories is your club not taking advantage of? One of the keys to Skål’s success is networking worldwide in our industry.
• Who is going to invite them to visit a meeting and when? So many times a Club starts with lists and assigns or asks for volunteers to invite prospective members but then all is forgotten. Pin the invitation down.
• Are there any past Skål members who might be convinced into rejoining? Many have enjoyed the experience but are embarrassed to rejoin on their own.
• Who are the younger potential members? They think that they have all the new equipment to help them market their product, but when everyone has the same stuff, and the same price, personal relationships will turn the tide. One young Skål member in the Pittsburgh Club was heard to say. “It’s fun being around these old guys and I am learning from them too”

Other Ideas:

Tag team approach. After you have made contact with a prospective member ask another member to call them.

Make new members a discussion at every meeting especially if you have a small club under 40. Go around the room asking for prospects and get a personal commitment to call them. Follow up sometime before the next meeting to insure attendance. Follow up after the meeting and close the sale.

Work with related organizations in your area for possible prospects. Conventions & Visitors Bureaus, Chambers of Commerce, Hotel/Motel Associations, State Tourism offices, Meeting Planners International, ASTA, etc., your group can think of many others.

Commitment and follow up is the key. Again, the proven way to get new members is for each member to bring one.

There are so many reasons to be in Skål. One could be that you believe that the whole of this industry is worth more than just the sum of its parts, and that you are a Skål member because believing in leaving tourism better off when you’re gone is a worthwhile goal. So get out there and get new members.

If you have questions or comments, do not hesitate to email or call me. I’m always ready to listen to new ideas. Have a wonderful week and remember, SIUSA Rocks! Skål, and thanks for everything you do for me and for SIUSA!

Llana Smith, CTC

SIUSA President

901-484-3895-cell

P.S.  Please plan to attend the NAASC Congress April 12-15, 2012 in Bermuda!!

Broadway Travel
112 East Broadway
West Memphis, AR 72301
870-735-5777-office
901-484-3895-cell
Files / Ficheros / Fichiers
SKAL Infosheet.pdf

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What is Skal?  Go to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCHmyxMoSqU

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