Internal Growth and Outward Change

How to Grow a Chapter

I’m asked quite often by chapter leaders how to get members to become more involved, and I’m asked by contest directors how to get people to show up to contests. I’m glad to help with these questions. The IAC did not become what it is without people working very hard to grow it, and we can never stop working if we want to build on what our past leaders gave us.

The basic formula for growing enthusiasm is conceptually simple yet still challenging to implement, because it requires adhering to what is for most people an unnaturally positive frame of mind.

The first step is to remember that the sport is just as exciting now as it was when you started. If you are new to aerobatics, that’s easy, but a lot of chapter leaders have been doing this awhile, and they can forget how much fun it is. So, if that describes you, think back to what you felt the first time you flew a loop. No matter how long ago that was, I promise you that people haven’t changed since then! Aviation isn’t quite as present in the media as it once was, but when we show airplanes to people, they like what they see. You can trust people to respond positively.

This means that it isn’t your job to solve everyone else’s problems finding the money and time the sport requires. Instead, show them how fun it is to fly aerobatics and let them solve those problems on their own, the same way you did when you felt the first rush of enthusiasm.

The art of building excitement for something is called “marketing,” which I’ve put in quotes just to remind you that a lot of people have already studied how to do this, and they are very, very good at it. They are so good at it that people make important decisions all the time about what car (or airplane) to buy, who to vote for, where the best place to live is, and which dentist to go to without even realizing that they’ve been swayed by successful marketing. So, don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Read a book instead, or pay attention to what makes others successful.

The most successful IAC chapters have leaders who love the sport and who love sharing their passion. They build genuine relationships through regular social contact. They exude powerful positive energy that everyone wants to be around. They don’t waste one second wishing that more people would come to their next contest; they make it a sure thing by engaging with every possible attendee on social media, in email, and on the phone.

It might seem obvious, but one of the tricks to getting what you want from people is to tell them what you want. We tend to build relationships without speaking directly, but it works surprisingly well to just plainly say what you are looking for. So, if you want your chapter to grow, you can start the process by just mentioning that to everyone you meet.

Notice I did not say you should complain about a lack of growth or that you should waste time blaming someone else for a lack of growth. I’m saying you should talk about your goal in a positive manner. Successful chapter leaders do not hold grudges; they are too busy enjoying everyone for who they are. They do not complain; they are too busy finding solutions to problems.

As I alluded previously, in a sense this is not very complicated, but that doesn’t mean it is easy!

A Change to Sport Aerobatics

Last month I talked a bit about the IAC’s budget shortfall. This month I want to give everyone a heads-up that the publication schedule for Sport Aerobatics is changing. After reviewing our expenses with our treasurer, Jordan Ashley, I asked the board to move the magazine to a six-issue-per-year publication schedule in 2021. This will accomplish two things: it will save us a great deal of money in printing and shipping costs (we project nearly $50,000); and it will allow us to free up resources that can be better applied to online communication.

I understand that the monthly arrival of Sport Aerobatics is welcomed by everyone, including me, but print magazines are expensive compared to digital formats. We will not cut back on the amount of content we produce; we will just deliver it to you in a more cost-effective way through electronic means.

The next issue you receive will be the January issue, of course, and after that you will not receive a new issue until March. Our editor, Lorrie Penner, will use her free time in February to create new exclusive digital-only content. It’s important to note that at this point we are reaching more people digitally than via the print magazine. Our In the Loop newsletter alone has 12,000 subscribers each month. With a greater focus on digital publication we will improve our visibility even further.