Whether your chapter is updating its strategic plan and looking for new focus areas, trying to increase member engagement, or recruiting new leaders on the board, a membership survey can be a very useful tool. Below you will find a list of survey strategies, best practices, and uses by TU chapters. This is a simple and effective way to engage local members in chapter functions and conservation in our watershed!
Why Use a Membership Survey? - Ideas from Chapters
Surveys, when done right, can provide a lot of useful information to chapters. Below are a few ways that TU and chapters have utilized surveys to engage members and advance their mission:
Gauging interests from members (including speaker topics, events, methods of communications, etc.)
Identifying projects - TU members are on the water a lot, use them as a resource to identify areas of conservation need.
Recruiting new leaders - when a member responds to a survey about what projects they would like to see the chapter take on in the watershed, they have taken an important step as a local TU advocate. Use survey responses to create a list of potential leaders who care about specific topics and engage them in a way that offers an opportunity for them to make a difference.
Tips for effective TU Member Surveys
Use an online platform like Survey Monkey or Google Forms to create free online surveys. Send the link in your regular membership communications, as well as a specific email blast to your membership.
Offering a prize drawing for completed survey responses can boost your overall response rate. A donated reel/rod, some hand-tied flies, or a gift certificate to a local restaurant can be great incentives.
Make sure that every question is necessary. Avoid lengthy surveys - short and simple is best (try to keep it to 5-10 questions).
Try to incorporate response scales when appropriate (1-5 rankings, check-boxes ).
Follow up! In your next email to members after the survey is complete, share your results and make a plan for how your chapter will be working on those issues. This is a good time to solicit volunteer help from people who are interested. Also, reach out directly to survey respondents and offer a way for them to get involved on the issues they identified. Some chapters have an informal meet-and-greet with the board to discuss the results.
Types of Questions
There are many different issues that a survey could address - from conservation issues on a specific reach of river to general chapter interests. Work with your survey team to identify what questions/answers would help your chapter move forward on its objectives. Some types of questions include:
Engagement
How often do you read chapter emails? What is your preferred method of communication? What method of communication do you see chapter information the most (Facebook, Instagram, emails, website, etc.)?
What types of chapter events would you be interested in participating in? (checkbox options: film screenings, youth outings, trash clean-ups, etc.)
What types of speakers or presentations would you be most interested in (checkbox options)
How engaged are you with TU issues? Would you be interested in becoming more involved with the local TU chapter?
What factors limit your ability to participate at local TU chapter events? (checkbox options: time of day, work, family responsibilities, travel, non-resident, etc.)
Conservation
What is your overall satisfaction with the quality of fishing on Reach A? (1-5)
What is your overall satisfaction with the amount of public access on Reach A? (1-5)
Are there water quality or other environmental issues that you have seen in the watershed (or on Reach A) that you would like TU to work on? Please describe the issue and reach.
Would you be interested in volunteering on the following kinds of conservation projects: (checkbox list: native trout stocking, willow planting, trash-clean-up, youth projects, etc.)
General Membership Questions
Why did you become a TU member?
What is your level of awareness regarding TU projects in the watershed?
How often do you participate in local chapter events?
Why would you choose to renew or not renew your membership?
Would your business be interested in partnering with the local TU chapter?
Would you be interested in working with the local TU chapter board to implement projects in the area?
Framing the Survey
The local TU chapter is updating its strategic plan and needs your input
The local TU chapter is finding new ways to connect local members and wants your ideas for events and ways to get involved
The local TU chapter is working on Issue X and needs your feedback on potential solutions.
Survey Timeline
Work with team to identify survey objectives and scope questions accordingly
Create survey and marketing materials. Procure any drawing prize if necessary.
Create and “end date” for the survey to help people know when they need to respond by. Most surveys could be conducted over a 2-week to 2-month timeframe.
Advertise the survey through your chapter’s online communications (email blast, link in monthly newsletters, social media, public media - if appropriate).
Collect survey responses, analyze data, create action plan for chapter based on results
Report results and action plan to members. Engage survey respondents when feasible.
These are just a few different types of questions that your chapter can use based on it’s goals for outreach. You can always send multiple surveys throughout the year, so you don’t have to fit it all into one.
For questions or guidance, please feel free to reach out to Dan Omasta (domasta@tu.org).
