Do you want to join a book of the month club but cant find one thats near you? Maybe its time you started one! Thats right organizing a book of the month club is not hard if you know where to start and how. STEP 1: Be heard. Your first concern should be telling everyone about your club. Ask if you can put up posters around your neighborhood. Some good locations are bookstores, the town hall, church, frequently visited shops and even schools. You can also call for membership during public engagements, such as town meetings or after church services. If you have more time, why not go door-to-door? Youll get to meet a lot of people in your vicinity, and recruit new members, too. Remember: Unless you are organizing a book of the month club that caters to a very specific age group or background, your goal should be to reach and attract a diverse group of people the more dissimilar the attitudes and viewpoints of your members, the more stimulating your book discussions will be. In your posters and other advertising materials, make it clear that the club is open to anyone who loves books (and anyone who is willing to try). STEP 2: Lay down the ground rules. Once you already have a good membership base, hold a general assembly to discuss the rules and standards of your book of the month club. Some of the important things you should discuss include book reading schedules, cost limits to book choices, and the regularity of meetings and procedures for moving them to other dates. It might be a good idea to elect officers for the club, or at least delegate specific tasks to specific members (such as food and beverage arrangements, venue, etc). STEP 3: Listen to your members. Conduct an informal survey about the book preferences of your members. Everyone should get a chance to say what their expectations of the club are, what kinds of books they have already read, and what they look forward to reading, among other things. This is especially important if your book of the month club has a very diverse membership. |