THE PRO LINE Getting into the Motion of Promotion Someone in your Branch has suggested setting up a display to promote the work of the Women‘s Institute and you have been appointed to the committee What are you going to do now? Consider the tive W’s: Why. Where. When. Who and What. ' A display is one way ofget- ting exposure forthe WI. Ifit is done well. it can improve the image of the organiza- tion. It can also help open the lines of communication with a variety of people. some of whom might be prospective members. A display can at- tract attention, arouse interest. stimulate thought and get action. For all these reasons. the Federated Women's Instiv tutes of Ontario provide a large. professtonally pre- pared. easy to assemble display board for Branches. Districts and Areas to use. The newest one. unveiled at the Centennial Prel- ude in Milton. combines the graphic from the front of the Home & Country with the silhou- ette ot' a famin and explains the objectives of the Women's Institute. It was prepared Willi the assistance of David Doyle. Exhibit Designer with Visual Communications Serv- ices :it the Ontano Ministry of Agriculture. Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) ofï¬ce in Guelph. working with Hilde Morden. Glenna Smith and Mary Jones. A table-top version of this display is also available for those occasions when the free-standing one is too large. Reservations for the board can be made through David Doyle at (519)767-3619. We have all seen displays in malls during Agriculture Awareness Week or Volunteer Week. Other times to set up displays are Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) days in April. International Women‘s Week in March and Women‘s Hisâ€" tory Month in October. The display could coincide with a special event in the commu- nity. such as a workshop. seminar or craft sale. Displays can be used wherever people meet - in libraries. museums. fairs. schools and home and garden shows. Perhaps your Branch prefers to create its OWn display board to go with its own particu» lar message and its own particular theme. Each Subdivision was represented at the Marketing the WI Workshop at Crieff Hills to Home a Country. Fall '95 An organization tor pets/Jrch growlh and :Dt‘nrnurtlly action a it WOMEN‘S ENSTITUTE i .. rm um mic-motion mum in mu m as am» we: in January. 1995‘ These repreSEntatives all learned how to create an effective exhibit. taking into consideration colour. lettering. layout. unity oftheme. subject matter. overall appearance and attention getting devices. As well. Rural Community Advisors from OMAFRA and 4-H leaders can provide ex- pertise and assistance in mounting a display. Attention getting devices are an important part of any display. These will make your display stand out from others and may be as straightforward as using spotlights. mini- ature lights on the display board, videos. slide presentations. demonstrations. music or a free draw. Other alternatives include games. quizzes. hands-on activities or promotional pencils or pens, Your committee’s imagina- tion can be most useful in this area. Take into account who will see the display. If there will be a lot of children around. balloons or colouring books will draw them and their parents to your display. Recipes also attract people. But. do you want your guests to leave with the impression that this is a child care group or a food and nutrition organization? Ifyou want them to leave with the impression that the Women‘s Institute is an organization for personal growth and community action. you will need to provide interesting information, The provincial ofâ€" ï¬ce is a good source of pamphlets about the organization in general. but every display must have local information readily available to be effective. The planning committee will have to spend time creating an attractive, appealing information handout which includes meeting times. places. con- tacts and projects. No amount of planning for a display is sufï¬cient if the people who staff the dis play area are not trained. Volunteers who answer questions and pass out in» formation are selling the organizationjust as much as the display and attention getters. An enthusiastic. warm. confident person. who is eager to answer questions will leave a posi- tive impression. Volunteers who are involved in other activities discourage people from stopping , Your choice of who staffs the display will ultimately create a suc- cess or failure Why. Where. When. Who. What: The planning committee take. all these aspects of display organization int account before the actual event. Take the time to snap a picture of the exhibit for future reference. The final step is to evaluate and keep a record ofwhat worked and what needs improvement, Good luck promoting WI! Written by Mary lunar. Public Relulitmr Oï¬it "for the Federated Women It Institutes of Ontario Anniversaries: Honeydale WI. Ontario South . . . . . . 60 Oxenden-Grandview, Grey West . . . 65 Campbell's Comer WI, Grey South . 70 Kaward WI. Grey West . . . . . . . . i . . 70 Fallbrooke WI. Lanark South . . . 75 Castlemore WI, Peel South . . 85 Marmara WI. Hastings North . . . . . 85 Beamsville WI. Lincoln . . . . . . . . . . . so Elmview WI, Northumberland West . Embro WI, Oxford North . . . . . . . . . . 90 Fenelon Falls WI. Victoria East . . . . Oxford North Distrlct . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Bowmanville WI, Durham W. . . 95 Life Memberships: Marmara WI, Hastings North -' Eiteen Demorest ' - Mary Hickey