SoA Strategy Priorities 2015: Progress Update and Plan
Purpose
The Management Committee discussed Strategy priorities for 2017 and subsequent years at its January 2017 meeting. This document provided an aide memoire and framework for that meeting and sets out decisions already made. Following the meeting the staff will provide detailed costings and plans in relation to any strategy decisions and priorities made.
The Tables
Over the course of 2014 to 2016, the Management Committee identified a number of strategy priorities. These were set out in an overall Strategy Plan and subsequently “Deep Dive” investigations have resulted in more detailed Strategy plans for Membership, Estates, Trusts and Prizes, Events and Property. The progress of these priorities is given in the tables below. In each table:
Column one sets out the priorities agreed,
Column two outlines the progress made to date,
Column three: The Management Committee had a Strategy Awayday in September 2015 which resulted in a number of ideas and suggestions, these have not been agreed but are included in italics in the third column of each section for ease of reference.
Column 4 sets out priorities and action already agreed for 2017 and priorities that might be agreed.
“Deep Dives” and Strategy Priorities in 2017
The Management Committee received governance training in November 2016 and it was pointed out that it is useful (as we have been doing) to concentrate on one or two areas for a “deep dive” each year. Past Deep Dive areas are:
2014 Membership, and Communications including the website,
2015 Estates, Trusts and Prizes, and Finance (including preparation of a Five year budget),
2016 Events (including Authors Everywhere) and Property.
For 2017 it has been agreed that detailed strategy plans will be produced for Campaigns, Membership and a Mentoring scheme and subcommittees have been set up to report and plan on these areas and report back to the Management Committee. Work is continuing and the sub-committees will set dates to report back to the Management Committee. It has been agreed to hold an Awayday later in the year to discuss specifically how the SoA uses funds received for bequests and any other surpluses. The Property Subcommittee will continue to oversee the proposed move of premises and the Finance Subcommittee to oversee financial planning.
The Management Committee’s five year budget approved in 2015 may of course need amendment in view of any agreed strategy decisions.
These notes only address the strategy priorities set and do not represent the entirety of the SoA’s activities and successes across the year.
2017 STRATEGIC PRIORITIESPRIORITIES / PROGRESS IN 2015 and 2016 / MC STRATEGY AWAYDAY SUGGESTIONS (not yet discussed or agreed) / POSSIBLE PRIORITIES FOR 2017 ON
Increasing membership / The Membership Strategy plan set a target of 1.5% growth – a 50% increase on the usual 1% rate of growth.
We ended 2015 with 9,525 members compared to 9,301 at the end of 2014. This represented growth of 2.4% – more than a 100% increase in our rate of growth.
We ended 2016 with 9838 members, a net gain for the year of 313, the first time we’ve ever broken 300 since our records began in 1996 (so probably ever). This represented growth of 3.3% – another huge increase in our rate of growth.
As well as new members, retention has increased: removals are down by 2.5%. More people are re-joining as well: reinstates are up 35%. (figs from late 2015)
AGREED for 2016
To update the strategy plan. DONE
To discuss what we mean by an author and who should be a member of the SoA at a meeting with the Council in February 2016. DONE
To discuss and agree membership initiatives with the assistance of a Membership Subcommittee which will report in the second half of the year. ONGOING / To offer a welcoming, inclusive and supportive atmosphere to all who are interested in producing high quality content, whatever their intended format or timescale
Establish big targets, lateral thinking, graded membership, and more perceivable benefits in order to retain and recruit members.
Go out into the field and finding out who our members (customers) really are and what they really want/need. Arrange a programme of focus groups to establish what writers actually want from the Society.
Ensure as a priority that the website supports our strategic aims.
Ensure as a priority that the website is at the leading edge of arts member organisations so it is attractive to younger members
Hugely increase the size of the membership, lower its average age and widen its ethnic diversity.
Aim for a hundred thousand or more affiliate members. / AGREED
To carry out a survey of our members
To discuss and agree membership initiatives with the assistance of a Membership Subcommittee.
To introduce some type of student membership.
To consider trialling a local group in Bristol.
SUGGESTED,
To raise the target of a 1.5% rate of overall growth to 2%. We hope to reach 10,000 next year and are planning ways to celebrate and publicise that.
To agree and implement a student membership scheme (see separate paper).
To implement a “friends” scheme (see separate paper).
To improve communications: particularly around the benefits of membership.
Engaging membership / The key sign of better engagement with members is increased retention. Members are being kept interested by more effective communication about the rest of our work.
Monthly newsletters have proved popular with excellent, above-industry-average rates of opening and clicking through. Website visits and social media interaction are also up, suggesting we’re engaging with members and the public alike.
We have introduced our new website and will continue to work on developing this including promoting discussion forums.
Our recruitment drive campaigns in 2015 used the power of individual recommendation – by far the greatest motivation to join. Members joined in on Twitter using the hashtag #NeedtheSoA. Although we have currently ceased encouraging this usage (to avoid fatigue and increase internal focus) members are continuing to recommend and praise us on social media. We will be considering the details of a new recruitment drive in light of the membership survey.
Our members have engaged through campaigns, social media (We now have well over 31,000 Twitter followers- up from 24000 this time last year) and events attendance.
Our new group for poets. Continues to be successful as do our other groups.
We developed a highly popular ‘Writers as Carers’ group in response to contact with the membership and are now opening other Forums for members.
We have developed and rolled out our ‘Authors Everywhere’ events policy.
We held a highly successful summer party for members.
The Author: is a vital part of what we do. The Author brings something different, and tangible, and is especially valued by older members and those whose demands on our advisory service tend to be very limited. Feedback in 2016 has been excellent.
AGREED FOR 2016
Membership Subcommittee to report later in the year. THE MSC IS CONSIDERING DIFFERENT ISSUES AND REPORTING PERIODICALLY
Events Strategy to be discussed at March Sub Committee meeting. DONE
New website to inform members in development. DONE
Implement Authors Everywhere strategy plan for events outside London and increased remote access. DONE
To continue to encourage members to stand for and vote in MC and group committee elections and to generally engage in the democratic running of the SoA. DONE THIS WAS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL WITH 14 CANDIDATES STANDING IN THE MANGEMENT COMMITTEE ELECTIONS / To carry on planning and delivering the high level of expert and informed guidance for authors that has been the hallmark of the organisation in recent years.
Work towards creating a more inclusive, interactive relationship with the membership, both current and expanded
Support and develop the new online forums to become successful in giving members the opportunity to exchange information.
Maximise the vast and untapped goodwill and experience of our members
Counteract the London-centred image of the Society by using the website as a stimulus for grassroots activities, organised by members with support from staff (See The Society for Editors and Proofreaders http://www.sfep.org.uk/)
Increase contact with members, especially those living beyond London and the Home Counties, building on use of modern media. / AGREED
Membership Subcommittee to continue to discuss and report later
New website to continue to be developed and monitored
Continue Authors Everywhere strategy plan for events outside London and increased remote access.
Survey members and report
To encourage use of Forums
SUGGESTED
To continue to communicate the full range of our work through all channels.
To involve our members as spokespeople for our causes and campaigns.
To use our Events Strategy to ensure that all events are well attended – looking at location, topic, timing, etc.
To repeat the summer party
To run “observed rates” surveys through our Forums to encourage website visits and provide useful information.
To continue to encourage members to stand for and vote in MC and group committee elections and to generally engage in the democratic running of the SoA.
Promoting Authors’ Financial and Contractual Terms / In a very busy and successful campaigning year how authors make a living continues to be at the top of our agenda.
a. We have set up a campaigns and lobbying subcommittee.
b. We have moved the CREATOR campaign forward cross industry. We got vast coverage with a successful campaign, we have met publishers and had some success in improving terms. Lobbying the Government and EU has produced a Digital Directive suggesting significant rights for authors including mandatory transparency, accounting and bestseller clauses.
c. we have close partnerships with UK and EU colleagues to ensure authors are protected post-Brexit
d. We ran a highly successful campaign on payment of authors for festivals- led by Philip Pullman, our president, with many festivals (including Oxford) now committing to pay
e. We have managed to obtain cross industry support to extend PLR to pay authors for remote ebook loans and the Government is committed to implement this.
f. We have an agreed manifesto of key issues which we will continue to push and develop. These include fighting on proposed plans for all self-employed people to submit quarterly tax returns
g On the individual level we continue to support authors in negotiating contracts and to liaise with publishers, festivals, universities and others on proposed terms.
AGREED for 2016
We are now moving the CREATOR campaign forward with the Creators Rights Alliance who have accepted the acronym and aims on this issue. DONE. WE HAD HUGE SUCCESS IN GETTING PUBLICITY ON THIS ISSUE AND MET WITH ALL THE MAJOR PUBLISHERS TO DISCUSS CONTRACT TERMS
A coordinated campaign will commence in the New Year and we will be asking members to support and get involved. THIS HAS BEEN POSTPONED PENDING THE DRAFTING OF OUR PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BILL BUT WILL COMMENCE IN 2017
We are setting up a campaigns and lobbying subcommittee. DONE
We have agreed to push for a voluntary scheme to pay authors for ebook loans and are in negotiation with key industry players around this. DONE- AFTER MUCH WORK AND DISCUSSION IT WAS AGREED TO PUSH FOR A STATUTORY SCHEME. WE ARE HOPING THIS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY BILL IN EARLY 2017
We will be launching WritersUK. DONE. HOWEVER IN ORDER NOT TO DILUTE OUR BRAND WE WILL BE ENSURING THAT THE SOA LOGO FEATURES PROMINENTLY ON ALL BRANDING
We have an agreed manifesto of key issues which we will continue to push and develop. CONTINUING / Campaigns, Lobbying and Advocacy
Ensure that successful campaigns translate into more publicity mileage.
Clarify and sharpen lobbying and campaign objectives so that they are measurable and demonstrate the impact of the investment from staff and MC members.
Continue to put resources into the campaigns that benefit all authors on the issues of copyright and unfair contracts (CREATOR) and use high-profile members to front campaigns.
Co-ordinate campaigns with ALCS and the Writer’s Guild under the Writer’s UK umbrella.
Link up with other similarly minded organisations
Deploy funds in aid of causes that benefit writers.
Appoint a professional, full time campaign manager
Increase the SoA’s capacity to fight the new rights battles emerging from the digital revolution by starting a sub-committee with a watching brief and exploring the possibility of appointing a trade union organiser.
Consider the impact of increased competition from ALCS
Look further into strengthening Writers’ Guild links including a possible merger. / AGREED
The campaigns and lobbying subcommittee has set up terms of reference. In 2017 it will:
· Agree and roll out a campaigns template to aid us in planning, implementing and evaluating campaigns.
· Monitor campaigns and advise on priorities and emphasis
· Fix a lead Management Committee member and high profile author for all campaigns
SUGGESTED
To consider the Awayday suggestions via subcommittee and report back.
To liaise with the Publishers Association to try to agree a strengthened PA Code of practice and promote it.
To focus on contesting proposed tax changes.
Empowering Members / The SoA’s USP has always been individual advice and this has continued with over 1000 contracts vetted in 2016 as well as a huge number and range of other member queries and problems. Although it is extremely staff- and time-intensive, members really appreciate being able to consult a living person on a case by case basis and all SoA staff are engaged in these activities. We continue to receive very positive feedback- including one grateful member who donated the £500 we helped her get back from a publisher to our PD James Memorial Trust (formerly the Pension Fund).