Chapter Chair Playbook - American Wine Society

AWS CHAPTER CHAIR PLAYBOOK

Add Links where noted.

Dear fellow wine enthusiast and chapter organizer,

Thank you for your willingness to lead a chapter of the American Wine Society.

This Chapter Playbook stems from the many years of experience of those who founded and operated chapters. It tackles many of the issues you will confront in founding and continuing to run a chapter, no matter what type of chapter you envision. We look forward your feedback to improve the playbook.

The AWS is always expanding the value and services we extend to chapters and members. To stay on top of everything, be sure to attend the quarterly Uncork & Discover virtual sessions and read all emails from the National Office, including the AWS News. Share this information with your chapter. Likewise, regularly re-visit this playbook to refresh your memory, and visit the online library of Chapter Resources to connect with a chapter chair mentor, discover how to find speakers and wine presentation materials—PowerPoints, videos, handouts, and more.

Feel free to contact the National Office, the regional ambassador of your region, or me, for any further assistance. Be sure to keep us up to date on your progress so we can all celebrate your chapter and the continued growth of the American Wine Society.

Cheers,

Natalie Dippenaar

Executive Director

American Wine Society

executivedirector@americanwinesociety.org

Chapter Standards

Chapters are largely self-governing. However, to ensure that local chapters reflect the value of the AWS and serve their members, chapters must meet minimum standards. AWS chapters come in many genres. Some are purely wine tasting, others wine and food, still others are amateur wine makers. The below requirements respect the diversity within the AWS and are not intended to standardize chapter operations.

Minimum membership

A chapter must have at least 8 members. The chapter experience is about sharing the enjoyment of wine with other members.

Wine and Education

As a chapter of a non-profit educational organization, regular meetings should include an educational component, which could be as simple as an introduction of the wine and solicitation of comments or as complex as a professional presentation.

Regular meetings

A chapter should meet at least six times per year. While it is up to the chapter membership to decide when and how often to meet, it’s difficult to keep a chapter active if you meet fewer than six times per year. Most chapters meet monthly.

Three-Meeting Rule

Non-members/guests are limited to attending a total of three AWS events in their lifetime. After three, they cannot attend additional events unless they become a member. AWS provides liability insurance coverage for chapter events. Allowing guests to continue attending without becoming members is a violation of AWS policy and jeopardizes insurance coverage.

Mutual Benefit

AWS chapters shall be operated for the benefit of all of its members, rather than the financial benefit of an individual, couple, or business. While many chapters are housed in restaurants and wine shops and have beneficial arrangements with those businesses, or are run by an individual or couple, chapter finances should be kept separate and used for the benefit of the group at large.

Chapters not meeting these minimum standards may be deactivated by the AWS Board of Directors. If your chapter is having trouble meeting any of these requirements, please contact the AWS National Office. We will be happy to help you get the chapter back on track.

Chapter Types

What kind of chapter will you be? The AWS has chapters across country in many molds. Check out our list of most common chapter models (link). Choose one of those or create your own!

Chapter Organization

The most common reasons for chapter collapse are burnout and lack of leadership, especially when a single individual or a couple accepts all of the responsibility for running a chapter. It is essential that you share the work of administering a chapter. This helps to create the next group of local leaders, and the next group of regional and national leaders. The leadership structure of your chapter is largely up to you.

Committee Requirements

Optimally, a chapter should have a chair, vice-chair or co-chair, and a secretary/treasurer. Ideally, the treasurer should be someone not directly connected with the chair. The duties of the secretary may include sending out e-mail announcements, maintaining chapter paperwork, and administering the chapter social media pages. Before your first meeting, identify 1-2 interested individuals to help run the chapter

Large Committees

Some chapters have very large executive committees that include a special events coordinator, programming chair, scholarship chair, web-master, glass wranglers, newsletter editors, and other posts depending upon the chapter’s goals and needs.

Administering Your Chapter

Some chapters have bylaws, although that is not required. Here are some samples of bylaws (link) from other chapters. Chapters often hold elections every year or two to bring in new volunteers and ideas.

Alert Us to Changes

Let the National Office know who is your chapter chair and if that changes. The chair is the only point of contact with the National Office for chapter business.

Where to Recruit Members

It may seem obvious, but tell your friends, and ask them to tell their friends. Word of mouth has historically been our best source of new members. Along those same lines, leverage social media, both via your personal posts and by creating public accounts for your chapter. See below for more social media tips.

Recruiting Tools

Drop AWS brochures at locations where wine enthusiasts visit, such as local wineries, wine stores, and restaurants. You can request brochures from the National Office.

Offer to do tastings at those same locations.

The chapter, or chapter chair, can create business cards for the members to distribute whenever/wherever they encounter people who want to learn more about wine. Keep them in your car or wallet. Include contact information. The distributing people can write their name on the back of the card.

Publish your events on localwineevents.com.

Offer membership to membership of nearby chapters. And be sure to welcome members visiting from other chapters, near and far.

How to join AWS

Send prospective members to the Join Us Page. During the process, new members can choose two chapters to affiliate with. They will appear on the rosters of both chapters, who should welcome them and invite them to future events. Members can see all nearby chapters using the interactive chapter map. When joining or renewing, members must choose what type of membership they want, individual, household or professional, and whether they are signing up for a one-year membership or three-year discounted membership.

The Value of AWS Membership

When you are recruiting new members, you may encounter questions such as, “What do we get for our membership?” or “Why not just drink wine on our own?” Here’s how the AWS enhances the exploration of wine for the individual and the chapter. It’s the greatest deal in the wine world!

Individual Benefits

New wine friends as part of the largest national community of people who love wine and want to learn more about it
Discounts at wineries throughout the U.S. through AWS Welcome Here Program
Access to wine travel
Improved wine judging skills through AWS Wine Judge Certification Program
In-depth wine education with WineSmarts
Eligibility to attend the annual AWS National Conference, the best consumer wine event in the country
The quarterly magazine, AWS Wine Journal, and the bi-monthly newsletter, AWS News
Discounted entry fees for the AWS Amateur or Commercial Wine Competitions.
Ability to attend tastings at any open chapter in the country when traveling.

Chapter Benefits

$1 million of host liability insurance coverage (link) for official AWS chapter events, protecting the chapter, the members attending, and the venue against incidents arising from the event that are caused by the chapter’s/AWS’s negligence
Support from National Office staff to start and grow your chapter
Access to donated or discounted wine for your tastings (link to letter?)
Access to professional guest speakers from the wine industry (link to letter?)
A resource library and other programming assistance for local chapter tastings that you enjoy every month.
Participation in the AWS Educational Foundation, with auctions and other fundraising opportunities. (AWSEF gives scholarships to oenology and viticulture graduate students)
Participation in the National Tasting Project, an annual program in which chapters across the country taste and score the same wines.

Chapter Finances

Why have a treasury?

Fund special events, such as picnics, dinners or holiday tastings
Underwrite costs for special tastings
Make contributions to charities such as the AWS (general programs), CRU 100 (chapter education projects), or AWS Educational Foundation (for master’s and doctoral viticulture scholarships)
Build a cushion should something go wrong with an event or meeting. Chapter leadership should not be personally responsible for such expenses.

How chapters earn money

Annual Dues

Some chapters have annual chapter dues in order to accumulate money to buy good quality tasting glasses, fund a special event like a Christmas wine dinner, or make a charitable contribution. By doing this, all chapter members contribute equally. The choice is yours based on what your members prefer.

Guest Fees

It’s reasonable to charge a non-member guest $5-$10 to attend a meeting. A guest surcharge offers an incentive to join the AWS and helps underwrite the cost of a tasting. Some chapters refund the guest fees paid by non-member guests when they join the AWS.

Tasting Fees

The main source of revenue for any chapter is meeting fees. How much you charge for a tasting depends on the cost of the wines, how much wine is poured, and the number of wines poured.

Chapter checking accounts

Many chapters have a checking account to keep any excess funds and pay expenses. It’s the best place to keep excess funds, very useful when members pay for a tasting by check, or for keeping an official record of the income and expenses for a tasting.

Opening a checking account

To open a checking account, you’ll need a chapter FID (Federal ID) number or personal Social Security number to link the account to. Get specific details on what you will need before heading to the bank. Be sure to have a second signatory on the account, such as the chapter chair or vice chair, in case the treasurer is unable to act.

Chapters can apply to the IRS for their own FID number, but most have the account linked to the treasurer’s Social Security number. The account and checks are in the name of the AWS chapter, so no need to reprint checks when the treasurer changes. You can visit the bank and ask to have the account switched from the current treasurer’s SS number to the new person’s.

Online payment platforms

Consider using a service such as Venmo or PayPal to easily accept tasting payments from attendees. This should be a separate account, not your personal account. Be sure attendees do not check the box for a business guarantee when paying, or you will be charged a fee. This is a friends and family transaction. You can then transfer the payments into your chapter checking account.

Finding a Venue

To create a chapter that can grow and become a cultural force in your community, you will need a venue. Your chapter can certainly start off as a home-based chapter, and some remain so, but we hope you aspire to grow. With a little footwork, you can have a thriving chapter that spreads the benefits of AWS to the broadest number of people.

Here are some tips for securing a venue:

Where to look

Social clubs, fire halls, libraries, church halls, community centers, neighborhood clubhouses, and higher-education institutions. One of your members may even be affiliated with a group, which can open the door to using the facility.
Colleges with culinary arts or hospitality programs. AWS could also be an asset and a resource for its staff and of-age students.
Restaurants and BYOBs, hotels, wineries, and wine shops.

For every venue

Mention that the AWS has liability insurance coverage for events. [What language are we using for this throughout the playbook?]
Emphasize the AWS educational mission and non-profit status. Our events are educational tastings—not parties.
Welcome the venue staff to attend your meetings. It’s a great way to grow your chapter, and it enhances their wine knowledge.
The specific organization, region of the country, and local laws could influence how a venue views or permits alcohol. The venue must be okay with the chapter bringing and handling its own wine.
Many venues charge a usage fee. You can build this fee into the cost of your event, so attendees share the expense.
Fees can sometimes be reduced if the chapter doesn’t require wait staff and brings its own glasses/linens.
The venue can benefit by introducing its offerings to AWS members, who may make purchases before or after your event. If the venue sells wine or food, you could include those in your events.

Nail down the details

What is included in the price?
Do you have access to a kitchen, stove or refrigerator?
Do you need to bring your own wine glasses, silverware, plates and linens?
Can you move tables/chairs?
Is there wifi and video capability.
Is cleanup required?
What time can you arrive to set up? What time must you vacate?

Your First Meeting

After you have a venue and a date for the chapter’s first meeting announced through your email list, news release and/or Facebook, and the chapter has been added to the national website as a selection for those new members who join online, now what?

Here are the next steps.

Have a tasting presentation ready

Something simple, offering a range of wine styles (reds & whites) to appeal to a broad audience. Consider themes such as “5 S’s of Wine Tasting” or “California Road Trip” which offer topics that are simple and inexpensive. You can find presentation ideas in the Chapter Resources and by checking out the Chapter Events in the bi-monthly AWS News.

Make a plan for food and wine costs

Have attendees bring wine and food to share, or divvy up the cost of both and include that in the tasting fee.

Create sign-in sheet

Collect emails and names of attendees in order to stay in contact with current and new attendees who may have seen your chapter on social media, or online.

Present initial remarks about AWS

Discuss the AWS in more detail afterward, using the “Values” sheet in this Playbook as a jumping point.

Explain the AWS Scoring Sheet

Walk through the scoring sheet (link) that we use at every event to be sure we discuss and learn about the wines. Consider sending this how-to video to attendees ahead of time.

Assure group of regular meetings

Attendees will want reassurance that the group will meet regularly. Make it clear that the chapter will be a fixture in the community and will welcome ideas for chapter operations and events.

Create a calendar for future events

Let attendees know about upcoming dates and where you have vacancies for hosting. Offer suggestions for future themes.

Have membership brochures available

If you do not have brochures, please call or email the National Office to request all the brochures you need.

Don’t push immediate membership

Give your attendees a chance to review the brochure or other presented material and decide if they would like to become a member. Remind them they can attend three meetings before they must officially join the AWS, and they can apply online.

Keep it fun!

Create fun ideas to keep the energy in the group up and consider having a wine or wine accessory raffle. Ask the national office about ordering AWS swag!

Meeting Best Practices

How you conduct your meeting is up to you and your chapter. Each has its own goals and vibe. But if you are wondering what other chapter chairs do, here are a few suggestions for best practices for running your meetings/tastings.

Take members’ pulse

Periodically poll your members to see if the meeting format meets their expectations, and consider adjusting accordingly.

The more details, the better

Provide members as many details as possible in your email invitations. Include:

Theme
Host
Contact information
Date
RSVP deadline
Specific location (link to Google map is nice)
Price
Payment collection
Refund information
Capacity limits
Parking
How much food to expect (light bites or a full meal, etc.)
What to bring, including any food or wine glasses
Add a disclaimer (link)
Discuss in advance how your hosts/venue expect to run their tasting, so there are no surprises.

Meeting kickoff

Some chapters begin with an official meeting that has an agenda and follows Robert’s Rules of Order. Others have an open re-cap of what has and will be happening with chapter events and national AWS news.

Be sure to welcome and introduce new members and guests before every meeting. Consider assigning a veteran member to make sure they understand the format, meet people and continue to feel welcome. Decide ahead of time who will sit with them. Encourage first-timers to view this helpful video on using the AWS score sheet.

Thank the hosts before and after every meeting.

Keep it organized

Consider name tags to make it easier to get to know each other and remember names.

Keep an attendance list/track who paid, in case you are ever asked to document that an attendee has not exceeded the three-meeting limit as a guest.

The Tasting

The tasting itself can follow multiple formats, from seated, to standing, to video to a seated meal. In fact, it’s great to mix it up every month. Regularly poll your members to make sure you are meeting their expectations. Above all, it should be educational (and fun). Educational materials can be printed, emailed ahead of time, or shared via PowerPoint presentation. Whatever works for your members.

Pricing the tasting

Be sure to include expenses for the venue, the wine, and the food. You can set a limit for how much a host can spend on wine and food. You can also decide to charge the same fee every month or vary it based on the event.

Generally, a 750ml bottle of wine can provide a nice sized tasting for 12-18 people. Measured pourers, like those used in bars, can help to regulate how much wine is being poured. Donated or discounted wines also help keep down the costs or yield a greater profit.

The presentation

Most often, chapter leaders and members research and present wine tastings. Don’t be daunted! AWS has numerous resources for ideas and step-by-step tasting instructions (link) in the Chapter Chair Resources, and you can see what other chapters are doing in the Chapter Events section of the bi-monthly AWS News. Some chapter presenters are willing to share their materials if you simply ask. The internet is also full of wine-tasting ideas.

Let the experts do it

Some chapters have great success finding winemakers and industry professionals to present either in-person or via video. Don’t be shy about seeking out these people, as they love sharing their love of wine. Here’s a sample letter (link) to send to professional presenters.

Virtual Tastings

Virtual tastings can be an easy way to attract numerous people and get winemakers and industry professionals from anywhere in the world to easily conduct your tastings. AWS has a sample letter (link) that you can use to solicit speakers. Zoom is preferred for virtual tastings. The National Office has several licenses for you to use, if you don’t have an account.

Before you start

Ensure you have a strong internet connection and that your speaker and any virtual attendees have Zoom details (meeting ID, code, etc.). Have your wine prepared in advance.

A large-screen TV or LCD projector may be necessary, depending on the size of your group. A smaller group could do well with a computer screen or a TV. Test audio and visual beforehand.

During the tasting

Spin the camera around so the speaker can get a good sense of the group, venue, and While your audience may be able to see the speaker well, the speaker may not ave a good view of attendees depending upon the camera placement.

Expanding the audience

Consider teaming up with a nearby chapter for a Zoom tasting and promoting it to other more distant chapters who can attend virtually. With the ability to personally describe their wines and place them in context, some wineries may be willing to sell your chapter library.

Communication & Social Media

Communicating with members and promoting your chapter has never been easier with the Internet and social networking sites such as Facebook and Instagram and marketing sites such as LocalWineEvents.com. You also should encourage your members to read all communications from the national AWS (email announcements, AWS News, etc.) and attend the quarterly Uncork & Discover informational sessions about what is going on nationally.

Stick to AWS branding

However you choose to communicate, you should adhere to AWS branding guidelines (link) to maintain uniformity and be recogniable as a part of our national AWS community.

Chapter communications

At minimum, a chapter needs its own email account that can be passed on and administered by others in the future. Gmail and Yahoo offer some of the best free email services.

Communications should be consistent, with plenty of advance notice of chapter event dates (keep and publish a running calendar) and topics, so members can plan to attend. Some chapters send regular newsletters that summarize the previous tasting and wines served and announce upcoming events/calendar items. These can be as simple as a standard email or a more creative newsletter created on the free Mailchimp.com.

Evite and EventBrite are easy ways to invite members and guests to chapter events and to track RSVPs and even collect advance payments.

Chapter rosters | new and expiring members

Chapter chairs and co-chairs will automatically receive an updated chapter membership roster every week. Be sure to check for new and expiring members (sort the spreadsheet by membership expiration dates).

New members should receive a welcome letter from the chapter chair. Here is an example (link). It should include what to expect at tastings, how often you meet, any additional chapter dues, and a link to the video on using the AWS score sheet. Expiring members should be reminded to renew in order to continue attending chapter events and receiving AWS benefits.

Consider keeping an email list of former members and people who have expressed interest but have yet to join. Include them in your regular chapter communications. If they see what events you are holding, they may attend in the future when their situation allows. We have numerous stories of former members re-joining and people who learned about us long ago finally having enough interest or time to attend. If you don’t continue to market to them, they can’t join you.

Create a website

Some chapters create their own free website to market their events. Others rely almost exclusively on social media for communicating with members and marketing to potential new ones.

Here are some tips for utilizing social media sites:

Facebook

To get the most out of a Facebook chapter page, recruit one person to make the page and make sure at least a few chapter members are Administrators to help run the page and to have backups in case someone is no longer able to serve as an Administrator.

Use your page to create events, send invitations and collect RSVPs to events your chapter will host. It’s great to post pictures of recent tastings or trips, share links to interesting news articles about wine, and answer questions about wine or the AWS. You can interact with other AWS members and chapters in close to real time.

Facebook connects AWS members to their chapters and each other, strengthening our national community of wine appreciators. The more you post, the more members stay engaged. Don’t be discouraged if your posts aren’t getting many “likes” at first. It takes time to gain followers and friends to start sharing content with.
Encourage your members to follow your social media feeds along with the national social media feeds linked below. Be sure to have your official chapter social media pages also follow the national feeds, and share your most interesting activities with us!(icon links)

New to Facebook?

Check out this YouTube tutorial video that shows how to create a Facebook Business page.

Instagram

Instagram is similar to Facebook, and is in fact owned by Facebook. Instagram is primarily a photo-sharing app that also branched out to video content through reels. You can’t post text on Instagram if you don’t have it linked with a photo or video, so it’s probably not preferred as the only social media site for an AWS chapter. However, if you create business pages in both sites, there are tools that will automatically replicate posts you make in one site in the other one, so once you do the initial work of creating the sites, it will be fairly simple to keep them both updated.

Here are some more useful videos:

How To Create An Instagram Business Account This video also talks about how to connect Instagram to Facebook for automatic posting on both platforms.

How to automatically link Facebook and Instagram accounts so that posts on Facebook are automatically shared to Instagram.

Promotion on other websites

Localwineevents.com and eventbrite.com are other free websites you may utilize to sell tickets to your special events. However, you may have to wait a few weeks for the funds to be deposited into the chapter account. There is also a fee per ticket, between $3-$5.

Meetup.com is another popular site to reach people in your area with specific interests, but this service carries a fee. Localwineevents.com has a periodic email called “The Juice” with many wine events in the area that your members may want to sign up for.