| AUGUST 3, 2026 -- Being a Grange member for any length of time, you know that our most powerful marketing tool is personal. Word-of-mouth built the Grange and still builds strong Community Granges today. With the addition of a few simple tools, we can help those personal connections increase their reach without losing the authenticity that makes them work. Let’s start with what Granges have been doing successfully for years, because these meth- ods remain as effective today as they were decades ago.
The phone chain is still one of the most reliable ways to spread the word. There’s something about hearing a friendly voice that an email or text just can’t replicate.
Printed flyers and face-to-face conversations continue to be impactful. A well-designed flyer at the library or laundromat catches attention, while mentioning what’s happening at the Grange when you’re standing in line at the grocery store or at the church coffee hour puts a face on the organization.
Local newspaper announcements still reach a good audience, particu- larly in our smaller Connecticut towns where community papers remain popular. These communication methods work because they’re personal and rooted in community. Don’t stop doing any of them. But what if you could take the personal methods and help them reach even more people? That’s exactly what a few simple digital tools can do.
Email works much like phone chains, but has the capability to reach more people instantly. It still comes from a real person, and people can re- ply directly. Text messages are even simpler. A quick text reminder takes seconds to send and gets read almost immediately.
Facebook acts like a digital bulletin board available 24/7. You don’t need to post daily — once a week keeps people informed.
These simple digital tools don’t replace the personal touch. They am- plify it. But the real magic happens when you combine traditional and digital methods. Many Granges are already doing this.
The Multi-Channel Event Promotion. When promoting your Grange event, print flyers and distribute them around town. Take a photo of that flyer and post it to Facebook, then email it to your member list. Use your phone chain to personally invite key members and even community lead- ers. The day before, send a few quick text messages: “Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!” The content is working everywhere —reaching people who check local bulletin boards, Facebook, email, and those who respond best to a personal call or text.
How to start? Take what your Grange is already doing that works and keep doing it. You probably have certain members who’d be happy to han- dle email, others Facebook, and more who would rather be making phone calls. The division of labor has always been a Grange strength.
Don’t try everything at once. If email seems manageable, start there. Send one message a month about upcoming meetings and events, and try it for a few months. Did more people show up? If it works, keep doing it. If not, try something else. The goal isn’t to do everything. The goal is to reach more people about what your Grange is doing.
Whether you’re making a phone call, posting a flyer, sending an email, or having a conversation at the store, the principle is the same: you’re connecting with people and letting them know your Grange is active and worth being part of. That message is timeless.
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