10 Ways to Tell Others About PLATO

Word of mouth has always been PLATO's best recruitment tool. When members share their appreciation of PLATO's many opportunities to learn, grow and connect, it inspires others to want to learn about PLATO, too. Here are some ideas about how to expand PLATO's reach:

1.   Remember to carry PLATO business cards to hand out to friends and acquaintances. Email the PLATO office coordinator at info@platomadison.org to request business cards.

2.    Look for community bulletin boards to pin up the PLATO flyer (i.e. grocery stores, restaurant lobbies).

3.    Ask your local Library if you can put out PLATO flyers where they currently have other flyers and free newspapers (oftentimes the lobby).

4.    Are you active in other organizations? Hand out business cards at meetings or ask if you can contribute an article about PLATO in their newsletters.

5.    Do you live in a retirement community? Ask to give residents a talk about PLATO – email the PLATO office coordinator at info@platomadison.org to request the PowerPoint slides.

6.    Share about PLATO on Next Door – especially in January and August – you could post this PLATO flyer or take a photo of both sides of the business card and post those or share a link to our Join PLATO webpage.

7.    When you see a post on Next Door where someone in our target age group mentions moving to Madison, retirement, looking for activities etc., mention PLATO in the comments. You could also post this PLATO flyer or take a photo of both sides of the business card and post those or share a link to our Join PLATO webpage.

8.    When people ask you how you keep busy in retirement, mention PLATO and highlight all the opportunities to stay involved.

9.    Talk to your out-of-town retired friends. PLATO offers a handful of virtual courses and lectures each year that may be of interest to them. You don’t have to live in Madison to take advantage of this great organization! They can email the PLATO office coordinator at info@platomadison.org to request to be added to our mailing list to start receiving the Weekly Updates.

10. Invite a friend to a special event or field trip. After the event, encourage them to join by directing them to our Join PLATO webpage. They also can attend two classes as a non-member, if that would help them decide to join.

Tips for Talking About PLATO 

Your neighbor asks “So what is this PLATO thing you go to?” Do you find yourself stumbling through an explanation? You’re not alone. The Communication Committee found that members were wanting a concise and easy description of PLATO that would help them explain its benefits to friends and acquaintances.

There already are a number of formal descriptions of PLATO, including a comprehensive mission statement, but our goal was to give you a short, compelling sentence (see "Descriptor" below) to express your experience with PLATO and its offerings.

So whether you show someone the PLATO logo that spells out our full name or share the descriptor sentence below, be sure to add what PLATO has meant to you – courses, lectures, plays, tours, meet-ups with colleagues – however PLATO helps spark your love of learning.

Our Logo:

Our Descriptor:

PLATO is a community of intellectually curious adults, typically 50 and over, which explores subjects of interest through member-led discussion groups, lectures, travel and cultural activities.

Today PLATO has 850+ members. That's an impressive number of individuals who value how PLATO enriches their lives. Imagine how many additional people could join and enjoy the PLATO community if they were aware of it and understood its potential. Please tell your friends about PLATO and share the experience!

Share Some of the Biggest Member Benefits

• 30+ courses each fall and spring as well a smaller selection during the winter and summer
• Lectures, socials and events
• Guest Courtesy Card from UW Libraries (a $50 value)
• Weekly email updates and member emails to stay in-the-know about courses, lectures, and events

PLATO is about more than information. It’s about interactions. Meet other people with curious minds through classes, events, field and theater trips, and member committees.

“We especially value the friendships we’ve made, the intelligent curiosity and openness of the people we’ve met, and the wide range of classes.”    ~ PLATO Member Testimonial