Tips For Recruiting New Members For Your Organization

Robbie Motter says

Showing up is a great way to recruit new members and is the key to success for your organization

TIPS FOR RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION

New members bring ideas and enthusiasm to an organization. However as demands on our time increases, so does the competition for membership. If everyone out there is seeking members, how can your group be successful?

I. How Many Members Do You Want?

A. Set a goal How many members do you want to bring in each month?
– During the coming year?

B. Establish meeting dates, times and formats which are especially appropriate for first time prospective members first impressions are so important!

C. Prepare to explain your organization’s mission or purpose in brief easy-to-understand terms.

II. Ask Yourself Some Questions

A.Should prospective member meetings feature guest speakers, training, or special entertainment?

B.What are the benefits of membership?

C.What are the duties of members/volunteers? How much time is required? What level of commitment is expected?

D.Are there any special talents or skills which the organizations particularly needs or values?

E.How were members (or volunteers) previously recruited?

III. Develop a Strategy

A. After taking the time to be thoughtful about your organization, you will be in a better position to really know just what type of membership you have and what type of people would make your group perform even better. You will recruit more effectively once you are able to provide meaningful information abut your group to membership prospects.

B. Organizations too often use ashotgun approach which amounts to little more than bodies filling a meeting hall. Truly successful groups have diverse memberships allowing for more creativity, increased access to the community or area served, and a generally more positive group experience for everyone involved.

IV. Establish a Membership Recruitment Committee

In order to be most effective, the recruiting process needs to involve your entire organization. Current members should be excited about being part of your group; current members should want to help select new members. There are a few steps that you can take to ensure that the recruiting process is successful and meaningful.

A. Review literature (handouts and flyers as well as brochures) describing your group. If there is either a large quantity of marketing materials to review or too little set up a committee to handle their creation or revision.

B. Is your organization adequately and accurately described? (Tip: you might be surprised how many people discard or ignore information containing typing errors or misspelled words.)

C. Is a name and phone number provided, and is it the appropriate person to handle membership inquiries?

D. Remember that whatever you give prospective members is often your organizations’ most tangible contact with them and their associates.

E. Is your association or organization listed on meetingsandmixers.com or other online calendars and directories? If not, go to their sites and enter your network and meeting dates. Make sure this listing is revised after new officers are elected and whenever a phone number or mailing address changes.

V. Usethe Power of the Press

Generate press releases. Let your community know about upcoming meeting dates and events sponsored by your organization. (Tip: one of the positions in your organization could be one responsible solely forpublic relations.)

A. List publications weekly as well as daily papers serving your area. Don’t hesitate to call and ask if they will publicize your membership drive.

B. Compile a list of local radio and television stations. Many broadcast public service announcements (PSAs) free of charge. Track downcommunity access cable channels which exist to inform your local community.

C. Yourpublic relations person or team should develop contacts at those publications and broadcasting stations which recognize the importance of community affairs.

Then you can reach your regular contacts at a moment’s notice when you have a celebrity guest speaker or a special event.

VI. Showing Up and Networking at the Group to Group Level

Check out other organizations and events in your area. Does the Chamber of Commerce sponsor a business mixer? How about street fairs, festivals, etc.? Such events provide an opportunity to inform new people about your group. It’s the type of people you need regularly to attend a certain public function, organize a team of your members to be there with your recruitment literature.

VII. It’s the Most Powerful Resource You Have!

A. Most importantly, use the most powerful resource you have your current members!   The best way to get new people is by word of mouth through experienced participants and their family members.

B. Make sure everyone knows they are always welcome to bring guests to meetings and functions.

C. When you sense some prodding is needed, ask members to turn in a list of the people they know who might be suited for your organization. Follow-up by scheduling an Open House or similarprospective member event.

D. Don’t be afraid to rely on current members. This is not a chore for members who are proud of their affiliation with your organization.

VIII. How to Get Current Members Involved

A. Ask members to list 5 reasons they enjoy being part of your club.

B. Put members names in your club newsletter in recognition of their efforts to introduce new people to your group.

C. Make it fun! Start a membership drive. Divide your current members into teams and let their competitive spirit accelerate your club growth. The losing team can provide a barbecue for the winners you’ll not only increase membership, this will also strengthen friendships within the club.

D. Learn more about your members. Develop arap sheet for everyone to fill out. You’ll discover you have a group with hidden talents and diverse interest. There is no better way to get more members than to make the ones you have an important part of your organization. They’ll tell their friends without even being asked if you take the time to make being a member a rewarding experience. You can also benefit by knowing which members are really closet graphic artists just dying to do the artwork for newsletters and brochures.

E. Ask, ask, ask. The Power is in the Asking! My experience has always been that some people are afraid to jump in and volunteer, especially if others in the club are always quick to do so. They may feel unwanted and not needed, which of course is never the case! ASK everyone to be a part of something. Include a choice of different activities on sign-up sheets people who don’t want to be a part of the fundraising committee might jump at a chance to recruit speakers or to organize a pot luck picnic, ect.

F. Educate. We have all been part of a club, association or organization that we knew very little about. You cannot expect uninformed members to recruit additional members effectively. Keep no secrets if you require an initiation fee, every current member should know what that money is used for. Their friend might ask, and if your member isn’t sure it might not only leave the prospective member with doubts, it might also create them in the current member’s mind.

IX. Now Get Out There and RECRUIT and SHOW UP

A. Making your organization successful requires persistence, organization, and more than just a little hard work. Increasing membership in your club takes effort from everyone, but the rewards are well worth it.

B. In today’s society, service clubs provide children and other less privileged individuals with opportunities they would otherwise never experience, while professional organizations offering mentoring, friendships and networking can prove to be invaluable on the path to a better and more rewarding career.

C. Whatever the purpose of your group, it would benefit from a larger, more diverse, and more involved membership. People join and volunteer for a wide variety of reasons. Make sure that you recognize and encourage your members, old and new. Start organizing. Get the word out. Communicate with your membership and SHOW UP.

X. Most Importantly, BEGIN TODAY!

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Robbie Motter is a Marketing, PR Consultant, Certified National Speaker/Trainer, Coach, Author, Radio Talk Show Host on Diva Toolbox Radio and serves as the NAFE Wrstern & Mid Atlantic Regional Coordinator. She is also the Gold Founding sponsor of the Southern CA FOr You NAFE networks and also serves as the Interim Executive Director of the Movement Therapy Foundation and Senior VP and Partner of the ASLA/Contacts Unlimited Speakers Bureau