Recruiting & Retaining Members

There is no more valuable skill for any organization than the ability to recruit new members…except maybe the ability to keep the old ones. The larger the group is, the more resources you have; the more people you know, the more you can accomplish and the more the merrier…lets not forget that.

Recruiting

1. Maintain Constant Visibility
   1. an organization needs to regularly peruse activities that gets its name out
   2. visibility can be raised by sponsoring major events like programs, fund raisers & speakers
   3. visibility can also be raised by smaller events like letter writing & open meetings
   4. bulletin boards, posters, giveaways and signs are also ways of recruiting members
   5. remember that maintaining visibility is an on-going project that the organization needs to recruit new members
2. Recruit at an Event not a Business Meeting
   1. no matter what the reason for wanting to join an organization, a person is more likely to join if they see the group is action oriented
   2. meetings are to be used for recruitment, make sure the meeting is action oriented and that the organization members are all actively participating in the meeting
   3. programs and events that the organization is sponsoring are super recruitment tools

Gathering Friends (Members)

There is no more valuable skill for any organization than the ability to recruit new members…except maybe the ability to keep the old ones. The larger your group is, the more resources you have, the more people you know, the more you can accomplish and the more the merrier…let´s not forget that.

Recruiting

• How will we recruit prospective members?
• How will we welcome new members?

Recruiting Ideas

Recruit by Appealing to People´s Self Interest
Personal:	People become involved with organizations that affect them, SO listen to your members and find out what is important to them
Social:	People become involved to meet people and to make friends, SO incorporate fun while accomplishing tasks
Professional:	People become involved to develop skills or leadership qualities, SO connect your organization´s work to career development Ex. Have someone from career services come to a meeting
Moral:	People become involved to sustain commitment to a cause or in organization´s that have similar values and priorities, SO highlight how your organization makes a difference at the university & in the world

Welcoming New Members
Watch your Lingo	Remember that a new comer might not know the lingo or the issues of the organization, it can feel like they are joining the middle of a conversation
Involve	When attracting new members, it is important for you to involve them, never hesitate to give a newcomer a job of importance
Educate	Always make sure that veteran members of the group help to educate the new members on issues and lingo
Watch Inside Jokes	Remember to avoid inside jokes, nothing can help you to lose new members quicker then inside jokes

Retaining

• How will we sustain commitment to our organization?
• How will we help new members sustain commitment to the organization?
• What are some of the reasons that we lose dedication throughout the semester?
• How will we address those reasons?

Avoiding the 8 Pitfalls of Retaining
1. Burn Out:	People often leave organizations because they are asked to do too much too fast. To avoid burn out, try to offer members a series of slowly increasing responsibilities.
2. Cool Out:	The number 1 reason that people leave an organization is because they feel like there is nothing for them to do. Don´t hesitate to ask people to do something--people want to be useful.
3. Keep Out:	Returning members will naturally gravitate to one another leaving the newcomer feeling left out. Time must be taken to get the newcomer aquatinted with all members, so that they feel comfortable in the group.
4. Pull Out	Allow members to set their own limits on their participation. If a member feels that the organization expects too much or too little of them, they will leave. Listen to your members and know how much they want to be involved.
5. Can´t Win:	Members need to feel like they are accomplishing something. Make sure that attainable goals are set. Nothing disillusions a member more then an organization that can get nothing done.
6. Can´t Lose:	When setting goals, make sure that there is some challenge involved. People get more out of achieving a goal that took some work, then something that was just handed to them.
7. No Growth:	Volunteer work should be interesting. It should offer variety and a chance for personal growth. There is boring work to be done, of course, but spread it around evenly and mix in as much fun stuff as you can.
8. No Appreciation	Volunteers need and deserve appreciation. Without it, they tend to lose faith in the value of what they are doing. Show members that you are grateful for the work they have done. Don´t take for granted that they will continue doing work for the group. Show respect for their opinions and their work by returning their phone calls, answering notes, and passing along information. How will we address these 8 pitfalls?

Hints on Motivating People
Give weight to the fact that people carry out their own best ideas	Study members & see what makes each tick Delegate appropriate responsibilities to members Give members a chance to take part in decisions, particularly those affecting them Discover the activities members of your group want to do
Avoid domination or forcefulness	Make your wishes known by suggestions or requests When you make a request or suggestion, be sure to tell the reasons for it When you´re wrong or have made a mistake, admit it
Show interest in & appreciation for the other members of the organization	Give credit where credit is due Praise in public Criticize constructively in private
Never forget that the leader sets the stage for the organization	Play up the positive Be consistent Be careful what you say & how you say it Don´t be upset by little hassles
Show your members that you have confidence in them	Let the members in on your plans & programs, even when they´re in the early stages Ask members for counsel or help Be a good listener to the ideas of others
Give your members goals, a sense of direction, something to strive for	Use every opportunity to build up in members a sense of the importance of their own being Keep your members informed on matters affecting them