CANADIAN ELK CANADIAN ELK ´ELAN CANADIEN - Elks of Canada

passive when members decide not to renew.Reach out to them to ensure you have doneeverything possible to keep that person amember of your Lodge. Again some ideas arelisted in the “Buddy” system informationavailable from the Grand Lodge office.This is not to say that recruitment problems do notneed to be addressed urgently. But if the retentionrate is strong, then the Lodge will live for someperiod of time while it fixes its recruitment problems.So what about recruitment? Why is so difficult toget members today when 30 to 40 years agomembership didn’t seem to be a problem? Theanswer is pretty simple, society as we know it ischanging, the demographics of many of our Lodgesare changing, we will initiate new and youngermembers with different ideas - change will happen.The important factor though is how we deal withchange. There is nothing wrong with change so longas we are not scared of it, ignore it or plan for it.Membership recruitment is vital to the continuedgrowth and success of every Lodge. People feel theneed to belong and know through experience thatthey can achieve more through group efforts thanas individuals. Our Lodge can fulfill those needs, butmembers must be motivated to join. We can do thisat the Lodge level by:Developing a membership recruitment plan –Develop a membership recruitment plan that wouldfocus the attention of present members on recruitingnew members. Schedule recruitment meetingsinviting prospective members. Present an outline ofwhat your Lodge does and at the end of eachmeeting ask each guest to join in furthering thegoals and objectives of your Lodge.Couples - a new approach to growth – We haveto think outside of the box. What’s wrong withinviting couples to join your Lodge? Is it not betterto get two members instead of one member?There’s probably a good chance if you invitecouples to a membership night that if you get one tojoin then you will get the other. That results in moremembers at your Lodge meeting and yoursponsored events. There are many Lodges outthere today who are successful because of couples.By getting a couple to join there’s a good chanceyou may get their friends to join also. The MemberServices Committee has selected “couples” as theirprime focus for the upcoming year. Stay tunedfor new ideas and programs that will help yourLodge attract couples in 2012.What about adult sport groups who come lookingfor sponsorship. At our Lodge in Yellowknife we askthese groups to sign a contract with us in that theyhave to work several events each year for theLodge. This is important in that we now have themin the facility, secondly, we now have these groupsworking for and with us and guess what comes next– the application forms. This has proven verysuccessful in getting members for the YellowknifeLodge.Recruiting suggestions – As we are amembership organization then membership is thebackbone. Quite simply put, no members no Lodge.Do not leave membership recruitment to one persononly – the Membership Director. You need to workas a group to recruit new members because as agroup there’s a good chance you may be able toidentify a whole section of your community thatcould be prospective members. A membershipcommittee assisting the membership director is a lotstronger then placing all of the responsibility on oneperson.There is probably no one membership recruiting toolthat will work for every Lodge as we are all different.The following are some suggestions that a Lodgemay want to consider in its drive to recruit newmembers.Establish a personal calling committee.Show interest in meeting and greeting newmembers and guests at meetings.Establish a mentoring or “Buddy” system.Have a hospitality committee that makesvisitors feel welcomed at meetings.Get input from all members on possible newmembers. No idea should be dismissedsimply because you haven’t tried it before.Follow up on all contact to prospects. Followup is the key to successful recruiting.Sponsor a new member night andencourage each member to bring aprospective member.Sponsor a couple’s night. Just think ifevery one of your members brought theirspouses and just one other couple howmany members your Lodge could get.Sponsor a recruit your staff night.23