Membership Tip of The Month - 2007

SEPTEMBER 2007 - DO SOMETHING EXCITING Remember being a little child and waiting on Christmas Eve for Santa? When was the last time you felt that way about your Grange? You and every member should feel that way at least once every year about something at your Grange if you want to attract new members. If you don’t ever feel that anticipation and excitement, you need to do something exciting in your Grange. Doing something exciting doesn’t have to be big. Just suggest that the Grange do something that you are passionate about or something you’ve always wanted to try. Each member should have at least one activity or event that they feel excited about. When our members are excited by something in our Grange, they will have enthusiasm for that activity. Their enthusiasm will carry over into other parts of the Grange. The most important aspect is that they will talk about their activity to others. When people see excitement and enthusiasm about a Grange activity, they will be intrigued by it. That opens the door to recruiting a possible new member. Do something exciting and you will find it is easier to attract new members in your Grange.   AUGUST 2007 - MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE MEDIA  When you want new members for your Grange the first step is to let people know you are still around. In order to show your community that you are there, you need some publicity. Your local media (newspapers, radio, cable or local TV) are important and critical allies to get your message to the people in your community. It’s time to make friends with the media!   Make a list of all the media. If a major newspaper puts out a local section regularly include that section on your list. Are there any talk radio programs that focus on the area? Then you build a team to make contact with them. Use your member’s different skills. One member may take cookies or other goodies to the local office. Others will make contact and ask how to submit information. One might find out what format photos need to be in. Another may enjoy writing short articles. No matter how you initiate it, you must visit with the reporters. Find out what they are looking for and find ways to cooperate with them. Be mindful of their deadlines and work with them. You will become a trusted source of positive local information when they know you by name and see or hear from you regularly. Never forget to thank them when they do print an article or photo.  Make friends with the media and you will significantly increase the opportunity to gain new members for your Grange.     JULY 2007 - FOCUS ON A PRINCIPLE     One method of looking for new members is to take the time to reflect on what is most important to you and your fellow members. Talk about the principles your members share. Remember that principles are deep fundamental beliefs that you will not compromise. Your principles are part of who you are. When thinking of new members, look for someone who shares a principle. Don’t look for a new secretary, look for someone who is honest. Look for someone who already has the same principles as you and your fellow members. Start telling people what the principles of your Grange are. Make a poster for your hall that shows the importance of your principles. Don’t be shy, share who you are with your community. The people that share those fundamental beliefs will be pleased to know that an organization exists in their community that has the “good stuff”. Focus on a principle in your Grange and watch your Grange grow!

JUNE 2007- THE MEETING IS NOT THE REASON Do you need to attract some new members because it is sometimes hard to get a quorum? As you start, remember that the meeting is not the reason that most people will join. Focus your efforts on the reasons that people will join. People want to be with their friends or to make new friends. Potential members want to have a good time, full of fun and enjoyment. Most important, they have needs that when met, will entice them to give their loyalty, effort, and time to the cause. Your meeting should be viewed as a means to the end, not the result. Meetings need to have reports of what has happened.  Plans need to be made about the future, and ideas of what could be done in the community presented at the meeting. The meeting must be the place where action starts, not just a monthly event. Remember that the meeting is not the reason and watch your Grange grow. MAY 2007 - SHARE YOUR FAITH If you want new members in your Grange, maybe it's time to tell your fellow members how you feel. Specifically share your faith about the future of your Grange. At your next meeting stand up and tell the members that you believe that your Grange is going to be here in a hundred years. You can say you have no idea how it's going to happen, just that you believe it will survive and prosper. Before you do this, you may have to take time to really examine your own faith in our organization. Look at the principles and values of the Grange and their importance to you. Look at what benefits the Grange could or should be providing to members and nonmembers. If necessary, contact your State Grange leadership or even someone from National to get some encouragement and reasons to be optimistic. When you stand up in your Grange be ready to surprise your fellow members. They may be silent or they may express their belief. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that they agree with you. Afterward you and your members will have a reason to talk to nonmembers about what happened in your Grange that meeting. It will be easier to talk to potential members after you have verbalized your faith that the Grange will be here a hundred years from now. Share your faith in the future of your Grange and watch the incredible happen!  APRIL 2007 - ASK FOR HELP  Do you hesitate about asking people to join the Grange? Are you a little bit afraid to bring up the Grange in conversation? What are you going to say, what should you say, what questions will be asked of you? Try something different and take a new approach. Select a person you would like to have join your Grange. Take the time to think why they might want to join. Look for activities, values, and opportunities that might appeal to them. Then go to that person and ask for their opinion of how you could get new members for your Grange. You will probably surprise the person, but you will be also letting them know that you value their opinions. They will likely ask questions about the Grange and give you the opportunity to show what the Grange can do for them. They may outline a different approach than you’ve tried before or they may suggest you contact certain people they think would be interested. They may even be interested in joining themselves. This approach is not a bait and switch tactic, but one for you to gain confidence to talk about your Grange and to bring up the topic of Grange. The worst thing that can happen is you will enlighten a nonmember about your Grange. Ask for help from a nonmember for your Grange and growth will follow! MARCH 2007- INVITE PEOPLE REGULARLY Do you ever feel uncomfortable asking someone to join your Grange? If so, then start asking people to come check out your Grange. Invite them to your next potluck, meeting, or other event. Make it a habit to invite people to visit your Grange. Don’t worry about asking them to join, just ask them to come visit. If you are willing to ask people to come visit on a regular basis there will be several benefits. First you will have to look for the positive things that you can invite someone to come see. This will improve your attitude and your confidence in talking about your Grange. Just by inviting someone to your Grange will make a positive impression on the person. Even if they don’t take you up on the offer, they will think more positively about the Grange in the future. After all, if nothing was happening they wouldn’t have been invited. In addition, when we invite someone to visit it means we like them, think that they are important, or want to get to know them. Invite people to your Grange regularly and make growth happen! FEBRUARY 2007- SHARE ACCOUNTABILITY Every Grange needs new members! New members bring new ideas, new skills and talents, and they become new friends with your current members. If your Grange really wants new members, it is time to share the responsibility and especially the accountability. If you desire your fellow members to be accountable, your Grange must set goals that everyone understands and shares. Do you want one new member or perhaps three members in the coming year? Do you want a 5 percent net gain in membership? Take the time to discuss what your members really want for growth this year. Then write it down and post it on the wall, in your newsletter, or wherever you can. Make a thermometer chart to show how your Grange is moving toward your goal. Explain the four steps of recruitment to your members so that they understand how easy it is to share the Grange with others. Give recognition to each member who helps sign up a new member. Include a lot of fun and make sure there is a short report at each meeting so members stay focused on the goal. Share accountability for new membership in your Grange and watch your fellow members create growth! JANUARY 2007 - SHARE A COMMON CAUSE To attract potential new members to your Grange you need to find a common cause with them.  A powerful cause is one that a person is passionate about and wants to have an impact on.  There are a number of ways to find that common cause. Take the time to talk to potential members and find out what they are interested in.  What issues gets them wound up?  What activity do they talk about regularly?  When you discover what issue or activity stirs their passion, that's the time to share what your Grange does on their cause.  If your Grange doesn't deal with their issue, then go to your next meeting and ask how the members feel about that subject.  Maybe the potential member can come explain the issue or case to the membership? What does your Grange do that impacts people directly?  How are you meeting the needs of members and potential members?  The more your Grange does that has members working for the benefit of others, the greater the possibility that you will find others that care about the same cause.  You can partner with other groups or even with individuals to improve what you can accomplish. When you share a common cause between potential members and your Grange, growth will happen!