CHAPTER PRESIDENTS TELL HOW TO IMPROVE RECRUITING

Delegates to the October 2008 Chapter Presidents Symposium at Lake Tahoe, NV, examined how they can improve recruiting in their local chapters. Leaders then developed the following recommendations:

Leaders identified possible membership groups, which include:

–retired officers;

–recently retired officers;

–currently serving officers;

–auxiliaries/surviving spouses;

–National Guard and Reserve officers; and

–Former officers.

Tactics for recruiting retirees include:

–Aggressive publicity campaigns;

–Word of mouth referrals;

–Adding a “Join Now” button to the chapter’s website;

–Asking for retirees’ support because the chapter needs their experience; and

–Including a membership application in the chapter’s newsletter, and using the newsletter as a recruiting tool.

Recruiting tips for recently retired officers who have children in school include:

–Touting the chapter’s scholarship program, if one exists;

–Promoting the chapter’s job networking program, if one exists; and

–Talking about the chapter’s support of local ROTC and JROTC programs.

Tips for recruiting currently serving officers include:

–Offering to mentor a newly commissioned officer; and

–Participating in MOAA’s gold bar program and free, one year national MOAA membership to graduating ROTC cadets.

Delegates determined most auxiliary members are:

–The widows/widowers of World War II-era and later servicemembers; and

–Chapter leaders should recruit through auxiliary members already in their chapter

Chapter leaders said Guard and reserve Recruiting can be enhanced by supporting the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). Many chapter members are ESGR volunteers and come in contact with currently serving Guard and Reserve Officers.

Attendees agreed the hardest group to recruit was former officers because they are hard to identify. Participants also said it was difficult to get liists that contain the names and contact information of active duty officers.

Delegates should ask themselves what the chapter has to offer a potential member so they are prepared to answer the question, “What’s in it for me?” Participants then examined reasons officers join a local chapter, which include:

–Ability to hear fromn topnotch speakers at monthly meetings;

–Using the chapter as an outlet to promote patriotism in their communities;

–Camaraderie/friendships;

–Etertainment and fun events;

–Getting the chapter’s newsletter, which provides state and local news;

–Ability to participate in the chapter’s scholarship program;

–Access to job networking contacts;

–Companionship with like-minded people; and

–Ability to influence state and local legislation.

In addition, chapter leaders should:

–Get the right person to head up the membership drive;

–Set up a chapter Web site or Web presence so prospective members can learn about the chapter;

–Publish their own chapter recruiting brochure;

–Vary meeting times;

–Offer programs of interest to different membership segments;

–Pay for a prospective member’s dinner the first time they attend a meeting;

–Form a speaker’s bureau to let others know about the chapter;

–Challenge each member to bring a friend to a meeting;

–Contact prospectives by telephone;

–Invite a national MOAA representative to speak at a chapter meeting; and

–Strive to be more than a social club.

Delegates askee that national MOAA scrub the database of potential chapter members, since many addresses are wrong. Chapter leaders, in turn, need to notify national MOAA once they learn an address is bad.

Participants discussed how they would welcome national MOAA members who responded to the invitation to join a local MOAA chapter, which appeared on the cover wrap of the October 2008 issue of Military Officer magazine. Chapter leaders concluded they would:

–Acknowledge them in the chapter’s newsletter;

–Send them a letter of welcome;

–Add them to their membership rosters;

–Ask them to participate in one of the chapter’s upcoming activities;

–Invite them to attend a meeting;

–Call them after their first chapter meeting; and

–Assign a sponsor to each new member.

Chapter leaders suggested including information about chapters in packets given to new national MOAA members. Delegates would also like to see information on how to join a local MOAA chapter included in every issue of Military Officer magazine.

Attendees agreed media attention helps increase the chapter’s profile and helps with recruiting efforts. To increase media attention, leaders should:

–Distribute copies of the monthly newsletter to influential non-members;

–List upcoming meetings in the local newspaper;

–Send press releases to members of the media; and

–Get chapter-sponsored events announced on local radion and TV stations.

Chapter leaders agreed projects that attract potential members include:

–Supporting wounded warriors and the families of deployed servicemembers; and

–Welcoming home deployed troops.

Leaders concluded they must forster a mentality that every chapter member is a recruiter. Members should carry membership applications with them and seize opportunities that allow for one-on-one recruiting, which is highly effective.

Source: MOAA 2008 Chapter Presidents’ Symposium Report

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