Club Growth and Retention - A Check List to Success!
by Rosemary Cummings

These helpful hints are from the TAG Newsletter for February and will provide timely insights and possibly some issues for discussion in your Club, Division meeting, or via e-mail, blog or Face Book. The challenge is for Capital District members to use these hints, to add to them and to grow our Clubs and to make Kiwanis member retention inevitable.

• Recognize members for their contributions regularly. Say thank you at meetings, in newsletters and on the Web site. Create many types of awards and take advantage of all opportunities to publicly thank volunteers.
• Keep members informed. Offer a variety of communication links to the organization: meetings, newsletters, email, Web sites, etc.
• Create pairings of volunteers so that they can share the work. Pairings allow for seasoned volunteers to mentor the new members.
• Educate members on the mission and vision of the organization. Make them feel a part of the purpose and accomplishments.
• Welcome new members quickly and appropriately. Get them involved in activities as soon as possible.
• Get the right volunteers in the right jobs. Match skill sets and interests with tasks that need to be done. Keep them motivated.
• Listen to the members. Use their ideas to get things done. Build enthusiasm for the projects.
• Give the members a "day off." Spend some time getting to know each other and having some fun. Take it easy.
• Clearly define the expectation for leadership roles. Support leadership with adequate preparation, training and materials.
• Get the members involved in planning and decision making. Allow everyone to take ownership of the successes.
• Handle complaints quickly. Listen to the member and take corrective action. Let them know that you care.
• Give the members something valuable to do. Make sure that the volunteers see the value in what they are tasked to do. Measure the success and recognize them for the effort.
• Let people get to know each other. Have time at meetings and projects for them to interact socially and informally. Have name badges. Introduce new members to the group.
• Ensure that all members are enjoying the benefits of membership: fun, fellowship, feeling of accomplishment, sense of making a difference.
• Provide members with visible reminders of their membership: lapel pins, name badges, clothing, screensavers, mouse pads, decals, bumper stickers, etc.
• Conduct thoughtful, thorough exit interviews to identify problems and take corrective action.
• Offer different types or levels of membership. Allow members to seek their own comfort level of activity.
• Avoid burnout by giving them a break from activity. Allow members to take a leave of absence when they need one.
• Give them a reason to show up! Ask them to participate in the project. Give them a job. Make them a part of the program, meeting or project.
• Make it fun! Create a friendly environment. Have greeters. Share stories.