Project Refresh

Strategy for Club Growth

A programme presented by the

District 202 K MERL Team

With grateful thanks to MD 201 Australia, and International Director Ken Bird, for their wonderful Project Refresh Programme that we have adapted for use in our District.

Thanks also to the members of the Lions Club of Howick who have successfully implemented this proramme and have provided much of the material for this publication and PID Cliff Heywood for the Base of the Power Point Presentation.

Current Position:

FACTS:

  1. Most Clubs treat membership recruitment as a low priority when planning their Annual Activity Plan.
  2. Most Clubs use the “ask a friend” method to recruit new members.
  3. Most Clubs put a real recruitment programme into the “too hard” basket.
  4. Most Clubs are satisfied if they end a Lions’ year in a “status quo” situation.
  5. Most Club Management and Club Members are not aware that there is a programme available that, if followed, will enable them to, easily, and considerably, grow their membership.

***There is a Proven Answer***

The Project Refresh Club Growth Programme.

Strategy to Implement a “Club Growth” Process

It goes without saying that none of us want to see our membership continue to decline as it has in recent years. The district 202K MERL team has recognised a real need to rejuvenate the clubs in our District. We believe that this can only be done by each Club going through a process of renewal.

It should be noted that the “Club Growth” programme should be run in conjunction with the “Club Care” programme.

Your MERL Team are promoting this “Club Growth” programme to assist individual Lions’ Clubs to recruit, and retain, new members so that at the end of each Lion’s year the total numbers of Lions has increased considerably.

“Club Growth” is a refinement of proven recruitment programme that has been used for a number of years here and overseas.

The following pages set out practical step by step procedures so that individual Lions’ Clubs, and their members, will be able to implement them, and experience the elation of getting positive results.

Summary of the “Club Growth” Programme:

Individual Clubs will:

  • Issue 1000 Invitations (see suggested invitation appendix 1) to attend an Information Evening (not a normal Dinner Meeting). The Information Evening should be held on the same night of the week that the Club would normally meet. This would mean that people who accept the invitation will probably also be available on the night that the Club meets.
  • Clubs could also run a “think tank” of members and list as many prospective members as possible. These people can be issued with personal invitations. The higher the number the better.
  • It is recommended that this programme be run over a 9 week period.
  • It is essential that this programme become the “baby” of 1 member with the direct support of a very active committee and the full commitment of all members of the club.
  • OBTAIN THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE CLUB’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND SELL THE “CLUB GROWTH” PROGRAMME TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE CLUB.

The Steps:

TIME / ACTION REQUIRED
9 weeks before / 1. Book venue for Invitation Meeting
2. Confirm attendance of any special guest/s
3. Apply to NZ Post for a reply paid Service (see application form appendix 2)
4.Select Streets in which you want the invitations delivered.
6 weeks before / 1. Confirm approval permit from NZ Post for use reply paid service.
2. Print replied paid envelopes.
Note: Clubs will only pay for the postage on returned envelopes
3. Print Invitation Letter and RSVP Slip (appendix 1).
4. Print Envelopes for invitation letters.
5. Confirm speakers for the Information Night.
4 weeks before / 1. Fold the Invitation and RSVP sheet and Replied Paid Envelope and place in the Distribution Envelopes. (See Appendices 1 & 3)
2. Place Invitations etc. in Personally Addressed Envelopes for those people from the “think tank”
3. Construct a street delivery plan for delivery.
4. Allocate delivery areas for the club members.
3 weeks before / 1. Delivery of Invitations by club members.
8 days before / 1. Expect replies from approx 10 – 15% of those invited.
2. Telephone those that have accepted to confirm the date of the Information Meeting.
3. Confirm that a number of current members will be present at the information meeting
4 days before / 1. Send out confirmation letter to those who have accepted and invite them to bring any other person they would like to come. Enclose a completed name badge.

INFORMATION EVENING.

  • It is important that there is a significant number of Club Members are in attendance to mingle with the invited guests before the meeting starts.
  • Members should wear club Shirts. The meeting will be held in an informal manner.
  • Make sure that Club Members arrive at least 30 minutes before the meeting starts.
  • Allocate each Member an Invited Guest to greet and host for the evening.
  • A Club Greeter is stationed at the entrance of the venue and introduces each guest to the allocated club member.
  • Set out the seating in theatre style.
  • A lectern must be available for the use of the speakers.
  • A microphone System if thought necessary.
  • Display the Club Banners, Club Charter and Flag Set.
  • Display Club photographs, scrap books etc.
  • Tea and Coffee and alight supper should be available before the meeting and must be available after the meeting. Perhaps a piece of Lion’s Christmas cake could be available.
  • Have a supply of Membership Application Forms available (see appendix …)
  • Copies of the Lions Objects and Ethics. These will be read by a carefully chosen Club member sometime during the meeting.
  • It is recommended that an experienced presenter be used for the information address.

SUGGESTED AGENDA FOR INFORMATION

EVENING:

  • Club President
  1. Welcome
  2. Introduction of Lion to read the Lions Ethics.
  3. Introduction of Club member to read the Lions Objects.
  4. Introduction of Presenter
  • Presenter

Information Address utilising the Power Point Presentation (appendix …) and the prepared script (appendix ….).

At the conclusion of the presentation the Presenter will ask for those that are interested in joining the club to raise their hands. These people should be congratulated, handed a membership Application form, and be invited to the next meeting of the club.

Those who do not make an immediate decision are handed information on Lions and informed that they will be contacted in the near future to be invited to a Club Meeting.

All present are invited to stay for supper. Club Members should mingle with the guests.