Recruitment

The first step toward membership recruitment is making sure all the executive board members of your club are convinced that membership recruitment is an ongoing process, not something only at the beginning of the year. You must encourage members to continue to come to meetings, projects, and socials, and show genuine enthusiasm for Circle K! Without the true enthusiasm, people will not want to join. People join people! They want to be in an organization that others are already passionate about. Show new and potential members that passion!

The time to start recruitment of new members for a given school year starts with creating excitement and a sense of community in the existing membership during the previous year. Some ways to do this include:

  • Hosting non-volunteer socials for existing members
  • Consider starting a Social Committee devoted to planning and hosting social events for club members!
  • Treating all members in a respectful and inclusive manner
  • It is easy to only talk to people you know, but reaching out and saying hi to others will help connect you and them to the club! Make new connections!
  • Try and sit next to a new person every week! Mix it up!
  • Making sure that member participation is acknowledged and brought to the attention of all members (reward participation any way you can!)
  • Maybe it's a simple call out in the meeting or a piece of candy; let others know what a “star member” looks like!
  • Making sure the executive board encourages member involvement both during a volunteer event, around campus, and at meetings!
  • Before a meeting encourage executive board members (and others!) to mingle and talk to people as they arrive!
  • “Lia! It was great seeing you at our last event, will you be able to attend our next even?”
  • At school if you see someone from CKI, make sure to say hi!
  • “Laura! Great seeing you! We should catch-up at the next meeting!”
  • Have someone from the club contact members over summer break, preferably more than once via email, phone, Facebook, etc.
  • “Hey Emma! Hope you are having a great summer, we look forward to seeing you in the fall…”
  • Bring a friend – every member who brings a friend receives a raffle ticket, and the winning ticket is drawn at the end of the term for a fun prize!
  • “Friend Day” – everyone brings a friend to the meeting, make sure there are plenty of snacks at that meeting

General Recruitment Tips

  • Offer prizes/rewards for being at the meetings (food, other small prizes)
  • Former Key Clubbers
  • Place small fliers on tables around campus and in classrooms
  • Campus TV or Radio
  • Flyers/Posters
  • Colorful, eye-catching
  • Irregular shape
  • Keep simple! Who we are and the meeting place/time/date visible!!
  • Go to other clubs on campus and talk to them!

Club fairs

  • The purpose of an information booth is not to give away information but rather to gather information!
  • Preparation:
  • Schedule your table times and locations weeks in advance.
  • Look for corner and end locations near the entrance/exit that will have the maximum number of people walking by
  • Organize your wardrobe. Dress the members working the table in clothes that communicate your club brand like club t-shirts, pins, and plain blue jeans (no rips).
  • Add a tablecloth to make your table stand out and look professional.
  • Arrive at least 30 minutes early!
  • Table Set Up:
  • Professional is best!
  • Use a professional printer for handouts
  • Place a few give away items on the table as talking points.
  • Play slide of pictures or videos highlighting members and activities.
  • When high end isn’t possible, less is more! Literally, keep it neat and simple!
  • Table Tips:
  • Slide the table forward 6 inches to give your table a visual advantage among a line of tables or push the table back and stand in the area where everyone else has their table.
  • Use a clean, pressed tablecloth over the table. Consider ruffled skirting around the table.
  • Your table will look professional and inviting. The only tables like it will be the registration table and food table. You are subconsciously inviting potential members to come to your table for help and resources!
  • You’ll have a discreet place under the table to keep supplies.
  • Give your chairs away! You won’t need them since you’ll be standing in front of your table.
  • Make it fun! Consider games or wheels to spin to get people to talk to you!
  • Use raffle tickets or registration slips to promote a free gift, scholarship, or prize.
  • This is a non-threatening way to gather name and contact info.
  • Winner is drawn at the meeting!
  • Working the Table:
  • Staff the table with 2-4 members. Give them specific roles at the table.
  • 2 members should be 6 feet in front of the table and 6 feet apart, facing away from each other. Their primary role is to shake hands with every potential member that walks by, introduce the prospect to another member, invite him/her to a follow up function, and capture contact information.
  • 2 additional members should be floating around the room picking up stragglers and bringing them back to the table. They are also building relationships with other organizations, learning from what other groups are doing/saying, and working to maximize the effectiveness of future information table sessions.
  • Have a helper’s heart. Ask people at the activity fair what they are looking for and offer sincere guidance. You’ll build instant trust. Besides, it’s the right thing to do.
  • Rotate member teams regularly to keep them fresh (30-60 min shifts).
  • Consider creating competitions for the team that puts the most names on the list.
  • Business cards can be a nice touch.
  • Practice. Rehearse your pitch many times before you begin working the table.
  • Follow Up:
  • Have several small activities scheduled within the coming days. You need something to invite your new friends to attend.
  • That evening or tomorrow, host a bubble tea or froyo night to get to know potential members!
  • Emails are fine, but always be the first club to call after the information table session. A quick text right after tabling is a nice touch, but it doesn’t replace the need to call.
  • Use a variety of methods: phone, email, Facebook, text message, thank you cards/formal invitations, drop by in person, etc.
  • Organize a telephone calling session with members that night or the next day.
  • Be prepared to follow up as many as 7 times in the first 10 days after meeting a prospect before assuming that person is not interested.
  • Common Mistakes:
  • Arriving late and/or leaving early.
  • Using last minute display material that look like a 3rd grade science project.
  • Failing to practice the script of what you’ll say when people ask about the club.
  • Always have an elevator speech close at hand!
  • Cluttering the table with trophies, blankets, t-shirts, and junk.
  • Underestimating the importance of smiling, shaking random hands, and having fun.
  • De-valuing your Club by using gimmicks to sell your organization.
  • Siting/slouching behind the table, waiting for them to come talk to you.
  • Failing to build a list of names with contact information for follow up.
  • Crowding the table with too many members.
  • Forgetting that EVEN at an info table, most of the conversation should be ABOUT THEM.
  • Poor conversations at the table due to lack of interpersonal skills and /or practice.
  • Members “hanging out” and talking to each other, but failing to meet prospects.
  • Dressing like a slob, looking frumpy, overdressing, and/or inappropriate jokes/language/gossip.
  • Creating a scene and/or drawing attention through antics is not success. Getting contact information from people that genuinely want you to follow up with them is success.
  • Depending on the school or someone else to do all the work for your group.
  • Nothing planned in the next 48 hours to invite interested prospect to attend.

New Member Recruitment at the Beginning of the School Year

Before classes begin:

  • The beginning of the school year is a hectic time for all students, because of this it is important for the executive board to have a clear plan for membership recruitment before the year begins.
  • The beginning of the school year is the key time period in which to attract new members!
  • If you waste the first week of school coming up with a plan other clubs (who are more prepared than you) will be able to start recruiting earlier and will appear like the organized and responsible organizations that students want to join.
  • It is important that the executive board has a clear plan and hopefully this plan can be conveyed to the returning members before things get too far underway so that members are prepared as well.
  • For this reason:
  • Have an executive board meeting before the school year starts to finalize plans for the first meetings and go over recruitment plans.
  • Have your first general club meeting as early in the year as possible!

The First Meeting:

  • At some schools they have meetings the first day of classes.
  • By having the secretary send out an e-mail to all returning members over the summer about the first meeting you should be able to ensure members actually know about (and hopefully show up to) the meeting.
  • When the returning members show up to the meeting the executive board should already know what the plans are for the first few meetings (which is why it is important to have a board meeting before school starts!) and be able to answer questions and listen to member questions/suggestions.
  • If possible go over the list of club benefits for the members to refresh their memories (and yours).
  • Also, make sure the first meeting has a festive tone (you want everyone to leave the meeting smiling and looking forward to a great year of service!).
  • This can mean having cake, sharing summer stories, telling the members some of the cool new plans and events you have lined up for them (again this requires a level of planning by the executive board), and asking for suggestions on how the year can be the best possible.
  • Encourage suggestions, listen, and try and make the members feel like their input really counts (because it should).
  • Let them know how important getting new members is, and invite them to bring any friends or freshman they might have met to the second meeting.
  • A lot of schools have events at the beginning of the year to allow clubs to market their organization to incoming students, take advantage of these opportunities!
  • This can mean a booth, poster, standing in front of the eating area handing out flyers; use your existing members to create excitement/interest in your club!
  • What is most important is that you make CKI on your campus noticeable as often and as early as possible (and then invite potential new members to the second meeting!)

The Second Meeting (or the one where you expect Freshmen):

  • For many clubs this is the one, best, and only chance to have a lot of new faces show up with interest in your club and it is extremely important that the executive board takes advantage of this opportunity.
  • Actively say hello and welcome/engage new members!
  • Have the meeting organized and efficient (like you know what you are doing).
  • Tell the potential members what CKI does and have handouts or information for them to take home with them as ell.
  • Provide/collect contact information for/from these new faces to get more information about the club or club events or to let them know of service opportunities.
  • Make sure there is a volunteering (or social) opportunity for the weekend immediately following this meeting!
  • Remind everyone that even if they can’t attend the volunteering event that they should come to the third meeting because there will be (insert really cool speaker/idea here).
  • 3 Important Roles to Fill
  • The Recruiter
  • Have someone stand outside of the room or building to direct people into your meeting!
  • The Greeters
  • Have people standing by the entrance to say hi to people.
  • “Hi, I’m Lia! I’m so glad you came to our meeting!”
  • If people are leaving also thank them! “Thanks for stopping by!”
  • Make sure to get learn their name, and then direct them to a seat by handing them off to the next club member.
  • “I’m glad to have meet you Linda! This is our Webmaster Nicole! She is a computer science major.”
  • The Meet-ers
  • Have people to ready to receive potential new members from greeters.
  • “Hi Linda! Nice to meet you! Where’s home for you? What major are you interested in? Do you have any questions about school so far?”
  • Make sure to build a connection! People join people!
  • You want to make your club look inviting, friendly, and social. CKI is going to provide them opportunities to do some really great and positive things in their new community! Make sure you look excited and happy to share your club with them!
  • The more potential members feel comfortable with the ‘community’ of existing members and the executive board the more likely they will be to return for another meeting or to go on a service activity!
  • The goal at this meeting is NOT to get every new face to sign up for service! Rather, if they like your members and the vibe of the club they will return again and again and in so doing they will join you for service without being pressured!
  • The goal for this meeting is to make the potential new members fell comfortable in the club dynamic and with the existing members as quickly as possible. By the end of the meeting they will have already met 2 new people! The greeter and meet-er.
  • Pass around an e-mail list and have everyone present give you contact information so they can be informed about club events.
  • Tell the potential members how CKI makes a difference in the community/your school and more specifically how joining the club will benefit them (opportunities for service, leadership, and fellowship).
  • Don’t bore them with details (administrative processes, what the board officers do, how many members you have, clubs in the district, etc.) UNLESS they ask specific questions. YOU DON’T WANT THEM TO LOSE INTEREST!
  • If possible have a member waiting to say, “it may have cost – but this club has given me so much more, for example …”
  • If they like your mission and the vibe they get from interacting with your members they will find a way to come up with the money.
  • FINALLY: getting potential new members to sign up for some sort of volunteering/social activity
  • This is not getting them to sign up for the sake of getting names!
  • You want these potential new members to feel like they want to come out with you guys!
  • Once they attend the event, do everything in our power to make them feel comfortable and like they are part of the CKI team.
  • Make sure if any new faces attend the first volunteering event you thank them for showing up!
  • After the event thank them again!
  • “Hey, it was great you could come out with us today Roy! I hope you had fun… We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting!”

The Third Meeting:

  • By now you will hopefully have tried to connect with all potential new members!
  • In order to keep interest up and foster a feeling of connection between the existing club members and the potential new members who have either come to the second meeting or the volunteer event, it helps to have some sort of attraction/enticement for them to attend the third meeting.
  • It is also important that this be something of substance (more than just free food), you want to be able to say, “Come hear this speaker from (insert organization). They are going to talk about (insert local program your CKI club helps out) and how CKI volunteering is important to them!”
  • Have a speaker come and talk about how the volunteering efforts of your club make a difference to them.
  • If possible have a volunteering event planned with the same organization for the following weekend.
  • Most organizations are more than happy to send a representative to talk to the club!
  • All you need to do is ask!
  • You want the potential new members to really get the sense that what your club does is important, what makes a difference, and is going to be worth their time and involvement.
  • Once your club is successful in turning passive interest into active participation by potential new members, combined with a feeling of community and appreciation (fostered by the executive board), they will feel a connection with your club and will very likely become new members for the rest of the year and hopefully for the rest of their college experience!

Remember!