NEW MEMBERS THE VITAL FIRST STEP Have

NEW MEMBERS

THE VITAL FIRST STEP Have club members complete a Club Care Survey – We recommend setting aside 15 minutes at a club meeting for members to complete the survey – try to get members not present to also complete the survey – members do not provide their name The purpose of this is to find any weak points giving you the opportunity to strengthen them, prior the arrival of your new members

THE VITAL FIRST STEP CONTINUED Completed Club Care Survey forms are then forwarded to: Lions Research 490 Johnson Road Forestdale Qld 4118 for tabulation of the data – the results will then be forwarded to the Club, enabling where necessary, an immediate start on the strengthening process of any weak areas which may have been revealed

ONE ON ONE Providing we do so, there has never been a better way than asking people you know on a one on one basis: neighbours – relatives – workmates – other friends – business people – those you meet at sport – at church – at the club GIVE IT A GO

‘DATABASE’ Use a Database Post or hand deliver invitations to a Lions Information Meeting Include an RSVP Form & Reply Paid env. Ring those who do not RSVP Mail confirmation letters & name badges Display regalia, press stories, posters Provide welcome drink & light supper

‘DATABASE’ CONTINUED Full details of this concept are outlined in the Club Membership Growth section of ‘Pride in Growth’ manual on the MD website from early March The manual has samples of all the paperwork required to implement a successful campaign

DATA SOURCES MD DATABASE ELECTORAL ROLLS TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES BUSINESS GROUPS & ASSOCIATIONS BUSINESS & TRADE DIRECTORIES LOCAL GOVERNNMENT THE MEDIA

MD DATABASE Names, Addresses, and in most cases telephone numbers can be supplied from the MD database for a fee of $12 per hundred payable to MD – We recommend a minimum of 300 To source this database please contact MD Membership Chairman Ken Mulcahy as follows: 07 3800 3514 or email kenmulcahy@bigpond. com

MD DATABASE CONTINUED If using the MD database you may wish to have the MD also print at cost the invitations rsvp slips and delivery envelopes – this can be arranged for $25 per hundred. To seek this assistance again contact MD Membership Chairman Ken Mulcahy

INVITATIONS ETC Having assembled names and addresses from your database of choice, send out invitations to attend a Lions Information Meeting – If hand delivering invitations, to make the delivery envelope more professional, we suggest you use special envelopes which can be supplied at $7 per hundred. Again contact MD Membership Chairman, Ken Mulcahy

A REPLY PAID ADDRESS It’s a good idea to set up a Reply Paid Address Service for the posted return of each RSVP You need to apply for a service through Australia Post The application form plus an application for a credit account are down loaded from the Australia Post website. See the MD “Pride in Growth” manual for full details. The service requires an annual payment of $60 to Australia Post. . You pay a reduced rate of 40 cents per item received. So as each club does not have to pay the $60 fee, your District may be prepared to set up one or more Reply Paid services with them

EFFECTIVE USE OF THE TELEPHONE Those persons who don’t rsvp need to be phoned – this is a very important step, as normally many more acceptances to attend the Lions Information Meeting are received this way – indeed more than via the post A little later we’ll deal with how to confidently use the telephone for best results Also later, we’ll give details of how to set up the venue for the Information Meeting

CENTRE OF INFLUENCE Arrange a business to send letters, endorsing Lions and your club in, which they invite their customers to attend a Lions Information Meeting Select those with many clients such as:

CENTRE OF INFLUENCE CONTINUED Doctors Chemists Newsagents Butchers Bakeries Service Stations

GOOD NEIGHBOUR CONCEPT Each member asks their 4 closest neighbours & partners to a Partner Meeting of the club or an Information Meeting (don’t make a pre judgment) If a Partner Meeting plan a great fun night

GOOD NEIGHBOUR CONTINUED Should a number of ex NZedders live in your area invite them and turn the night into an Aussie – New Zealand night Decorate with green gold, black & white Display both countries flags & Australian and NZ toy animals & photographs Perhaps serve lamb for New Zealand & tropical fruits for Australia – have wines and beers of both countries

VOCATIONAL METHOD Type a list of around 30 vocations on the left and ask each Lion to list the name of a person who fits as many of the vocational Descriptions as possible. From each member’s list make a master list and send an invitation to each person on the list to attend a Lions Information Meeting.

THE SCHOOL METHOD Speak with the School Headmaster & the P&C Association and in return for their assistance provide support in various ways to the school. Their support would simply be an agreement to send home with the eldest child of each family, an invitation to attend a Lions Information Meeting at the school. . The invitations to be signed by the Headmaster & the President of the P&C Association.

BUSINESS SPONSORSHIP Conduct a membership campaign within your business community Many will say they do not have the time to become a member Turn this negative into a positive Tell them they can still help the community and the club by sponsoring a young member aged under 35 years

BUSINESS SPONSOR CONTINUED The sponsorship would involve paying the Joining Fee & the Half Yearly Dues for three years You’ll have several young people joining around the same time which will heighten the prospects of them becoming long serving Lions

ETHNIC GROUPS Should your area of operation contain one or more strong ethnic groups, invite a number to a meeting – through inviting a number at the one time, you will heighten your opportunity to gain new members

HARMONY DAY MEETING Harmony Day is celebrated on 21 March each year. At your Club Meeting on or close to Harmony Day, theme it as a Harmony Day Meeting – Using the colour orange for decorations etc – Invite persons from various ethnic groups to attend and offer them membership

GUEST SPEAKERS & MORE Sometimes potential new members are right under our nose – Make certain we ask our Guest Speakers if they would like to join And now to the MORE part – Some of your Guest Speakers will be of interest to other persons and groups within the community, so invite them to attend too

GUEST SPEAKERS & MORE (Cont) Planning For Retirement: Seniors & 50 +’s Gardening: Garden & environmental groups Children’s Nutrition: Parents Breast Cancer Awareness: Female groups Lions Quest Skills: Teachers Women in Regional Australia: CWA groups Canine Matters: Dog Clubs Home Security: Neighbourhood Watch groups Target other groups by guest speaking at their meetings and offering an opportunity to join

LIONS AS GUEST SPEAKERS AT MEETINGS OF OTHER GROUPS Have well spoken members of your club attend meetings of other groups and organisations to speak about the work of Lions and particularly how that applies to your club and those you serve - better still if you are able to portray how your club can help the work of their group Naturally offer membership of your club

LIONS AS GUEST SPEAKERS TO FEMALE GROUPS LCI has a desire to lift the number of female members – so arrange to be a guest speaker at clubs and organisations where the membership is either all female, or mostly female – use your guest speaker address as an opportunity to also offer membership of your club

RECRUIT FROM THOSE WHO SUPPORT YOU When selling art union and raffle tickets ask your customers if they would be Interested in coming to a meeting of your Club – likewise offer the same opportunity to those who purchase Lions Christmas Cakes from you

SHOPPING CENTRES Where you can, arrange with Shopping Centres to set up a staffed display space - Show Lion’s posters, photographs of projects showing your club helping in the community, thank you letters etc – provide handout leaflets, Lion’s BBQ cards Where power is available run motivational videos and DVD’s re Lions and their projects

CLUBS WITH TELEMARKETING PROJECTS Clubs who conduct telemarketing projects within the business community have a substantial list of business people – follow up those who give you financial support – Some when given the opportunity to take up membership of your club will say YES

THIRD PARTY RECOMMENDATIONS This is a variation on asking people ‘one on one’ – ask people you know, as well as your business contacts, to provide the names of persons they recommend you offer membership to – when you Make contact with those on the recommended list, it’s okay to advise them who the recommendation came from

FAMILY MEMBERS Q: Who qualifies as a Family Member? A: Adults who live in the same household, related by birth, marriage and other legal means – such as parents, children, spouses, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and inlaws of spouses

FAMILY MEMBERS CONTINUED Q: What is the benefit A: The 2 nd through to 5 th family member receives a 50% reduction in International and Multiple District Dues - if not already doing so, consider the same reduction in District Dues through a Convention and in Club Dues through the Club

FAMILY MEMBERS CONTINUED Consult the LCI website at www. lionsclubs. org to download the Family Friendly Lions Club Concept ‘How to Guide’ Service projects & fundraising ideas for families Planning a Family Event & Participating in one-day events