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Membership Drive - A Feeding Frenzy

I wish I knew more about the Founder’s Award and if I dug through enough older Blue Berets maybe I’d find it.  I can’t find it online. I pounded out what I believe is a better mouse trap in getting membership numbers to increase and forwarded it on to both the Communications Liaison and the International Membership Chair.  Both are very nice people – both that juggle WBCCI efforts in their spare time because they have LIVES that go far beyond the WBCCI.

Early on I read on forums about bad experiences potential members had with members near harassing them to sign up using ‘their form’ which of course already had their WBCCI name and number on them as a sponsor.  I’m guessing that was the result of the Founder’s Award which requires the honoree to make sure they are the SPONSOR of a new member and NOT a co-sponsor.

I don’t know what the benefits of that program are other than being an honoree, but I can see where the requirements might turn recruitment into a feeding frenzy and possibly turn off a potential member when badgered by more than one shark with his or her form.

The new membership program is unit based and as such will probably only be worthy to unit officers that need points, unit cash, or a certificate I guess.  The rest of a unit’s membership would probably be hard pressed to put their scouting glasses on.

What I passed onto both the CL and the IMC was a program where there would be recognition to current members that merely provide contact information for potential members, specifically names and mailing addresses to HQ.

If you know somebody with any year trailer or MoHo, email or mail the name and full address to HQ, and if they don’t already have that person in their database, receive a credit.  If they already have it they just notify you with a note of thanks, but that the information was already in the data base.

So what’s to gain here?  Well the WBCCI gets leads on new trailer and MoHo sales.  That’s it – that’s basically what leads get worked on – new sales.   By now we must all realize that there are 50+ years of USED trailers and motor homes that change hands often and a bonafide lead will rarely be generated for that.

I didn’t suggest what the reward program should be for collecting non-member info, but that should be easy enough.  X amount of points for information, X amount of additional points if your lead actually joins.

So, what to do once a member has provided NEW information on an older unit to HQ?  Well first, the club starts to build what will ultimately be THE database for trailer and MoHo owners.  The WBCCI should have a HUGE interest in this information.  The most complete trailer and MoHo database EVER.

Take the data and recruit PROFESSIONALLY.  HQ sends out a one page welcoming letter and includes the current rally guide.  On the letter is the complete contact information for up to three geographically local units.

HQ copies that information to all three local units.  The requirement is that the local units each send that person a copy of their current newsletter and an offer to visit that unit’s next rally at no charge.  Bring the family – bring them all.

I think that’s a great welcoming message from HQ and three local units showing interest in a fellow trailerite.  Of course there are some very specific procedures that should be used once a potential member and their families show up for a visit to make the best impression possible, but those don’t need to be covered here.
Dona Garner (IMC) has an interest – we were in the midst of working out a used trailer or MoHo welcoming letter but then LIFE got in the way.  I assume we’re still going to work on this, I’ve provided Dona with full contact information for 35 non-WBCCI members.  I’ll go back and bump it to a full fifty if we pick up on this again to do a trial run and see what we get for results.

I think a membership drive that doesn’t get a member directly involved in the process works best for the recruiter and the recruited.  HQ and unit Presidents or Membership Chairs take on the task – probably with the best results of all.
It’s time to grow the club!  If you’ve got some contact information for a non-WBCCI member feel free to forward them to me here. We’ll use whatever you send in this trial run with the WBCCI.    If the WBCCI ever develops an incentive program for this type of membership drive we’ll be sure you get credit for your early efforts.  We’ll also let you know if your lead turned into a new member!

If the WBCCI decides they are NOT interested in this type of membership drive, well, SaveWally just may take this one on itself.  It’s not that hard to do, and after all, we’re here to help SaveWally…
This doesn’t address the issue of non-renewing members.  I believe that is a task that MUST be handled by HQ.  It’s an extremely sensitive and important issue, but are they staffed to handle the workload of personally contacting hundreds of members every year to find out WHY someone hasn’t renewed?  In many cases it could be an ugly job if an irate x-member answers the phone!
 
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