Peter Drucker, a renowned expert in organizational management, once said “What gets measured gets done.” If this seems too simple – it is.
It is important for our Kiwanis Clubs to be actively measuring our successes in every area, but one benchmark that can truly have a positive impact is through our membership. Clubs that have a membership chair who holds regular meetings and/or conversations with the membership or a specific committee are more apt to see a significant amount of new members each year.
Does your club have a membership chair? If you do, further ask yourself if your club has a membership chair who does not have another leadership role in the club (i.e. Club President)? I understand that, especially in small clubs, it is necessary for leaders to have multiple leadership roles within the club, but I would encourage you to make sure this one is separate. Sure, membership is everyone’s responsibility – it ensures the future success of our club and is the natural opposite reaction to attrition – but it if it is someone’s primary responsibility, it is more apt to be successful.
There are so many ways to track your new members, including keeping a list of those who you should be asking to join. Many clubs who do this see benefit in maintaining an active list for recruitment. And, remember – no doesn’t mean no forever, it might mean “not right now.” Now, more than ever, we are competing against outside situations in people’s personal lives, but you never know when their situation in life may change and they’re looking forward to giving back. Kiwanis is a perfect opportunity to do this, and it is critical that we are tracking the names on these lists. Plus, with new members comes new names to add!
Disclaimer: This blog post focuses on an overview of the role as well as new member recruitment, but it is not meant to cast aside the importance of member retention. This is an important part of the membership chair/committee as well, which I’ll talk about in a future article.
Serving as club membership chair is a fun responsibility and Kiwanis has made it easier than ever to hold this position. The Kiwanis International website has a separate section just for membership chairs. I would encourage you to check it out and implement some of the strategies involved. My favorite link on this site is the recommended monthly checklist for club membership chairs/committees. Also, please make sure that your club membership chair is reported through the officer election report on the Kiwanis Club’s Dashboard, so that they receive important updates and communications from the District’s Membership Committee.
Reach out today if you’d like to discuss in greater detail!
December 18, 2023 – Membership Update
Measuring Success with a Club Membership Chair
By Matt Wise, PA District Membership Coordinator
Peter Drucker, a renowned expert in organizational management, once said “What gets measured gets done.” If this seems too simple – it is.
It is important for our Kiwanis Clubs to be actively measuring our successes in every area, but one benchmark that can truly have a positive impact is through our membership. Clubs that have a membership chair who holds regular meetings and/or conversations with the membership or a specific committee are more apt to see a significant amount of new members each year.
Does your club have a membership chair? If you do, further ask yourself if your club has a membership chair who does not have another leadership role in the club (i.e. Club President)? I understand that, especially in small clubs, it is necessary for leaders to have multiple leadership roles within the club, but I would encourage you to make sure this one is separate. Sure, membership is everyone’s responsibility – it ensures the future success of our club and is the natural opposite reaction to attrition – but it if it is someone’s primary responsibility, it is more apt to be successful.
There are so many ways to track your new members, including keeping a list of those who you should be asking to join. Many clubs who do this see benefit in maintaining an active list for recruitment. And, remember – no doesn’t mean no forever, it might mean “not right now.” Now, more than ever, we are competing against outside situations in people’s personal lives, but you never know when their situation in life may change and they’re looking forward to giving back. Kiwanis is a perfect opportunity to do this, and it is critical that we are tracking the names on these lists. Plus, with new members comes new names to add!
Disclaimer: This blog post focuses on an overview of the role as well as new member recruitment, but it is not meant to cast aside the importance of member retention. This is an important part of the membership chair/committee as well, which I’ll talk about in a future article.
Serving as club membership chair is a fun responsibility and Kiwanis has made it easier than ever to hold this position. The Kiwanis International website has a separate section just for membership chairs. I would encourage you to check it out and implement some of the strategies involved. My favorite link on this site is the recommended monthly checklist for club membership chairs/committees. Also, please make sure that your club membership chair is reported through the officer election report on the Kiwanis Club’s Dashboard, so that they receive important updates and communications from the District’s Membership Committee.
Reach out today if you’d like to discuss in greater detail!
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