how to get and keep your membership

How to get and keep your membership

Col Stan Skrabut, CAPWywg.pdo@capwyhq.org@wywgcap

Civil Air Patrol turns over its membership (61,000) every three years.

You are in a leadership role within a local unit.

You are struggling with getting members in the door and keeping them.

You want a successful recruiting campaign as well as a membership that stays.

Let me show you how the Laramie Squadron recruits, and how we try to keep our members.

Successful open houses are based

on thorough planning and preparation.

Here are tasks to complete 31-90 days out.

Most importantly agree to date and place it on your annual calendar. Hold it on meeting night.

Order your recruiting materials from National or print your own.

Assign tasks to members; develop displays, sending out materials, planning refreshments.

Have public affairs officer send out press releases.

Compile lists of government officials, principals, and school administrators.

Send invitation letters to local officials

Print out posters for distribution throughout town.

Here are tasks to complete 10-30 days out.

Send packets to schools including information letter, school announcements, cadet recruiting brochures, open house

posters, and teacher recruiting brochures.

Go business to business to post posters in the window.

Assemble new member packets.

Here are tasks to complete in the last week to 10 days.

Have cadets wear uniforms to school the day prior to open house.

Review schedule and assignments with unit members.

Explain how open house displays will be set up.

Assign door guard/ greeter and display presenter positions.

It is important to put on the most

professional presentation

possible.

Arrive early to set up for open house.

Set up displays and seating, if you did it right plan for 40 or more visitors.

When visitors arrive, have escorts guide them to their seats of display area.

Ensure all members are briefed to engage with visitors not fellow members.

Ensure you develop displays that focus on all three missions.

Set up displays with attractive posters.

Set up displays with typical CAP equipment and resources.

Set up displays with handouts and takeaways.

Give a presentation that clearly spells out CAP’s capabilities and missions.

Either create or modify a visual presentation that shows the CAP missions.

If possible, have a couple cadets give a presentation from their perspective.

An open house is an ideal time to have a promotion or award ceremony.

Once you get members, it is now a matter of keeping

them.

One of the most important things to do is establish squadron goals.

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Work with members to establish goals for Aerospace Education program.

Work with members to establish goals for cadet program.

Work with members to establish goals for emergency services program.

Work with members to establish goals for other programs such as public affairs, professional development, etc.

Once you have your goals in place, start building a plan to meet the goals.

Start with an annual plan and identify your core focus for each quarter.

Identify the wing and squadron monthly activities aligning with quarterly activities.

Have a set meeting schedule, each week a different focus.

Let the members know what is on the schedule.

Now it is a matter of executing your plan and measuring the results.

Naturally, you will have to make adjustments to your plan; however, they should not be radical changes.

Periodically, review your goals to see if you are making a difference.

Recognize individual efforts throughout the process.

Questions?