Building a Respected Council: Strategies for Engagement and Reputation Growth

1. How to Make Your Council Known and Highly Respected November 18, 2021

2. Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Michael McGivney God, Our Father, protector of the poor and defender of the widow and orphan, you called your priest, Blessed Michael McGivney, to be an apostle of Christian family life and to lead the young to the generous service of their neighbor. Through the example of his life and virtue may we follow your Son, Jesus Christ, more closely, fulfilling his commandment of charity and building up his Body which is the Church.

3. Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Michael McGivney Let the inspiration of your servant prompt us to greater confidence in your love so that we may continue his work of caring for the needy and the outcast. We humbly ask that you glorify Blessed Michael McGivney on earth according to the design of your holy will. Through his intercession, grant the favor I now present (here make your request). Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

4. Agenda Defined by Our Actions • Earning Member Respect • • Building Your Council’s Reputation New Engagement Initiatives • Summary •

5. Defined by Our Actions

6. Faith alone is not enough James 2:17: “So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead.

7. Program Activities are what people see • Consider how council activities are perceived by: • Members • Prospects • Pastor • Parish / Community Must impress everyone, every time!

8. Engagement Philosophy Councils Succeed Through Engagement with Programs Council Programs Member Engagement Member Engagement Member Satisfaction Member Satisfaction Retention and Growth

9. Earn the Respect of Your Members

10. Communication How does your council communicate? • Are you meeting to communicate or meeting to plan? •

11. Engaging Your Members Engagement must be planned • • Leverage Members’ Interests (#1842) Multiple approaches: New Members: Welcome, Onboard, Put to Work Officers: Training, Leadership Roles, Accountability • • •

12. Building Your Council’s Reputation

13. Define Council Success • Talk with your Pastor about parish needs • Identify community needs • Set clear council goals • Achievable • Meaningful • Measurable Communicate this to your members

14. Develop Path to Success • Use Star Council as a guide • Have short-term and long-term milestones • Appoint competent teams • Monitor progress • Intervene as needed to assure success

15. Host Effective Events • Effective KofC events: • Serve a meaningful purpose • Engage our members • Benefit the community • Demonstrate Catholic values • Well-planned events are attractive and will get people to return.

16. Life Cycle of An Event Idea Follow- Up Plan Execute Promote

17. Idea • Identify need; create a solution. • Enhance a current event. • Revisit an old event. • Try something new. • Use Faith in Action as an idea board.

18. Plan • Arrange all the details. • Where, When, How, for Whom? • Answer key questions – RSVPs, food/drink, weather plans? • Assign committee chair, committee, photographer. • Set budget. • Involve beneficiaries.

19. Promote • 4 week minimum for most programs. • Rule of 7 – communicate at least 7 times • Understand the audience; use appropriate channels. • Bulletin/Pulpit Announcement • Poster/Flyer • Email/Text/Phone Call • Social Media/Web

20. Press Release • Local paper, diocesan newspaper, State Council, Columbia, members (website/social media). • Write press release before event. • Take pictures at your event. • Send the press release that night.

21. Execute • Volunteers for set-up, event, and clean-up. • Make it Catholic. • Thank attendees. • Opportunity to recruit • Be flexible to handle problems

22. Follow-Up • How did you do? Communicate success. • What went well? What could be improved? • Do you want to hold event again? • Close out the finances.

23. New Engagement Initiatives

24. New Initiatives to Engage Memebrs KnightCast • Faithful Citizenship •

25. New Program: Faithful Citizenship • New, exclusive member benefit • Members must sign up • Receive monthly eNewsletter on various federal legislative, regulatory, and legal issues • Kofc.org/faithfulcitizenship

26. Summary

27. Takeaways for Fraternal Leaders • Your council’s actions will define your reputation. • Building your reputation is straightforward. • Keep taking your council to the next level.

28. Prayer to St. Joseph Hail Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man. Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.

29. Thank you If you have any further questions, please reach out to fraternalmission@kofc.org