Growing Membership and Retention: Key Goals and Updates

2. Our 3 Key Goals • Add 10% New Members/Reinstatements. An 8,000 improvement over 2015. • More focus on doing initiations (we left 8,593 candidates on the table last year). • Reduce non-payment cancelations to 5%. A 20,000 (1.3%) improvement over 2015.

3. Overview We have 9 States with potential for sizable increases (+ 100 and up): California/Hawaii, Connecticut , Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Texas. We have 13 States with potential for a small increase ( +1): Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, Virginia, and Wyoming. We have 20 States likely to have a modest loss (-300 or less range): Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland-Del-DC, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin. We have 5 States likely to have a sizeable loss (-400 to -1,200): Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. Based on current trends, we have an opportunity for more progress towards shrinking our membership loss. We see an increase in the number candidates. We see improving growth trends with the number of new members added and reinstated.  We see improving retention trends with reducing the number of member cancelations.   We have opened several new Lodges. The closed Lodge total seems less....but still too early to tell. We have enormous opportunity for continued improvement through enhanced training, process improvements, Statutory changes, and volunteer motivation.

4. February 1, 2016

5. March 1, 2016

10. State Training Seminars We have performed at least one training seminar in 16 States. Some States more than once, for a total of 24 training seminars to date: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Maryland-Del-DC, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington. Upcoming State Seminars (13) with firm dates on schedule are: Kentucky, New Mexico, Ohio, West Virginia, Wisconsin, North Carolina, New York, California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Wyoming, Maryland-Del-DC, and Tennessee . States we have requests in from (4) but have schedule conflicts to work out: Idaho, Oregon, Hawaii and Texas States (17) we have not had a request from: Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina , South Dakota, Utah, and Vermont.

11. LODGE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE • Do you have the correct size Committee to get the job done? • Exalted Ruler • Lodge Secretary • Leading Knight • Membership Chairperson • Add at least one additional committee person per 100 members in your lodge. • 200 Member Lodge- add 2 • 500 Member Lodge- add 5 • 1000 Member Lodge- add 10

12. Select a Great Membership Committee The Membership Chairperson needs committee members with various skills: • Sales- working recruitment tables, working reinstatements, greeting guests and inviting them to join. • Public Relations/Marketing- Promoting membership on the social media page and lodge website. Making sure everyone is aware of the positive impact the lodge has contributed towards the community. • Orientation- Educating, involving and inspiring the new Members to recruit and be active. Matching their interests and time with a Lodge committee or activity. • Collection Department – Assist the Lodge Secretary with billing, collection letters, phone calls , emails and personal visits to delinquents. Patience and persistence.

13. EFFECTIVE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA • Must meet regularly (suggest weekly April through June, then monthly). • 1. Set goals to initiate 10% more members. • 2. Set goal of 5% dropped for non-payment of dues. • 3. Review and study the membership manual. • 4. Discuss initiatives to publicize membership efforts. • Use bulletins/social media/websites to encourage members to bring potential candidates to Lodge. • Publicize membership classes. • Discuss incentives and contests. • Discuss reinstatement opportunities and strategies. • 9. Review Stray Elks. • 10. Review delinquents. • 11. Review and evaluate Orientation program. • 12. Review membership numbers & compare to goals.

14. Top Recruiter Incentive Ideas • Members initiating or reinstating three members into the Order will receive the prestigious GER pin award. • Members initiating or reinstating eleven or more members into the Order will receive the prestigious and attractive Elks watch (male or female sizes available.) • Make Thank You! posters thanking recruiters and showing a picture of them. • Hand out Thank You! tickets each time a recruiter brings in a new Member. Each ticket offers the chance for a monthly drawing for something as simple as a $25 gift card. • List your recruiters in your Lodge newsletter/website and social media page and thank them. • Create a recruiter of the month parking space (or 2) at your Lodge. • Create a special recognition program for great recruiters - because without new Members we can’t survive!

15. The Power of the Pin

16. Invite Prospects to become New Members • Develop a brochure- To have available for open house guests. Include contact information, state major projects, community projects, hours and dinning menu, Elks mission, and national programs including scholarship information and grants. • Put a positive spin on everything- Steer away from anything negative. • Be sure to have a sign-in sheet- For guests’ names and contact information. • It has to be fun- Being entertained, doing for others, and being respected are priorities. Image matters- Portray your Lodge to be friendly, modern and fun. • Incorporate stories- From those who have benefited from the Lodge’s charity. • Sales pitch- The open house is a sales event. • What we are about- Have presentations or stations. Tables display boards, videos, overheads, etc. • What we expect- Outline what we expect and what they can expect from the Elks. • Financial Responsibility –Spell out the dues and responsibilities of membership. • I thought you never ask- Don’t forget to ask them to join.

17. Orientation Tips • A tour of the lodge- Tell them what takes place in each area of your lodge. • A how-to session – Bringing in guests, sign up sheets, etc… • Written copy- Lodge & House rules and customs. When you provide rules in writing, there is no confusion as to what is and isn’t accepted. Do not embarrass. They won’t be back. • How to accomplish basic tasks- How to volunteer, who to ask, how to get help. • Develop- wELKome packets. • Request- Email and cell phone If not on the application. • Explain - How to become a good and productive Member. • Birds of a Feather – Give 3 applications and how they earn the GER Award pin. • Provide -Hours the Lodge is open. • Chain of Command- Provide them with a written list of Officer contact information. • Communicate- Copy of the Lodge bulletin, website and social media page. • Survey- Hand out the new Member survey.

19. Guidelines for Initiation Celebration • Consider holding Initiation Celebration other than meeting nights. • Make it an event to always remember. • Socialize prior and after the Initiation Celebration to create and build friendships. • Have an open free meal and encourage Members to attend. • Provide a guideline list for Initiation Celebration. • The new Member should leave the Initiation with an invitation to an upcoming Lodge activity or event.

21. Mentoring-Assimilate Into the Family • Who- Ideally, this should be the new Member’s sponsor. • Not able- Assign a trained Member or Officer. • Goal- To empower the new Member and create an environment where their thoughts and ideas can be contributed. • Introduce- The new Members to others. • Invite – The new Member to join them at a Lodge meeting or event. • Call- The new Member to ask for help with a project they are working on. • Engage- In Informal conversations outside the meeting room. • Special Events- Let the new Members know about game nights and outings. • Post Pictures- Of the new Members.

22. Should We Stay or Should We Go? • Your building is not your Lodge. Your Members are your Lodge. Just like your house is not your family. • Does your Membership dues cover all overhead costs? • Is every room in the Lodge a profit center? • Is the bar and restaurant keeping the Lodge afloat? • Has the neighborhood changed and hurting your ability to grow membership? High crime area, less drive by traffic, etc. • Looking at unaffordable building repairs like your parking lot, heating and air, new roof, etc…? • Families downsize to more affordable housing everyday. • Maybe it’s time to sell and/or lease. • You will never see a U-Haul truck in front of a hearse….move before your Lodge dies. Again….Your building is not your Lodge. Your Members are your Lodge.

23. Delinquency Action Plans Has the GER Hicks September delinquency letter been sent out by every Lodge Secretary? If not, take immediate action with the 5,083 delinquents. It can be found on Elks.org CLMS2Web: Home...Lodge Secretary News. GER Hicks Requests Your Help!Dear Lodge Secretary, As Grand Exalted Ruler, I am personally asking every "at risk" Member on our Lapsation rolls to pay their dues and remain a Member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In an effort to expedite this process, we have already generated the letters and demonstrate how to produce mailing labels in CLMS2PC for your Lodge. We have also created an easy-to-follow tutorial video and written instructions. (Posted 09/01/2015)

24. Delinquency Action Plans Is the Lodge Secretary using the "Gathen 1,2,3" delinquency letters ?  The delinquency letters are named Gathen 1,2,&3. We recommend every dues invoice should include a letter. This will effectively boost payments and get to the root of why the Members is delinquent. We have 5,083 delinquents in Florida. More than a half million of uncollected dues. The Lodge Secretary has a busy job....and many just don't have time to write letters. To this end, we have already done the work for them.  Let them know.....just a few clicks of the mouse and done!   Clms2 PC Click on sharing tab Select letters Type in 1962 in the lodge number box Letters are named  Gathen 1,2,&3 Put a check mark in those three Select download The letters will be downloaded into the mail merge of clms2 PC. 

25. Top Tips to make ‘em pay! • Let your members pay – in any way possible and as quickly as possible. Online, mobile, snail mail, or in person. At the end of the day, you need to provide your members with a quick and easy way to pay you in a method they prefer. Let the member click one link to pay you online via credit card. Don’t make paying a chore. • If it doesn’t lookprofessional, you’re not a professional. Make the dues invoice look nice and branded to your lodge. While still remembering its primary purpose. • Everybody could use a reminder. Make sure all dues invoices are on a healthy 30 day cycle. Bill every month starting on May 1st.

26. Top Tips to make ‘em pay! • Watch your tone with collection letters and calls. Don’t get all “official” just because this is a late invoice and you’re talking about money. Remember that you have formed a fraternal and social relationship that’s supposed to be mutually beneficial. Be personable, humble and friendly. • It’s time to get over it find a solution in your collection letters and calls that takes the edge off things like understanding that times are hard, or understanding that many (not just seniors) are on fixed incomes. The sluggish economy has made an impact. • It’s my Life (membership) this should be reviewed annually by the Lodge Secretary to see who is eligible well before the close of the fraternal year. In general people are living much longer…well into their 80’s. However many are not financially prepared to maintain their membership.

27. Exalted Ruler and Lodge Secretary Written notice is required before a Member can be dropped for nonpayment of dues A Member is deprived of a substantial right of membership without due process of law when the lodge seeks to drop him/her from the Lodge rolls without first strictly adhering to the requirements contained in Section 14.170 of the Statutes Annotated. The required steps before a delinquent Member shall be droppedfrom the rolls: Section 14.160of the Statues Annotated, state the Lodge Secretary shall provide notice in Section 1.115 informing the Member that such Member may be dropped if dues are not paid within 30 days of the mailing notice. At the time the Lodge Secretary gives notice to the Member, the Lodge Secretary shall post a list of all members given notice on the Lodge Bulletin Board and report the posting the list at the next Lodge meeting.