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Growing Membership
Focusing Inward and Outward
Focus Inward To Retain New Members
Priority # 1 is to retain current members
It is much easier to retain a member than recruit a new one! Involved and engaged members are more likely to remain members.
- Everyone can participate even if it is in a small way. Encourage serving on committees, big or small.
- Encourage lesson taking.
- Uninvolved members are less likely to stay members
- Assign a mentor where needed
- Mentors encourage participating and renewing
- Here’s how to start a Blooming Buddies program
- Offer something new
- Cultural programs are interesting too.
- Rotate workshops with demonstrations.
- Establish a program exchange with neighboring chapters.
- Check out these seven pages of dynamic program ideas
- Keep attendance records.
- Determine which programs were preferred and why.
- Survey after meetings/events.
- Ask about preferred meeting days and times.
- Analyze and adjust
- Call non-attending members determine what prevents them from attending. What could be changed to encourage them to attend?
- Inform the president / board.
- Involve them at the next meeting.
- Provide Certificate of Recognition for Perfect Attendance.
- Offer free raffle tickets!
- Offer reserved seating at programs/lunches
- Provide discounts on ginza purchases and reduced dues.
- Members that take lessons are more invested in ikebana and more likely to renew membership
- Partner with sensei
- Use social media (Facebook, Instagram, websites), email, newsletters, and phone calls to inform the membership of the committee’s goals, plans, and results.
Focus Outward To Recruit New Members
New members ensure we survive!
Without new members, age and health issues will cause attrition.
- Remember our motto ‘Friendship through Flowers!”
- Introduce them
- Provide an ikebana welcome package
- Provide loaner equipment
- Follow up with an email, phone or card
- Assign a buddy/mentor
- Everybody brings a little someting
- Key committee heads/sensei explain their roles
- Discuss major events
- Offer a testimonial from a newer member about their involvement
- Chapter video can be used at
- Exhibitions
- Anniversaries
- Special Events
- Website
- Social Media
- Share Chapter, I. I. and NCAR history
- Share the ‘Legacy’ presentation
- Provide a free observation of a lesson to any new/prospective member
- Ask sensei to offer one free lesson
- Reach out to
- Women’s groups
- Newcomer groups
- Art organizations
- Festivals
- Invite their organizations to speak at your meeting to reciprocate for an opportunity to speak/demonstrate at their organization.
- Invite their leadership as guests.
- Place arrangements at different venues and provide a QR code next to the arrangement for information (Advocates can help with this and it saves money on flyers, etc.)
- Libraries
- Banks
- Florists
- Beauty Shops
- Bridge clubs
- The goal is to attract younger members with jobs
- Consider
- Evening/weekend Zoom meetings
- Occasional weekend or evening meetings
- Keep social media (Facebook, website, etc) channels current
- Use multiple platforms
- Ask other organizations to promote your events
- Produce an information sheet
- Consider a website
- Follow up with email, phone calls, cards/notes
- Follow up multiple times
- Follow up via different members
Growing Membership Requires A Chapter Commitment
- Make Board and Chapter members aware of the declining membership problem
- Ask members to commit to helping solve the problem
- Have a goal – make a plan
- Evaluate how many current members are at risk – do your best to keep them
- Consider how many new members you can realistically recruit
- Evaluate options
- Start with a few ideas
- Assign tasks to specific members or a team
- Test and analyze
- Monitor results
- Share goals, plans, results with members, other chapters and NCAR
Resources To Help Grow Membership
Lets get to work!
Check here to find ideas and tools provided by your Advocates and sister chapters.
October 15th NCAR Meeting On Growing Membership
Includes remarks from I. I. President
Play Video
October 12th Member Discussion
Play Video
October 15th Member Discussion
Play Video
Other Resources:
Transcript of Chat from Oct. 12th Meeting
Transcript of Chat from Oct. 15th Meeting
Resources mentioned during the meeting:
Ben Huybrecht’s ikebana photography