MERL TIPS

MEMBERSHIP, EXTENSION, RETENTION, LEADERSHIP

-           Clubs should set membership goals

-                      Members should set their own goals for new members

-                      Timely induction of new members

-                      Encourage new members to attend Zone & District meetings

-                      Take new members to Zone & District meetings

-                      Have sponsors call & take new members to club meetings

-                      Each club should develop listing of  ideas from existing members

-                      Leadership of clubs should become more actively involved at District functions

-                      Each club should have an “EXIT” committee to interview any member who is leaving the club

-                      Invite new members to board meetings

-                     Develop a telephone committee to call all members to remind them of meetings, events, and to call members who are not actively involved

-                      Take an existing member to a club meeting

-                      Sponsor of new member should be responsible for new member for one year

-                      Extension clubs in Lawn, Throckmorton, Hawley, Midwestern State University, and the possibility of  Spanish speaking clubs in Wichita Falls and Abilene

-                      Have intra-club membership contest and inter-club membership contest in the District

-                      Have a “CLOSED” back door policy that ensure members do not leave because they are not included in activities, lack of support from other members, bored, etc.

-                      Consider club paying for new membership fees

-                     Promote Lions through improved communications within the clubs & community through special programs on Texas Lions Camp, LWSB, LCIF, Leader Dog, etc

-                      Develop three member teams to bring in new members

-                      Have club activities that encourage younger member participation, family events, and fun things in the communities served

-                      Target memberships

-                      Develop mentor program to work with less tenured Lions

-                      Have fun at meetings with good programs

-                      Listen and learn from other Lions and Lions Clubs

-                      Have new members set at different tables each meeting helping them to better know the entire membership

-                      Have a local program twice each year where each member introduces her/himself to the other members and briefly tells other Lions about her/himself

-                      Keep zone chairs and region chairs up-to-date with memberships of all clubs

-                      Raise/grow our own Lions through Leo Clubs

-                      Develop a local calendar that focuses on leadership, retention, extension, and membership, such as;

-           JULY – Attend or have attended leadership training in June, invite X number prospective new members, leadership of club to attend District Cabinet meeting, have meaningful and interesting programs

-           AUGUST – Properly induct X number of prospective members who attended in July, invite X number of prospective new members, have meaningful and interesting programs, recognize local elected officials

-           SEPTEMBER – Properly induct X number of prospective members who attended in August, invite X number of prospective new members, have program where fellow Lions introduce her/himself to other members, etc

-           OCTOBER – Properly induct X number of prospective members who attended in September, invite X number of prospective members, recognize representatives of local/area schools for their work with youth, have a special event/social for all members and their families, have meaningful and interesting programs, recognize Lion of the month, have media coverage, etc.

Continue the calendar for the remainder of the year to include club events, etc., assuring leadership, retention, extension, and membership receives special attention.

LIONS CLUBS SURVEY 

-                      What percent of our Lions recruit new members?

-                      Do individuals 25 to 40 value time or money the most?

-                      Is our clubs satisfying the needs of the communities served?

-                      What percent of the citizens in our communities know what our clubs do?

-                      Would we join our clubs today?

-                      Do we always wear our Lions pin?

-                      How many of our members in our clubs are women?

-                      Do we have family involvement, other than spouse, in our clubs?

-                      Have we expressed the value of membership in Lions?

-                      Do our clubs actively participate in membership contest?

-                      Do our clubs have planning retreats?

-                      What recognition do we give Lion recruiters?

-                      How many of our clubs knows what the Lions International membership incentives are?

-                      How do we perceive the membership chairperson in our clubs?

-                      How quickly do we get new members involved?

-                      How often do our membership chairpersons give reports to our club members?