Members can just ‘fade away’. . .

. . .don’t let it happen to your club

by Gary A. Davis, USAC Membership Committee Chair

Why is it that despite two solid membership campaigns during the last year, your club has actually lost membership?

Why is it that despite attractive programs, your meeting attendance is down?

Where is that new member who was so enthusiastic when he joined last summer?

All of these questions, which might be familiar to us all, may well indicate that your club has a membership retention problem. A membership retention problem can be insidious because, like old soldiers, membership can “just fade away.”

Perhaps the solution lies in appointing one of your membership committee members to the position of “retention specialist” whose only duty would be to work on all aspects of retaining current members.

A “retention specialist” is not required by Serra bylaws, but think of the good such a person could do. He or she could take a few basic actions that would help ensure that your club would continue to thrive. For example, he or she could make a special effort to get to know the new members and understand the strengths that they bring to your club, strengths that should be recognized early through a meaningful assignment. It is also important that the new member is introduced to all the current members as many times as may be necessary until the new member feels comfortable.

The RS (for short) could schedule an orientation meeting for the new members, drawing upon the resources of your club and also upon the many resources available through the USAC office in Chicago. He or she could also schedule a brief induction ceremony, utilizing the format suggested in the Membership Manual or one specific to the individual club, to clearly call the new member’s attention to the fact that they are now part of an outstanding and vital Catholic organization.

The RS could assign to an experienced member the simple project of keeping track of those members who are attending your club’s meeting, but perhaps more importantly, keeping track of the members who are no longer attending the meetings and determining why they are no longer doing so. Perhaps this will lead to the resolution of a problem that is preventing a member from attending.

Finally, the RS can encourage your club treasurer to report all new members to USAC immediately upon joining so they can receive the Serran magazine and other Serra mailings which inform them of the entire scope of the meaning of being a Serran. The treasurer can also inform the RS when a member has failed to pay his or her dues for a significant period of time, which can also be a signal that some type of remedial action is necessary.

While appointing a “retention specialist” may be simple, a review of the tasks described above indicates that the help of several people may be necessary to ensure a good retention program. However, with familiarity and the help of the resources from USAC, the task of retaining members will become easier and more effective, resulting in your club becoming a stronger and more productive club.

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