Membership Strategies for Building Relationships

“Members are Our Mission.”

Strategies for “Building Relationships”

One of the best ways to recruit and retain members is PERSONAL CONTACT.

·        Plan activities and  participate in American Education Week.

·        Recognize accomplishments and celebrate.

·        Have members sign-up to Adopt-a-School.

·        Visit schools during American Education and Teacher Appreciation Month and provide refreshments, gifts, etc. to show appreciation.

·        Cooperate with active local unit during American Education Week, end of year retirement, and other recognitions.

·        Co-sponsor pre-retirement workshops with either the local NCAE or school system; provide brochures, flyers, etc., to identify the benefits of NCRSP membership.

·        Begin early, provide new staff welcome packets from Retired School Personnel.

·        Identify and advocate in the central office who to contact to provide lists and contact information of retirees.

·        Have a liaison from Retired School Personnel for each school.

·        Establish a relationship with the Superintendent to facilitate getting retiree lists.

·        Be visible in the community and volunteer. 

·        Wear name tags with NCRSP logo and name of local unit to all school, community volunteer activities, and  community meetings.

·        Develop a relationship with local school principals. (schools in general)

·        Invite local NCAE members to participate in events and activities.  (Collaborate)

·        Send birthday cards or recognize them on websites.

·        Provide newsletters, websites, or other visuals to the schools and school system offices.

·        Invite potential members to local unit meetings.

·        Provide Welcome Packages to new members.

·        Within the local unit, initiate incentives and campaigns to recruit new members, retain members, and rejuvenate members.

Pre-Retired Activities related to Recruitment

·        Attend Faculty Meeting to share benefits of joining NCRSP. (Ask for 5 minutes)

·        Establish a website.

·        Distribute attractive recruitment posters, newsletters, brochures, or flyers in each school (include contact information)

·        Issue ink pens with NCRSP logo.

·        Hold a workshop in a local school.

·        Devise strategies to implement cooperative relationship with the local NCAE.

·        Enlist retired members to serve as school contacts.

·        Use attendee lists of pre-retired workshops to develop long-term recruitment lists.

·        Become more visible in the school system by wearing name tags, adopting a school and using member expertise.

·        Post member recruitment posters in community locations.

·        Use social media to widen the information chain to the community at large.

·        Have a table with information about NCRSP and what it does at new staff orientation and for potential members at NCRSP meetings.

·        Partner a Retired School Personnel member with a potential member.

·        Encourage a Retired School Personnel member to attend NCAE meetings and events.

·        Identify retirees by school district or geographic location.

·        Train members recruiters.  Have them report regularly.

·        Identify activities and projects Retired School Personnel can participate in or jointly sponsor with NCAE.

·        Each local unit should appoint a Membership Committee.

·        Identify a variety  of school centered projects members can select from to be involved at the school level.

·        Provide a Facebook page.

Post-Retired Direct Recruitment

·        Use more personal contact.  Make personal contact with new retirees to invite them to the first local unit meeting.

·        Have current members make personal contacts with retirees in the school where they previously worked.

·        Have a meet and greet with all retirees at the central office with refreshments.

·        Plan a retiree luncheon or other event for new retirees.

·        Hold a recruitment event at a local restaurant in September or October.

·        Have an activity for the first local unit Retired School Personnel meeting and invite retirees as guests.

·        Re-invite all retirees from the past five years who have not joined.

·        Use a social event to invite each new year’s retirees.

·        Encourage members to bring a non-member guest to a local unit meeting.  Provide an incentive such as a gift to the member who brings the most potential members.

·        Maintain a roster not only of members, but of potential members.

·        Initiate contact annually with all who have not joined.

·        Obtain a list of retirees from the school system, local NCAE, etc.

o   Send formal invitations to the first local unit meeting of the year stating it is in their honor.

o   The meeting should introduce them and the members attending of the goals and purposes of the NCRSP.

o   Survey attendees about how they would like to participate.

·        Have each member personally contact a non-member retiree each month with an invitation.

·        Personally, carry a membership form and talk to potential members.

·        Invite all current members and potential members to an event.  Have an officer from the State Office to discuss the importance of joining the organization.  Have membership forms available.

·        Post recruitment invitations on the Facebook page.

·        Sponsor a benefits session as a recruitment event.

·        Acknowledge each retiree with a retirement card.

·        Develop a membership packet for potential members including benefits.

·        Sponsor a retiree reception.

·        Each member commits to contact 5 potential members.

Community Awareness

·        Publicize local unit Retired School Personnel meetings and events.

·        Report activities in the local newspapers, newsletters, brochures, flyers, and on websites and social media.

·        Increase political awareness and communication.

·        Target potential members for awareness of the organization.

·        Participate in community activities, wear name tags or T-shirts, etc. with logos. (Be visible)

·        Identify some non-school based projects and activities for member participation.

Community Involvement

·        Hold activities at local restaurants and other venues to raise scholarship funds.

·        Develop strategies for establishing and building community presence such as walk-a-thon, Relay for Life, etc. with name tags or T-shirts.

·        Provide an event to issue back to school supplies.

·        Be present at the “First Day of School” events.

·        Donate Back to School Supplies.

Retention

·        Improve programs.

·        Establish various means of communicating to members such as E-Mails, Calling Post, Zoom, Conference Calls, Websites, Newsletters, Flyers, Brochures, and Social Media.

·        Evaluate recruitment activities regularly.

·        Provide means for feedback from members such as conducting a Membership Survey. (Survey Monkey)  Use a questionnaire to gather member input on programs, projects, recruitment, retention, and willingness to participate.

·        Visit and provide activities for members who are homebound, in assistance living facilities, and in nursing facilities.

·        Send cards to members who are sick, have deceased family members, shut-in, nursing homes, etc.

·        Create a Membership Directory.

·        Celebrate and recognize birthdays and accomplishments of members by all means of communication.

·        Initiate regular contact not only with potential members but eligible members as well.

·        Devise strategies to increase attendance at local meetings by at least 10 members.

·        Contact caregivers about Retired School Personnel purposes and why it is important to their charges to maintain membership.

·        Brainstorm ideas to improve participation and leadership roles.

·        Provide ways to distribute the duties and responsibilities of officers.

·        Communicate how to meet the challenge of non-participating members.

·        Encourage members to stay abreast of the benefits and other information that is vital to them.

Nell Burwell

North Carolina Retired School Personnel Membership Chair