Msg #14052 (SING)
From: Marti Lovejoy <LovejoyMar@...>
Date: Fri Nov 8, 2002 11:06 am
Subject: SA Nashville - Membership/Marketing Class

Happily, the room is overflowing... handouts have all been given out
and they even ran out of slips to sign up for the "door prizes" of
free membership tool kits! Since they planned for 150, we must have
about 200 women in the room.

Kathy Carmody begins with her philosophy - that it's a privilege to
be a Sweet Adeline and when you invite a friend to join, you are
giving them a great gift.

Most people who leave do so because someone was rude to them or
ignored them. They will say "time" or "money," but the real issue is
usually acceptance. We need to cherish the person next to you a bit
more. Time out for everyone to hug someone! Pandemonium!

Kathy introduces Rachel Sage, the staff member who is in charge of
membership.

Rachel asks how many have used the Members Count Toolkit - about 30
hands go up... how many have used the Add-a-Voice campaign - about a
dozen hands. The Members Count Toolkit is designed to help find
members and keep them. It can be used for all parts of the cycle.
It takes the best of the Ready, Set, Grow book and adds a lot of
retention information.

The most important thing when you start a membership plan is that
your always need new members, even if just to offset natural
attrition. Add-a-Voice will help encourage every member of your
chorus to get involved in the membership campaign, because they
already are. Each member IS a representative of your chorus and of
Sweet Adelines International. (If you go to the office the day after
rehearsal and complain about how tired you are, will anyone who hears
you ever think about joining?)

How many know your chorus has the toolkit? Every hand did NOT go up!
(If you at home are not sure, ask. Someone in your chorus has the
toolkit because every chorus received one!)

Rachel plays the CD which comes with the kit...several PSA's of
different lengths with "This Joint is Jumpin'" in the background.
There is room to add your own chorus information. There is a whole
section in the toolkit about marketing - deciding what kind of member
you wish to attract and then tips on how to reach that type of person.

Q & A: Why are things sent to the President instead of to the
Membership Chair. (A) Surprisingly, many choruses do not have a
membership chair. The chapter leader gets the mail for consistency.
Kathy suggests that, rather than beat up on your president if things
aren't being passed on, volunteer to help her sort the mail.

Q - Do we have a motto? A - Yes, Harmonize the World. Kathy says
it's coming true, too... remember when we thought it was cute when
the Swedes came over to sing for us.

Q - Can we get more clipart for female barbershoppers. A - Rachel
says the toolkit has some clipart files. The questioner says we need
more - especially quartets.

Kathy introduces Kelly Kirchoff, Communications Director.

Q - Restrictions on using the logo? A - If you are using it on
anything official, get in touch with HQ for the proper uses. If
you're going to sell an item with the logo, get it approved through
HQ.

Q - More a comment... a membership campaign was successful when the
name Sweet Adelines was not used until the guests were all in the
door. A - Kathy admits our name doesn't evoke what we are. When the
organization attempted to change it, however, the membership rebelled
and wanted to keep Sweet Adelines. There is no requirement to use
the name, but wouldn't it be better to change the image that is
evoked when people hear the name? Whatever you think is what will be
projected. If you think you're aging - that image will be projected.
If you think you're old-fashioned - that image will be projected. If
you think you're really cool - that image will be projected. A
cappella is very "hot" right now and we can take advantage of that.

When YWIH was established, it was not intended to be a recruitment
tool. We need to consider a separate youth membership campaign.
YWIH will plant seeds for the future, but we should also recruit the
young ones for our choruses now. We tend to see the age barrier more
than the kids do. We need to be tolerant of their school schedules
and so on, but kids can be real assets to the chorus. Let them
decide - don't decide for them.

Most of the people out in the world have not come to a rehearsal
because they haven't been involved.

Q - Chorus standing rules have age limit. A - Change the standing
rule. Kathy recommends a sponsorship for the young (some of us need
keepers all of our life) by either a parent or other adult member.

Guilt-free membership: not everyone can be the same type of member
that you are. Some may be just competing members. Some may just do
show. Some may be summer members. "Mandatory" rehearsals are not
usually successful because life gets in the way. Qualification
(knowing music) is a better standard than attendance.

International defines membership, dual membership and associate
membership, but choruses come up with other categories... i.e.,
emeritus. Be creative.

Be sure to toot your own horn when your chorus does something
"public" - press releases for charitable things, etc.

The key to membership retention is allowing people to be members at
their own pace. It's difficult when you are giving 110% and you
watch someone else gives what you consider to be 50% (it might be
their 100%), The hardest thing is when someone leaves. We take it
personally. Don't make them feel bad for leaving - keep the door
open so they will feel free to come back if circumstances change.
"It's easier to get into Sweet Adelines than it is to get out."

Suggestion: A one-day workshop where guests learn one song and
choreography and perform it in the afternoon or evening with the
chorus.

Regions can help with publicizing the toolkit. Each of us is
challenged to make a presentation to our choruses - as a start.

The branding kit of CD's is a separate item. Both items are for sale
from Harmony Bazaar both here at international and from HQ.

Q - Is the best time to recruit before contest, after contest, before show?
A - YES.

Kathy suggests getting women when they are in a deciding mood. Back
to school time is good. Right after the holidays is good.

Marketing and Membership must work totally together. Use the toolkit
as a guidebook where you can look things up. Don't read it cover to
cover and try to do it all. (If you need to repair something on your
car, you don't read the whole book - it has no plot!) It can be
overwhelming if you try to do everything that is suggested.

Q - How do you reconcile the 100% and 50% people? If you go too
fast, you lose one group; if you go too slow, you lose the other. A
- You need to set the pace to allow the average person to qualify to
be able to perform. Then folks will make their own choices. If they
cannot or will not keep up, we have to let them go. Maybe encourage
them to start another chorus that suits them. When expectations are
different, we have conflict. Have a strategic planning session and
be sure that our value systems are the same, set goals, figure out
how to implement. Once there is consensus, there will be buy in and
the members will get on board.

FOUR STANDING RULES:
Come to rehearsal
Learn your music
Pay your dues
Be kind to each other

The table of contents for the toolkit book is divided into specific
sections so that it's easy to find the information you need.

Kathy challenges us to open up and forego having "rules" and allow
the newer,younger people to be creative and come up with new ways of
getting things done.

Keep your standing rules to the bare minimum and put everything else
into "procedures" - these don't require a vote and can be changed
more easily. Even standing rules can be presented in such a way that
the membership will take ownership. HQ has a member handbook
template, free for the asking, which is on a CD and can be used to
prepare a book for each member. The template allows you to change
out one page at a time to update the book each year, or even more
often.

50% of those who leave do so during the first year or right after the
first contest. We're really nice to them when they first come and as
soon as they pay their dues and send in the form, we drop kick them
onto the riser and they are on their own. A rookie program which
follows through for at least a year is recommended.

HQ produces brochures which are appropriate for guests and also for
new members. A sample pack of brochures is available free of
charge from HQ. Then quantities can be ordered and you don't have to
reinvent the wheel.

CAL people - Region 13 is charging monthly dues and send information
with the bill.

Q - Is it wise or detrimental to show the videos of international to
a new chorus?
A - Kathy suggests using the tapes of the Harmony Classic first, but
also show international videos so we know what we want to grow up to
be. Take ideas from the big ones, even if you don't want to be big
yourselves.

Set your goals slightly out of reach, but not out of sight.


Q - Are there videos of the music education classes from
international conventions?
A - Yes, for the past three years and this year.

"We Are One in Song" video is also a good tool. It is on the web
site. If you have a high speed connection, you can download it and
play it.

"Sing Out For Peace" on 9/11 has resulted in some membership gains as
well as being a major feel good day. It will probably become an
annual event. Almost half of our choruses participated this year -
15,000 members.

This is a hobby that costs money and we must not make light of that.
If we pay everything for the member, they are not as invested and may
just leave. However, an "Angel Fund" for members with extraordinary
circumstances. Have them pay it back when they can, to help another
member later.

If the vocal lesson program isn't working for you, find out why
people don't come back and modify the program to suit their needs.
It's all in the presentation. The director must teach the class.
Membership is tied to the member being validated by the director.
Director note** (postcard) to each guest is a relatively easy way to
make a personal contact. The rehearsal must be fun and/or rewarding
in order to make people want to come every week.

**"Dear Susie, Thank you so much for visiting Velvet Hills Chorus and
singing baritone with us. I'm glad Anita invited you to visit. We
believe we have a very exciting musical future and we'd love to share
it with you."

Happily, I got an opportunity to plug the SING group and since
Ruthanne had prepared flyers for me, I was ready!!

There have been some complaints about dual membership. Kathy says
there are very few people who can afford to do it, or want to, but we
need to be tolerant of those who have such a commitment and can
handle. It's a case of giving our members choices rather than making
everyone do exactly the same thing!

Drawing (guessing at spelling):
Judy Lake - Lone Star
Dorothy Heart... from Vienna-Falls
Deb Welton - Grand Traverse
Margaret Mueller - Perth Harmony
Linda Neunfeld - didn't hear chorus name
Each received a free Members Count Toolkit

The thought of adding a voice touches Kathy deeply - it's a good and
right thing to do. And now you can get a gift for doing it, too!

If you have any questions about membership, call HQ and ask for
Rachel - if she doesn't know, she will find out for you. And
remember, you are awesome! Go out and make everyone else know about
it.

--
Marti Lovejoy
Nashville Reporting Team for SING & Harmonet
Proud "Owner" of SING: sponsor of a YSF Scholarship in 2002
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SweetAdelinesScores/messages
Life Member, Reg 10, TX, USA (30 years so far)
LovejoyMar @ att.net <--remove spaces