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The beginning of the new school year is a big time for bringing in new members. Whether you're a sorority chapter, the marching band, a campus religious group, or a group of competitive table tennis enthusiasts, the months of August and September are prime time for picking up some new faces. You have hundreds (or thousands!) of new folks coming to campus, all looking for a place to belong.
Some of them belong in your organization.
If you've struggled with finding new members, the first thing you need to do is ask yourself this simple question: "Who are our ideal members?"
It is basic target marketing. You don't put yourself out to the entire campus if you're looking for a specific type of person. If you're recruiting for the band, you need musicians. If you're recruiting for a sorority, you might be looking at women with high GPA's and a commitment to service. If you're searching for a new player for your Tuesday night poker group, you want a terrible player with lots of cash and a drinking problem.
That's a joke... I think...
"Who is our ideal member?" It's a basic, critical discussion to have with your existing members RIGHT NOW. Start the discussion before everyone gets back to campus.
If you ask the question and no one has an answer, you've found a fundamental problem. If there's wide disagreement, that's another. Talk it out until your members can clearly describe your ideal member.
Because here's a recruitment basic: It's easier to spot a potential member if you know what you're looking for.
In the classic leadership book, Good to Great, author Jim Collins talks about "getting the right people on the bus." Once you know who the right people are, then you can begin to figure out how to find them, introduce yourself and your organization to them, and ask them to join.
