Membership Growth and Retention Information

District Membership Chairman

  • Establish a contact for each Lodge in your district. It can be an ER or lodge membership chairman and confirm a working email address for that contact.
  • Forward all emails from myself to the lodge contacts in your district. You can add your own message as needed. PLEASE COPY ME ON ALL FORWARDS, this way we can ensure information is getting out.
  • Ask to join any Facebook pages of lodges in your district. Post current membership numbers and Grand Lodge shareables on district and lodge pages.
  • Familiarize yourself with the marketing and membership page on elks.org and encourage your lodge contacts to do the same.
  • Give a detailed report at any district meetings. Include current numbers and new Grand Lodge initiatives that help to promote and grow membership numbers. You can contact me for the latest numbers or if you are a DD or PDD, you can access district numbers on the membership snapshot on elks.org.
  • Encourage lodges to sign up for the online billing system. Also check out the myelks app.
  • Don’t hesitate, Initiate….we are always sitting around 600 candidates awaiting to join
  • Increase communication!!

Outline for Lodge Membership Committee

    Membership Chairman- ER appointed

    • This member should be outgoing, have good social skills, and communicate well with others.
    • They need to be tech-savvy, able to navigate and post on social media sites to promote the lodge and register for elks.org to familiarize themselves with the marketing and membership page.
    • View Grand Lodge Webinars to stay up to date on the latest information.
    • Keep the lodge updated on membership numbers at Lodge meetings
    • Work closely with District Membership Chairman and implement new information received from them.
    • Attend District and State meetings when possible, talk to other lodges for ideas
    • Create a solid membership team focusing on the following areas of membership.

    Recruitment of New members

    • Recruitment of family and friends of current members.
    • Recruit members of organizations you may donate to. Example: parents of sports teams you may support or those of scholarship recipients.
    • Recently retired people looking for something to do make good candidates.
    • Use social media to showcase what you do for your local communities. Remember, no alcohol or lodge sensitive information to be posted.

    Investigation

    • It is important that you do your due diligence during this process. We want to make sure that we add quality members to our membership and not ones that will create problems for you and your members.
    • Use casenet.com or run background checks on perspective candidates.

    Orientation

    • A good orientation is key as this will likely be the candidate’s first impression of what Elks do and what is expected of them as members.
    • Focus on the positive things that our Order and your individual lodges do for their communities.
    • You can find a PowerPoint template on the marketing and membership page that can be tailored to your lodge.

    Initiation

    • It is important to have an impressive initiation, this will further instruct the candidate in their duties and expectations as members.
    • On this night, have all your committee chairman give a report so new members know where to get involved.
    • Use special initiations for members who have a hard time making it to meeting nights
    • Consider having initiations on nights where you can have dinner, entertainment, and a welcoming committee to greet new members. This will leave a lasting impression on them.
    • Don’t sit on candidates too long. This can be a turn off right away. You recruit them to be a part of your family. Why make them wait?

    Involvement

    • Members who are involved are more likely to retain their membership.
    • Find out what members are passionate about and get them on the committees where they can thrive and best serve the lodge.

    Retention

    • Reach out to delinquent members and ask what can be done to retain their membership. We need to know why they are not renewing.
    • There are some things we can’t control; however, it might be as simple as listening to what issues or concerns they may have.
    • Enrollment into the Grand Lodge Billing Program is a must. Save your lodge money and give your members the option to pay dues online and donate to other lodge programs. It’s a win all the way around!!

    Communication

    • An informed membership is an involved membership! Use of the following correspondence can keep members updated on the latest events and activities at your lodge.
      • Newsletters
      • Facebook groups
        • Post only positive information and lodge events
        • Know and understand your social media guidelines
      • myelks app
        • It is the quickest way to get last minute information out.
        • One way information from lodge to membership, no comments or feedback.
        • It is free for both lodges and members to enroll.
        • Make sure that you allow notifications when enrolling.
        • Option to pay dues online if enrolled in Billing Program
        • It is also great for members who travel frequently, you can view any lodge in the country.

    Feel free to contact me:
    Matt Wideman, State Membership Chairman
    mwideman001@charter.net
    314-604-0978

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