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The recruiting video. Singing Is Life

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Quick Recruiting Tips

~~ BRIAN LYNCH ~~

RECRUITMENT MESSAGES YOU CAN SHARE

1. The BEST tool for recruiting new members is your handshake. It's your personal one-on-one touch that brings men into barbershopping.

2. Pick recruiting tools that your chapter can actually accomplish. What works for the Vocal Majority won't necessarily work for you.

3. The SECOND BEST recruiting tool we have is the telephone. It allows you to reach a lot of potential members... repeatedly if necessary, because...

4. When you use the SECOND BEST recruiting tool, don't give up the first time someone says no!

5. The three classes of people in the world are: People you know, People you don't know, People who know People. All three are legitimate recruiting "targets."

6. The three key barbershop recruiting messages we need to get out are:

>Barbershop is easy! >Barbershop is Fun! >You can do it too!

7. The four Barbershop Personality Types are:

AFFILIATOR - He says, "Barbershop is fun because... We have a great group of guys here, a lot of fellowship every week, and lots of activities that involve our wives and families. It's a great way to get together with friends every week."

COMPETITOR - He says, "Barbershop is fun because... We work as a team to improve every time we go to contest. It's like being part of a great double-play combination."

LEADER - He says, "Barbershop is fun because... You can do so many different things as a leader. You can plan membership campaigns, judge or edit bulletins, direct a chorus, coach a quartet, or sit on the Board of Directors for your Chapter, District or the Society."

ACHIEVER - He says, "Barbershop is fun because... You can go as far as you like as a musician. Through education programs, manuals, schools and coaching, you can develop as a singer at your own pace and receive objective measurement of your progress at contests.

8. Incorporate a membership pitch into every chorus performance.

SAMPLE NEWSPAPER ADS

Run these ads in the Personals, Help Wanted and Auditions sections of your local newspaper. If your budget is small, run the ads in local shopper papers rather than in the big daily paper. Always remember to target your audience.

WANTED - Men who want to sing. No experience necessary. Workshops for interested men starting soon. Call (000) 000-0000.

MEN WANTED - Men who want to sing should call (000) 000-0000. No experience necessary.

WANT TO SING? Workshops for men who want to sing. No experience necessary. Call (000) 000-0000.

DISCOVER THE SINGER WITHIN YOU... Interested men should call

(000) 000-0000. No experience necessary.

FELLAS! WANNA MEET SOME NICE GIRLS??

"Emaline," Caroline," "Mandy Lee" and "Lida Rose" are your for the asking. If you like to sing, call (000) 000-0000.

~~ PATRICK KELLY ~~

PAT'S TOP TEN RETENTION TIPS - (Once you've got them, how do you keep them?)

1. Give prospects a thorough orientation/introduction to barbershop harmony.

2. Treat every member as if he was a brand-new prospect.

3. Show respect for every chapter member.

4. Know your chapter's vision and recruit prospects that share that vision.

5. Make sure your chapter meetings are fun and exciting... every week!

6. Call every missing member, every week. Let him know you missed him.

7. Send a card or flowers to each member's wife on their anniversary.

8. Have at least one assistant director to prevent director burnout.

9. Make sure every member and guest has and wears a nametag.

10. Complete a reenlistment interview with each new member early in the quarter when he's due to renew.

PAT'S TWELVE TIPS TO RECRUIT, ORIENT, RETAIN, AND FOLLOW-UP

(A couple of retention duplications from PAT'S TOP TEN, but worth repeating!)

RECRUITING:

1. Talk about barbershop to three new people each week.

Wear a lapel pin to open conversations and invite at least one man to visit your chapter the following week.

2. Find the singers in your community.

Search old yearbooks for names of singers, musicians and drama students. Then cross-check these names with your phone book.

3. Offer "Free Voice Lessons" as an inducement to prospects.

Hook your prospects on barbershop as you help them become better singers.

ORIENTING:

1. Introduce prospects to our musical style.

Explain the structure of barbershop and show how we use interpretative devices to create emotional impact.

2. Turn your "students" into "teachers."

In a back room, teach prospects a tag the chorus doesn't know. Then have them sing the tag and finally teach the tag to the chorus. It's a quick way to demonstrate how easy and fun barbershopping can be.

3. Briefly explain the historic importance of barbershop harmony.

One of only three American musical forms (along with Spirituals and Jazz), barbershop is now found and appreciated world-wide.

FOLLOWING-UP:

1. Call each prospect at least twice during the week following his first visit.

Sure, send a thank-you note, but also make those calls!

2. Ask each new member to complete a new member questionnaire.

Don't just take their dues and forget them... find out early in the first year how each new member feels about the organization he's just joined.

3. Conduct a one-on-one "reenlistment interview" with every new member.

Near the end of the first year, find out how satisfied he is with his barbershop experience.

RETAINING MEMBERS:

1. Know what your members want and give it to them!

Survey your members to find out what they want and make every meeting fun and exciting. Do your weekly programs reflect the chapter's Vision?

2. Call each missing member every week.

Let him know what he missed and what's on tap for next week. Tell him he was missed and encourage him to come next week. A non-attender can quickly become a non-renewer.

3. Do at least one public performance each month.

Men join the Society to sing, and to sing in public. Provide opportunities.

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