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Index Intro 3 Membership information meeting 6 Advertising 6 Church membership drive 7 Open house.. 7 Caravan Functions 8 Ceremonial 9 Retention.. 9 The Follow-Up Phase. 10 Conclusion 10 Membership Recruitment Campaign Checklist. 11 Press Release Example.. 12 A PROGRAM TO INCREASING MEMBERSIP IN CARAVANS 13 MEMBERSIP PIN PROGRAM... 15 2
lhambra embership rive Membership is the lifeblood of any organization. Attracting and retaining members can be a very challenging task, but there are many ways to help make your membership drives successful. Use the Internet, your existing relationships, and promote what you have to offer as a group to increase your organization's roster. Recruiting new members is essential to the continued growth and well-being of your Caravan and the Order. Offering men and women membership in the Order of Alhambra gives them the opportunity to improve his or her own life and their community. Targeted Audiences for Membership Membership in the Order of Alhambra is open any Catholic 18 years of age or older. Local membership drives will likely be most successful if recruitment is focused at a parish level (especially a parish with a supportive pastor) or in a defined geographic region. Those most likely to consider joining Order of Alhambra include: Men and women who are established in the community, with a family and steady employment, age 35+. Men and women who may have a child and/or relative who is intellectually disabled. Men and women who have a strong attachment to their Catholic faith, and who are active in the church, and who, and subscribe to Catholic periodicals. Members of the Clergy including deacons. It should be noted that audiences who are not eligible for membership (e.g. spouses) may influence a prospective member s decision to join the Order, and that influence should be accounted for in any communications effort. If recruiting before and after Masses, be sure to hand-out brochures to parishioners who may not have the time to take to you. Make sure you have your name printed on the brochure so as to allow people to read the brochure at home and contact you later on. 3
Determine your Caravan s goals and objectives These should be both short and long term. Remember, the quest for members does not stop after you make the first contact. It is an ongoing process. Set realistic expectations for all parties involved and make them aware of what is expected. If expectations are set too high, then there is a sense of failure. This should be avoided, as it will affect the rest of your campaign and the overall morale of the volunteers. Start internally; take a look at your current members. Are their needs being met? Is there something missing that they would like to see offered? Conduct a chapter survey to find out. Not only will you learn what your active members are thinking, but it will also give you the opportunity to reconnect with members that you have not seen in a while. Be prepared to contact the members who do not complete the survey. These are usually the members who do not show up for your meetings and are the people you are trying to bring back into the caravan. Track the inactivity of members, as well as those who participate. Each and every member is a player in the caravan and their affiliation adds to the overall effectiveness of your Caravan. Why do people become involved? The desire to belong People want to be able to have fun, and build quality relationships that fulfill personal and professional needs. These people are the joiners; they enjoy being part of a team. The desire for recognition Belonging to Alhambra and your caravan offers credibility and status. A person, who is a professional and proud of it, may respond to your offer of membership with eagerness. Take a moment to answer this question: Why did you become involved? Use your own experiences to appeal to others. Your own testimony of what you have gained by being a member is a bigger selling point than any printed brochure, and just might be the reason that someone is waiting for to encourage him or her to join. Do not get discouraged, there will always be those individuals on your prospect list who will not join no matter how terrific your caravan is, or how often you solicit them. Take these individuals 4
off your lists. Continuing to try to recruit them not only frustrates you, but also irritates them and practically guarantees that they will not join. Always remember that: More members = more volunteers and more dollars = more new programs Actions always speak louder than words. When a man sees the good works your Caravan is doing, he ll naturally want to be a part of that. Here are the steps to putting your recruitment program together. 1. Advertising - Marketing is important. Keep in mind your overall objectives 2. Church membership drive Have ample and well-speaking members in this effort 3. Open house select a time and date that is not in conflict with other organizations 4. Caravan functions. 5. Ceremonial 6. Retention 5
Membership information meetings This will likely be one of the most effective tools available in recruiting new members. Printed announcements, church bulletin inserts and pastor s homilies during Mass should encourage prospective members to attend an informational meetings or contact the meeting organizer if he is unable to attend. The meeting should be tightly planned to offer the appropriate mix of socialization, information and salesmanship. The use of audio/visual aids is effective and eye-catching. Advertising Website Develop a caravan website and use it to promote the benefits of Alhambra membership. Include a Contact us for more information link which goes directly to the caravan Grand Commander or Membership Director. (we have members that can help caravans with a web site) Advertise In Local Publications It pays to advertise. Attracting new members is a valid operating expense of your organization, so allocate a small proportion of your budget to promotion. Choose your advertising medium carefully; local publications (e.g. parish bulletin, local city newspaper) may be the best way to reach your target market. Make sure the community at large recognizes the valuable contribution made by your caravan. Publicize milestones, community service activities, anything of interest. 6
Church membership drive Get permission from the pastor to hold a membership drive on a designated weekend at all Masses. Work with your pastor/parish secretary to advertise the drive in the parish bulletin. Organize your members for the drive weekend. Make sure that enough caravan members that are committed to covering each Mass. Have members positioned at the entrances of the Church or other appropriate area, to talk to prospects about joining. These members should be identifiable as Alhambran, wearing their fezzes and have a good knowledge of the Caravan and the Order of Alhambra. Samples of Pulpit Announcement, Endorsement from Priests and Parish Bulletin Announcement can be received from the home office Open house Following up your Church Drive with an open house provides an opportunity to further introduce your Caravan and the Order of Alhambra to prospects and their families. The main objective is to exhibit your products your volunteer programs, your social and fraternal activities, Appoint a committee to organize the open house. The open house should be held in your caravans meeting place or church hall after mass. Set a date and time. Publicize the event in local newspapers, community websites, and radio, cable television and church bulletins. Order quantities of promotional materials from the home office at least six weeks in advance. Send open house invitations to prospects and their spouses. 7
Assign to each attending prospect to a recruiter who will act as host throughout the event. Invite your chaplain/parish priest and insurance agent to your event. Welcome committee to greet guests; Ask your chaplain or parish priest to endorse your caravan and the Order of Alhambra. Introduce officers, members; Grand Commander/membership director should explain caravans aims/goals; Displays Prepare a promotional display which can be used to promote Alhambra and your caravan in public places. Make sure the display is visually attractive, and includes information for those who want to learn more about Alhambra. Display Caravans scrapbooks, awards, programs, activities. Make sure your display includes photos of men, women and children. Emphasis the family unit. Follow up with prospects by mailing or telephone. Caravan Functions Make Guests welcome. When you bring guests to your caravan function, make them feel welcome and appreciated. Make sure they are greeted on arrival, introduce them around, and sit them alongside an Alhambran who will be welcoming. Thank them publicly for coming. Following up with an it was great to see you letter from the Grand Commander is a good idea. 8
Ceremonial The Ceremonial initiation is both spiritual and memorable event. Going through the rite of passage with fellow new members is a lifelong experience. It tells the unique story of Alhambra with the On to Mecca song and it cast of characters. There are a couple approved versions of the Ceremonial the can be used at any time at the caravan level. There is a long more in-depth elaborate version and a short one that is more formal. Then there is a brown tassel ceremonial that can be performed. All of these official ceremonial programs can be obtained from the home office Retention Recruiting members is only half the battle retaining them is the other half! The caravans that are the most successful in accomplishing their goals are the caravans that make a concerted effort to involve as many of their members as possible in caravan activities. Remember, your members are constantly being sought out by other organizations for their time and resources. Once you know what they want, you will know if Alhambra is a good fit for them. Your job is to assure them that their efforts and involvement with the caravan is an important part in enriching, not only their activities with the caravan, but their personal life as well. Never stop selling or serving. The Knights of Columbus, the Lions Club, the Shiners, These organizations get mentioned atop lists of organizations that value customer service for one reason; they never stop working at it. As soon as you forget to tell members the value of your organization and how much you value them they ll forget. And once they do, it s going to take a lot more to win them back. 9
The Follow-Up Phase Within 48 HOURS, Caravan members must contact every prospect who expressed interest in joining during the execution phase. Inform prospects of the date, time and location of the open house and invite families to attend as well. Also, let them know the date, time and location of the caravan meeting or ceremonial or ceremony. Conclusion The International Order of Alhambra has been around for over 100 years. It is our duty to make sure it s here for another 100 years. We owe it to the future of our caravans and the Order to continually to work hard for growth. We owe it to other Catholic men and women to be part of a great organization like the International Order of Alhambra. If you need help getting started call the home office today. Holding a membership drive is a rewarding process, but it does take time and the commitment of the whole organization 10
Membership Recruitment Campaign Checklist Existing Caravan Caravan: Location: Date Action Supreme Director meets with Caravan leadership and determines potential for successful recruitment campaign Local incentive program developed to encourage current members to participate in recruitment campaign Current members informed of recruitment campaign and local/national incentive programs; encouraged to support local effort. Identify focus of recruitment campaign efforts (e.g., specific parish(es), agencies serving developmentally disabled, etc.) Secure support of diocesan leadership, parish pastor(s), agency leadership as appropriate Determine timetable/locations/program elements of campaign Approach diocesan media for support, if applicable Implement campaign as planned: Outreach by parish pastor Church bulletin insert and/or direct mail Diocesan media news release/advertisement Agency outreach Informational/recruitment meeting Follow-up to potential members Celebrate success of campaign with appropriate celebratory Caravan event 11
News Release For more information, contact: (Name) (Phone) International Order of Alhambra Launches Membership Drive in Looking to boost membership to ensure its vitality well into the 21 st Century, the International Order of Alhambra is currently conducting a recruitment campaign in the (diocese/archdiocese). Alhambra is a Catholic fraternal organization of men and women dedicated to assisting the work of the Church, supporting the developmentally disabled and providing a social forum for its members and their families. Founded more than a century ago, the Order currently has members in the United States and Canada. Membership in Alhambra is open to Catholics, 18 years of age or older. Members belong to Caravans, the local structure that organizes the Order s events and community support. Caravans have broad discretion in developing these activities. A signature program of the Order is the Alhambra House Project. Caravans assist in establishing and providing ongoing support to residential programs that offer home-like environments to persons intellectually and developmentally disabled. Typically, Alhambra Houses provide homes for six-to-eight people, Gerald Forster, Alhambra Past Supreme Commander, said. Our hope is that every new Caravan adopts a goal of establishing an Alhambra House in their area. Other programs across the country provide support for developmentally disabled persons and their caregivers in different ways. A summer camp in Michigan, for example, takes children for a week-long experience, offering a unique educational setting and providing families with an opportunity for a vacation. Alhambra Caravans are often family-oriented, with activities ranging from pizza parties to holiday gatherings. Caravans also offer a support network for those who have developmentally disabled relatives or friends. Caravans are often formed around local parishes, providing members with opportunities to be more deeply involved in parish life. In addition, Alhambra s Memorial Program recognizes historic Church places and events with permanent markers. The International Order of Alhambra is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. Additional information about Alhambra can be obtained at www.orderalhambra.org. 12
INTERNATIONAL ORDER OF ALHAMBRA A PROGRAM TO INCREASING MEMBERSIP IN CARAVANS Objective: The purpose of this program is targeted toward increasing membership in Caravans. Reward: The Order of Alhambra will make monetary donations to a charitable not-for-profit organization identified by the Caravan, for each new member initiated. The payment amount will be based on the Option Plan indicated by the Caravan. Option One Plan, will pay $200 per member and Option Two Plan will pay $100 per member. The Caravan will receive a check made payable to the local charity of their choice. This plan applies to each new member initiated into the Caravan, per fiscal year. Payments will be eligible at the end of the full year after the following conditions are met. Conditions: New member (new membership application available from the Secretariat), excludes Clergy who are elected the Caravan Chaplain. Eligibility Choice no. 1 New members will be eligible for a $200 charitable award and must remain in good standing in the caravan and paid membership dues to his Caravan for one full year; as well as paying per-capita for one full year. These new member must purchase a fez and accompany the order form with the membership application. or Choice no. 2 New members will be eligible for a $100 charitable award and must remain in good standing in the caravan and paid membership dues to his Caravan for one full year; as well as paying per-capita for one full year. A purchase of the fez will not be required for these new members. This plan commences immediately as voted on by the Charity Committee, 10-12-2013. This plan applies to new members brought into a Caravan annually and will be calculated from July 1 st thru June 30 th of each year. Time and condition of payment: The monetary donations will be payable after submitting a simple request from a Caravan. The Secretariat will have a supply of forms to be used by the Caravan. The Caravan must be in good standing with the Order (i.e. all per-capita and other invoices must be paid in full and in time) 13
Awards: At each Biennial Convention (based on the region % of additional of members, compiled from July 1 st to June 30 th for a period of two years) the following monetary awards will be presented to the Supreme Director at the Biennial Convention. Gold: Silver: Bronze: $1,000 donation to a charitable organization of his choice $500 donation to a charitable organization of his choice $300 donation to a charitable organization of his choice Special award: The member that has sponsored most new members, for each year from compiled from July 1st to June 30th for a period of two years, will be awarded, at is choice, a St.-Francis pin, or a Helping Hand pin or a Scallop pin. These awards will be given in each to years at the Convention. 14
INTERNATIONAL ORDER OF ALHAMBRA MEMBERSIP PIN PROGRAM Membership is the number one objective for the Order of Alhambra. We would like each member to sponsor at least one new member as often as possible. Those members who sponsor two or more members for a Qualifying Ceremonial become a VIP Member of the exclusive Membership Pin Club. The rules for receiving a Membership Pin are as follows: SINGLE JEWELED PIN For reinstating or initiating a minimum of two members. DOUBLE JEWELED PIN For reinstating or initiating a minimum of five members. TRIPLE JEWELED PIN For reinstating or initiating a minimum of ten members. Also awarded for the establishment of a new Caravan goes to the member who organizes the Caravan, as well as the Supreme Director of that region. A new member must have an Official Membership Number before the sponsor may apply for the pin. Members will be allowed to trade up, upon request to the Home Office, i.e., member receives Single Jeweled Pin for two new members and initiates three more members for a total of five. Membership Pin is to be worn on the Fez next to the first letter A in Alhambra (the side opposite the tassel). Only one Membership Pin may be worn on the Fez. A Membership Pin Application is attached. Please make certain all members are aware of the program. Assist us in increasing the membership for the Order and make having a Membership Pin a standard part of wearing the Fez. 15