Twelve Tips to Win at Recruitment

by Michael Kinigstein, 33°, MSA Valley of Northern New Jersey

An essential component in any Valley’s growth plan is a defined pathway to membership growth and retention. Allow me to speak briefly about our Valley's defined path to success in terms of membership recruitment.

Backstory

The COVID-19 pandemic created a set of new challenges that many of us had no idea how to initially address. In New Jersey, it was impossible to meet in large groups indoors. This created many months of empty meeting nights and cancelled events. One of my goals as Commander in Chief was to develop creative ideas on how we could stem the tide of emptiness and simultaneously spur our leadership in a direction of growth.

In consulting with our Executive Secretary, he indicated that our largest class was 75 new members in one reunion. Our Valley traditionally conducts two reunions per year. Therefore, attempting to match our largest class and thus exceed that number was a massive challenge, but we were ready to take on that challenge. Our Valley Secretary came up with the idea of, “Drive for 75,” a campaign centered around the theme of getting 75 new members. Our Executive Council agreed. Graphics and a member application were created around this theme with visuals of highway signs with a speed limit of 75 posted. Then, a member had the idea of incorporating a one-time petition fee of $75 with a defined expiration date to get the campaign kicked off. This idea spurred tremendous growth.

Unfortunately, the pandemic took center stage again as revised rules were posted putting a temporary end to any gatherings, large or small. We were back to the drawing board and produced an outdoor only, 100-person maximum Rite on the Road event for this new crop of anxious candidates.

1 - Conduct a survey with your Secretary to discover the Valley’s years of highest growth. Analyze these numbers and create a plan centered around themes that may have taken place at those times.

2 - Make recruitment a Valley-wide goal, and let it be known through all social media channels and newsletters.

3 - Instruct lodge ambassadors to promote the event in lodge announcements.

4 - Search your member archives for first- and second-line signers of established members, and highlight an opportunity for those signers to earn a membership attainment award or special cap that you create to recognize them. In our Valley, any member who either brings in five candidates in one class or cumulatively recruits 10 new members earns a blue cap from the Valley and is presented with it at a ceremony.

5 - Sponsor a free dinner for all members who bring in at least one new member. Again, reference those archived petitions for firstline signers.

6 - Seek support from lodges from within your service area to sponsor a Rite on the Road event. Have your Valley offer to pay for refreshments and other associated costs. This is a great opportunity to “go on the offense” with the Rite on the Road 4th Degree video kit!

7 - If you have areas of your territory that contain bilingual communities, find ways to connect. Encourage members of your Valley who are fluent in that language or culture to discuss joining the Scottish Rite. Offer to conduct a Rite on the Road in their lodge or district.

Rite on the Road cast and candidates from an August 22, 2020 outdoor event which welcomed 48 new members to the Valley.

8 - Prepare a live degree as part of a Rite on the Road event to accompany the 4th degree video. New members joining will be impressed, and they will also see an opportunity to get involved!

9 - Find ways to involve both your current members and your new members. Offer non-speaking parts in degrees or even support parts in events. Make the opportunities FUN!

10 - Create new member packets for distribution to new members. Ideas of what to include: Valley accessories (pins, ties, lanyards, shirts, etc.), Valley contact info, meeting times, and their Scottish Rite degree passport. You can also provide information on Valley history, opportunities for involvement, awards, committees, and charity projects.

11 - Watch parties! Come one, come all! Bring a lodge Brother or just come on your own to help fill up or complete your degree passport! Conduct an in-house survey of the degrees needed most by the membership. Then, couple that with a “Nite at the Rite” themed event showing video degrees and possibly one live degree.

12 - Invite Hauts Grades students to discuss some of the core purposes and teachings of the Scottish Rite. Some Master Masons would be intrigued to know that the Scottish Rite can be the “University of Freemasonry.”

Advice on Recruitment Planning

Pandemic or not, the suggestions I have provided here are proven to work! We have brought in over 100 new members for this census year with more waiting in the wings.

In Conclusion

These are just some of the ideas we have implemented that have worked. Each Valley has a set of unique characteristics that can be applied. What are yours? What is your “why”? Make it unique. Express it...then go for it! Because in the end, we all benefit from an organization that is cutting edge and a team that’s “in it to win it.”