Silver Statesmen Chorus
MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM
~ created and developed by Larry Halvorson, Membership VP (2014)
OVERVIEW:
Membership is the most important aspect of our organization. Without members we do not exist. The following is a brief description of some of the key areas and processes that I feel will continue to make a positive impact on the chapter from a membership perspective.
It is very important that we do whatever we can to continue building upon the success we have achieved thus far. I believe we are ready to grow and develop as a chapter even more. I feel we can target growth on recruitment programs, current member recognition / support programs, and inactive / past member programs.
Listed below are some concepts that I feel will make a big difference in a positive approach to chorus growth, member enthusiasm and participation. As part of implementing this membership program, I feel it is important for all members to know the details of the program so they will be a part of the process.
With the support and participation of all chapter members, we will make this a very worthwhile program to obtain new members. Thank you.
Larry Halvorson
Membership is the most important aspect of our organization. Without members we do not exist. The following is a brief description of some of the key areas and processes that I feel will continue to make a positive impact on the chapter from a membership perspective.
It is very important that we do whatever we can to continue building upon the success we have achieved thus far. I believe we are ready to grow and develop as a chapter even more. I feel we can target growth on recruitment programs, current member recognition / support programs, and inactive / past member programs.
Listed below are some concepts that I feel will make a big difference in a positive approach to chorus growth, member enthusiasm and participation. As part of implementing this membership program, I feel it is important for all members to know the details of the program so they will be a part of the process.
With the support and participation of all chapter members, we will make this a very worthwhile program to obtain new members. Thank you.
Larry Halvorson
New Member Process
The path to membership will take a minimum of four weeks. This allows both parties the chance to ensure that we have a good fit and a long lasting relationship. Each week we will issue name tags, guest folders, and a promo sheet about the society, chorus, district and division. The information will start very general and get more specific each week.
· Week 1 The Red Week
o Guests will receive a Red lanyard name tag
o Fill out the Red guest info sheet
o Red promo sheet
o Red Guest Folder
o Introduced as a guest to the entire chorus
· Week 2 The White Week
o Guests will receive a White lanyard name tag
o Fill out the White guest info sheet
o White promo sheet
o White guest folder
o Introduced as a guest to the entire chorus
· Week 3 The Blue Week
o Guests will receive a Blue lanyard name tag
o Fill out the Blue guest info sheet
o Blue promo sheet
o Blue guest folder
o Introduced to the chorus for the last time as a guest
· Week 4 Going Green
o Friends will receive a Green lanyard name tag
o Their name will be logged in the guest registry
o Friends will be acknowledged in mass by the Membership VP during the introduction process
o During this phase the friend will be presented the path to membership form and assigned a chorus mentor. Upon completion of the form and payment of dues, the friend will be eligible for the badge ceremony.
· Badge Ceremony
The friend will be acknowledged as a member during the guest introduction process. We will present them with their chorus badge, music folder, riser placement and take a picture of the guest for the newsletter and “Silver Mine” (covered later in this document).
As stated above we will give the guests more detailed info each week including costs and membership expectations. We will also collect info from the guest each week in the same manner. This process is designed to educate the guest and not scare them off.
It is requested that the guest introduction process be conducted by the Membership VP each week. In his absence the chapter president would conduct the ceremony.
During the introduction phase guests are called down front and the chorus sings a welcome song. During the song, chapter leadership, the music team members, and the guests' sponsor come up and shake hands with the guest. At the conclusion of the song the Membership VP and the chorus director take the guests out for a brief welcome. During this time the chorus would conduct its business meeting.
The path to membership will take a minimum of four weeks. This allows both parties the chance to ensure that we have a good fit and a long lasting relationship. Each week we will issue name tags, guest folders, and a promo sheet about the society, chorus, district and division. The information will start very general and get more specific each week.
· Week 1 The Red Week
o Guests will receive a Red lanyard name tag
o Fill out the Red guest info sheet
o Red promo sheet
o Red Guest Folder
o Introduced as a guest to the entire chorus
· Week 2 The White Week
o Guests will receive a White lanyard name tag
o Fill out the White guest info sheet
o White promo sheet
o White guest folder
o Introduced as a guest to the entire chorus
· Week 3 The Blue Week
o Guests will receive a Blue lanyard name tag
o Fill out the Blue guest info sheet
o Blue promo sheet
o Blue guest folder
o Introduced to the chorus for the last time as a guest
· Week 4 Going Green
o Friends will receive a Green lanyard name tag
o Their name will be logged in the guest registry
o Friends will be acknowledged in mass by the Membership VP during the introduction process
o During this phase the friend will be presented the path to membership form and assigned a chorus mentor. Upon completion of the form and payment of dues, the friend will be eligible for the badge ceremony.
· Badge Ceremony
The friend will be acknowledged as a member during the guest introduction process. We will present them with their chorus badge, music folder, riser placement and take a picture of the guest for the newsletter and “Silver Mine” (covered later in this document).
As stated above we will give the guests more detailed info each week including costs and membership expectations. We will also collect info from the guest each week in the same manner. This process is designed to educate the guest and not scare them off.
It is requested that the guest introduction process be conducted by the Membership VP each week. In his absence the chapter president would conduct the ceremony.
During the introduction phase guests are called down front and the chorus sings a welcome song. During the song, chapter leadership, the music team members, and the guests' sponsor come up and shake hands with the guest. At the conclusion of the song the Membership VP and the chorus director take the guests out for a brief welcome. During this time the chorus would conduct its business meeting.
Greeters
The Membership VP will ensure that there are two to three greeters each week at rehearsal. Greeters are our first line of marketing each week. They will stay at their post until 15 minutes past starting time each night. After that time the Membership VP will leave the risers to greet guests as needed.
Greeters will:
o Issue color coded name tag lanyards
o Issue colored coded promo sheets
o Issue color coded guest folders
o Ensure that the guest fills out the color coded guest info sheet
o Greet all members as they walk in the door
o Upon arrival in the Red week the greeter will introduce the guest to a music team member who will do a very short vocal assessment to determine vocal placement.
o Greeters will then assign a mentor for the evening
o Mentors are chorus members in the voice part of the guest. All chorus members are potential mentors. Mentors will collect music folder and colored name tag lanyard at the conclusion of the evening and present the guest with a color coded thank you card before they leave
Current Member Recognition, Support and Retention
Current active members are often taken for granted and as a result sometimes lost. Our best potential for growth is our current members. It is our job to find ways to make current members feel just as excited about being in the chapter as they were when they joined. We will still have turnover but with a plan in place and solid follow through we can positively impact our membership retention
The Membership VP will ensure that there are two to three greeters each week at rehearsal. Greeters are our first line of marketing each week. They will stay at their post until 15 minutes past starting time each night. After that time the Membership VP will leave the risers to greet guests as needed.
Greeters will:
o Issue color coded name tag lanyards
o Issue colored coded promo sheets
o Issue color coded guest folders
o Ensure that the guest fills out the color coded guest info sheet
o Greet all members as they walk in the door
o Upon arrival in the Red week the greeter will introduce the guest to a music team member who will do a very short vocal assessment to determine vocal placement.
o Greeters will then assign a mentor for the evening
o Mentors are chorus members in the voice part of the guest. All chorus members are potential mentors. Mentors will collect music folder and colored name tag lanyard at the conclusion of the evening and present the guest with a color coded thank you card before they leave
Current Member Recognition, Support and Retention
Current active members are often taken for granted and as a result sometimes lost. Our best potential for growth is our current members. It is our job to find ways to make current members feel just as excited about being in the chapter as they were when they joined. We will still have turnover but with a plan in place and solid follow through we can positively impact our membership retention
The Silver Nugget Program
In an effort to recognize each member of the chorus, we will have the each chapter member fill out a basic membership bio form. From this the Membership VP will select one or two members each week that will be presented a Silver Nugget. This is nothing more than a small rock painted to look silver and glued to a ribbon. It will be presented to the selected members in front of the chorus during the guest ceremony. Recipients will stay in front of the chorus for the welcome song.
This simple recognition will reveal some trivia about the member and put them in the spotlight as an important part of the machine that is the Silver Statesmen. We will remind them that they are important to the chorus and we appreciate them. It also conveys to the membership that current members are just as important to the chorus as new members.
The Silver Mine
The silver mine is nothing more than an accordion billboard to be placed in the back of the room. On this billboard we will place some basic info on the society/district/division and the chorus. We will also post info from the music team and administration. This should help to shorten the business meeting.
We will also post Event Proformas on the mine along with event signup sheets. The Proforma is a take home piece of paper with all the logistics for upcoming events.
We will also post pictures and bios of new members and the previous weeks Silver Nugget recipients. Recognition of life events could be posted on the mine as well i.e.: Birthdays, Anniversaries, etc…
Membership Renewal Recognition
This is yet again another opportunity to make our members feel important and proud. This will be a part of the Membership VP's presentation and done during the guest introduction ceremony. We will use the ”clap the number of years on the renewal,” as our salute to the member. Members will stay in front of the chorus until the completion of the welcome song.
Mentor Program
As we know most organizations are run on an 80/20 scale meaning that 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people. The chorus mentor program is not optional and would be considered an expectation of membership. The requirements are minimal and easy for all members to do and may encourage members to step up and do more.
Once a guest has decided to Go Green we will assign a chorus member to the friend who will aid them in the completion of the path to membership process. This constitutes helping get the form signed by all the parties required and turning in the completed form with required payment to the Membership VP so we can move forward with a badge ceremony.
The final step is to ensure that the person you are mentoring is prepared and ready for all events and to answer any questions that they may have.
Past Members / Inactive Members
From time to time we will lose members for many reasons. They may come back at some point and we would welcome them. To make sure that we stay in contact with them we will send out no less than 1 email and 1 newsletter per quarter.
Each quarter, the Membership VP will coordinate with the chapter president to send a simple letter to the inactive member letting them know how much we miss them.
In an effort to recognize each member of the chorus, we will have the each chapter member fill out a basic membership bio form. From this the Membership VP will select one or two members each week that will be presented a Silver Nugget. This is nothing more than a small rock painted to look silver and glued to a ribbon. It will be presented to the selected members in front of the chorus during the guest ceremony. Recipients will stay in front of the chorus for the welcome song.
This simple recognition will reveal some trivia about the member and put them in the spotlight as an important part of the machine that is the Silver Statesmen. We will remind them that they are important to the chorus and we appreciate them. It also conveys to the membership that current members are just as important to the chorus as new members.
The Silver Mine
The silver mine is nothing more than an accordion billboard to be placed in the back of the room. On this billboard we will place some basic info on the society/district/division and the chorus. We will also post info from the music team and administration. This should help to shorten the business meeting.
We will also post Event Proformas on the mine along with event signup sheets. The Proforma is a take home piece of paper with all the logistics for upcoming events.
We will also post pictures and bios of new members and the previous weeks Silver Nugget recipients. Recognition of life events could be posted on the mine as well i.e.: Birthdays, Anniversaries, etc…
Membership Renewal Recognition
This is yet again another opportunity to make our members feel important and proud. This will be a part of the Membership VP's presentation and done during the guest introduction ceremony. We will use the ”clap the number of years on the renewal,” as our salute to the member. Members will stay in front of the chorus until the completion of the welcome song.
Mentor Program
As we know most organizations are run on an 80/20 scale meaning that 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people. The chorus mentor program is not optional and would be considered an expectation of membership. The requirements are minimal and easy for all members to do and may encourage members to step up and do more.
Once a guest has decided to Go Green we will assign a chorus member to the friend who will aid them in the completion of the path to membership process. This constitutes helping get the form signed by all the parties required and turning in the completed form with required payment to the Membership VP so we can move forward with a badge ceremony.
The final step is to ensure that the person you are mentoring is prepared and ready for all events and to answer any questions that they may have.
Past Members / Inactive Members
From time to time we will lose members for many reasons. They may come back at some point and we would welcome them. To make sure that we stay in contact with them we will send out no less than 1 email and 1 newsletter per quarter.
Each quarter, the Membership VP will coordinate with the chapter president to send a simple letter to the inactive member letting them know how much we miss them.
Operational Items
The following list are items needed to implement this program. It can be modified to fit the "comfort level" of any chapter wishing to increase their membership.
o Front Door Sign to welcome everyone
o Colored guest folders with music
o Colored guest lanyards
o Sign in desk sign
o Red, White and Blue info sheets
o Red, White and Blue sign in sheets
o Event Proforma
o Member Bio Sheet
o Silver Mine Billboard
Miscellaneous
With the details above in place, it is time to start encouraging growth in the chorus. Seeking new members via social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) is highly suggested to reach younger potential members in the community. Additionally, it is encouraged that we develop a plan to reach out to other choirs in the community to seek joint opportunities for performances, visitations and growth of the arts in the community.
We will also make plans to teach our membership that “every night is a guest night,” and also to conduct three to four specific guest nights throughout the year. On a week to week basis, we will encourage specific sections, rows, etc., to make it their own guest night.
Finally, you should announce a true membership growth goal. Our goal is to build our chorus to at least 60 active singers by the end of the year. It is a metric we can measure and I feel an achievable goal.
The following list are items needed to implement this program. It can be modified to fit the "comfort level" of any chapter wishing to increase their membership.
o Front Door Sign to welcome everyone
o Colored guest folders with music
o Colored guest lanyards
o Sign in desk sign
o Red, White and Blue info sheets
o Red, White and Blue sign in sheets
o Event Proforma
o Member Bio Sheet
o Silver Mine Billboard
Miscellaneous
With the details above in place, it is time to start encouraging growth in the chorus. Seeking new members via social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) is highly suggested to reach younger potential members in the community. Additionally, it is encouraged that we develop a plan to reach out to other choirs in the community to seek joint opportunities for performances, visitations and growth of the arts in the community.
We will also make plans to teach our membership that “every night is a guest night,” and also to conduct three to four specific guest nights throughout the year. On a week to week basis, we will encourage specific sections, rows, etc., to make it their own guest night.
Finally, you should announce a true membership growth goal. Our goal is to build our chorus to at least 60 active singers by the end of the year. It is a metric we can measure and I feel an achievable goal.