[Youth-outreach] Membership Tip: How To Get Members To Commit To Your Organization

[John Bailey]

How To Get Members To Commit To Your Organization:
by John Bailey

When discussing how organizations can grow by retaining members and getting 
new members, I tell a true story about how I became the accidental 
President.

In short, this is how it goes. In the late 90s I joined the newly formed 
Fairfax chapter of the national Federation of the blind. Getting to the 
first meeting is a story in itself. I was very uncomfortable with my lack of 
vision and even the narrowest, least traveled road, was a great impediment 
to me.

Well, I made it to the first meeting and I met lots of other visually 
impaired people just like myself. I didn't know anything about the NFB. So, 
I decided just to sit, watch, and listen to find out how things worked.

Towards the end of the meeting, those who were running the meeting had 
elections for the new chapter officers. I like participating, but I didn't 
feel confident enough to run for an office. They needed someone to be the 
club's vice president. I thought to myself “vice presidents don't do 
anything. They just do what the presidents tell them". This is the kind of 
job I wanted so I volunteered for the position and got it.

I was really looking forward to mine new job as vice president. It was going 
to give me the opportunity to learn a lot about how things worked. Boy, was 
I surprised, when the newly elected president of the chapter came to me at 
the end of the meeting and said, “John, my husband and I will be leaving the 
state in six months. You will have to take over as president at that time". 
That is how I became the accidental president of the Fairfax chapter of the 
national Federation of the blind. I had that job for 12 years.

I tell clubs and organizations that story to illustrate how important it is 
to give some kind of responsibility to new people as soon as possible when 
they arrive at your meeting. Even if they have not become a member yet, give 
them some responsibility. Giving someone responsibility tells them several 
things. First, it tells them that you trust them. Secondly, it tells them 
that you want them to become part of your group even though they are new and 
may not know much about the club. These are two very influential messages 
that can make the difference between someone just showing up for a single 
meeting or someone choosing to participate as a long time member.


John Bailey has been Membership Committee Chair of the National Federation 
of the blind for nearly a dozen years. If you have any comments or 
suggestions, please feel free to contact me directly at 
JohnBaileySpeaker.com. Check out my membership development tips at 
http://www.MaxMMembershipMachine.com.