First of all, THANK YOU to all of the BCHW members who have contributed your ideas and support for the following information.  By sharing our ideas, we all benefit.

The GOAL of the Membership Development Committee (MDC) is to identify and document the benefits of BCH membership and develop marketing materials and methods to attract and retain members by using chapter resources and talent.

The MDC provides the guidance, ideas and materials but depends on the chapters to implement the activity.  We want to work with the chapters and expect that there will be follow-up, mentoring, adjustments and documenting of the chapter’s progress.   We encourage chapters to add your ideas to that of the MDC and set chapter membership goals.

To accomplish the above goal 5 objectives have been developed.  They are addressed in this manual as individual standalone modules.   They are:

• Develop leadership in the chapters and BCHW.
• Elevate public awareness of BCHW and its mission.
• Increase prospective member first visit traffic.
• Enhance retention, through both second visit and annual renewal.
• Augment attendance at chapter events

We recognize that to have a strong and healthy BCHW we must have strong chapters and increase BCHW membership.   We must also have active members.  Developing a strong membership first requires leadership and public awareness.  This is why they are addressed first.

Chapters are encouraged to study each of the above modules and select those elements that you can implement based on your resources.  As with any successful project there must be a leader who makes the project their own and the organization’s leadership must back the project (and its leader) with thought, word and deed.  A chapter member should be appointed to take the lead on developing and managing the Chapter Membership Program.  This does not need to be the person who processes membership applications.

Throughout this program we emphasize the importance of our message resonating with our audience and aligning with their goals and priorities.  Our message must be vibrant, moving and current to excite our audience about BCH.  BCH members must be knowledgeable and show enthusiasm when talking about BCH.

LET’S INCREASE AND ENHANCE THE BCH MEMBERSHIP TOGETHER

1. Leadership Cover
2. Who are we trying to reach?
3. Where do we find our audience?
4. Resistance to leadership
5. What does BCH offer?
6. Marketing Materials
7. How to reach prospective leaders?

1. Public Awareness Cover
2. Who is our audience?
3. Where do we find our audience?
4. Resistance
5. What is our message?
6. Marketing Materials
7. Reaching Out

1. New Members Cover
2. Our Audience
3. Where do we find them?
4. What resistance to membership do we need to overcome?
5. What does BCH offer?
6. What marketing materials do we have?
7. Reaching out to prospective members

1. Member Retention Cover
2. Our Audience
3. Where do we find them?
4. Resistance to membership
5. What does BCH offer?
6. Marketing Materials
7. Reaching out to current members

1. Attendance at Events Cover
2. Who is our audience?
3. Where do we find our audience?
4. Resistance to participation
5. What does the event offer?
6. Marketing Materials
7. Reaching attendees