It’s About Membership

1. Illinois Freemasonry It’s About Membership Translating Leadership into New Brethren

2. Introduction • Administrative matters • Development and implementation of the programme

3. Scope of the Problem • Membership in 1955 – approximately 250,000 • Average Age in 1955 – approximately 43 • Membership in 2007 – approximately 70,000 • Average Age in 2007 – approximately 68 • Average life expectancy – 75 years +/-

4. Recruitment • First-time candidates (i.e. “profanes”)

5. New Grand Lodge Programme Billboards • Advertisements in college newsletters • New web site • All lodges in the state may be involved

6. Membership at Every Meeting • Should be discussed at every meeting • Read • Ballot • Ask Why • Work the prospect list • Plan the next step

7. Membership at Every Meeting • Not a one-man show • Together • Everyone • Achieves • More • TEAM • There is no “I” in TEAM

8. The Process • 5-Step Process • Meet Him • Make Him a Friend • Introduce Him to Your Friends • Introduce Him to the Fraternity • Ask Him to Join

9. The Masonic Process • 3-Step Process • Introduce Him to Your Friends • Introduce Him to Masonry • Ask Him to Petition

10. Membership Recruitment Strategy • Invitational (friend to friend) • Builds relationship • Built on sharing stories (not a sales pitch) • Materials ready to be adapted for easy use (see the resource list in Section 2, page 3) • Consistency and organisation; not haste

11. Commitment to the ProgrammeStep by Step • A recipe for success • Follow the plan • Make adaptations to the plan once you have been successful • Edit as needed and appropriate

12. Step by Step • Prospect List • Letter • First Call • Second Call • Event • Follow-Up Call • Event • Follow-Up Call • ITP

13. Gathering Names & Basic Information • An individual effort or a team effort • Set a goal • Build a list of names • Use a prospect information sheet • Utilise an ITP when appropriate

14. Involvement • Try to link up prospect with a similarly-aged contact. • Invite prospects to functions. • Get involved in your lodge’s degree work. • Ask for referrals ASAP. • Get new brethren engaged, including Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts. • Must use the intender programme.

15. Brethren Whom The Prospect Knows • Men whom he may already know and think well of • Someone he might talk to • For use in phone call and other discussions

16. Creating a “Hot List” • Pared down list for current focus • What is the magic number??? • Facility • Letters • Telephone calls! • Budget • Based on optimum performance

17. Mailing Prospects’ Letters • A friendly, invitational letter • Invitation to see a video and hear some information • Does not seek membership decision • Merely opens the proverbial door • Letter formats

18. The First Telephone Call • Essential part of the process • Needs to be done well • Utilise the outline but do not read from it • Practice, practice, practice • Keep it invitational in tone

19. The Follow-Up Telephone Call • Within an appropriate window of time (3, 5 or 7 days) • Set prospect at ease • Answer questions • Clarify arrangements • Reinforce the commitment

20. The Gathering or Contact • Individual, small or large group • Welcoming atmosphere • Very well planned and executed • Brief • Story-based (with video) • Make the invitation !!

21. DO wear one or two pins. It shows that Freemasonry is a fraternity of which to be proud. DO use first names. It’s more engaging, more casual, and friendlier. DO look for potential in a man, and not a finished product. DO know enough about Freemasonry to answer his questions. DO be honest. If you lie and he finds out, he will not be impressed. If you don’t know the answer to a question, DO ask someone who does. DO find out a man’s interests and DO introduce him to brothers with similar interests. DO involve your brethren in progress in events. Because of their enthusiasm, they make good promoters. DO let your guest do most of the talking. This gives him a chance to ask the questions that are important to him. DO make sure all guests have left before commenting on any of them. DO give your guests something to take home. Rules of Engagement

22. DON’T wear more than two pins; it looks like an uneducated kook. DON’T gang up on, or monopolise, a guest for the entire evening. The first practice makes him uncomfortable, and the second makes it hard for the rest of the members to get to know him. DON’T ever, ever leave a guest alone. DON’T use “inside” jokes or nicknames. It’s rude and makes your guests feel even more like outsiders. DON’T talk fraternity business in front of a guest. DON’T congregate in large groups. DON’T wait to be introduced – introduce yourself. But DON’T butt rudely into a conversation. DON’T forget that the average man knows very little about Freemasonry. Take the time to explain the basics and clear up any misconceptions he may have. DON’T use foul language. You’ve got to first be a man’s friend before you can act like a jerk in front of him and get away with it. DON’T criticize brothers. You’re trying to sell brotherhood, not backstab. Rules of Engagement

23. How much does it cost to join? On average, how much will the fraternity cost me? Are you “really” close to every brother in your lodge? Why is your lodge so small or so large? What do you do for service projects? Does everyone have to do them? What do I have to do to be initiated, passed, raised? Have you noticed a change in your lodge since you joined? I don’t think I can afford the fraternity... My family don’t want me to join. What if I just didn’t tell them? I don’t think I have time to join a fraternity... Will I be hazed? What will you guys make me do? Answers You Will Need

24. Follow-Up Contacts • Avoid “buyer’s remorse” • Answer questions • Finalise or facilitate petition • Facilitate fees • Confirm and reinforce his interest and your interest in him

25. Prepare Candidates for Initiation • See that he has all the information he needs • Schedule • Location • What he needs to know . . . • Refer him to any information provided and web sites

26. Invitation to Petition • Could be the first step in the process, but should the last. • Used when you can’t get a man to ask. • Will likely result in objections. • Be prepared to answer objections.

27. Tracking Your Prospects • Know where each prospect is in the process. • Know when to take the next step. • Post it somewhere visible in the lodge.

28. Prospect Matrix

29. Utilise Your Newer Brethren • Get a “hot list” from each new brother • Newly-raised • Work-in-progress • Involve them in events • Be sure they can speak intelligently • Start meeting their friends

30. Recruitment-Retention-Reclamation Membership Chairman Recruitment Chairman Retention Reclamation Chairman Assimilation Chairman Enrichment Chairman

31. Retention • Assimilation • Incorporation

32. Intender Programme • Choose the correct coach • Should be someone the candidate knows • Should understand the candidate’s and lodge’s goals • Can’t be a forced relationship • Continues after raising

33. Communication Regular contact by intender and lodge • Add to mailing list • Add to email lists • Add to call lists • Invited to all lodge events – personally • Participation/attendance at degrees • Introduce to travel, where feasible • If we do a good job, we won’t need reclamation

34. Retention Through Enrichment • Enrich the mind with knowledge • Enrich the soul with fellowship and activity

35. Programming • Interest survey • Generational differences – workbook elements • If we do a good job we won’t need reclamation.

36. What is a good event? • Meets goals. • To measure the success of an event (or anything), there must be a goal, be it explicit or implied. • To control and event, state the goals.

37. Planning • No successful event is accidental. • Discover the details for your programme. • Form an event team. • Define the team’s duties. • Set deadlines. • Publicise. • Follow up. • Critique the event afterward.

38. Elements of Reclamation • At risk: one year of non-payment of dues. • 180 days – Don’t wait! • Best face-to-face • Ask why. • Done by team. • Not the dais nor secretary. • Use the script – but don’t read from it.

39. For More Information • Please visit www.ILMason.org or • Resource list (Section 2, pages 19-20)

40. Special Requests • Please send all home-grown and enhanced • Forms • Ideas; and • Techniques • Electronically (e-mail, CD, flash drive, etc.)

41. Benny L Grisham MWPGM Grand Secretary Grand Lodge of Illinois 2866 Via Verde St Springfield IL 62703-4325 BGrisham@AFAM-IL.org Earl F Wys 2625 N Woodhaven Dr Peoria IL 61604-2015 EarlWys@InsightBB.com or WysEF@Cat.com Special Requests

42. Questions? • John Dorner – john@ilorlibrary.org • Barry Weer – barry@ilorlibrary.org Thank you!