1. WELCOME To Sons In Retirement, Inc.
Area 2 Long Table
Our SIR members have a lifetime of experience. Let us share ideas for retention and recruitment in a Round Table forum to spread and continue the good ideas of the Sirs before us and after us. After all “None of us is as smart as All of us.”
2014
None of us is as smart as All of us

2. Area Summary

3. AREA 2 TRAINING JAN 2014 Topic 1 Additions to SIR Leaders Guide 2014
Topic 2 Form 27 Goals
Topic 3 Problem: How to Involve New Members
Topic 4 Area 2 Speakers Dropbox

4. Our first topic is about the SIR Leaders Guide. Do you all have copies
Our first topic is about the SIR Leaders Guide. Do you all have copies? There have been updates in the past two years, and we want to call attention to some of them. We also seek your input as to how these affect your branch.
SIR is not just a golf group, or a bowling team, or a collection of fishermen. We want to appeal to all retirees, and to make new friends. Our challenge is to bring in someone who could be a friend so that our Branch will remain vital.

5. Goal: Replace Attrition pg 3
Turn to page 3. The Form 27 has been very useful for key membership statistics. The most important goal is to replace attrition, not just 10% new members in.

6. A Healthy Branch pg 7
A healthy branch is a growing one in which new members are recruited and inducted to replace attrition, or at least 10% of the previous year end membership, whichever is greater.
The goal is repeated on page 7. Are there any ideas why we make this so important?

7. Four Steps to get Volunteers pg 8 (5.)
Candidates need to embrace the SIR mission and understand the need to select branch officers who also embrace the SIR mission. These candidates may be identified by their records of SIR leadership and by interviewing them. Computer literacy is important for Branch Officers. Help on the SIRinc website are 4 Steps for recruiting volunteers.
Turn to page 8, item 5. Do any of you have problems getting volunteers? We now have a proven 4 step outline to help. See the SIRinc website.

8. Directors on Committees pg 8 (5.)
Page 8 item 5 of the Big Sir checklist added reappointment. The last line says to place Directors on these committees. Do all of your Directors work on one or more committees? Why not?

9. Little Sirs Meet in Area pg 9
Page 9 adds information for Little Sirs. Are these reasonable? Which of you are reviewing Branch statistics? New this year.
A new recommendation is to meet with your other Area Little Sirs. Would you like to do that?
How could we remind you?
How many are on Recruitment Committees? Would you find an Area meeting useful? How about Editors? Activities?

10. Branch Director pg 9
What other suggestions would you give new BEC members and Function Committees?

11. Function Committees pg 10
All of us in Area 2 have most of the Function Committees. Which one is the most active for you?

12. BEC Agenda Branch Schedule pg 11, 28
This is an addition to the Agenda, a reminder of next months items. Any comments?

13. Goals & Action Plans pg 13
Which committees in your branch are using goals and action plans?

14. Branch Information, pg 16
I can’t read this. But I know that most of the examples and ideas are in the Branch & Area Improvement section. Any questions?

15. $85K State Budget pg 19
Where does your State membership assessment go?

16. Branch Operations pg 28
Our resources and ideas are a work in progress. Do you have any success stories to share with us?

17. Questions on Leaders Guide?
Does your Branch have good practices to add to 2015 SIR Leaders Guide or to Website Resources?
Our resources and ideas are a work in progress. Do you have any success stories to share with us?

18. Break in Topic
Topic 1 Additions to SIR Leaders Guide 2014
Topic 2 Form 27 Goals
Topic 3
Topic 4

19. New Members In: 10% or 15% ?
SIR State Goal is maintaining Membership on line 15 on Form 27
Your goal should be set after calculating your past attrition (Look at last few years)
Some branches have gained 3 or 4%. Some branches have lost 2 to 10%. Overall, State has 15% Members Out, so 10% is not enough to survive.
So should you set 10% or 15% New Members In?
A simple calculation. Set a goal for a NET one new member.
Look at the highest number of Members Out in the last two years and add one more to set a goal. Does that sound fair?

20. Form 27 Line 15
This branch lost 32 and 33 members in past years. What should their Members In Goal be?
What would be the Guest Goal?

21. Form 27 Line 15 New Members In Goal is 33 or 34
This meets the Line 15 Goal—retain membership.
Guest Goal 66 or 68. Why?
Is this easier than a percentage?

22. Form 27 Line 15
Line 14. Does your Form 27 have past year history? Why is this added?
Line 15A. Does your Form 27 have Activities? Why is this here?
We can send you a template to test in your own branch.

23. Break in Topic
Topic 1 Additions to SIR Leaders Guide 2014
Topic 2 Form 27 Goals
Topic 3 Problem: How to Involve New Members
Topic 4

24. Why Involve New Members ?
Benefits for the Branch
Benefits for the New Member
Benefits to Membership

25. “THE QUICKER THE BETTER”
INVOLVE MEMBER EARLY AND FAST !
USE HIS ENERGY & THINKING NEW IDEAS.
IDENTIFY AS “NEW” TO ALL MEMBERS!
MEMBER RELATIONS COMMITTEE HELP.
NEW GUYS CAN BE OPEN AND ANXIOUS TO PLEASE AT THE EARLY STAGES ! ASK IMMEDIATELY WHAT IDEAS HE HAS!
THIS COULD BE A RED DOT OR A “NEWBIE” PROGRAM A SIMILAR IDEA SOMETHING TO SHOW EVERYONE :THIS IS AN NEW MEMBER-MEET HIM!
GET MRC INVOLVED FROM THE START THEY ARE THE GROUP OR GROUPS MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN WORKING TOGETHER.

26. FOLLOW-UP FOLLOW THROUGH IDEAS TO KEEP A MEMBER!
ACT EARLY! PLAN FOR HIS INVOLVEMENT!
ASK WHAT HE COULD DO FOR THE BRANCH?
WHAT WOULD HE LIKE TO DO?
DIRECTOR/SPONSOR/MRC FOLLOW UP.
GIVE 3 ACTIVITIES: TO ATTEND AS OBSERVER
FEED BACK: LIKED IT/ NO? FOLLOW THROUGH ON INFORMATION!
WE WANT TO PASS ALONG IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS WE HAVE COME UPON IN OUR BRANCH VISITS, HOWEVER, PLEASE THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WOULD DO, WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO BECAUSE LATER IN THE PROGRAM WE CAN DISCUSS THEM TOGETHER.
WE SHOW OUR INTEREST IN HIM AS NEW MEMBER.
HE MAY HAVE HIDDEN TALENTS TO HELP ON COMMITTEES AND /OR BEC! START A NEW ACTIVITY?
SOLICIT THE HELP OF THOSE WITH MEMBERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES TO BE INVOLVED.
METHOD TO START ON A PATH OF “BRANCH ENLIGHTENMENT”- THROUGH ITS ACTIVITIES!
W/ HIM AND THE ACTIVITY CHAIR.

27. IDEAS CONT’D HELP WANTED ADS IN BRANCH NP .
NEW MEMBERS W/RED DOT -SAY HELLO!
NEW MEMBERS AS
BEC/ACTIVITY CHAIRS: INTERESTED FILLING POSSIBLE BRANCH POSITIONS
GET SPONSORS INVOLVED, THEY KNOW HIM BEST, THEY HAVE VESTED INTEREST!
EMPHASIZE COUPLES ACTIVITIES: GOLF, DINING WINE CLUBS, LADIES DAYS. A STRONG VALUE ADDED ATTRACTION!
SOME BRANCHES HAVE A UNIQUE PLACEMENT OF VOLUNTEER HELP ADS WANTED FOR: ACTIVITY MEMBERSHIP/ WEBSITE AND EDITING/DIRECTORS/ BEC.
WHAT BETTER WAY TO INTRODUCE! BY IDENTIFYING THE GREETER, IT HELPS BOTH HE AND THE CURRENT MEMBER.
SPONSORS ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED, THE TWO HAVE PREVIOUSLY EXCHANGED IMPORTANT COMMENTS, WHICH COULD SAVE TIME AND BE ON THE MARK! WHY LEAVE HIM OUT?
KNOW YOUR COUPLES ACTIVITES! IF WE GET THE WIFE INTERESTED WE ARE ASSURED OF A HAPPY MEMBER! THIS IS A KEY ELEMENT.

28. MORE IDEAS! HOW ABOUT A “NEWCOMER GROUP?”
ASK FOR MONTHLY VOLUNTEERS TO HOST NEW INDUCTEES .
SPLIT SINGLES TWO AT A TIME; COUPLES ONE AT A TIME.
HOST HAS DINNER, LUNCH OR COCTAILS WITH THEM.

29. HERE TO HELP! TRAINING GROUP HERE TO LISTEN. TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE.
WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS?
WE WANT AND NEED YOUR INPUT.
WHAT HAVE YOUR BRANCHES EXPERIENCED?
WHAT BEST PRACTICES HAVE YOU EMPLOYED?
NOT HERE TO JUST TALK. WE ARE HERE TO PASS ON WHAT OUR MEMBERS HAVE SEEN AND EXPERIENCED IN BEST PRACTICES!
PASS ON WHAT HAS WORKED TO SEE IF IT WOULD HELP YOUR BRANCH.
DO YOU HAVE AN MRC OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT? IS IT LESS OR MORE?
WE WILL PASS ON WHAT YOU HAVE FOUND WORKING OR UNIQUE, BETTER THAN THE THE USUAL.
HOW DO YOU DO THINGS THAT WORK?

30. Break in Topic Topic 1 Additions to SIR Leaders Guide 2014
Topic 2 Form 27 Goals
Topic How to Involve New Members
Topic Area Speakers Dropbox

31. SIR AREA 2 LEADERSHIP TRAINING
JANUARY 31, 2014
INTRODUCTION TO DROPBOX
John Haffner, Past Big SIR, Branch #171

32. What is Dropbox????
A free service to save files/documents on the “cloud”
Files/folders can be shared safely, reliably and securely on your computer desktop or mobile device.
Replaces “hard-copy” information with an interactive data base.
Allows each Branch to have access to all Speaker data.

33. How do I install Dropbox?
A menu bar icon will be located on either the top (Mac/Linux) or bottom (Windows) of your screen.
Right click to open the Dropbox folder, website and/or Dropbox Help center.

34. How do I/we update the database?
Right click on the Dropbox icon
Open the Speaker’s Exchange file
Update the file w/ current speaker information
Provide date of last entry and identify yourself

35. Frequently asked questions/answers
It’s FREE!
Your file has 2GB of space – more is available
The file will automatically upload new data
Dropbox is secure using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) and AES-256 encryption.
Dropbox works on all mobile devices

36. In summary………. Paper records no longer necessary.
All Branches benefit by having access to Speaker information - present and past.
Easy to use
Besides…..Management want us to embrace it!!!!!!
Thanks!!!!!

37. WELCOME To Sons In Retirement, Inc.
Area 2 Long Table
Our SIR members have a lifetime of experience. Let us share ideas for retention and recruitment in a Round Table forum to spread and continue the good ideas of the Sirs before us and after us. After all “None of us is as smart as All of us.”
2014
None of us is as smart as All of us