1. Pack 148 Centerville, OH Cub Scout Recruitment and Retention Session 116 Scott Segalewitz

2. Pack 148 Visit the Pack 148 Website for this presentation and other related materials CubPack148.Scoutlander.com

3. Pack 148 Centerville, OH Recruiting

4. Pack 148 Recruiting – What Works?

5. Pack 148 Cub Scouts and Leaders Sport" your uniform often Show the presence of Cub Scouts in your community Wear uniform to school Recruitment night Pack meetings Den meetings Be knowledgeable about what all of the patches mean

6. Pack 148 Encourage Cub Scouts to talk about Scouting with their friends Word of mouth is a powerful forms of advertising. Use the recruiter patch to reward Scouts Families are involved in lots of activities Use activities to interact with parents and share Cub Scout stories.

7. Pack 148 Peer to Peer Programs School show and tell programs Distribute stickers or handouts at the conclusion of their presentation My Best Friend is a Cub Scout program

8. Pack 148 Develop a Pack Information Sheet Include: Time, date, and location of pack meetings List of upcoming events Den Leader and Committee Member names and phone numbers Provide copies to: Charter organization Pack committee and parents District Executive.

9. Pack 148 Recruitment Night Information Flyer School Recruiting Night First few weeks of the school year End of academic year (Tigers) Create Flyers Check school district policies Include date, time, and location of meeting; contact name and phone number. Distribute to classes Provide assistance to office staff Peer to peer invitations

10. Pack 148 Display Cases and Bulletin Boards Seek permission from the Chartered Organization to use a display case Display should be fun and informative – create excitement Change monthly Assign responsibility for maintaining currency

11. Pack 148 School, Church, Community, or Business Newsletters and Websites Promote programs and accolades in Newsletter/Website Maintain contact information Submission deadlines Preferred format

12. Pack 148 School, Church, and Civic Functions Set-up display at School open houses Back-To-School nights Curriculum nights Carnivals Parent/Teacher conferences Other church or civic events. Seek permission Set-up in a visible location Set-up early Uniformed leaders and Scouts staff displays. Make follow-up calls with families that expressed interest

13. Pack 148 Business Window/Counter Displays This could be a year around project. Ask local merchants to support your recruiting efforts in your area by placing a poster in their windows or placing brochures in their organizations. Work with them closely on how long they will allow the items to be placed and any other requirements they might have. (Be sure to thank them with a can of Trail's End Popcorn.)

14. Pack 148 News Releases to Local Newspapers Know deadlines Be aware of publication dates How to Write a Great Press Release: A Sample Press Release Template http://www.publicityinsider.com/release.asp The release can be used to: Promote recruitment night Feature a community service project, awards, blue and gold, pinewood derby, etc.

15. Pack 148 Beavercreek News- Current Extra Centerville Bellbrook Times Englewood Independent Enon Messenger Huber Heights Courier Kettering Oakwood Times New Carlisle Sun Springboro Sun Times Weekend Tipp City Herald Vandalia Drummer News West Milton Record

16. Pack 148 Church, School, or Business Marquee Identify a marquee in high traffic areas, schools or other organizations. Speak with the person in charge of the marquee or sign to post your message. Be sure to be clear on the duration of your use and any other requirements. Due to limited space, message can be as simple as "Join Cub Scouts Here Sept. 15, 7 PM" will catch people's attention. If a school has a scrolling sign in the lunchroom, messages may also be posted there. Post notices inside school busses, if possible. This could be a year around project, pick a different area of your community at different times of the year.

17. Pack 148 Pack Website Include pertinent information regarding your Cub Scout Pack including: How to join Benefits and excitement of Cub Scouting Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Obtain links from other sites: Chartered Organization Chamber of Commerce United Way Etc.

18. Pack 148 Public Website

19. Pack 148 Frequently Asked Questions What is Cub Scouting? What are the requirements to join Cub Scouts? What does Cub Scouting offer my son? How does participation in Cub Scouting affect participation other activities? What are the responsibilities of a parent? Do Cub Scouts go camping? What other activities are available to Cub Scouts and their families? How much is it going to cost? Where can I buy uniforms, pack and den number patches? How can I save money on the cost of uniforms? Etc.

20. Pack 148 Announcement Possibilities Church Neighborhood Subdivision Company City School district Recreation center Create something that is interesting to read Make people want to join Scouting Be sure to thank the organization for its support.

21. Pack 148 Special Events Plan a special event that you can invite families to attend. Host a pinewood derby at the shopping mall and invite families from your school and neighborhood to participate using "experienced" derby cars. Host a booth or activity at community fairs, festivals or other events.

22. Pack 148 Yard Signs Be sure to be aware of any regulations regarding yard signs. Identify a person in your pack that lives close to your school or in a high traffic area. Post as many signs as possible at strategic locations within the community including intersections and yards. If a school, church, recreation center, or other organization will allow it, post signs there too. Your yard signs should include a phone number, Cub Scout logo, maybe the date of your recruitment night, and location.

23. Pack 148 Prospecting for Scouts The best recruiters we have are the current Cub Scouts and their families. Interview each family to determine which families in the neighborhood are not currently members of a Cub Scout Pack. Interview each current Cub Scout to determine which classmates are not current members of a pack. Write down as much information as you can about those non-member families and classmates. Develop a list of prospect families, names, addresses, phone, etc., then visit with those families. Be sure to have this list with your pack's information flyer along with any other items that you feel will help in selling Scouting to your prospects. Wear your uniform.

24. Pack 148 Personalized invitation or letter Personalize a letter or card including a description of Cub Scouting, date, time, and location of your recruitment night, and contact name and information. Cards or letters individually addressed to each boy. Secure your list of names and addresses Chartered organization PTO's Sport teams Church directories etc.

25. Pack 148 Telephone Call to Families A telephone call to the parents of a potential Cub Scout is a very effective way to recruit new families. This personal contact works every well. Be prepared to answer questions they might have and share the specific benefits of Cub Scouting. Names and numbers may be obtained by using school, church, or other organization directories, telephone book white pages, or the Internet. Be sure to be courteous and identity yourself and what association you might have with them. For example, "our sons are in the same class at school". Due to the high number of phone calls, be sure to split up the list among the leaders in your pack. Develop a "Telephone Script" that tells the same story about your pack. You might include: "Cub Scouting is a family program", "Cub Scouts reinforces the values of 'doing your best'", "Educators call Cub Scouting the #1 extra curricular program in America today", "The program helps to reinforce the class curriculum", "Cub Scouting is fun"!

26. Pack 148 Invite a friend activities Host events where friends are explicitly invited. Where appropriate, include tagalongs: Tour Permit Medical forms

27. Pack 148 Centerville, OH Retention

28. Pack 148 Why do boys (families) leave Scouting?

29. Pack 148 Why do boys (families) stay in Scouting?

30. Pack 148 Retention – What Works

31. Pack 148 www.sccc-scouting.org Additional recruiting ideas can be found on the Website of the Santa Clara County Council

32. Pack 148 Questions/Comments Scott Segalewitz Cubmaster Pack 148 Centerville, OH segalewitz@udayton.edu www.CubPack148.org