1.  Recruitment and Retention Michael Gobaud Secular Student Alliance at University of Nevada, Las Vegas

2. Outline  Our Growth Story  Why Recruitment is Important  Recruitment Events  Officer Positions  The Recruitment Model

3. Our Growth Story  Founded at UNLV 3 years ago (fall ’09)  Rough first year, limited growth, dead summer-fall ‘10  I restarted the group and became president spring ’11  Focused HEAVILY on recruitment and retention  Came here to SSA Con. that summer, applied new ideas  Membership exploded last year (fall ‘11-spring ‘12)

5. Why Recruitment is Important  Without new members, student groups die  Must keep replacing graduating members  Larger groups can do more for their members/community  Share the benefits you get from your group with others  A truly successful leader finds a better successor

6.  Recruitment Events General Tabling Publicity Stunts Public Events

7. General Tabling  Popularize group and advertise your events  Should try to do as often as possible (1-4 per month)  Members sign up for time slots  Table and chairs with banner, display board, posters, etc.  Freebies (candy, stickers, buttons, pens, brochures)  Mailing list, membership forms, flyers for meetings/events

8. General Tabling

9. Publicity Stunts  Ask an Atheist  Stone a Heathen  Fiction for Fiction  Organized Protest AIDS Walk

10. Publicity Stunts Ask an Atheist

11. Publicity Stunts Stone a Heathen

12. Public Events  Speakers Bureau (www.secularstudents.org/speakers)  Freethought personalities at discounted or waived fees  Can also seek SSA funding for speaker’s travel and lodging fees  Debates  “Does God Exist?”  “Is Religion Good For Society?”  Film Screenings

13. Public Events

14. Penn Jillette: Benefit Show Ted Cox: Straight Camp

15. Officer Positions  Public Events Officer  Organizes/facilitates large scale events  Art Director  Designs flyers, posters, logo, display boards, etc.  Possibly also webmaster  Public Relations (PR)  Garners new members  Organizes/facilitates ad campaigns, publicity stunts and tabling  Compiles contact list and follows up with interested members  Ideally someone sociable  Chair a “Street Team”

16.  The Recruitment Model Promoting (Bait) Mailing List (Hook) Retention (Reel ‘em In)

17. Promoting  Facebook  Group page  Event Pages  Flyers/Posters  Distribute to members  Public Google Calendar  Sidewalk Chalking

18. Flyers

19. Promoting  Encourage members to promote group and events  Incentives  Group Shirt Day  Offer free food  Mailing lists  Yours AND others you have access to (school list, departments, other local secular groups)

20. Mailing List  Have at EVERYTHING  “Free to sign up, cancel anytime”  “Stay informed about great events like this we’re doing”  Send welcome/thank you email first  Weekly Newsletter

21. Retention  Variety of social activities to create FRIENDSHIPS:  Discussion meetings  Movie nights  Roller Skating  Hikes  Laser Tag  Community Service  BBQ  Museum

22. Social Events Roller SkatingZombie Walk

23. Retention  Member Social Events Officer  Target new students  Get many members involved in leadership  Encourage running for election  Committees  Be Active!

24. THANK YOU! Michael Gobaud facebook.com/MichaelGobaud gobaudm@unlv.nevada.edu Like us: facebook.com/ssaunlv