1. MD-DC-DE State Association Fall Conference 2015 Welcome To Ocean City! Bob Baxendell (PER #2354) State Membership Chair

2. Membership Snapshot 9/1/15 Fall 2015 Conference

3. Top Gains so far: Ocean City + 44 Salisbury + 38 Annapolis + 28 Dover + 27 Wilmington + 26 Top District: Southeast + 158 Five Year Trend: - 16.92% Current Trend: - 7.84% / (1534) Lapsation Total: 11%+

4. Lapsation By District Fall 2015 Conference

11. 2,175 Members?

12. Fall 2015 Conference What would we do if: That many members demitted to Florida? That many said they could no longer afford to be Elks? That many were recruited away by the Moose?

13. We would do Something! Fall 2015 Conference

14. If That many members were demitting to Florida – We’d find away to overcome it & keep them as members

15. Fall 2015 Conference If that many really said they could no longer afford to be Elks – We’d find a way to offer relief and retain them as members

16. Fall 2015 Conference And - - If that many were actually being recruited away by the Moose – We’d find a way to make peace with the Moose & get them off our Members

17. Lapsation is: Caused! Fall 2015 Conference

18. Internal & External Causes of Lapsation: Internal – Existing Membership External - Recruiting Fall 2015 Conference

19. Lapsation: Causes and Cures Fall 2015 Conference

20. “This year’s bad recruits are next year’s lapsation statistic” Fall 2015 Conference

21. Application Orientation Initiation Social VisitorActive Social Visitor Active Social Visitor who volunteers “Member” The Pathways to Lapsation from Recruiting The Pathways to Lapsation from Recruiting

22. Fall 2015 Conference Social Visitor Active Social Visitor Active Social Visitor who volunteers “Member” The Pathways to Lapsation from Recruiting Ongoing visits while interested Keep interest & Stays Looses Interest and DROPS Ongoing Frequent Visits Keep Interest and grow Disillusion Looses Interest and DROPS Ongoing Visits including meetings & helping Volunteers and is fulfilled Volunteers and needs more Leaves MAD Not Seen for a month after initiation FORGETS he’s a Member Just Leaves

23. Fall 2015 Conference Social Visitor Active Social Visitor Active Social Visitor who volunteers “Member” The Pathways to Lapsation from Recruiting Ongoing visits while interested Keep interest & Stays Looses Interest sand DROPS Ongoing Frequent Visits Keep Interest and grow Disillusion Looses Interest and DROPS Ongoing Visits including meetings & helping Volunteers and is fulfilled Volunteers and needs more Leaves MAD Not Seen for a month after initiation FORGETS he’s a Member Just Leaves CAUSED

24. The Social Visitor Filled out his application at a public event Attended Orientation the same night of Initiation Probably had difficulty paying attention during initiation Fall 2015 Conference CAUSE: Poor Recruiting, Poor Screening, Rushed Applications, Informal Orientation, Quick Initiation CURE: Effective recruiting, screening, and orientation leading to a sincere interest in being an Elk

25. The Social Visitor Applications – Should be given out selectively only after someone has made a few visits and shown a sincere interest in becoming an Elk Orientation: Should be held in a controlled environment with one on one attention; not off in a corner of the club room while there’s other distractions going on. Orientation should not be limited to the video presentation but should also include a social orientation to ensure the new “candidate” really wants to be a member of your Lodge Fall 2015 Conference

26. The Active Social Visitor Filled out his application thru another member who is probably a longtime friend Finally “got around” to joining Has fun when he comes. He’s a party animal; but has potential too Fall 2015 Conference CAUSE: Recruiting of a familiar face who seems like a “natural” CURE: Effective screening outside his social circle before initiation

27. The Active Social Visitor Applications – Should be given out selectively only after someone has made a few visits and shown a sincere interest in becoming an Elk Orientation: Should be held in a controlled environment with one on one attention; not off in a corner of the club room while there’s other distractions going on. Orientation should not be limited to the video presentation but should also include a social orientation to ensure the new “candidate” really wants to be a member of your Lodge Fall 2015 Conference

28. The Active Social Visitor Who Volunteers Filled out his application thru another member who is probably a longtime friend Probably the best hope to becoming a lifetime Elk if handled properly Has a great potential to lapse if his needs are not fulfilled Fall 2015 Conference CAUSE: Recruiting of a familiar face who seems like a “natural” and ready to HELP! CURE: Let him HELP!

29. The Active Social Visitor Who Volunteers Filled out his application thru another member who is probably a longtime friend Joined knowing there was work to do Needs to be fulfilled Fall 2015 Conference CAUSE: Recruiting of a familiar face who seems like a “natural” and ready to HELP! CURE: Let him HELP! CURE: Let them Help!

30. The “MEMBER” Filled out his application thru another member who is probably a longtime friend Probably was not serious in the first place Finally “got around” to joining – not sure why Fall 2015 Conference CAUSE: Recruiting of a familiar face who may have come to public events and may know some members CURE: Effective screening outside his social circle before initiation

31. The “MEMBER” - CAUSE Filled out his application thru another member who is probably a longtime friend Probably was not serious in the first place Was pressured to join by whomever recruited him Unless continued to be pressured to visit and/or volunteer; there’s a good chance we’ll never see this guy again Fall 2015 Conference CAUSE: Recruiting of a familiar face who may have come to public events and may know some members

32. The “MEMBER” - CURE Get him to move from a visitor who filled out an app to a Member Mentoring Get him involved Give him a reason to come back Fall 2015 Conference CAUSE: Recruiting of a familiar face who may have come to public events and may know some members

33. “The Existing Member who looses interest this year is next year’s lapsation statistic” Fall 2015 Conference

34. Social Issues Has a history of being a “good” Elk: Volunteers, Socially Active, attends meetings – wants to help Becomes disillusioned over: authority, input, “old vs. new”, “his space” Starts to fade away Fall 2015 Conference CAUSE: Conflicting Social concerns leading to disagreements – Somebody looses! CURE: Effective Committee process and decision making – Officer Involvement

35. Couples Likely an existing Member who either met or brought a partner to the Lodge, eventually joining All goes well for a year, or two When the relationship fails, we loose one or both Fall 2015 Conference CAUSE: Met at or through the Elks. Something goes wrong personally. We loose one or BOTH! CURE: Equal attention to both. Treat as individual members and hold both their interests

36. Marriage Joined at the same time or within a short time of each other Economic times create a realization that a non-member spouse really has all the rights of a member, except meetings Ultimately results in loosing one member Fall 2015 Conference CAUSE: Both Husband and Wife are Members. Economic times force them to consider just one being a member. CURE: Find a way to hold BOTH!

37. Changing Cultures Long time members who have an established history of involvement Have an inability to embrace change as a Lodge evolves The conflict often results in leaving Fall 2015 Conference CAUSE: Differing ideas to get to the same goal CURE: Committee work and officer involvement to keep both Happy.

38. Internal Lapsation Prevention Treat your Members like “Customers”! Communication: Address all groups both internal & external “Selling vs. Telling”: People elected you and support you. Your Role is to help them realize they agree with you. Maintain Respect: For tradition while evolving the reality of change Expect Resistance: Be prepared to deal with it through adaptation or revision. Understand: Your “customers”; both old and new

39. Summary: Lapsation is CAUSED There are internal & external causes to Lapsation Our efforts to pursue lapsation annually take up valuable time and are often wasted We must attack the causes and develop cures Fall 2015 Conference

40. Summary: This presentation has been posted on the State Association Website and is available for download. Fall 2015 Conference