[QCWA Hotlist] Recruiting: Local Hamfests are the Key!

[Mark Wintersole]

Are your Chapter rolls starting to exhibit more white space than Member names?  Is your Chapter's treasury emptier than a politician's promise?  Then it's high time to get out and recruit new faces!  Don't depend on National to do all the work – assume a proactive role at the Chapter level.  It's not hard and can be very rewarding with the investment of a little time and manpower.

You don't need a big venue like Dayton or Orlando to attract members – there's lots of low-hanging fruit at the smaller hamfests in your local area.  Let me give you an example.  My local Chapter sponsored a table at the 2016 Huntsville Hamfest, a mid-size venue.  The organizers gave us the table for free and 3 Members manned it for a 6 hour stretch.  As a result, we were able to add 8 new paid Members to the rolls.  For a scant few hours of labor, we were able to increase our Chapter size (read: revenue and experience base) and extend our recruiting contingent's Annual Memberships by availing ourselves of the ongoing QCWA Recruitment Campaign.  Not bad for a few hours work, eh?

By hosting tables at these smaller venues, you can more easily relate to local candidates and show them what your chapter has to offer.  You'll reap the benefits of bringing new members into your Chapter, rather than them just joining the National organization.  A win-win for both you and QCWA as a whole.

Starting to get interested?  Setting up a recruiting table at your local hamfest is a simple proposition.  Let me offer a few pointers on how to successfully tackle this wonderful opportunity.

- Make sure to reserve your table early.  Most venues offer discounts for club tables, others will give you one for free.  You can even avail yourself of the hamfest's internal advertising mechanism (web site/flyers) if they know you're coming early in the process.  If the hamfest you plan to set up a QCWA booth at charges a table fee, QCWA National may be able to assist your Chapter with these fees.  Please contact QCWA Headquarters at om at qcwa.org<mailto:om at qcwa.org> to ask about this special offer.

- Display your Chapter banner conspicuously at eye level.  If you don't have one, consider having a local sign company make a 6' vinyl sign that you can use for multiple purposes.

- Have two persons manning your table at all times.  Ensure they are clearly identified as QCWA Members: QCWA logo shirts, hats, and/or name tags are de rigueur.

- Make eye contact and speak to everyone who passes by.  A smiling face and warm greeting will divert much of the passing foot traffic your way.

- Encourage any existing Members that stop by your table to loiter and help drum up more interest.  Chances are that if someone sees a buzz of activity at your table, he'll be more likely to stop by and find out what's going on.  Once you have their undivided attention, half the battle is won!

- Be prepared for questions!  Know the history of QCWA, current membership rates, activities, Membership benefits, local/national contact info, and the like.  There's a wealth of information available at http://www.qcwa.org/recruitment-hamfests<http://www.qcwa.org/recruitment-hamfests>.  Use it – that's what it's there for.

- Have lots of current Membership Applications on hand.  The mailing address should be in New York. If yours say anything else, print up some new ones.

- Make sure you are ready to accept cash if a prospective Member opts to join on the spot.  Have change available.  Remember to tell everyone when they pay that their Membership is pending; e.g. their eligibility must be verified by National before it's accepted.  They'll be contacted by the QCWA Office Manager once they've been accepted.  If their Membership is rejected, assure them that their money will be refunded promptly.

- Pre-printed business cards are a plus. Include your phone, e-mail, and web sites (chapter and national).

- Have a sign-in sheet to record contact info on prospective Members.  If they don't join on the spot, follow up a few days later and see if they're still interested.  The personal touch goes a long way.

- Remember our eligibility requirement: first licensed 25 years prior, not continuously licensed for 25 years.

As I've mentioned before, QCWA is a living, breathing entity that must be fed and nurtured if it’s expected to thrive.  With your help, we can continue to grow together, improve the QCWA experience, and make a positive impact on our hobby.

73 de W5NZ !

Mark Wintersole
Member, QCWA Board of Directors
Chairman, Chapter & Member Relations Committee
w5nz at qcwa.org<mailto:w5nz at qcwa.org>