Welcoming New Members

Overview

Welcoming new members is one of the most important responsibilities in the Membership Officer role. The goal is simple: help members feel seen, informed, and connected from the very beginning of their membership experience.

New Members Wiki (external/internal link placeholder)

Philosophy

First impressions matter
Personal contact is strongly preferred over automated communication
All members matter — including those who may never attend events
Welcoming is a shared responsibility, not a single-officer task

Success is measured by whether new members feel acknowledged, informed, and invited — not by how many events they attend.

What Success Looks Like

A successful welcoming process means:

New members receive timely contact
Members understand how to engage locally if they wish
Members feel included regardless of participation level
Multiple forms of contact are used thoughtfully and appropriately

Welcoming Contact (Overview)

New members should ideally be contacted within a few weeks of joining, reinstating, relocating into the area, or being assigned due to boundary changes.

Information is typically obtained through month-end reports provided by National Office, distributed via the Local Secretary (LocSec).

Contact Methods

Postal Mail (Preferred)

Handwritten notes are strongly encouraged:

3–5 sentence personalized welcome
Include contact information or business card
Optional: enclosure of a form letter with personal note

If needed, assistance may be used for handwriting.

Phone

Phone contact may be used to:

Acknowledge membership
Confirm contact details
Follow up after written contact

Best practice:

Send a text first to identify yourself
Avoid surprise calls from unknown numbers

Email

Email should always be personalized:

Introduction message
Links to local group resources
Upcoming event information

Email should not feel like a mass mailing.

In Person

In-person greetings are the most effective form of welcome:

Introduce new members at events
Ensure name badges are used
Encourage optional self-introduction
Pair with mentors or experienced members when possible

Less Preferred Methods

Text messaging
Social media platforms
App-based messaging

These are best used for follow-up, not initial contact.

It Takes a Team

Welcoming new members is not solely the responsibility of the Membership Officer.

Best practices include:

Involving all officers in greetings
Using name badges for everyone
Coordinating with mentors or experienced members
Ensuring new members are not isolated at events

Mentor Programs

Mentorship programs help connect new members with experienced members.

Key Elements

Matching based on interests or profiles
Volunteer mentor recruitment (often from life members)
Optional questionnaire for pairing
Designated mentor coordinator role (as program grows)

Caution

Not all members are suited to mentoring. Careful matching is important to avoid negative experiences.

Encouraging Attendance

Many new members may feel nervous attending their first event.

Effective approaches include:

Personal invitations to specific events
Offering to meet them and walk in together
Introducing them to others at the event
Reducing “walking into a room of strangers” barrier

Best practice: Ensure every new attendee has at least one familiar contact at their first event.

New Member Events

Dedicated new member events can help:

Reduce social barriers
Encourage peer connections
Normalize first-time attendance

These events work best when:

Held regularly (monthly or quarterly)
Include both new and experienced members
Encourage introductions and contact exchange