Ideas on how to recruit new members

Below is the content of the handout I shared at my "How to Market Your Button Club to Increase Membership" presentation at the recent Florida State Button Society Meeting and Show. Most of the suggestions came from responses from my survey question...“Do you have any ideas on how to recruit new members?” I received 170 responses and was able to compile a list of 101 good ideas.

FRIENDS:

• Tell them how fun the meetings are
• Drive friends to meeting
• Invite friends and encourage other club members to do the same
• Invite friends whose interest is related to button collecting, such as quilters, sewers, antique collectors, beaders, doll makers/collectors, paper crafters, steam Punk fashion enthusiasts, jewelry makers, scrapbooking/paper crafters
• Talk to friends about the hobby
• Wear button jewelry to start a conversation

GROUPS:

• Talk to local groups like over 50s clubs, the quilting guild, the embroidery guild, church groups, nursing homes (residents and guests) —any group that has speakers.
• Team up with local and state sewing guilds. Sponsor events or contests with 4H, Girl Scouts groups where you expose young kids to buttons and button tray contests.
•  Professional business groups, church, historical groups
• Connect with special interest groups: art schools, textile/fiber artists, sewing guilds, fashion and design students; fashion design, art history, political history, regional history clubs
• We are trying to develop a Girl Scout badge along the lines of the Collectors badge. Also, we are working with 4-H groups. .
• Red Hat Society
• Connect with school media specialists with portfolio of button history programs
• Hold meetings a craft/fabric stores
• Contact a college about giving classes on collecting

DISPLAYS*:

• Libraries, museums and fibre arts festival
• Hold a small button show

*Always remember to include signage or handouts with contact info
ADVERTISE:

• In collectables, Vintage antiques, quilting magazines
• Advertise for your state or local meeting/show
• Create a Facebook page, website
• Local media
• Neighborhood websites and newsletters
• Posters on bulletin boards at stores, churches, senior centers
• Craigslist
• Pinterest
• Flyers at beauty shops, other businesses
• Bookmarks in libraries
• Look for “free ads” opportunities in small local papers

SPECIAL EVENTS:
Annual Button Bonanza

• Booth at knitting and fiber art shows, bead & button shows, public events
• Button Roadshows at public events
• "Buttons & Booze (wine)” event
• “Antiquing” trips
• Set up a booth at a flea market
• Button contests for kids
• Booth at County Fair