Using Recruiting Techniques & Public Relations for Result s

Prospecting What am I looking for? Where should I look? What tools and supplies do I need? When do I go after it? How do I get it out? What do I do once I have it?

What am I Looking For? What’s a Prospect?? Are there any of them out there?

What do You Do to Recruit? One in a Hundred Members recruit anyone. How about 100 in a Hundred? You can help, but: What would I say? How would I sign them up? Where would I get an application form and materials? Can I call someone in the chapter? Other questions…. Make it easy for all members to locate and bring in prospects!

Prospecting Where should I look?

Prospecting by Walking Around ?

Recruiting Cycle Targeting (Audience, Message) Awareness (What’s NARFE) Information (Expand their knowledge, meet their needs) Contact (get contact info from prospect, give Prospect means of contact, follow-up by recruiter. Answer Questions “Rinse and Repeat” Application Welcome (letter, card, brochure, call, mentor) Involve

Knowing where to dig Demographics (who, how many, where?) Different approaches for active employees and retirees AFE’s at agencies Retirees at retirement communities, senior centers, community events, etc. Friends and neighbors

Knowing where to dig (2) Sources for demographic data Finding the Agencies Agency contacts

Knowing what you are looking at AFEsRetirees Grouped at agencies Dispersed in community Mostly FERS (since ‘83)Mostly CSRS Family & Career IssuesSenior Issues Keeping JobsKeeping Benefits No Legislative Contact Legislative contact Growing incomeFixed income Not available for chapter Available? meetings

Recruiting Inducements Pressure on job Political process coverage and uncertainty Empowerment Pressure on benefits Approaching retirement I’m always going to be a retired federal employee (Your suggestions)

How Does PR fit into this? Awareness Accessing key media Developing presentation materials Guidance Supporting materials and presentation information Coordination Matching Funds Displays and Tips Promotional Items

Working with Government Agencies How to find the proper contacts. What and how to ask for. What can we provide in return?

Prospecting Tools and Supplies

Tools: Managing Forms and Recruiting Materials Make sure your publications are current Ordering online quickest and easiest Who in your chapter orders materials? Who culls materials? Ordering for special events Include shipping and preparation time Building and displaying your packets/materials

Ordering materials – Event Kits or Elements Call – Explain event Ask for Event Kits, which contain: Envelope, Current Magazine, Letter from NARFE President H-140A – New membership Application F-117 – NARFE’s Legislative Accomplishments

Ordering additional materials – Event Kits Can use the online F-18 form to order these: F-123 Pop Quiz (01/09) F-122 Look at What Has NARFE Done for You Lately? (03/10) F Worst Mistakes Fed Employees can make (11/09) F Worst Mistakes Fed Retirees can make (1/08) L-1 Understanding the Social Security Offsets: GPO-WEP (11/08) F-106 Premium Conversion Brochure (04/09) M-2 Prospect Info Card Maybe Dues Withholding Brochures (Retirees)

Event Kits “Localize and Personalize” Localize Perhaps a letter from chapter President(s) with contact telephone number and address Put label “This magazine compliments of….” on each magazine. Personalize Put recruiter number and/or chapter number in recruiter block of F-140A Application Form If you have NARFE business card, can use that.

Tools: Matching Funds Chapter – WSFC – NARFE Purposes and Restrictions To reach outside of NARFE membership Examples: Advertising, booth space, food for prospects Same policies at Federation and NARFE PR Program. Talk to PR in advance. Processing requests and payment.

Tools: Speaking Honorarium 1 speaker at a function addressing AFEs/Retirees $40 plus mileage Give presentation & hand out materials Evaluation Form Expense Voucher Send through WSFC President to NARFE Recruiting NARFE will send check directly to the speaker.

Marketing and Communications Marketing Communications Strategic Communications Plan

Prospecting When do I go after it?

Set your Goals A San Francisco example: “Familiarize workers with NARFE” “ Sit with those interested and help with applications” “Get new recruits to recruit others”

Finding a Rich Vein Pre-Retirement Seminars (ours or others) Health Fairs Tabling at agencies – locations and events Agency conventions or related organization meetings Working through State chapters of affiliated organizations

Pre-Retirement Seminar Sponsored by NARFE or other organizations Excellent time to tell NARFE story and generate some prospects…and memberships Preparation Structured Presentation Packets Capturing contact information Presentation Items Follow-up Speakers Program Honorarium

Health Fairs Work with Agency Contact Plan, order and assemble materials Arrange or build displays Presentation items Primary objective – Build familiarity & understanding Brief window to speak to individuals – Be ready Lots going through – mixed bag Packets – assemble or build Collecting names Thank agency contact.

Tabling at Agencies Permission. Physical arrangements Objective: Informative, hand out info Less time constraints Displays Packet preparation. Talking Points Thanks

Prospecting at conventions or related organization meetings Objective: Reach a different audience and venue. Preliminary arrangements. Can you speak as well as table? Talking Points and presentation Attendee information Packets Display

Working other locations/events Professional government interest groups, unions, etc. Lunchtime at agencies Community events. Handout materials Give a presentation (Speakers Honorarium) Provide Meals and Snacks (Matching Funds)

Prospecting How do I get it out?

Sharing the Load Building a recruiting team How many actually recruit? Invite members to team Train Designate recruiters to work specific agencies Build schedule of recruiting activities Start simple, work up Handling of materials

Prospecting What do I do once I have it?

Eureka! You found a Prospect! Are you done ?

Prospects What’s a Prospect? How many do we get? What do we do with them? Who should be doing what?

What is a Prospect? The end result of all those informational activities – but they are not yet members. Locally generated. What do you do once you have the names? Nationally generated. What does it take to get on the list (M-112)? What, if anything, does NARFE do (send materials, etc) for those individuals when they are put on the list? What should you do once you get the new prospect name on the list?

Working with prospect cards and lists How does NARFE get prospect names onto the M-112? What does NARFE do for the prospects? Do they mail them other materials? What does NARFE expect the chapter or federation do with the prospect names? Does NARFE or the Federation provide any follow-up tools for working with prospects? Are there any incentives to the chapter for working with prospects? Is there any training material available on how to effectively work the prospect list?

Making…and keeping… Contact How do they find you, or NARFE? Have contact information on your materials Recruiter member number on all application forms Stickers with the chapter or your contact information on NARFE magazines or other handouts Use the NARFE Pens Push the web site.

Making…and keeping… Contact (2) Multiple contacts needed Get address. Follow up. Mailings. NARFE Chapter Designate who makes the contact

When are you done? Never? Best advertising…get out there. Got ‘em all? Not quite.

Handover to Membership Chair How does Recruiting fit into Membership? Key step in process but job is just beginning. Work prospecting and recruiting as part of an overall plan.

Sharing Prospect Information Egads! You have names from other chapters! Build NARFE overall Pass names on to other chapters & Federations, plus NARFE. Recruiting credit? You still get it. Multiple chapters, multiple mentions.

Using recruits to bring in others. Ask new members for leads Ask current active members to help recruit among their co-workers

Ready to Prospect You now know: What you are looking for Where you might find it What tools you need and have How you dig for it What you do when you have found it Who you take it to. Happy Prospecting!