Are you ready to start a special interest club or association? Bringing people together for a common interest or goal is an awesome opportunity to meet new people, grow personally, and improve your community through outreach projects. Here are some tips on how to start a club or association that will get you off to a strong start!
1. Choose a role. There are several different roles a club or association can take on. Depending on the interest of your group – neighborhood watch, books, supporting the elderly, feeding the poor, gardening, cooking, etc – one may fit better than another. This also depends on how the charter members feel, so it may be something that is discussed in the first meeting. Basically, an association can be one of three types:
- Social group
- Community improvement
- Citizen watch group
2. Make the initial setup meeting an event that people will want to attend. Choose a venue that offers easy socializing and public address. You will also want to create attractive poster printing pieces to advertise the event at this point.
3. Look for sponsors. If your group is going to be a book club, you might ask the local bookstore or coffee shop if you can hold your initial or subsequent meetings at their facility. Restaurants are a good sponsor for groups looking to feed the poor – they may be able to offer room to meet and food to donate. Be sure to offer your sponsors a spot on your print poster.
4. Check the calendar before setting the date for your meetings. Even if you do not like sports, many people do. Avoid holidays as well.
5. Advertise, advertise, advertise!!! Make sure lots of people know about your first meeting. Use word of mouth, flyers, and print posters to spread the word about your group’s first meeting. A strong attendance at the initial meeting is key to a great group.
6. Be ready to get the contact info of those who attend your group. Information cards are best; ask everyone in attendance to fill one out. In addition to email or other contact info, include an opportunity to volunteer for a role in the club or association as well as any skills that may benefit the group. Have persons assigned to take them at the door or use a drop box. Whether or not everyone joins your group initially, they may enjoy hearing of the progress of the group and perhaps even join later.
7. Plan the items to be discussed. Your first meeting has three main objectives besides socializing and meeting the other potential members.
- What kind of club or association do you want to be?
- What kind of meetings or events do you want to hold?
- What are the issues you want to address?
If your attendance is large enough, you may want to split up into small groups and have them write down their answers. Any feedback should be summarized and distributed along with the initial contact after the first meeting.
8. Before closing the meeting, ask for those who would like to participate in a short term committee that will complete the planning and setup of your club or organization. Be sure to collect their information cards and schedule the next meeting before too much time has passed to keep up the momentum.
Your club or association should be well on its way at this point. Continue to advertise with a current print poster and flyers, as well as with e-newsletters to all of the contacts you got at the first meeting. Keep the momentum going and have a good time with your new club or association!
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