Membership begins with me

How does a barbershop chapter increase membership? Let us count the ways. It is a goal for which we work, and work, and work, using the strategies of seeking and keeping.

That work translates into a collective commitment to:
Making a continuous effort to seek out new members;
encouraging prospects who feel that they are part of the group;
being helpful to those who join;
emphasizing what is good about the chapter;
recognizing each member for the talent he has;
sharing constructive help with other members, both old and new;
helping each member to grow;
involving each member, based on his particular strengths;
performing at one's best at all times.

All of these attitudes go beyond learning words and notes, developing proper sounds and singing well together as a quartet or chorus. They provide the positive basis for every barbershop activity in which we participate. With a positive attitude about ourselves, individually and collectively, our enthusiasm can foster a chapter foundation upon which each one of us will encourage others to join in a common effort to "Keep the Whole World Singing."

Seeking new members-and keeping them-becomes a natural, legitimate (not artificial) outgrowth when our learning, developing and singing grow simultaneously with our feeling that "Membership begins with me." The mechanisms and strategies of membership (seeking and keeping) are only as good as the group dynamics that make us what we are and what we can become.

The strategy of seeking is now in place, with a guest night/picnic scheduled. The success of this venture depends, in large part, upon the effort of every member to ask at least two or three potential members to attend.

The next level of success (keeping) will rise commensurately with how we collectively feel about ourselves. A combined effort by many is usually more successful than a limited effort by a few. And, by working together, "It's amazing how much good a man can do if he doesn't care who gets the credit."