Notes From Club Presidents’ Workshop 2001
font size=”1″ face=”Verdana”>Club Presidents constitute the Board of Governors of the International Propeller Club and as such are ultimately responsible for its direction. Each President should attend the annual convention to exercise that responsibility. Each Club should pay for its President to attend.The Port Presidents’ Workshop is a forum for new and old presidents to exchange ideas and ask questions. The Tacoma convention was the second time the workshop was conducted and a majority of the attendees were newly elected. The workshop is open to any convention attendee, but the discussions are directed to new and old Presidents. A consensus of those attending this year’s workshop gained from it and agrees it should be continued at future conventions.
The workshop opened with an invitation to the audience to offer specific topics for discussion. The following topics were presented:
The first topic discussed, showing the emphasis placed on it by those in attendance, was Membership. Suggestions from the audience to increase membership included:
1) Survey existing members on why they belong. Are there patterns the suggest who to contact? How to contact them?
2) Write a letter to businesses related to Maritime Commerce encouraging them to
a) sponsor employees
b) increase the number of employees they sponsor.
3) Identify certain occupations and target a membership drive to that occupation. One
club successfully recruited a member of bar pilots this way; another club targeted
maritime lawyers.
4) Increase exposure and publicity through the type of events sponsored or improved
coverage of existing events.
5) Establish a visitation committee that identifies and calls on potential members.
6) Include an application and an appeal to sign up a new person with each notice of an
event mailed to the club membership.
7) Hold new membership contests with a prize for the current member bringing in the
most new members.
Create a membership growth committee:
a) Target Industry segments not currently represented.
b) Use inclusion in the club’s telephone directory (website, advertising, etc.) as a
promotional tool.
9) Collect non-member business cards at a meeting. Use a drawing to select a door
prize winner and contact those giving business cards as potential members.
10) Recognize new members at a club event allowing each to give a brief period to tell a
little bit about his/her business.
11) Advertise events and the club for broader name recognition.
12) Cooperate with other local organizations to sponsor bigger events with larger crowds. Try to interest those attending in joining the Propeller Club
13) Sponsor a major event with widespread appeal to those not normally drawn by Propeller Club events.
Most important concept: “Know Your Audience.” (What does it want?)
1) Sponsor a major event that can draw people beyond your current membership.
a) Golf tournaments are still in demand.
b) Food, food, food. (Crawfish Boil, Crab Boil, Clam Bake etc.)
2) “Law Night” Attorneys sponsor the event, bring their clients and others as guests, to hear the program.
3) Focus on an industry important to your port (i.e., Tampa’s “Phosphate” recognition).
4) U.S. Coast Guard appreciation/recognition. .
5) Use “Hot” venues to draw more people: i.e., a new popular restaurant, an evening in a
new museum, etc.
6) Silent Auction to raise funds for a dedicated cause.
7) Conduct quarterly workshops on timely topics of interest to the club membership or
the port community in general.
Have a “Secretary’s Day” where bosses bring their secretaries on a harbor cruise to
see the industry they support.
9) Make a concerted effort to seek quality, interesting speakers.
10) Create an on-going series of programs so that members know what to expect: i.e.
safety in October, legal in January, economics in March, Maritime Day in May, etc.
How to improve member involvement in club activities.
1) Send written notices of each event requesting an R.S.V.P. But also call each member as a reminder. Divide list among Board of Governors to spread out the task.
2) Target you audience. Through trial and error and feedback address issues that members want to hear more about. Chose interesting and topical programs.
3) Give public recognition to those who perform well. Allow the President to honor and
recognize several jobs well done-not just Propeller Club person of the year.
4) Publicly recognize sponsors. Make sponsorship something others will want to do.
5) Involve new members early. Once a new member is inducted assign that person to a
committee or specific task to make them feel accepted.
6) Try to involve as many members as possible in each club function no matter how
insignificant. Avoid allowing the same 10 or so people to do the same job over and
over. That scares others off-especially new members.
