| How Do We Grow? |
Take a look at how the Grand Junction Chapter has succeeded in growing...
Grand Junction’s Achievements since September 2005:
- Increased active singers from 14 to 43 members
- Vastly improved chapter esprit de corps from very poor to outstanding. The energy and enthusiasm at chapter meetings and at all chapter functions is something to behold. These guys are having fun every time they get together.
- There is considerably more interest among members who now want to participate on the board and on select committees for planning and taking action. This means that the growth and continued achievement is not driven by only a few leaders but by a broader participation of members. The spirit is alive and contagious.
- Increased number of active quartets from 3 to 7
- Appreciably improved the number of paid singouts
- For example, from 2 in the 2005 Christmas Season to 7 in the 2007 Christmas Season.
- Quartet requests for Christmas performances also increased very significantly
- Singing Valentine performances increased from about 70 in 2005 to 168 to 2007
- Changed directors – Since November 2005 they have a dynamic duo:
- Raisha Quinn is the Front Line Director and she has sterling professional qualities, including a Master’s Degree in Music. She has been to Directors College at least twice.
- Dave Hein is the retired head of the Music Department for the whole School district. He too is very well respected and has professional qualities, including a Masters Degree in Music. Dave arranges music in the Barbershop Style for the chorus and for quartets. He attended Directors College, as well.
- Started a significant Youth in Harmony effort. Their efforts for finding sponsors and their efforts for their Youth in Harmony pursuits have become linked. Grand Junction donates noteworthy amounts to schools. In 2007 they gave away $500 to five schools – a total of $2,500. Quartets visit vocal music classes in all the high schools and middle schools and involve the kids in the classrooms. The kids are invited to be part of a choir that will perform on their annual show. For the past two years they have had about 20 kids and this effort and the number of kids, is increasing. The sponsors are told that an important part of their contribution will be given to the vocal music programs in local schools.
How'd they do that?
- Established Committee - Set up a six-man UCANSING2 Planning Committee in May 2005 and developed this winning plan, which they implemented in September 2005.
- Empowered the Committee - Had board approve an ample budget so committee did not have to seek board approval for each expenditure.
- Voter Registration Records – They purchased the county voter registration records, which provide the names addresses, phone number, gender, etc.– Transferred info to a database program, which enabled them to target men in particular age groups within particular ZIP Codes.
- Postcard Mailers – Sent postcard Mailers by age group and/or what you can afford – each membership drive targets a different age group or ZIP Code group. Members also gave about 100 names to invite and were sent the same postcard. The postcard was perhaps the final reminder that caused guests to come. They all mentioned the postcard.
- “I can’t do this” - Guys attend and like what they hear but then they feel “I’d love to do this but these guys are too good, I can’t do this”! And at that point you lose them, unless you find a way to make them return. They need to hear more and our job is to give them an opportunity, “an offer they can’t refuse”, to hear more and to get them involved. They got them involved doing the same things each week so it got easier and easier for them. They also added a few new things each week.
- What kept them coming for four weeks – This is what they tried and it worked:
- A drawing each week for a $50 gift certificate to a good restaurant in town.
- 3 or 4 other drawings each week for a $10 gift certificate to a bookstore or a record store, etc.
- A promise to every guest who attends 3 out of the first 4 meetings. He will be eligible for a drawing for one year’s membership in the Barbershop Harmony Society – worth $135.
- Getting them involved
- One Simple Song - They chose one simple song that the chorus did not know “Bright Was the Night” and told them that they would all learn this song together to show them how they learn a new song.
- Three Pole Cat Songs – They chose three pole cat songs that come on one society publication (No. 8522 @ $1.65 each) “I’m a Barber Pole Cat”. The three songs are: My Wild Irish Rose, Down Our Way, and Shine On Me. They sang each of these three songs each week so the guests became more and more familiar comfortable with them and changed the “I can’t do this” – to – “I can do this and I love it”!
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