Every good organization requires a mindset of growth. This is often overlooked and can cause a sudden and overwhelming impact when members do not return from one season to the next or when groups of people leave to join other clubs. This is a normal and natural part of all sports organizations. Being prepared is the difference between clubs with solid growth plans and those without.
Clubs that fail to plan, plan to fail.
The key is knowing how to sustain growth. What programs do the new paddlers have when coming to experience your club? Remember that not everyone wants to join a team, so having another event to keep people interested is important when the goal is to have new people return.
In this article, I will share:
- How to maximize events to get the most growth in one session
- How to create sessions to keep them coming back
- How to get club members involved in the club's growth
- The biggest mistake clubs make with new paddlers
MAXIMIZE YOUR EVENTS
One of my favorite events, which has the biggest impact on your time and budget—boosting visibility and engagement—is corporate team-building and corporate paddle sessions.
Many corporations set aside budgets for team building and wellness activities and getting in front of them gives your club the opportunity to participate in their agendas.
These are 2 main types of sessions you can offer corporate clients.
- Corporate Team Building Sessions —These paddling sessions held within your club offer team exercises that coaches can do on and off the water in addition to paddling. Dragon boating is the ultimate sport to demonstrate the impact of synchronicity and how each person's strengths can contribute to the success of the team!
Most corporate team building sessions can be a duration of 2-3 hours with the cost anywhere from $500-$700. This can lead to substantial profits for clubs not to mention the fact that you introduced your club to 20 potential paddlers!
2. Corporate Paddles—These are shorter sessions geared toward people having fun and getting out of the office and on the water. The fun element can often bring a group together while enjoying time in nature. Dragon boating can help to alleviate tension and stress amongst team players and these sessions are the perfect way to facilitate it.
Most corporate paddles are approximately 60-90 minutes in duration with the cost anywhere from $200-$300. This too is a viable option for additional revenue and 20 potential new paddlers!
CREATE WATER SESSIONS THAT GET THEM TO COME BACK
Build exciting and inclusive water sessions where paddlers feel encouraged to return, no matter their experience level is the key focus of corporate paddling. After all, 20 people are now in your club and on your boat. This is a golden opportunity!
4 things to include in corporate paddle sessions:
- A race start – this gives paddlers the rush of adrenaline feeling experienced during racing that keeps them wanting more. Incorporate just a simple five stroke start and be sure to incorporate the call to get ready and the horn to start the race to show them how it feels to be at the start line!
- A friendly little competition –odds and evens and front and back drills are always fun and promotes the competitive aspect of our sport! Use a way to measure results, whether it is a distance such as 100 meters or the distance traveled in a timed piece. The goal is to give them the feel for racing!
- Food and drink—the simple act of sharing drinks and food helps seal the comradery built on the boat. Any form of "sharing" is a great way to keep people talking and reflecting on the connections built during their session.
- Takeaway—Sharing a takeaway from the event is always a good way to promote the experience. Steer the conversation towards the unity built on a dragon boat, and the healthy competition that is shared on the water!
How to bring your corporate paddlers back:
- Have a follow-up event they can attend, such as a corporate challenge held at your club. It need not be anything extravagant just a way to have a few teams join in the fun of racing!
- Offer a package of paddle sessions specific to their group as part of their health and wellness programs!
- Promote year-end parties hosted at your club and offer paddling as part of the fun!
ENGAGE YOUR MEMBERS
Help to create the understanding with existing members of why it is important to volunteer and contribute to your club's growth. Building a mentality of growth comes from the board or admin personnel. It is a topic that needs to be provided to members as a structured process in which the membership gets involved. Sharing the differences between non-profits and businesses will help educate your members on their participation requirements. I understand it isn’t always easy to change the mindsets of members it takes time and effort to facilitate change. But, it is possible!
Business
Businesses charge money for their services and incorporate all the expenses involved by the staff to provide services and they charge accordingly.
Non-profits
Non-profits generally incorporate fund raising and of course volunteering for various roles within the club to offset paying salaries. Generally, the cost of membership is only one portion of being a member and it is not where it ends; it is where it begins. Therefor volunteering must be seen as a requirement in a non-profit, not an option.
Opt Out Options
Not everyone wants to volunteer or has the time to do so. My daughter belonged to a dance company with an "opt-out" option. Parents could pay a fee and not participate in volunteering. At the time, I was running a business and was grateful for this option. The cost was the equivalent of 10 volunteer hours. This opt-out option may be something to consider. (Determining the cost of you volunteer hours is required to incorporate this option.)
Volunteer Hours
Many clubs offer the option of working off your fees through volunteer hours. Although this is a great idea, most clubs depend on member fees to offset club costs, and this can quickly put the club in a deficit unless the volunteer hours are going towards the events that turn profits! However, in clubs that have successful fundraising this could be a very viable option!
DON'T MAKE THIS MISTAKE
Although tempting, don't make the mistake of having the agenda of getting people to join a team. New paddlers are there to experience something new and see if it is right for them. They are curious but not committed. Focusing on making the session enjoyable and giving paddlers a taste of being on the water will lead them to commit when and if they feel ready. They may eventually join a team, but that should not be the goal of intro paddle sessions.
If you are restructuring your club or looking to grow your membership and want the templates to build the foundation that supports growth and sustains clubs be sure to visit this page: https://cherylroose.com/dragon-boat-coaching-course-build-healthy-team-cultures
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