MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Monthly Meeting Minutes
April 2004
During the month of April the committee met on Thursday, April 8, 2004. Participants: Virginia
Lionberger, Michele Katz, Debbie Gidley, Concepción and Michele King
1) Michele King – Chicago Chapter President joined the group to share strategy and direction to
the committee. Here are the highlights of the discussion:
 We are losing too many members. We have dropped to 356 from 399. Membership is
down and we want to keep the numbers up. After some analysis, many of the members
that dropped are 1 person businesses. We still and always will cater to 1 person
businesses, but we should also work on attracting women businesses with more >1
employees/higher revenues.
 NAWBO applications should be in the hands of all committee members. Committee
members should be in a Sales mode.
 Michele asked: How would the committee feel about being the Sales staff for the
organization? Ideas include:
o Development can create/add to the list of prospective leads to focus on.
Currently, the office maintains a list of prospective members.
o Development can send an email to membership/leadership in search of
leads/contacts
o Development can follow-up with prospective members who did not sign up at
either a Prospective member breakfast or Mega-networking dinner.
o Can encourage members to build a buddy system within membership
o Calls to new members can perhaps be made by Membership Retention or a subgroup of either committee.
 Between development committee members and NAWBO leadership a sales pitch can be
created to assist in the Sales pitch to prospective members.
 Development can work closely with Affiliates Chair, Jan O’Rourke to identify events or
organizations we can work with or network in.
 Membership quarterly meetings are being considered to update members on the latest
happenings within NAWBO. The first is tentatively scheduled for May 10/13th.
Michele Katz has agreed to lead the committee for the remainder of the term. (Thanks,
Michele!!!) May 13th and June 10th meetings will be lead by Michele. Virginia will support
Michele as necessary the next two months. (Virginia is unstoppable!!!)
*****Note: Two consecutive meetings held at Noon with the intent to determine if a different
time would work better for committee members. These two meetings did not have the
attendance we expected based on feedback. I recommend we return to the 8AM time slot. *****
Concepción Prado
Chair, Membership Development
312-263.2599
cprado@pradoinstitute.com
2) Program Proposals:
3/16/2004 – Coping with March Madness. This event was a success with almost 30 persons
in attendance. Thank you all very much for helping to make this possible! The idea is
being tossed around to re-introduce the same program on a different date in a different
location.
May 11/June 9/July 13 Computer Training – Carol Miller has taken the lead to finalize a
class outline and plans are as follows.
Highlights:
1. Classes would be held in the morning for a half day – 8:30 – Noon
2. Total three classes: Outlook (May 11), Excel (June 9) and Powerpoint (July 13)
respectively
3. The first series of classes will be held in Chicago. We also identified 411
Computers, located in LaGrange, IL who agreed to hold the same series at the same
price for NAWBO members. A date for the suburban classes are yet to be scheduled.
4. A MAC course is still in mind, but more research needs to be done. Laritza has a
proposal from MAC Specialist in review.
2) Open Business
a) Next Prospective member breakfasts May 21 Chicago, East Bank Club and
May 28 Oak Brook - We need volunteers to greet, meet the prospective members.
b) Next Mega-Networking dinner is May 19th Chicago, East Bank Club – We need a
volunteers to do a New members orientation and table captains.
3) Committee Actions Items for April:
a) We didn’t have time to assign calls to new members – This will be done via email. Michele
b) Please make your calls and bring issues, questions, concerns from new members forward
to the next meeting. *** Don’t forget to invite new members to the up-coming events May
11 Outlook class, and May 19th Mega-networking events. ***
c) Our next committee meeting is set for Thursday May 13, 2004 at 8:00AM. Same Place CBIZ. Mark your Calendars!
Concepción Prado
Chair, Membership Development
312-263.2599
cprado@pradoinstitute.com