Writing a Great Welcome Letter
Write a Great Welcome Letter!
Before you first member join your group, you'll want to have a wonderful welcome letter for them and all future members of the group. Having a great welcome letter can sometimes make or break a membership. For example; Crystal of Spokane Mommy Meet n Greets recalls:
"I used to include our guidelines in the welcome letter. I felt it was really important, because I wanted members to know what was expected of them. But after one horrible email from a new member, I second guessed my first thoughts. She left the group immediately after reading the welcome letter and didn't even give the group a chance. She felt the 'rules' were very strict and didn't want to participate in a high strung group. So I left them out for a while. Now, I have them as a separate page on my about page, visible to all non members and I include a link to them in the welcome letter."
What organizers include in their welcome letter varies from group to group, as Dana (Wilington Moms Group) explains:
"It depends on how your group works.
Example: If you let anyone in your group and don't have a standard or a pending member guideline, it would include the general rules - 30 or 45 day trial period and paying dues, your attendance policies, and general policies for the group.
If you have a meet and greet policy in place, you can be a little more lax since you've already met the member and just give them a short rundown. With the members I've met, I do try to make it more personal, because I have met them."
But for a run down, and a jumping off point here are some things to consider. A welcome letter is deigned to:
A. Welcome the new Member into the group.
Give them a great welcome too! Invite them to join you at one of upcoming meetups (you'll have to edit this part each time the event passes). Introduce yourself, and ask them about themselves. Tell them how excited you are to have them join you. You may also want to add into your letter that if they are shy, they should let you know so you can make them more comfortable.
B. Get the member excited about the group and upcoming events.
You don't have to be too specific. Talk about why you started the group and why you enjoy it. Talk about reoccurring events they should watch out for so they don't miss them!
C. Give the members an idea of how the group is run.
Members need to know about the guidelines and what's expected of them as members. You can include your guidelines here or add a link to them. Show them what they need to do now that they have joined. Ask them to visit the calendar to RSVP, and check the message board and introduce themselves.
D. Leave them with the feeling this group will work for them.
Let them know you are here for them. Give them your contact info, and a few tips for being a new member. Thank them for joining!
Below is an example of a welcome letter.
Hello There!
Welcome to [group name here]. I'm so glad that you've decided to join us. My name is [name] and I'm the organizer of [group name here]. I love seeing new members join, and I'm excited to finally meet you!I'd love to know more about you, so feel free to email me anytime. Also, if you fill out your profile, it will help too! We have a great meetup coming up on [date here], at [location]. I'd love to see you there. If you are a little bit shy, just let me know, and we'll get you settled and a little more comfortable.
We've had a lot of great events recently! This group has really been a blast. Last month we met at [location] and the kids had a ball. Soon we'll be meeting at [location] for [activity], and it should be great. Don't forget to RSVP to our upcoming events, I'd hate for someone to miss out on them. You can RSVP here:
http://moms.meetup.co...
I started this group basically to get out of the house and meet new people. But it's grown much more than that. This is a place of friendship, safety, a place to learn, laugh, and bond. I hope you find it as special as I do. Because it's so special, we make sure everyone is feeling safe, happy and healthy. Because of that, we've implemented these few guidelines, which can be read here (Please make sure you read and understand them):
http://moms.meetup.co...
I hope you're just as excited to be a member as I am to have you. My number is [number here]. If you ever have any questions or suggestions, my door is wide open. Looking forward to meeting you soon!
[your name]
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