Southeastern Michigan Veterans Stand Down

Women Marines AssociationGrowing Your Membership UsingTechnologyDebra DrummondNational Membership Secretary

11/13/20091The DilemmaVeteran & Service organizations are having a difficult time recruiting new membersPerception that younger folks wont jointheyre just not interested in club/bar environmentWhere can you even find new blood?Technology gap

11/13/20092First Things FirstDont have a website? Get one set up ASAPHave a website but havent updated it in years? Give it a facelift & beef up the content to drive more potential members to youWomenMarines.org

Get On Facebook. Why?The fastest growing demographic is in the 30+ page range#6 U.S. site in terms of traffic#1 photo sharing site on the web13 million status updates at least1x per dayMore than 3 million people become Fans of Pages each day

Online Results?Unlike WAVES, whose membership has dramatically declined, our membership has remained constantWithout the addition of social media, ours would have declined due to member deathsFound out about us from Facebook, LinkedIn & Together We ServedOthers found us through internet search

Women Marines in BusinessNewest Facebook page to start an online chapter networking with Marines in the working world to eventually connect them with local chapters

And Were On YouTube!Its a Whole New World!Social Media is changing the gameFounded in 2004 by Paul Reickoff after his deployment to IraqThey are everywhereTwitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, MySpace, FlickrThey have 150,000 supporters & 40,000 Iraq & Afghanistan Veteran members!FREE membershiporganization funded by grants & donationsNo local organizationsyet!Young folks want to participate and be INVOLVED, not just attend meetingsI can actually do something to help myselfits empowering

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If you want to growYou have to be online where potential members are! Join & become familiar with:FacebookLinkedInTwitterMySpaceFlickrYouTube

At a minimumConsider activities with more involvement by providing:Educational valueSupportPersonal attentionEmpowermentListening & responding to member needs & desires