Recruitment program results in success for Florida post

American Legion Post 90 in Cape Coral, Fla., recruited 69 new members into the post for the 2022 membership year. Post 90’s marketing committee was responsible for 27 of those new members, said Post 90’s Public Relations Officer Ted Clark.

Members of the Marketing Committee staffed a Post 90 booth at trade shows and festivals in Cape Coral to recruit new members. Festivals included the German American Oktoberfest, the Irish American Festival and the Cape Coral Arts Festival. The Marketing Committee also attended all three evenings of Cape Coral Bike Night to promote their Legion Riders program to potential members. “This tactic has earned the Marketing Committee a substantial list of leads and evidence that trade shows turned out to be a vital step toward attracting veterans to our post and our programs,” Clark said. “Overall, the post gained tremendous publicity, received exposure to hundreds of fair, festival and event attendees, interacted directly with an average of 55 participants at each event, and gathered data for follow-up with an average of 30 (potential new members) at the most prominent events.

“The success of the trade show recruitment program was measured by cross-checking the leads developed at trade shows with the current membership roster. To ensure all member prospects recognize the value of their membership, the Marketing Committee follows up and meets quarterly to call or email the leads.”