Top 10 Non-Webelos Recruiting Tips

In response to my previous post about recruiting tips, someone asked about specifically recruiting NON-Webelos. Well, here you go. I'd love to hear from anyone that tries them.

There are a lot of 5th and 6th grade boys in your community that were not active in the Cub Scout program. This is a prime time to recruit these boys into your troop, along with Webelos crossing over from Packs.

The best way to recruit these boys is by having scouts talk with them. Consider using these tips to motivate your new scouts to recruit a few more scouts:

1. Recruiter Strip - If a scout gets someone to join, the scout gets a patch. And, there's a special spot for it on his uniform.
2. First Class Requirement - Push the "tell a friend to join" requirement to be one of the first requirements for all new scouts. There's a better chance of getting someone to join at the same time rather than a year later.
3. Free Camping - Every scout that brings a friend on a camping trip, gets to go for free.
4. Non-scouting Activity - Plan a non-scouting, two-hour activity just for the new scouts and their friends. Bowling, swimming, basketball, anything physical and indoors that non-scouts will enjoy as much as scouts. Scouts can only sign up with a non-scout buddy.
5. Sports Teams - Remind scouts that the end of a sports season in which they play is a great time to ask the other guys on the team, "So, now what are you gonna do?" and invite them to try Scouts.
6. Trinkets - our troop has wooden nickels which scouts can give to friends to promote the troop.
7. Troop Open House - A specific time planned for introducing boys and parents to scouting. See this document.
8. School Talk - If you can get access to your local school, giving a short promotional talk to the 5th grade and/or 6th grade boys can be successful. See Page 20.
9. Scout Skill Day - Have scouts invite non-Webelos to your Scout-o-rama to learn some fun scout skills and impress their parents.
10. Hidden Recruiting - If you do a fundraiser, include postcards to give with each order. The card asks the buyer to give it to the parent of a 5th or 6th grade neighbor boy and invites him and his parent to call for more information about the troop.

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