Interest group question
 

I have been a GC member for months now, and I found more helpful tips here than any website. But this is the first time I am asking a q pertaining an interest group.


How do you get PNM for an interest group to think past the initial chapter founder fees. Personally, I don't think its that much compared to how much you pay after colonization but other interested girls do.

GC, do you have ne good tips? :confused:

What exacty are "initial chapter founder fees"? In Tri Delta, you don't pay anything more whether you are a colony new member class or the new member class of an established chapter.

Well, since I don't know whether I can divulge an orgs fees or not, let's just say (hypothetically) its a little over $300. This is a one time fee for which it pays the nationals, cost of expansion and the rest goes to us. After the initial dues, we don't pay significant amount of $ per semester (meaning its not a concern to the interestees).

The problem is when the interestees hear the initial dues, they kinda back out.

Many groups do have chartering fees, and when you see it as a chunk, it is intimidating.

If this is a problem I would get an outline from the national HQ of what all they promise to do for you as a colony/new chapter (i.e. live in consultant, consultant visits, officer training etc). If it can be shown that they're meeting the group halfway that might make it go down a little easier.

This sounds like a sales question. When you mention the initial dues, do you say it appologetically, or matter-of-factly? If you are appologizing for the dues, then you are sending a signal that its expensive. If you state it as a simple fact, you are less likely to run into an objection.

Also, how do you overcome the objections? Its normal, in sales, to have objections. If someone agrees with everything that you say, then you are in trouble. Those people almost never buy, or they're using a stolen credit card (in retail, anyway.)

There are three stages to overcoming an objection:
1) Listen to the objection
2) Cushion the objection
3) Provide the counterpoint
The most important part is #2. If you don't cushion the objection, then you are just arguing.

Bad example without cushion:
Her: Those dues are expensive.
You: No, they're not because...

Good example with cushion:
Her: Those dues are expensive
You (cushion): I thought the same exact thing when I was joining. $300 is a lot of money.
You (counterpoint):Then it was explained to me that the money goes to yada, yada, yada, and that after the first semester it is only $X

That's a brief explanation of overcoming an objection. The cushion is where you empathize with the other person, and show that you are with that person, not fighting that person.

This is enough sales training for today.:D

Russell and 33girl,

Thanks for your wonderful suggestions. I guess I have to change my tactics a little (or alot). I figured since they knew they would be joining a sorority, they'd know there would be fees associated with it. Russell, I did tell them straightforwardly and empathized also, maybe I just need to SHOW them that someone has to pay for the services we'll be receiving from nationals.

Thnx again :cool:

he means apologize with one p

pretty good sales tactics russellwarshay!

Also, you definitely want to tell the prospective member how exciting it is to be the beginning of a chapter! You all get to start all the traditions, and are the start of something that will hopefully last a very long time :)

We had to pay a LOT more than we are this semester...it was basically $100 on top of new member fees, so our first semester our dues were around $600 for people who weren't in the local, and $500 for those of us in the local (we had money left from the previous year)

I like Russel's idea...wish I knew them last year!
Basically, we talked about how great of an opportunity it was, got a break down from EO about where all the money was going, and for some reason when people learned their name was going to be on the charter, they liked it better. Go fig. Your name on a piece of paper, and no one minded the $600.

If they cannot afford $300+ now, you might have problems with them later. Not everyone can afford to be in a GLO. They're expensive.

With many chapters, $300 for a semester wouldn't put much of a dent in the overall costs at all.

^ That's what I was thinking.