Tips for Conducting a
Successful Cub Scout Recruiting Activity

• Schedule Your Activity Early in the School Year. Parents and Boys determine their school year activities shortly after the start of the school year. Be the “first in line” to invite new parents and boys to join our program. Contact your local school, church, park, etc. by the end of July to schedule the activity for the first week in September.
   
• Determine Volunteer Leader Needs and Recruit New Leaders Prior to the Recruiting Night. This will help your pack get off to a smooth start in the fall if leaders are already in place and trained. A good place to develop a prospect list for new volunteer leaders in by researching your child’s “school directory” from the previous year.
   
• “Be Prepared” to Show New Parents your Yearly Calendar of Events, the Pack Budget, and let them know how much popcorn they need to sell for their son to achieve the “Ideal Year of Scouting” with the Pack. Parents like to know “up front” what activities are planned and what are the expectations of the parents/Scouts.
   
• Conduct a Special Event for your Recruiting Activity. Put your best foot forward by showing new parents and boys the “Fun” associated with Cub Scouting. Activities could include a trip to the bowling alley, a swimming/pizza party, family day at a local park with games, etc.
   
• Promote, Promote, Promote! Fliers/boy talks at schools, posters, inserts for church bulletins, yard signs, door hangers, post cards, audio visual support, news releases, etc. are all available through the Center for Scouting to help you promote your activity.
   
• School Newsletter Promotion. Place a promotion for your recruiting activity in the first newsletter, which goes home to parents. Parents are always looking for the first newsletter to make sure that their children get off to a good start in school.
   
• Develop a “Bring a Buddy Plan”. Develop an incentive program for boys who bring a friend to join Scouting. The best recruiting tool is “word of mouth” by Scouts describing to their friends how much “Fun” they are having in Scouting.
   
• Personal Phone Calls to Prospective New Scouts/Parents. Once again, a good resource for this prospect list is your child school directory from the previous year. Parents/Boys join Scouting because they are asked to join.
   
• Keep the Meeting Portion of the Activity Short and Make Sure that the new Parents/Scouts have “Fun”. People do not like long drawn out meetings. Explain the program, the calendar of events, the pack budget and move on to the “Fun”. Boys join Scouting to have “Fun”. Make sure that this happens at your recruiting activity.
   
• Let us know how we can Help! The Center for Scouting and the professional staff are here for you! Please let us know what kind of assistance we can provide for your activity. Please call your respective District Executive or contact us at the Center for Scouting 507-387-3123.