‍Are AKC Conformation Clubs in Crisis?

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‍All across the country, AKC all-breed clubs,

‍specialty breed clubs, and national parent

‍clubs are seeing dwindling membership and volunteers.  What causes this decline, and

‍how can I help make my club stronger and

‍more enjoyable?

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‍What is a Club and what makes a Club Successful?

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‍-A club is an association of people 

‍united by a common 

‍interest or goal.

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‍What Makes A Club Successful?

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‍Club leaders should challenge people to be their best, build trust, earn loyalty, acts as mentors, and be approachable. Good leaders also focus on building and keeping strong relationships with  the members in the club.

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‍How Can We Make Our Club Better?

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‍1. Understand Your Members

• Learn which breeds your members own.
• Identify the dog sports that interest your members.
• Understand their experience levels.

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‍2. Make Them Feel Welcome

• Ensure every meeting is welcoming.
• Welcome all members, regardless of tenure or age.

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‍3. Add a Personal Touch

• Engage members by asking about their families, work, dogs, and interest.

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‍4. Engage Others in Thoughtful, Positive Conversation

• Avoid combative language, raised tempers, negative criticism, and sarcasm directed at others.

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‍5. Give Them Something to Look Forward To

• Ensure meetings are engaging and not solely focused on business.
• Include brief presentations on topics such as grooming, handling, training, or canine health issues.
• Invite members to bring refreshments and provide coffee.

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‍6. Create Mentoring and Educational Opportunities

• Offer mentoring opportunities or assist members in finding a mentor.
• Share educational resources on breeding, grooming, training, and presentation.

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‍How Do We Motivate Club Members?

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‍Encourage members to keep learning whenever you can. Give them goals, direction, and things to work toward. Let people try different tasks and mentor them in these tasks. Give them chances to grow and learn as they get involved in the club.

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‍How Do We Help Our Club Thrive?

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‍What do you say if someone asks why you go to club meetings? You probably think of the encouragement from other members and the friendships you build at each meeting. The club’s quality is what keeps you coming back.

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‍A successful club celebrates members’ achievements, creates a supportive and fun atmosphere, and runs well-organized meetings with variety. Club officers make sure members can join mentoring programs and get helpful information to learn and succeed.

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‍A successful club appreciates, values, and acknowledges the hard work members put into club events.

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‍1. First Impressions

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‍The best way to bring in new members is to make a great first impression. New members bring fresh energy to a club. Visitors are attracted to clubs that feel exciting and enthusiastic. When the room is full of energy, people want to come back.

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‍Club meetings should offer more than just business and planning for the next show.

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‍Introduce visitors to club officers and other members. When the meeting starts, help create a lively atmosphere. Members feel energized when they know the meeting will be fun, friendly, and a safe place to learn all aspects of breeding, training, showing, and join in club activities. Treat potential members as if they are already valued members.

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‍2. Strong Mentoring Provides Clubs with a Vital Boost

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‍Mentoring greatly benefits the new member, the mentor, and the club as a whole. It improves the quality of meetings and shows, helps retain members, and contributes to a warm, supportive atmosphere. To ensure new members have a positive club experience, it’s essential to foster a mentoring mindset.

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‍3. Achievement Recognition

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‍Successful clubs have officers who pay attention to members’ goals, help them reach those goals, and celebrate their successes.

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‍Make it a priority in your club to recognize and celebrate both members’ and club achievements.

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‍4. Identifying Problems That Diminish Club Participation

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‍It’s not always easy, but leaders should watch over club discussions and encourage calm, respectful conversations when people have different opinions.

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‍ Although anyone can have a bad day now and then, discussions that repeatedly become argumentative can lead to:

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•     General unrest and dissatisfaction among members

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•     Decreased participation of volunteers

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•     Declining membership

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•     Difficulty attracting new members

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‍Many leaders have strong personalities and leadership skills that keep meetings on track and moving in a positive direction. But both leaders and members should avoid a domineering attitude. The idiom "my way or the highway" captures the narrow-minded stubbornness of people with control issues. This attitude will lead to a decline in club membership, attendance, and volunteerism.

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‍When there is a controversial topic of discussion that may lead to an argument between members; is is beneficial that this discussion be held in private with the board of directors rather than with the general membership until a decision has been made on how the club would like to handle the situation best.

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‍To sum it up, clubs should never forget that visitors are drawn to clubs that generate positive excitement and enthusiasm. When the room is infused with energy, people are excited about being there, and that’s what keeps members and visitors coming back!

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‍* The information above is inspired from Toastmasters.  These timeless principles apply well to any club!