Keeping Interest High
(Chapter 20)
Keeping members interested may be the most challenging part of forming a club – perhaps even more difficult than earning a profit from your investments.
- At first everyone is very happy and excited.
- Over time the market may decline and members’ interest may fade. This is a very crucial time because the potential to achieve long term gains will vanish.
Ø Encourage members to take night classes conducted by your local NAIC
council.
Ø Read newly published investment trade books.
Ø Seek out informative guest speakers to address meetings.
Ø Invite each member to regularly read at least one business publication.
Ø Many clubs set aside a fifteen or twenty-minute period in every meeting for
instructions. (SSG, Value Line, etc)
Ø NAIC conduct an annual National Investors Congress. This event offers a
lot of ideas from clubs all over the country. This Congress is always held
in a major city.
Ø If there is an NAIC Council that operates in your area, they encourage us to attend. This event includes presentations from four or five companies of different sizes.
Ø It will give you a opportunity to one-on-one with corporate officials in companies whose stock you might consider buying.
Ø You might even consider inviting a Council leader to attend one of your meetings to critique your portfolio and your procedures.
Ø Each January issue of Better Investing lists all Investors Fairs for the year.
Ø Invite your broker to your annual meeting to discuss your holdings and evaluate the club’s current investment opportunities.
Ø Take a field trip to the broker’s office.
Ø Take an after-trading-hours tour of the premises to discover how your orders are processed and how to become familiar with resources available in the library.
Ø Arrange a visit to a local company in which you own shares, to see first hand the people who work in supplying the company’s product and services.
Ø Invite as a guest speaker an experienced member from a successful club with a significantly longer operating history than your own. Ask him or her for a critique of your portfolio.
Ø Invite a friend to your club. If there are no openings in your club, express your willingness to help our friend get a new club launched.
Ø Publish an annual report, including the year-end valuation statement; member’s names, addresses, and phone numbers.
Ø Distribute it to families of members, friends, your broker, and any acquaintances who have expressed an interest in investments clubs.
Ø Hold a meeting at a nice restaurant or meeting hall. Somewhere to just unwind and not talk about investing.
Ø Stage one or two special events during the year, such as a Christmas party or summer picnic, and invite nonmember friends and family.
Ø Establish goals for the coming year.
There are many ways to keep the interests of the club. Just stay focus and motivated. Here is a list of the things I just talked about and more ideas.
Ø Follow a structured yet flexible agenda.
Ø Set goals, both short- and long- term, and track the club’s performance toward achieving them.
Ø Require involvement of all members.
Ø Reward member participation.
Ø Support the continuing education of all members.
Ø Maintain a disciplined approach to sock study and selection and to portfolio management procedures.
Ø Think creatively: “How can we continue to meet the need or our club?”
Ø Encourage member involvement in Council activities and national NAIC Congresses.
Ø Promote a spirit of enthusiasm, excitement, and enjoyment.
Ø Use available aids such as computers, videotapes, and overhead projectors to facilitate member participation and understanding.