Welcoming New Members
When someone visits your club for the first time, your real work begins. A welcoming and inclusive environment is essential to building a vibrant community. Newcomers—especially those unfamiliar with model aviation—might feel overwhelmed by a group of seasoned hobbyists. Without meaning to, long-time members can give off an unapproachable vibe that says, “We’ve mastered it; you haven’t.”
Clubs often feel like close-knit tribes, which can unintentionally come across as exclusive. Your job is to ensure visitors have a positive experience, feel comfortable, and are excited to return.
Start with something simple: wear name tags. They immediately signal, “Hi, I’m approachable. Let’s chat.” For new members, remembering everyone’s names can be daunting, especially when meetings are weeks apart. Name tags are a small touch that makes a big difference.
Club Ambassadors
Every club has that one outgoing, friendly person. Enlist them as your club’s ambassador. Their role is to greet visitors, extend a warm handshake, and strike up a conversation.
Find out what brought the newcomer to your club. Everyone has a “What’s In It For Me” (WIIFM) reason for showing up—maybe they’re curious about model aviation or eager to learn. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce them to a member who’s an AMA Introductory Pilot or someone who recently completed training.
Pair visitors with a current member right away, so your ambassador is free to welcome the next guest. During the visit, give the newcomer a tour, share exciting club activities, and exchange contact info. Use a sign-in sheet or pass around a tablet to gather names, phone numbers, and email addresses.
Follow up within a week. A quick thank-you call or email reinforces your club’s welcoming spirit. Invite them back to an event, show them a model, or even offer a chance to fly. These gestures can build lasting relationships that change lives.
At future gatherings, find simple tasks for them to do—like helping set up chairs or charge batteries. Feeling useful helps newcomers feel like part of the team. Avoid pressuring them to join. Instead, let them experience the value of your club naturally.
If they’re not an AMA member yet, offer a free three-month trial through the AMA Introductory Pilot Program. This trial includes instruction and full AMA membership benefits.
Club Outreach Tips
Add Value with a Trial Membership
Recruiting new members is easier when you can offer them something meaningful. Through the Introductory Pilot Program, prospective members can enjoy a free, three-month AMA membership trial.
How does it work? After identifying an interested individual, your club’s Introductory Pilot Instructor can enroll them on the AMA website. During the trial, they’ll receive all AMA member benefits, including digital access to the AMA magazine, discounts, and members-only resources.
This program builds stronger connections between recruits and your club, often leading to higher retention rates. The process is quick and paperless, and you can enroll as many people as you want. Just remember:
- Position the trial as a complimentary gift from your club.
- Engage recruits during the trial—invite them to events and assign them a mentor.
- Avoid using trial memberships as giveaways. Focus on building real connections.
Host a Club Open House
One of the best ways to attract new members is through a Club Open House. Invite the public for refreshments and a chance to explore model aviation. Make it casual—think of it as a “Meet & Greet.”
Enhance the experience with:
- Displays: Showcase your best models and set up a looping video of flight demos.
- Snacks: Coffee, pastries, or light refreshments go a long way.
- Personal Stories: Share why you love model aviation and how AMA has impacted your life.
Remember, many visitors won’t understand the ins and outs of model aviation right away. Take the time to explain and make them feel welcome. You could be opening the door to a lifelong passion.
The “Just One” Challenge
Imagine if every member of your club invited just one person—a friend, neighbor, or coworker—to a club event. Now imagine mentoring one of those guests for a year.
By sharing your love for model aviation with just one person, you could double your club membership in a single year. It starts with one member, one neighbor, one year. Let’s make it happen!
Creative Outreach Ideas
Set a Trap
Put your extra AMA Model Aviation magazines to good use. Take them to your workplace, local coffee shops, barbershops, or waiting rooms. Add a sticker or staple your club’s business card to the cover.
When someone picks one up, it’s a perfect opportunity to start a conversation. Share your club’s story, invite them to an event, and let them experience the joy of model aviation.
Remember: You miss 100% of the opportunities you don’t take. Take your shot today!
If you are an active member of the AMA with 25 + years experience, but you dont belong to the local club —- how can you give a new person an intro flight?
That is a difficult question. A club field would be the best place for an introductory flight. However, if you have access to a safe and legal location to fly, it could be done there as well.
How about indoor RC flight training/promoting with small electric-powered trainers like Horizon Hobby’s Night Vapor. I’m sure there are other similar electric-powered trainers available.
I’ve done it before and will do it again this winter. I don’t know if it can be done with a buddy box, as I teach without a buddy box.
What a wonderful set of suggestions for bringing new people into the hobby. Each and every one of these things would definitely make a difference if we did them. The more we bring into the hobby the stronger we all are together
While i like the article and comments it’s to bad clubs dont listen. I joined a club in Rockford Illinois paid my dues and never got a key or access to the club field. Never got a call or welcome untill i decided not to renew.. I bought 4 planes 1 new 3 part of a estate asked 2 times never got anything..
Step one is have an up to date website and location on Google maps. If they can’t find you there won’t be any new members to recruit. Once we updated those two things it made a big difference for us.
As President of our club, and one of the flight instructors, I personally contact any new member within 24 hours and introduce myself and find out more about them. I offer to meet them at the club at their convenience to give them our “nickle tour”, safety briefing, and introduce them to any members who may be flying. For anyone who is interested in RC flying, we have an Aeroscout and Turbo Timber for instructor use and we will give 3 introductory sessions using a buddy box. After 3 sessions, they should know if RC flying is for them. Our club has shown growth year after year and we have great feedback from the new members.