Today we live in a funny kind of world. A world very different to the one my parents and my grandparents grew up in.

In those days a call to bear arms for King and Country was enough to recruit young men and women to battle - to lay down their lives for a monarch they didn't know and hadn't even seen.

Today - we're hard pressed to get a parent to serve in the school canteen, or a church member to vacuum the carpet in the church.

We are a selfish people living in selfish times.

Now - you probably aren't selfish. You serve in your childrens program. However the majority of prospects we have for leadership positions in our programs are selfish. not necessarily because they want to be - but because they feel that they have to guard their time and their personal interests closely.

If you are to successfully recruit men and women into your programs you need to clearly spell out to them the benefits in joining you.

If I were to ask you right now - what the benefits of working as a leader in your program were - could you tell me?

ok - rattle off five reasons...

If you asked me I would say

• you get to adventure in the great outdoors
• you get to share your life experiences
• you have charge of a groups of children that will idolise you
• you will learn new skills that will make you a better parent
• you have an opportunity to spare kids from the many problems of our society
• you will gain the respect of other adults in our community
• you have an opportunity to learn and practice new leadership skills
• you can take advantage of top notch training
• you'll have a whole heap of fun
• you'll make new friends and get to spend time with them
• you can spend more time with your own kids
• your kids and wife/husband will respect you in a whole new way
• you have a chance to change the world

and the list goes on.

Now some of these benefits I would imply - rather than state. For example the "children will idolise you" benefit. It's true - and flattering. But this is a "subconscious" sell.

In selling benefits you become aware that you are dealing in a competitive environment. You are up against some of the richest and best promoted attractions in the history of mankind.

You're selling leadership in your program over

• television
• sport
• other worthwhile service positions
• "quality family time"
• mowing the lawn
• night school
• work
• washing the car

Now you can win this battle. You have won this battle. You have leaders now. I have leaders now. it can be done.

BUT

you need to be aware that you are offering a PRODUCT in a COMPETITIVE market place. To "win" this "sale" you need to "outsell" the "benefits" of your "offer" over the "competition"

Thinking in these commercial terms makes it easier to boil down your offer. A simple "wanna be a Ranger leader" won't cut it today. If you were to ask me to be a leader I'd want to know why, and what benefits there would be for me and what benefits there would be for the children.

CONCLUSION

Sell benefits.