Editing Building Relationships (section)

== Recruitment & Retention Best Practices ==
The following best practices can significantly increase the rate at which new people join and stay on your team. Here are some key best practices to keep in mind when building and maintaining relationships:

The following best practices can significantly increase the rate at which new people join and stay on your team. Here are some key best practices to keep in mind when building and maintaining relationships:

* '''Don’t be apologetic''': organizing is an opportunity, not a favour. When asking for commitment, be positive and enthusiastic.
* '''Always Follow-Up''': when someone offers to get more involved, ask for their contact information and give them yours. Follow up with them as soon as possible, ideally within 48 hours.
* '''Make reminder calls''': call 1-2 days before the event and an hour beforehand. Some people prefer text or Facebook messages to phone calls.
* '''Always schedule for the next time''': don’t let anyone leave without asking when they’ll be coming back.
* '''Plan for no-shows''': assume that half of your people will turn up. For example, if you need four people for a successful event, plan on scheduling eight.
* '''Design actions that are empowering to participate in.'''
<div style="background-color:#eee; padding:1em; border:1px solid #ccc;"> Designing actions so that they are inherently motivational is a key way to keep people engaged. See the Taking Action: Targets & Timelines section (pg. 68) for information on motivational engagement. </div>