Cub Scout recruiting season is near; #CubChatLive has you covered

Whether you’re a veteran Cub Scout leader who has this thing down pat, or a newbie with tons of questions, Cub Chat Live is for you. 

The BSA’s official weekly Cub Scout-focused Facebook livestream features expert guests and insiders who share their experiences, advice and the occasional behind-the-scenes look at the Cub Scout program. 

For the rest of this month and into the next, #CubChatLive will help you with just about every aspect of Cub Scout recruiting. 

Summertime is the best time for lots of fun Cub Scout activities. It’s also the right time to think about recruiting new members to your pack this fall.  

Expert advice 

Among the topics our expert guests will discuss: 

• July 9: Planning your “Join Night.” Some people call it “Sign-up Night” or “Registration Night.” (In my old pack, we called it “Join Scouting Night.”) Regardless, this event – usually held on a weeknight during the first few weeks of school – might be your best chance to get in front of potential Cub Scout parents and tell them why they should join your pack. But how do you promote it? And once the night arrives, what should you say? How long should it last? How do you keep young children entertained while the adults are talking? We’ve got some thoughts. (Especially on that last one.)
• July 16: A Suggested Recruiting Strategy: Focus on Tigers. Cub Scouts can join a pack at any age. But there’s a good chance that most of your new members will be Tigers (kids who are entering the first grade). What makes Tigers and their parents tick? Why can a focus on recruiting Tigers be a winning strategy for long-term success? Tune in to learn the answers to both questions.
  
• July 23: How to generate your own recruiting materials, aka, Have you heard about the BSA Brand Center? Anybody can generate a flier from their computer, tablet or smartphone. But what does it say? Where do you get the pictures and graphics? Introducing the BSA Brand Center. It’s even got images designed for social networks so you can promote your pack on Facebook, Instagram and more.

There’s more! 

• July 30: Onboarding new families. One thing we old-timers and “experts” tend to forget is that families who are brand-new to Cub Scouting might have a hard time keeping it all straight. After sitting through a 30-minute-long presentation, common questions include “What’s the difference between a den and a pack again?” “Which one of you can I contact if I have more questions?” “Which nights do we meet?!?” Rethinking how we onboard new families can go a long way toward keeping those families engaged and happy, even after they’ve decided to join. 
• Aug. 6: Everyone Volunteers. In addition to recruiting new Tigers, you’re also going to need new Tiger den leaders. While you’re at it, why not find out if there are any other parents willing to help out? Our experts have been there, done that, and their knowledge goes a lot farther than the old talent survey.

#CubChatLive airs every Friday at 2 p.m. Central. Guests include National Director of Cub Scouting Anthony Berger and Lisa Wylie, the chair of the National Cub Scouting Committee. 

Click here to browse our archives, and tune in tomorrow for a brand-new show.