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As the final and most ambitious leg of the Farm Bureau membership campaign goes full steam ahead through March 31, counties are encouraged to recruit their members to become membership champions to get the organization to the finish line.

Championing a membership campaign comes from creating those members who have a passion for Farm Bureau and can channel that passion into a conversation with a friend, family member, neighbor or coworker about the value of membership, according to Paul Lyons, vice president of membership.

“Without these loyal and passionate members having these conversations, we would not be able to grow the organization and meet our overall goals,” he said.

Creating a membership champion takes time, Lyons said. It’s about forming the right relationships and forming a lasting bond with motivated members so they can help spread the work and word about Farm Bureau to others, whether they are current or potential members.

“We have many members in our counties who don’t consider themselves as a membership champion,” Lyons said. “I know we have thousands of members who champion the organization on a regular basis. If you are reading this article you are, or are well on your way, to becoming that member who can talk about what we do in our communities.”

There are five stages members go through to become a membership champion and therefore help build brand awareness of Farm Bureau.

•    Members who are aware of the brand. They see content produced by Farm Bureau or potentially know another member.
•    Members who recognize the brand and know what it offers.
•    Members who attend an event hosted by Farm Bureau.
•    Members who begin to develop an emotional connection to the organization.
•    Members who truly believe in the brand and rely on Farm Bureau to help them navigate their professional lives. As loyalty increases so do emotional connections.

Positive experiences with Ohio Farm Bureau can naturally generate member champions from long-time members and volunteers as well as emerging leaders, young agricultural professionals and students.

Contact your county Farm Bureau to see how you can help grow the Farm Bureau organization.

Photo caption:
Butler County Farm Bureau holds its 2019 membership kickoff.