Cultivating Loyal Subs For Morning Meetings

As someone who is a regular sub at morning network meetings, I need to talk about how various groups treat those of us who sub.

Some are warm and wonderful, while others seem to take us for granted. The major morning meeting groups in town want you to utilize subs, but neither one of them talk about how to effectively cultivate these relationships so that someone will actually want to sub for you.

Here's my experience from the last eight years of doing this of things you can do to cultivate loyal subs who will want to fill in for you at our morning meetings:

• Suggest members they should make a point to meet. - Since it's your home group, you know who could be good direct contact for your sub, or someone who could be a strong referral partner for them. You may even want to pre-call these group members and tell them who's subbing for you, and to make sure introduce themselves.
  


• Don't over sell the group - Be honest in your praise. Most groups have a standard mix of professions in them. Don't make a new or rebuilding group sound better then it is. Also, your members may not be the best contacts for your specific sub.
  


• Encourage group members to make passing subs referrals important - This is actually a key part of your guest and recruiting strategies.  Groups where people sub regularly and the members never pass them referrals have much harder times selling these people on the benefit of being a sub - because if you don't send subs referrals, there is no benefit to them in participating. 


• Ask to hear your sub's 60 Second commercial - This makes sure that it's appropriate for your group (no conflicts or issues with other members) and it lets you know for who they are looking. You might have to coach them a bit if they're newer at this. It also show you care enough to look for them too. Something NO ONE has ever done who has asked me to sub in eight years of doing this - what is my ask?
  


• Send them your 60 sec in advance - Nothing stresses out a sub more then someone who was too busy before the day to send their spot. Oh, don't write them a full 60 seconds - many people are nervous speaking in front strangers - so 45 seconds will do the trick. Make it simple and specific.


• The ultimate thank you - Within 30 days of someone subbing for you, it is the most grateful morning meeting member who sends them a warm introduction and/or quality referral. This shows you really walk your talk when it comes to networking. If you can't, gas money or a gift card to a coffee shop or book store is another nice way to say I really appreciate what you did. 

Subs are a very important part of the morning meeting dynamic, but don't just look them as someone to fill the gap while you're away. Take time to cultivate these relationships as much as the ones with your group's primary members. This will insure you won't have to be dropped because no one will sub for you.