It’s no secret that acquiring and retaining members is at the top of the priority list for any association. From acquisition of new members through continued member engagement, our team at Aptify loves helping associations with the entire member journey.
10 Ways You Can Grow Your Association Membership in 2017
We know how difficult it can be to come up with new ideas for acquiring new members, so we’re giving you 10 of our top 50 ways to boost association membership. We hope they inspire you to get creative and to take your membership to the next level!
Are you looking for even more ways to bring in new members and delight your current ones?
Check out the complete list in our latest ebook,
“50 Ways to Boost Your Association Membership.”
1. Provide current members with an award.
Leveraging your current members’ networks is one of the best ways to find prospective new members. Offering current members some kind of incentive, even if it’s a small referral bonus, can get them out there preaching from on high for you without you having to spend any additional time or resources.
2. Recognize current members for their recruitment efforts.
If you have members that are active in bringing in new members to your association, celebrate them! Whether it’s in your newsletter or on your website, this will show your members that you appreciate their recruitment efforts.
3. Get social!
Find out where your ideal members are hanging out on social media, and be active there. You don’t need to be on every social network, just where your members are.
4. Utilize ads on social media.
Building on #3, leverage paid advertising on social media to get your association in front of the people who are qualified, but might not know about you.
5. Find co-marketing opportunities.
Partner with other businesses and organizations in your industry by marketing each other’s services or offerings. It’s mutually beneficial, and these opportunities have the potential to exponentially expand your reach to possible new members!
6. Start (or maintain) a blog.
Provide helpful industry information, tips, and insights for potential new members. Answering common questions in your industry and providing useful, educational information is a great way to build trust with prospective members before they actually sign-up. (It’s also a great way to keep current members engaged – but we’ll get to that later!)
7. Optimize your website for new member conversions.
When a potential new member lands on your website, make sure there’s a clear and compelling path for them to become a member. You never want confusion or difficult navigation to deter someone from joining your association.
8. Put on events that aren’t just for members.
Members-only events are great as membership benefits, but there is also great value in putting on events that non-members can attend. This allows you to show the value of your association to potential new members before they join.
9. Add a job board to your website.
A job board is a simple and easy way to add even more value to your members. Adding one that non-members can have limited access to can help drive traffic to your website and get you seen by more people in your industry.
10. Use existing business networks (Chambers of Commerce, Better Business Bureau, Rotary Club, etc.).
If your association and/or your members are involved in local business networks, these are great ways to get the word out about your association and its benefits. Take advantage of speaking opportunities or sponsorship opportunities whenever possible!
Now that you have 10 new and creative ways to boost your association’s membership, why not have a look at our complete list? In this list, we provide tips on how to retain and engage members, how to provide valuable content, and how to delight your members every step of the way. Click the link below to get complete access to this highly valuable ebook.
Are you looking for even more ways to bring in new members and delight your current ones?
Learn more about the 50 ways you boost your association membership today.
