Every association faces the challenge of figuring out the best way to attract and retain members. Do you invest in external resources to create and execute a marketing plan? Or do you have internal resources to help reach the same goals—perhaps resources you’re not even thinking of?
Consider that when new members are asked how they heard about an association, the most common response is “from a current member.” So before you turn to outsiders to develop a marketing plan for member recruitment, try arming your current members and biggest fans with the tools to grow your organization.
Here’s why, and how, this can work:
- Industry professionals have a high level of trust and credibility among their colleagues. Prospective members don’t feel like they’re being subjected to a sales pitch when the information about joining an association comes from a colleague.
- By sharing firsthand experiences and information, members can provide others with a clear picture of how they have benefitted from being in the association, or how their organization has succeeded and grown by being part of an industry association.
- When prospects see how passionate your current members are about your organization, it can drive interest, web traffic, and further conversations that may pull in even more than one new member.
- A member-to-member recruitment effort is a great opportunity for micro-volunteering. For example, you could ask each active member to solicit just one new membership over a specified period. It can yield significant results for the association with only a small time commitment from each volunteer.
If having official association ambassadors is new for your organization, make sure you offer the tools to equip your members with the information that they need. Some members may be comfortable with a simple one-pager with bullet points, while others may benefit more from one-on-one training or videos they can reference when talking to prospects.
No matter how large or small your association, your existing members can be your best resource and strongest advocates in recruiting and developing loyal new members!
