10 proven ways to grow membership

Growing membership for an organisation, whether it's a non-profit making body, professional association, club, or any other type of group, is a crucial part of membership management. It can be both a challenging and rewarding task which requires lots of commitment and dedication. In this blog we look at 10 proven ways to help grow your membership:

Define Your Value Proposition

It is important to clearly articulate the benefits of being a member of your organisation. You may think the benefits are obvious, but it is best to spell them out in a very transparent way. What do members gain? How does it improve their lives or further their interests? Make this information readily available on your website and in your promotional materials.

Leverage Social Media

Social media is free to use and is a way to speak directly to your members on a regular basis. Make sure you utilise platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram to engage with existing members and reach out to potential new ones. Share valuable content, interact with your audience, and create a sense of community around your organisation's mission.

Email Marketing

You will no doubt have the email address for existing members and you can make use of this to keep in regular contact with them. Using this data you can send out newsletters, updates, and exclusive offers to keep people informed and engaged. Make sure to also capture the email addresses of those visiting your website or interacting with you in other ways. In this way you can build and maintain an email list of potential members to market your organisation to.

Host Events

Events are a great way of reaching out to existing and new members alike. You can organise both online and offline events like webinars, workshops, seminars, and networking sessions to showcase your organisation's expertise and create opportunities for interaction. They take a bit of planning but done on a regular basis can make a huge difference to member recruitment levels.

Member Referral Programmes

Encourage your current members to refer new members. Offer incentives such as discounts or exclusive content to members who successfully bring in new recruits. Regularly send out communications to your existing members reminding them of the part they can play in this process, whether it be bringing a friend to an event or sharing social posts with them.

Optimise Your Website

Ensure your website is user-friendly, visually appealing, and mobile-responsive. Make it easy for potential members to join, access information, and contact you. One important aspect of this is search engine optimisation (SEO) which helps bring you to the top of search results for certain keywords on search engines such as Google.

Engage in Content Marketing

Create high-quality, relevant content that addresses the needs and interests of your target audience. This can include blog posts, videos, podcasts, or infographics. Share this content across various platforms to attract potential members. Planned correctly you can make one piece of content go a long way. For instance a longer video used on your website can be cut down into shorter bite-sized pieces for use on social media.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Often overlooked, partnerships and collaborations with other organisations can be a great way to grow membership. If you know of a business that shares your target audience, consider reaching out to them to see if they can help you tap into their networks and gain exposure to a wider audience. They might want you to do the same for them in return, but that can also be beneficial if they are a like-minded organisation.

Offer Trial Memberships

One of the most frequently used methods of member recruitment is to provide a limited-time trial membership or a reduced-rate introductory membership. This allows potential members to experience the benefits of being part of your organisation firsthand before committing. However you must ensure that the offers have a clearly communicated time limit and that you don’t unduly favour new members over existing ones in terms of membership rates.

Member Feedback and Improvement

As you grow it is important to continuously gather feedback from your current members to improve your offerings. Happy and engaged members are more likely to refer others and stay committed. In addition, if there is an issue that is causing dissatisfaction amongst members - it is best to be aware of this as early as possible so you can take steps to put it right.

Remember that growing membership is an ongoing process and is as much about retaining existing members as it is about recruiting new ones. It requires dedication, consistent effort, and adaptability. However, if you monitor the effectiveness of your strategies, track your progress, and are prepared to adjust your approach as needed then you will have the best possible chance of achieving your goals.

Many organisations find that implementing membership management software is a game changer in terms of cutting down on the administrative processes required in delivering membership retention and recruitment. If you would like help and advice on how software could help your organisation, then get in touch with our team.