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Members are the core to any association. Merriam-Webster defines association as, “an organized group of people who have the same interest, job, etc.” (source 1) So, in order for your association to flourish, keeping membership at the forefront is key.

With this in mind, always look for opportune moments to build your association’s membership.

REFERRAL REWARDS
Once you have a healthy membership base, utilise it for growth. Referral schemes are a great way to not only bring in new members, but rewards your existing ones. This turns into a win-win situation and all parties are happy, including you!

COMPETITIONS
If your association is in an industry that allows conference exhibition competitions, then give this a go! Have your delegates visit participating exhibitors for a chance to win. For members, offer them a prize such as a gift card. For non-members, offer one year free membership. Although you are offering a year free, members will typically stay joined to an association for 5 – 7 years.

POSTAL MAILINGS

If you are going to utilise postal mailings to increase delegate numbers at your next conference, include a cover letter and membership form along with it. Make sure to highlight the benefits of becoming a member, including reduced rates at conferences!

POST-EVENT SURVEYS

An important post-event task is the delegate survey and this is the perfect opportunity to advertise your association. Add a question at the end asking if the delegate is a member. If they aren’t, ask if they are interested in becoming one with fields to fill out their contact details. This will prompt someone who was not initially thinking of membership, to fill out their information to find out more.

So, remember to think outside the box and use opportune moments to promote your association and build your membership database.

Source 1: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/association