3 Simple Ways to Boost PTA Membership

The constant pull of activities, to-do’s, and work for your PTA can leave you and other volunteer leaders with little time to focus on the vital task of boosting membership. On the flip side, parents and those you want to recruit to join your PTA are already time-deficient between their work and their children. These two hurdles however, don’t stand a chance with the memberplanet toolkit at your fingertips. memberplanet is like your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, here to ensure you’re maximizing your efficiency while attracting more members to your cause – without creating a supervillain amount of work.

1. Make it easy to become a member – offer electronic payment methods

The first step to growing is to make it as convenient as possible for new members to join. A best practice for any organization is to make it easy for people to pay for your services. Offering electronic payment methods is the first step toward offering a convenient and modern membership experience, which is what everyone in today’s society has come to expect. Instead of forcing people to pay by cash or check, you’re giving them the option to pay by their preferred payment methods. Learn more: How Collecting Funds Online Benefits Your PTA in 5 Big Ways.

memberplanet’s payment process is simple and direct. A few clicks, some basic information, and new members are in. Local PTA leaders can even set up automated email reminders to notify members when it’s renewal time, so it’s not only easy to join, it’s easy to stay a member. Check out our three-step checklist to get started.

2. Use multiple forms of communication to reach potential members

To describe the header above, which is quite a mouthful, we frequently use the term multi-channel communication. Simply put, it’s using all different methods, mediums, and platforms (preferably the ones your prospects are using) to get the word out. That way, even if your potential members “change the channel” they’ll still receive your message.
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You can still distribute paper flyers, send snail mail, and yell through a megaphone to communicate (whatever works, right?), but we recommend also using more cost-effective digital forms of communicating: websites, e-newsletters with tracking, email and group text messaging, and social media. memberplanet's platform is equipped with tools to efficiently and consistently use multi-channel communication, and the best part is you don’t have to use multiple programs.

3. Blast out your benefits

Telling recruits what they have to gain by becoming a member of your PTA seems like a no-brainer. It’s surprising though, how that message can get buried under the guise of free incentives. Let’s be honest – offering free food, t-shirts, and other giveaways are great for getting people at the door/sign-up table/website, but when it comes to sealing the deal, there’s no alternative for communicating the true benefits of your PTA – your mission of positively affecting the lives of all children and families. That’s a wonderfully amazing cause, and one that should come across consistently in every explanation of your benefits. Give your prospects the feeling that by joining, they’d be participating in something that’s bigger than themselves – something that makes a difference.  

You have all kinds of options on memberplanet to optimize your message, from creating customized event sites to utilizing targeted, dynamic distribution lists.

PTA Simplified is a series of tips for PTA and PTO leaders to get the most out of a powerful association management system – to manage, engage, and grow their membership all year long. 

Updated since original publication on 7/01/2017.

About Cassie Braun

Cassie brings more than a decade of experience to her role in helping multi-level organizations, professional, and trade associations succeed. She is a driving force at memberplanet who is constantly questioning the status quo to bring fresh ideas and dynamic solutions to the table.