4 Tips for Boosting the Membership of Your Organization

The success and value of your group relies on the success and value of your members
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Membership is an organization’s most valuable asset. Without loyal members, your group will cease to exist. That is why it is so important to allocate a significant portion of your budget, time, and focus to retaining existing supporters while also adding new ones. The following tips can help you boost the ranks of your organization and lead you down a path of success.

​1. Define your USP
 
Your unique selling proposition (USP) can be defined as the answer to the question “Why should I choose this organization over another?” It’s your key differential, your competitive advantage, and what members should refer to when they explain why they chose to join. Being able to identify and sell your USP will help you build the foundation for your marketing strategies and materials. In order to sell it, you need to make sure all of your members know and understand what it is – if they can’t, then what you consider to be your organization’s most unique quality might not actually be all that unique.

2. Market where your members are
 
The key to gaining and retaining members is to stay constantly visible. In order to do that, you need to be present wherever they hang out. For example, if you’re a professional business organization, consider advertising in industry-specific publications or participate in industry-related group discussions on social media. As a leader of your organization, you should be viewed as a credible source in the space. If you’re not constantly marketing your group on and offline, how will your members know who you are?

3. Take advantage of a “member-get-a-member” program
 
No marketing strategy can beat personal recommendations and word-of-mouth. That’s where member-get-a-member programs come in. With this strategy, your prospects will get a recommendation to join from your existing supporters. If you haven’t pursued this before, make sure the process is simple and easy for your members to recruit on your behalf by providing relevant materials and incentives for doing so. Incentives can come in the form of free entry to an event or a discount on their membership.
 
And if you are already utilizing this strategy, track its success and seek ways to continue to improve it. Always keep in mind that your constituents are your greatest assets. Make sure they want to sell memberships and then give them the tools to do so. 

4. Keep your existing members happy
 
Retaining your current members is even more important than obtaining new ones. Nothing defines a successful organization more than loyal supporters. The fewer you lose, the easier it will be to reach your growth goals and the less resources you’ll have to spend to do it. The key to maintaining your current membership base is to continue to deliver valuable content and events, and by sustaining constant communication. This communication can come in the form of event notifications, emails, or social media posts. Without communication, from both the organization itself and between members, you may have difficulty staying relevant in their minds.

That’s why membership management software like memberplanet is so advantageous: we give you the tools you need to stay top-of-mind and provide value on a consistent basis, and in one place. We call it Life Simplified. But don’t simply take our word for it – see what our customers are saying about how memberplanet has helped them with membership, fundraising, and more!
 
And when you’re ready to get started, create a free account to take your group’s numbers even higher. 

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