The calendar has turned over into a new year, and if you haven’t begun already, it’s time for you to start thinking about your goals for the year with your member registration!

Many alumni associations will perform membership drives at specific times of the year to encourage people to register in greater numbers. But the best practices you follow when developing membership drives can be used all year long, regardless of whether you are working on any specific membership drive promotion.

Here are a few dos and don’ts for you to consider when organizing your membership drive:

• DO - Incentivize joining: You’ll find it much easier to convince people to join your organization when you’re able to clearly demonstrate what’s in it for them. People aren’t going to want to become members if it doesn’t feel like they don’t stand to gain something. Some of the most important incentives you could advertise include access to alumni events, opportunities for volunteering with their alma mater, networking opportunities, access to features like the alumni directory, and the ability to support their alma mater and give back.

• DON’T - Make it feel like a fundraiser: While it’s certainly okay (and encouraged) to share opportunities for your alumni to donate and make a financial impact on your organization and their beloved alma mater, your membership drives should be primarily about how they stand to benefit, not how others stand to benefit from them. 

• DO - Offer tiered and free options: Make it clear that you have membership options available for every budget, and provide a full list of the membership benefits that come with each tier. You should also offer a free option for new graduates, who aren’t as likely to be able to afford membership dues. 

• DON’T - Wait to contact people: As soon as a class graduates, invite them to become members! Get them while they’re still plugged in to the school and the community, before they all go their separate ways and have a million other things to think about. Alumni associations don’t have to be for people who have been graduated for years!

• DO - Advertise!: Make sure people know your organization exists. Spread information far and wide across the internet, via mail and through other platforms about your organization, how people can become members and the kinds of benefits you offer.

For more membership drive best practices, contact us today at Alumni Nations.