Recruitment, retention, and engagement of members is an ongoing effort and the responsibility of chapter leaders as well as members. We are often asking ourselves, “How do we do this?” We can start by building relationships right from the beginning of a member’s journey through consistent, meaningful, and intentional outreach, and creating a sense of belonging. During our last chapter best practices session, Relationship Building for New Member Engagement, we discussed several strategies to build and strengthen relationships with our new and current members, including a few below.
Communicate Early and Consistently – Our first communication with new members should take place within their first month of membership and should remain consistent from that point. Current members can help with this by engaging with them at meetings and on social media or other virtual events.
Intentional Connections – Building strong and sustainable relationships means intentional and meaningful engagement and outreach. Start by asking, “How can we help?” or “What do you want to get out of your membership?’” These questions will help us understand how we can connect with our new and current members to ensure they are getting the most out of their membership experience.
Peer-to-Peer – While being approachable, visible, and a go-to resource as a chapter leader is important, it's also important for new members to connect with their peers to build relationships. Current members can become new member advisors and help new members navigate their first year of membership, answer their questions, and introduce them to other members.
For additional strategies to build sustainable relationships and create a welcoming environment, please view the webinar here.