When you look at your membership recruitment
strategy, my question always is, "Have you empowered your members and
especially your suppliers with the tools needed for them to communicate your
story to non-members?"
Many think that just telling a member to call 3 or
4 of his "buddies" in the industry and say, "Hey, you should
join because I think it's a good thing" gets the job done. NOT IN
TODAY'S membership environment. Or pressing your staff to recruit 10%
more members this year when they don't believe in your value proposition isn't
going to work either.
If you are going to be successful in new member
recruitment, it is imperative you have "the tool" that communicates
the power, passion and excitement of belonging to your association. This
tool should be used by every volunteer, supplier and staff member.
YOUR VIDEO NEEDS TO BE LIKE A MOVIE TRAILER THAT
COMPELS THE NON-MEMBER TO GRAB HIS PEN AND SAY, "WHERE'S MY CHECKBOOK, I
NEED TO JOIN THIS GROUP."
Having a video as a tool allows your suppliers to
easily forward your membership recruitment piece to all of their customers.
A video makes it easy for a volunteer or board member to send the video
to his colleagues and say, "I would like you to watch this video and I
will call you in 5 minutes."
If the video is great, the only question your
volunteer needs to ask is.. "So why wouldn't you join with us?"
I'm writing this blog today to encourage every
association to get outside your thinking and construct a professionally
produced video that is inspiring, motivating, shows off your members and
displays the power and presence of your association.
The Metal Treating Institute just launched its new
membership recruitment video and it has already after first viewing got our
board all fired up about membership in 2014. It quickly reminded them the
power they have collectively than individually.
I feel a fire burning in our volunteers that is
going to push our membership recruitment to the next level.
Seek to find the right message, music and mission
in a video that will engage your non-members to become members.
Remember... No matter what industry you are in, we are all much stronger
together than separately.
