Associations are always on the lookout to recruit new members. Making those new members feel welcomed and excited about their membership is an important step in retaining those members in the future. It confirms that their decision to join was the right one. Creating a welcome packet for new members is a great way to do just that! Here are a few ideas of what to include in your new member welcome packets.
A personalized letter welcoming new members is a great way to make initial contact. It will make the new member feel important to the organization and feel as though their membership is an exciting asset to the association.
When greeting your new member, make sure to include a calendar of upcoming events. This will put the new member in the loop immediately and ensure involvement. Keeping them involved is key to retaining them in the future.
Provide your new member with information on benefits they will receive as a member. Include resources, perks, fun aspects of being a member. This will help raise enthusiasm about being a member and potentially lead to more recruitment through your new member.
Pile on the free stuff. Load up your new member with t-shirts, water bottles, stickers; you name it, they will take it! Providing these goodies is an easy way to not only make your new member happy, but also market your association and raise awareness.
Finally, don’t forget to include information on dues! Provide instructions on how and when to pay dues. Try to make this side of membership easy and stress-free for your new member. It is not going to be their favorite part of membership, but making it a simple task will keep their distaste for it at a minimum.
Making your new member feel welcomed will go a long way towards their future with the association. It is important to invest the time, money, and resources into this