Five powerful incentives for current members to recruit new ones

During your membership drives, don't forget your most effective resource for identifying and recruiting likely candidates... your members. All you have to do is properly motivate them to get involved--with some ideas like these.

1. Hold a recruiting contest
Most of these are pretty straightforward--members who recruit candidates are eligible to win prizes. Since most associations don't charge large membership fees, they can't afford to offer several--or perhaps any--expensive prizes. Here are some affordable alternatives.

  • Have a drawing

Tell current members to write their names on applications they give to candidates. Any returned applications are put into a drawing. The more candidates a member recruits, the better the chances of winning.

  • Offer prizes to the top recruiters

Have three or four levels of prizes, with the grand prize being an all-expense-paid trip to the next annual conference, or a collection of association publications.

  • Have less costly prizes

Effective ones include full or partial payment of membership dues; an association magazine subscription, coupons (good for $10 off on a purchase of $35 or more, for example), or association "bucks"--that can be used to buy association publications of the member's choice.

  • Offer prizes to the top recruiting chapters

Rather than giving individual prizes, chapters recruiting a certain number of new members would receive a training library of association books and publications. Chapters could be put in a drawing for prizes--each new recruit equals one chance for the chapter. As an additional incentive, offer special recognition to the top chapters at the annual conference.

2. Feature recognition for all recruiting members
Thank recruiters for a job well done. Have chapters hand out certificates of recognition during a meeting. Give special recognition to top recruiters in your magazine or at the annual conference. Hold a special thank you dinner, or a picnic, or even a day at the beach or an amusement park for members who recruited new candidates. Create a special commemorative piece only for recruiters--like a mug, a cap, or a sweatshirt.

3. Create an on-going campaign
Why limit recruiting to certain times of the year? Send members a membership brochure, with a special certificate good for 10% off the membership dues. When a member recruits a candidate, they both get the 10% discount.

4. Launch a strength-in-numbers campaign
Instead of using a contest to get members involved, use a "when a colleague joins we all win" approach. Let them know how the entire association benefits when a new member joins. Send each chapter a kit with membership materials, and information on what each new member brings to the organization (another resource of information and skills, contact with other potential members, additional revenue, another voice for the association's goals,...).

5. Try a member-get-a-member drive
Some members can become overwhelmed at the idea of trying to recruit several new members. Or they may feel they don't have the time to devote to a competitive recruiting contest. By asking each member to recruit just one new candidate, you're setting a goal almost all can attain. If you do offer prizes, they can be for the chapters who came closest to that goal.

To learn about how O'Connell Meier can generate bright ideas and boost sales for your orgainzation, give Rich Meier a call at 703.739.2266 or send us an e-mail. For a preview of the sales-boosting techniques we use, visit the association section of our bright idea generator. And for an overview of our company, our experience, and our creative and marketing services visit the About OM section.