When a new member joins an association, they might feel a little lost. It is your job as a board to make them feel welcomed and ensure they have all of the resources they need to make the most out of their membership. Sure, you can send a welcome email to your new member and you should. It is important, however, to connect even further. This can be done through a mentorship program, webinar, or group meeting.
1. Mentorship program.
Either utilize your membership committee or create a new committee that serves the purpose of welcoming new members. Each member of the committee would then be assigned to a new member. They can either reach out to the new member via a phone call, a coffee meet up, or at one of your association’s events. This designated contact will give the new member a friendly face to look for and a resource in their transition into the organization.
2. Webinar.
If there are many details involved with the benefits of your organization, it might be a good idea to do a quarterly webinar for new members. This webinar could go over the ins and outs of their membership and would allow a time for the new members to ask any questions they might have.
3. Group meeting.
Similar to a webinar, if you are all local to one another, try getting the group of new members together for a happy hour or dinner. This allows for conversation and questions and familiarizes the new members with one another.
Whatever approach you choose to take to further connect with new members, will help to make those members feel a sense of community in the association. This feeling when onboarding can not only make for a happier member but also a better chance of member retention.