Seminar Report

Institute welcomes delegates to interactive talk on good practice in membership recruitment Seminar: Good Practice in Membership Development
2 May 2007 | 1 Queen Anne’s Gate, Westminster, London
Over 55 delegates joined in an interactive session focusing on winning tips and techniques as part of the Good Practice in Membership Development seminar at the Institute of Association Management’s offices in Westminster.		View presentations made at this event: Membership retention - A new focus Recruiting new members; Harnessing volunteer effort; Engaging for retention Note: These presentations are not refereed publications and IofAM assumes no liability for the information contained within. The opinions expressed are those of the presenting authors and do not necessarily reflect those of IofAM or its representatives.
The morning session featured presentations and discussions led by Kate Edwin-Scott of the British Computer Society and Anne Pollard, Chartered Management Institute - each recognised in this year’s MD (Membership Development) awards.
Kate Edwin-Scott focused on the strategic balance between recruitment and retention. Recently, the organisation has undergone a thorough review of its practices and membership has surged over the past three years because of careful attention to detail and the analysis of members’ views gathered via surveys and focus groups. Communication with existing members was seen as fundamental, as was dedicating staff resources to recruitment and retention and making it easy to join and renew online. The Chartered Management Institute served as the starting point for a presentation on cost effective recruitment and retention. Segments of the membership have been targeted specifically, making individual strands of members feel particularly engaged. Members value both print and online communications which have each been reformatted to reflect the interests of the members and to request - and address - their feedback. A lively discussion of what worked (and what didn’t) in a variety of associations added to the list of practical, workable suggestions offered throughout the morning - a virtual toolbox of tactics to help delegates engage and retain members in their own organisations. Comments Val Hiscock, IofAM President: “Faced with rising competition for members and resources, associations all need to stay on top of what it takes to recruit and engage our memberships. I’m pleased to welcome these two industry experts - and a record number of delegates - to join the debate.”