11/05/2019

Daily Buzz: A Membership Model Rethink for New Grads

Meet the next generation of members where they are

Want to attract college students or recent graduates to your association? Rethink your membership model.

“College students and recent graduates are a member and customer segment with unique challenges, needs, and interests,” says the MemberSuite team on its blog. “Their biggest barrier to association membership and participation is financial,” which includes student loan debt, low entry-level salaries, and a lack of employer support for membership and professional development.

Because money is top of mind, consider a transitional membership model.

“In a transitional membership model, dues are extremely low for the first year out of school and increase gradually over five years or so,” the team says. “To provide additional value, you could offer complimentary programs to transitional members, for example, online learning or conference registration.”

Another way to recruit the next generation: career and educational resources.

“Encourage employers to post internships, externships, apprenticeships and entry-level jobs in your career center. You may even want to offer reduced pricing for these postings,” the team says. “Young adults have a lot to learn and don’t always know what they need to learn, but you do. Offer a mix of videos, articles, tip sheets, webinars, and online learning programs.”

Please select this link to read the original article from Associations Now.