Boosting Membership Recruitment With A Free Trial

Maximizing Membership Recruitment With A Free Trial

According to a Spark Consulting article by Elizabeth Weaver Engel, nonprofit associations can boost membership recruitment by offering prospects a free trial of what they have to offer before committing. This strategy can work well in highly regulated industries where potential members are already familiar with the association. 

The article notes how one association, with nearly 100% retention and around 70% of its target market captured, was exploring ways to recruit the remaining 30% of prospects. The membership director’s approach to recruitment—mainly direct outreach to CEOs—has had some success but lacked innovation. When asked about the core value propositions, the director identified two main groups of members: those who join for professional networking and those who seek specific tangible benefits. Recognizing this, the association saw an opportunity to offer nonmembers a preview of its offerings before asking for full membership.

For those interested in networking, the association could allow nonmembers to attend certain events or informal gatherings for a fee, with a twist: encourage current members to bring a nonmember as a guest. This strategy ensures that prospects feel more comfortable attending, as they already have a familiar face in the room. Additionally, offering limited access to tangible benefits, like one free use of a valuable resource, could encourage prospects to explore membership further.

Offering a taste of membership can effectively attract new members and increase membership recruitment. By providing prospects with the opportunity to experience the community and resources before committing, associations can increase the number of new members while strengthening relationships within their existing base.