Just like a good employer focuses on retaining employees, APA chapter leaders must focus on retaining members. There are so many smart ways to retain members, but I want to share my top three membership retention ideas.
- Engage the membership. A chapter that allows members to just show up, sit in a chair and then leave is not an engaging chapter. Allow time during the meeting for networking. Encourage business card exchanges. Build small group discussions into the presentations. Ask open ended questions that allow your membership to share their experiences as they relate to the topic. Chapter members enjoy socializing and sharing with each other. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be attending chapter meetings.
- Recognize the membership. Just like in our jobs, it is important to feel appreciated and validated, so creating opportunities for your membership to be recognized or to recognize one another is a great idea for forming a community. Hold open nominations for “member of the month” or “member of the quarter” and then recognize the member with the most nominations at a specified meeting by giving them a gift card, bouquet of flowers, tiara, sash, etc. And be sure to invite their co-workers or boss to the meeting so they can share in the fun!
- Honor the membership. How many chapter pictorials have you put together? How many times have you shown it to the membership? Let them know how important they are by sharing all of the important work that you do for the APA with them. Have the pictorial running as a slide show before and after the meeting or during breaks. Be sure to acknowledge members who have been with the chapter for a long time. Have all certificates and awards present at the meetings so the membership can see how “award winning” they are!
Most importantly, remember that positive thoughts and positive actions generate positive results.
Silicon Valley Chapter
Christine Stolpe, CPP, is the Region 4 Board of Advisor and Immediate Past President of the Silicon Valley Chapter.
