Recruitment
Continuing to grow the membership of a student organization is critical to long-term success of the organization.ÌýWhile there are number of avenues in which to market and recruit members on-campus, it is important to remember that first and foremost, successful recruiting comes down to building relationships.ÌýThe more members seek to get to know and build relationships with potential members, the more welcome potential members feel and the more likely they are to join your organization.
Retention
Once members join your organization, it is necessary that they stay involved, motivated and engaged in order for them to stay.ÌýMembers want to feel valued and like they can contribute to the organization.ÌýThey want to feel like they are part of a community.ÌýKeeping members engaged starts with transparency.ÌýLet members know what is going on with the organization, what they can participate in, and how they can be involved.ÌýSome organizations use list servs or newsletters to keep all members up to date with the happenings of the organization.Ìý
Additionally, make members feel involved.ÌýCreate committees and subcommittees where members can feel ownership over tasks and projects.ÌýEven if the role is small, the most the member feels their contribution is valuable, the more likely they are to stay involved.