Starting a Membership Committee

If your Chapter has not already started a Membership Committee, consider developing a Committee to assist you in recruiting and renewing members.  Such committees offer excellent support and resources that will extend your staff and available time devoted to membership marketing.  In addition, there is not a more effective marketing tool than a peer to peer recruitment and retention campaign led by volunteer member physicians who are excited and interested about promoting membership in ACEP.

Committee Composition and Communicating Expectations

Make sure your Membership Committee represents the different emergency medicine sectors such as young physicians, residents/residency program directors, pediatric emergency medicine, academicians, tenured physicians, medical students, and any other important sectors you want to reach.  Be sure that when you recruit these committee members, you share with them upfront the Membership Committee Job Description and explain the responsibilities and time commitment entailed in serving on the Committee. 

Provide Training and Orientation

It is also imperative that you communicate the goals and objectives of the Committee upfront and provide proper training and support to Committee members.   Committee members should be required to attend a one to two hour orientation on the organization, membership, and most importantly, the member benefits and services (and costs) provided by the Chapter.  Since the volunteers will be helping you recruit/retain members, they must have a solid understanding of what benefits, support, and services members receive, as well as the cost of membership. 

It is also essential that you provide the members with the materials and tools they will need to recruit and retain members.  Make it as easy as possible for these volunteers by providing them with membership brochures, call lists of prospects or renewals, talking points for promoting membership, a powerpoint presentation on ACEP (see online resources to obtain the ACEP national powerpoint presentation), etc.  - any tools you can think of that will make it easy for them to recruit members.

Developing a Membership Marketing Plan

If you do not have a membership marketing plan, this Committee is an excellent resource to aid you in not only implementing, but developing, a membership marketing strategy and tactics.  The more involved the Committee is in developing the plan of action, the more they will "buy into" supporting and implementing the tactics.  Once you and the Committee have developed a specific plan for membership, you will also want to share these goals and objectives with every volunteer you recruit to serve on the Committee.

Make it Fun and Rewarding for Volunteers

Finally, make it fun and rewarding for Committee members to participate.  Be sure and create different ways to recognize and thank Committee members such as recognition on your website, in your publications, as well as hosting a recognition event or a more informal recognition dinner to honor and thank these volunteers.  Offer some type of small gift certificate or premium for committee members who recruit or renew members in the Chapter as a way of recognizing and thanking them.  And, on a week to week basis, touch base by email or phone to see how they are progressing on their goals, and use this opportunity to thank and encourage them for all that they are doing to help. You can also use this touch point as a means for identifying additional resources the volunteer may need to support their efforts, and often, such calls allow you to answer the volunteers' questions and help them overcome barriers or obstacles they may encounter along the way.   In order to be effective, volunteers need lots of ongoing encouragement, recognition and support from the Chapter Executive Director or staff.

Membership Committee Functions

The following are some ways you can utilize Membership Committees to assist in developing membership:

Assisting with Membership Contact (possible types of contacts listed below)

• Contact prospective members by phone or email to invite them to join ACEP.
• Contact all new active members personally by phone or email to welcome them to ACEP and invite them to the next meeting and extend the Chapter's resources.
• Respond to disgruntled members' calls and solicit feedback for improvement.
• Contact delinquent members prior to cancellation and encourage them to renew.
• Greet and introduce new members and prospective members at Chapter meetings.
• Host membership open house/meeting for prospective members.
• Visit and present to hospitals, emergency groups, and residency programs to educate on what ACEP does and offers for EM physicians.
• Staff membership booths at trade shows and meetings. 
• Host and lead new member receptions / orientations at Annual and/or Chapter Meetings.  Serve as greeters and facilitators at new member orientations.
• Accompany staff on one-to-one recruitment visits with resident program directors, emergency medicine groups, or faculty. 
• Plan and implement an annual member-get-a-member campaign

Develop/Revise Annual Membership Recruitment and Retention Plan
Establish and implement goals of membership recruitment and retention plan.

Determine and respond to members' needs

• Visit emergency departments to conduct needs assessment
• Conduct member and non-member focus groups
• Develop and review satisfaction surveys.  Determine and implement new ways to increase member satisfaction.
• Contact lapsed members to evaluate and respond to needs not being met by the Chapter.
• Identify new member benefits and services that are needed based on member feedback collected, as well as enhancements to existing member benefits.

Determine and implement methods to recognize and reward members

Determine and implement methods to involve members in Chapter committees, programs, and activities. 

Ways for Staff to increase the Effectiveness of a Membership Committee
	Write a statement of purpose that outlines the committee's responsibility to help recruit and retain members. Present it to new committee members before and after they agree to serve, along with a Committee Job Description.
	Work with committee to set goals for recruitment and retention.
	Hold committee recruitment and retention campaigns/contests.
	Do the mailings to prospective members.
	Aid in the development of new plans of action.
	Do the committee's clerical work.
	Help committee members make personal calls to prospects and provide lists.
	Process applications.
	Provide marketing tools (brochures, flyers, etc.)
	Provide ongoing recognition, thanks, and incentives for committee members.
	Provide orientation and training on your Chapter and its member benefits/services.
	Provide prospect & delinquent member lists
	Provide weekly support and encouragement through a call or email to the volunteer.