Knowing how to market your club or society effectively is essential to boosting the profile of your group and attracting new members. It can be quite time consuming, as to marget your group properly takes a lot of effort. Some larger groups even have a committee member devoted solely to marketing, in the form of a Marketing , Social Media or Publicity Offiers. If you think your society could benefit from adding a role like this, make sure you check out the elections section of committee resources to find out how.
The Basics!
Some of these ideas and information may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many groups get it wrong. For more specialised marketing tips, scroll to the bottom of the page and click through the links.
Make sure your group 'does what it says on the tin'!
It might be tempting to use a creative name for your society, but to a new student looking for a group to join, it’s not going to be immediately obvious what your society is about if the name is really vague. Similarly, acronyms are only useful to people who know what they mean. Think about KPS as an abreviation. How many different societies begin with a P? Do you know straight away which group is being referred to? It's good practice to avoid acronyms at all cost, as they create a sense of exclusivity which may put potential members off joining.
Nailing your group description
The description is the second thing a student will look at after seeing your group's name on your society page. It’s really important you’re clear about what you do! Every society has a page on the SU website which is where students go to find and join groups. This is your opportunity to really sell what you’re all about and make your group look attractive, relevant and welcoming.
You can edit your webpage using your committee admin tools, under 'edit details'
- Use paragraphs, bullet points, pictures and videos
- Don't write too much or two little. Get the balance right!
- Be punchy, creative, friendly and welcoming
- Keep your description up to date
- Link your social media pages so students can easily contact and find you elsewhere
Creating a Logo
Take a look at all the clubs and societies we have at Keele. Which ones stand out the most? The ones with logos of course! We appreciate that not everyone is a master of graphics, but your logo doesn't have to be anything too complicated. In fact, some of the most effective and memorable logos are the simplest!
One helpful tool that we use all the time when designing things is Canva. It's free to use and there are some cracking templates that you can adapt if you're not particularly confident. Or, if you're one of the luckly groups who has an artist amongst your committee, why not get them to design your logo?
Membership - How much should you charge?
Membership to a club or society lasts for one academic year, and expires on July 31st.
We understand why some societies might want to make their membership free, but we'd advise having at least a small charge for joining your group as not only will that help build your funds, but it will also make it less likely that you'll attract students who join for the sake of it then don't get involved.
Here are some things you should consider when setting your membership fee:
- What is the aim of your society?
- What do students get for their money?
- What will the money be spent on?
- Will you have different types of memberships?
You can request to change or add new memberships using your committee admin tools, under 'New/ Change membership'