All groups want to know how they can gain new members. There's no magic answer to this, but there's certainly a few things you can do to make yourselves more visible! Remember, a student only counts as a member if they have actually purchased membership through your webpage on the SU website.
Club & Society Sign-Up and the Refreshers' Fair
Making sure you have a space at big SU events like Society Sign-Up is perhaps the best way of recruiting lots of new members all at once. We understand Welcome Week is a busy time for everyone, but it really is worth having a presence at the fair as hundreds if not thousands of students will be passing through, looking for groups to join! In fact, over 70% of all new members sign up either on the day, or within the week following Society Sign-Up.
Of course, it's not as simple as just attending. Here are some tips for making your stall more attractive:
- Plan your stall in advance. Don't just turn up with nothing!
- Advertise the fact that you will be at the fair on your social media and web pages
- Have freebies, leaflets and posters ready so that students can take information away with them
- Don't just sit there on your phone - it makes you look unapproachable
- Don't leave your stall unattended. Students will run off with your freebies!
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Ensure you are familiar with the URL to your group's webpage, or you bring some printed QR codes. Written sign-up lists are no longer allowed due to GDPR, so make sure you encourage people to buy membership ASAP if you can, as that will allow you to contact them.
Membership Services will be in contact when it's time to book a stall at a fair. Make sure you read your emails so that you don't miss it!
#GiveItAGo Events
#GiveItAGo sessions are free and open to any student, regardless of their ability or whether they are a member. Some groups call these 'taster sessions'. They're a great way to give prospective members a taste of what you do and really capture their interest on a more personal level.
Collaborations with other Student Groups
Second to Sign-Up events, these are perhaps the best way to recruit new members as they give you a captive audience. They're a great way to boost the reputation of your group and raise awareness of what you do. Furthermore, they can sometimes take some of the load off your committee because you have one or more committees from other groups to help you organise your event. You can compile money, talent and resources to really make your event special and potentially cheaper too. Overall, collaborations are a great way to network, meet new people and discover new ways of working.
Membership Services can help connect you with other groups if you're looking to collaborate and don't know where to start.
Collaborations with the University and Keele SU
At Keele with love collaborating with our students to host events. One of the core values of the SU is that it is student led, so the more opportunities we get to work with you directly, the better!? Think about the big events and campaigns that are going on (e.g. Black History Month, Christmas, Green Festival etc...) - can you get involved or host something??
Collaborating with the SU or University is an excellent opportunity to work with professionals and create an event or campaign for your society which not only reaches a bigger audience, but is also usually a lot fancier!?
- Academic societies can work with relevant departments – it's good to form close relationships with them and your Student Voice Reps
- Campaigning societies might want to work with the SU's Student Voice team, who oversee campaigns and democracy across the Union
- Arts societies could connect with Arts Keele, or even the University's marketing team!
Don't stop recruiting just because Welcome Week is over!
This is one of the biggest mistakes we see groups make year after year. You should be trying to engage new students all year long, not just during Welcome Week or Refreshers.