February 11, 2015

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A common challenge among many association leaders is keeping members actively engaged throughout the summer. Many groups don’t meet regularly and vacations can make communicating with your members more difficult.

Keep the Connection Going

Just because you’re not meeting regularly doesn’t mean that you need to stop communicating with members. A monthly email can help keep your organization front of mind, even when summer plans take precedence.

Connect on Social Media 

If your chapter isn’t "getting social," summer might be a good time to get your social media accounts up and running. Follow your members to raise awareness of your new account and start sharing content around their interests.

Provide Value Through Content

Summer is a quiet period for hiring, but some of your members might be gearing up for a job search this fall. Try putting together a bi-weekly collection of the best articles, blog posts, and videos around job search trends and career advancement and sending it out to your chapter. Your members find value in the knowledge and learning that your organization helps them discover.

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Run a Survey

Summer can be a good time to poll your members on the value they’re receiving from your organization. You can also gather feedback on what types of programs they’d like to see in the coming year. If it is not in your budget, try offering a prize or incentive to those who participate, like a gift card or electronic device drawing.
Give a Sneak Peek of the Coming Year
You may not have your whole year figured out, but if you have any information on your programs for the end of 2014 and 2015, share it with your members! This will allow them time to book their calendars and get interest going around the events you have lined up. It never hurts to promote early, so start building buzz during a quieter time of the year.