Members join your association for all sorts of reasons. Many want to increase their impact in their industry or continue learning new skills, while others want to connect and network with the rest of your members. While joining reasons vary, it’s up to your association’s staff and leadership to keep members engaged long-term.

Active membership is vital to the success of any association. The future of association membership lies in younger members. Many associations, however, have a challenging time recruiting millennials. Most don't have the right tools or strategies to do so. So here are five ways your association can attract young members.

As the name suggests, a Lobby Day (also referred to as a “legislative day” or “advocacy day”)  is an organized day where participating members of your association convene and meet with lawmakers (state or federal) to promote your association’s policy objectives. Lobby Days require meticulous planning months in advance in order to handle all logistics, such as scheduling meetings with lawmakers and arranging all member activities. 

When was the last time you reached out to your most active members and thanked them for their active participation in your organization's political advocacy efforts? Recognizing and thanking your “five star” advocates is a win-win strategy. Not only does shining a light on your most active advocates strengthen your relationship with them, but it also increases the likelihood that they will continue to engage in your association or nonprofit's advocacy initiatives.