Get Millennials involved in your association

Earlier this week, I wrote about dispelling myths surrouding millinials.  Today, I wanted to write about how to best attract the uppcoming generation to your association, and get them actively involved.

With 75 million millennials in the world, it is important to see how associations are adapting to millennial trends. Recently, millennials have even surpassed the population of their parents, “The Baby Boomers” and are continuing to do so. So how do we meet their needs? And are we providing them with a call to action and establishing a purpose? Millennials, by nature, like to multi-task and need quick and concise information, so it is important to find ways to get them interested quickly and keep them engaged. Here are some effective steps to provide your millennial members with a call to action.

Meet Them Where They’re At

Millennials are big on social media, and finding a way to interact with them on either your website and/or social media platform is important. Millennials also enjoy the sense of fulfillment, so finding ways to make them feel like they are contributing to a cause and interacting through their social platforms is a great way to start. This can also give your association the opportunity to provide them with free information that will draw any non-members to your association’s website.

Establish Trust

Trust is important, and just like you would provide a resume in an interview, it is important to show your members that you have the experience they are looking for. What have you done in the past to contribute to your cause? Explain to them what exactly your association is doing and the social change you are planning to commit to. Remember, they want to be a part of something bigger than themselves and make a difference in the world. You just have to provide them with that opportunity.

Call to Action Channels

The last and also difficult step is providing them with the call to action. It will is up to your association to decide on the approtite call to action channel to leverage. There are many different options you can choose from to get the millennials engaged and committed to your cause. Here are three channels to acivley engage and call your millennial members to action.

1. Webinars/Podcasts – The technology side of this is the webinars and podcasts. Appealing to the technology side of millennials is a great way to get them engaged. Some millennials don’t have the time to make it to all of your association’s events, and so providing them with this opportunity will give them an idea for your cause. Providing faculty or industry professionals is a great way to establish credibility with them about your speaking topic.
2. Events – Events is another great channel to call your millennial members to action. Something done in the industry today, is making your event’s social media present. Millennials love having an excuse to use their social media, so catering to this need is a bonus. Bringing in famous industry professionals is also a great way to entice them to come.
3. Job Opportunities – Any form of job opportunity or career fair will draw a millennial membert, especially if it’s for a cause they are passionate about. Could you think of anything better than contributing to a cause you love and getting a job associated with it?

Ultimately, as an association, it is up to you to provide millennials with the best outlet to call them to action. Whether it be through the various channels discussed or if your association has some new ideas you are willing to try, millennials are always looking to become a part of something bigger than themselves.

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