You’ve joined an organization. Now What? 

If you join a membership organization, paying the dues is only 1 step. Some people pay for membership, sit back and believe they will benefit magically. 

In reality, you need to jump off the bleachers and get in the game. And speaking of games, take this challenge after you’ve joined an organization:

  1. Schedule a talk with leadership to discover ways to benefit. 
  2. Add their logo to your website, bio sheet, and LinkedIn profile 
  3. Attend 2 meetings/month if they have more than 1 monthly meeting 
  4. Set up calls with fellow members and ask how you can support them. 
  5. Submit a blog post or article as many times per year as they allow 
  6. Submit your free events to their events calendar, if allowed 
  7. Apply to deliver a presentation every year 
  8. Participate in the members only LinkedIn or Facebook group 
  9. Connect to members on LinkedIn, Facebook and other channels. 
  10. Ask how you can join a team or committee. 

Becoming an active player is way more fun and beneficial than being a casual spectator. As someone who often participates in a team or leadership role, I can prove that it brings in business and many other benefits. If you don’t feel you’re getting as much out of a membership as you expected, review the 10 challenges above and ask if you’re doing all you can. 

That being said, if you put in the effort and still feel it’s not the right fit for you, then question whether it’s time to part ways. Refer to my suggestion on tracking back the dollars to see if having participated in this organization gave you the ROI. 

Take the challenge. Up your participation. Make the effort. Assess the results. 

Have you gotten amazing results from a particular organization? I’d love to know!