--- title: "Use Your Annual Meeting to Recruit New Members" id: "36507" type: "post" slug: "use-your-annual-meeting-to-recruit-new-members" published_at: "2017-01-13T22:42:52+00:00" modified_at: "2017-01-13T22:42:52+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/01/13/use-your-annual-meeting-to-recruit-new-members/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/01/13/use-your-annual-meeting-to-recruit-new-members.md" excerpt: "Grow your membership at your annual meeting. Also: Why you shouldn’t be giving away all of your content on platforms you don't own." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "job recruitment" - "Live Events" - "Meetings" - "Membership" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Director" - "Executive Team" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Use Your Annual Meeting to Recruit New Members Your association’s annual meeting is likely your biggest event of the year, but are you leveraging it to recruit new members? Terry Ibele at *Wild Apricot* [reports on one association that was able to quadruple its membership (opens in a new tab)](http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2017/01/12/annual-conference-recruit-members) numbers within five years thanks to several smart recruitment tactics at its annual meetings. The Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association (CIVSA) gains hundreds of members at its conferences each year by taking an “all hands on deck” approach. All board members are tasked with promoting the annual meeting through cold-calling, social media posting, and even handing out flyers to reach potential new members. CIVSA also changes the location of its events each year to reach more people in different regions. Check out [Ibele’s post (opens in a new tab)](http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2017/01/12/annual-conference-recruit-members) for recruitment keys to success. ### Keep Your Content > Friends don’t let friends give away their content on 3rd-party platforms [#sm (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/sm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#eventprofs (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventprofs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#assnchat (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnchat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [https://t.co/umMT9EEYc0 (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/umMT9EEYc0) > via [@ASegar (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/ASegar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — Executive Oasis International – Team Building (@executiveoasis) [January 13, 2017 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/executiveoasis/status/819787577230114816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Adrian Segar [presents a strong argument (opens in a new tab)](http://www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/social-media-2/2017/01/friends-dont-let-friends-give-away-their-content/)** for why publishers should keep total control over their content. Segar points to a few shifts in recent content-distribution platforms that may be causing publishers to reach fewer people in favor of “pay-to-play” models. “Posting your original content exclusively on someone else’s platform puts you at their mercy. Don’t do it!” he says. So, what should publishers do instead? Segar provides a few pointers on how to invest in your own website and content to build an audience. ### Other Articles of Note **Deal with disruptive attendees.** Be prepared to [handle rude guests and hecklers (opens in a new tab)](http://www.bizbash.com/how-to-handle-unruly-event-guests/los-angeles/story/33382) at your next event using these suggestions from *BizBash*. **The daily habits of productive people.** From turning off email to practicing self-care, here are [six productivity tricks to help you (opens in a new tab)](https://www.fastcompany.com/3066982/work-smart/why-the-most-productive-people-do-these-six-things-every-day) maximize your day. **Why you should revisit comment marketing.** *Moz* reveals how you can reap benefits for your association by [participating in your comments section (opens in a new tab)](https://moz.com/blog/comment-marketing-how-to-earn-benefits-from-community-participation-whiteboard-friday) . **Get more out of your social media content.** *Social Media Examiner* proposes [five clever ways to repurpose your content (opens in a new tab)](http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/5-ways-to-repurpose-popular-social-media-posts/) . [Raegan Johnson](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Raegan Johnson is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Tags: [#job recruitment](https://associationsnow.com/tag/job-recruitment/) [#Live Events](https://associationsnow.com/tag/live-events/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) [#Membership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/membership/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Contract: Building Stronger Destination PartnershipsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-contract-building-stronger-destination-partnerships/) - [VideoMelvin Tennant, CAE, President & CEO of Meet Minneapolis, Welcomes You to Great Ideas 2026September 2, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/02/melvin-tennant-cae-president-ceo-of-meet-minneapolis-welcomes-you-to-great-ideas-2026/) - [Video2017 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition Monday Recap videoSeptember 8, 2017](https://associationsnow.com/2017/09/08/2017-asae-annual-meeting-exposition-monday-recap-video/) - [VideoASAE TV Daily Recap: Final Day at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/24/asae-tv-daily-recap-final-day-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2017%2F01%2F13%2Fuse-your-annual-meeting-to-recruit-new-members%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !