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Boost Your Association’s Financial Health: 7

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7 Strategies for Raising Non-Dues Revenue

Membership fees are key contributors to the general financial success – and sustainability — of your association, but you cannot depend on them alone.

Relying on a single income stream is a no-no in the association world, and if you increase member fees too much, you can expect your membership base to erode.

Learning how to raise your non-dues is crucial to your association’s growth. They can create various revenue streams, prevent higher membership dues, and maintain your budget to continue providing a stable level of services.

Host Career Events

Both employers and members of your association will value this type of event, which can be held virtually or in-person.

Career events provide a direct connection between recruiters who are targeting specific professions and members who belong to those groups and are actively seeking opportunities.

In this case, non-dues revenue comes from attendance fees, sponsorships, and booth rentals.

Sell Event Sponsorships

We all know a highly effective way of raising non-dues revenue is to sell sponsorship opportunities for events held by your association. But are you offering multiple levels for sponsorship packages where fees and benefits simultaneously increase?

Event sponsorships can include:

  • Leads: sponsors can gather leads for sales through demos, exhibitions, downloadable content, and appointments.
  • Branding: sponsors can show their logos on the event website, videos, emails, slides, signage, gifts, and so on.
  • Networking: sponsors get access
    to member networking events to grow their contact lists.

Offer Branded Merch

Not only can selling branded merchandise boost your association’s non-dues revenue, but it can also improve members’ connection with the organization and increase your brand exposure to support recruitment efforts.

Swag rules. We all love it. Coffee mugs, t-shirts, key chains, mouse pads, laptop covers, luggage tags and tote bags are examples of branded merchandise to easily plaster your name on!

Include Banner Ads on Your Website

Make space on your website for a banner ad and charge folks to feature their ads there.

To ensure maximum value for your members and the best return on investment for sponsors, the advertisers must be relevant to your audience’s interests. This is how you keep sponsors coming back and non-dues revenue coming in.

Sell Ad Space in Your Newsletter and Mobile App

Applying the same concept from the previous strategy above, consider charging businesses to feature their ads on your association’s newsletter and mobile app.

Provide Learning Opportunities

Most of us consider ourselves to be lifelong learners. Let’s drive some revenue from that thirst for knowledge! You can bring in non-dues revenue by offering “lunch and learns” and opportunities for career-boosting certification programs.

Examples of products to sell under this strategy include online live seminars, live workshops, downloadable content, and on-site lectures.

Post Sponsored Content on Social Media

Your social media presence is a portal for generating non-dues revenue.

Harness the value of your engaged followers and offer sponsors opportunities to advertise their services/products via sponsored posts, contests, giveaways, AMAs, and so on. Consider launching a podcast and add advertisements as a segment within your show!

Final Thoughts

Non-dues revenue is crucial for boosting the financial health of your association. To effectively raise your non-dues revenue, take your time in planning carefully and be sure to take a creative, diversified approach to this super important task!