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Association New Member Onboarding, Staff Retention Strategies, Plan

Written by superadmin | Jan 13, 2026 5:32:01 PM

Member onboarding is more than simply sending out a welcome packet. It is a big piece (if not the biggest piece) of the membership life cycle.

Get your copy of the New-Member Onboarding Plan for associations
and watch your retention rates soar.

Statistics show that it costs 7x more to obtain a new member than to retain a current one. Proper onboarding is critical to member retention and pays off in the long run.

Connecting and engaging an association membership during their first 12 months is important because:

  • Members are new, motivated, and excited
  • You have their attention and one chance to set the tone
  • First-year members have the worst renewal rates

If your membership onboarding protocol is simply adding a new member to your association’s email list, you’re not only missing a valuable opportunity, you’re creating more work for yourself in the long run.

You can use our free timeline as a guide to help new members become engaged with your association. Take it a step further and automate your plan with GrowthZone membership management software.

Remember, a strategy to improve onboarding and engagement builds a strong foundation for long-term membership, so it’s a process that is worth investing in.

SEE ALSO: How to Write a Welcome Email for New Members »