From Guest to Belonging

Entry Details

From Guest to Belonging connects recruitment and onboarding into one intentional member journey.

FLCMAA allows members to invite prospective members to experience Regional Education at no cost, giving guests the opportunity to encounter the chapter’s education, relationships, and culture before joining. Once they become members, a coordinated onboarding process ensures they are welcomed personally, matched with a Membership Ambassador, connected to relevant opportunities, and encouraged to engage early.

This approach recognizes that joining an association does not automatically create a sense of belonging. In a statewide chapter of more than 1,300 members, personal connection is essential.

The initiative helped FLCMAA recruit 195 new members, reach 132% of its annual recruitment goal, achieve a 20% year-over-year increase in new members, and place second nationally in the CMAA Member Recruitment Contest.

Implementation

The process begins with experience. Members may invite up to two non-member guests to Regional Education at no cost, allowing prospective members to see the value of FLCMAA firsthand.

After joining, each new member is matched with a Membership Ambassador based on their club and geographic region. The Membership Ambassador Committee Chair contacts the new member’s General Manager, shares the good news, and explains that an ambassador will be reaching out. The ambassador then introduces themselves, shares their own CMAA experience, and helps the member identify education, conferences, scholarships, committees, leadership development, and special-interest communities aligned with their goals.

A thoughtfully designed welcome package creates a strong first impression, while personal outreach opens the relationship that supports continued engagement.

Member response has been enthusiastic. New members have described feeling seen, welcomed, and immediately excited about becoming involved. The chapter’s recruitment results reinforce the central lesson: an invitation may open the door, but personal connection helps a member find their place.