What does the term “Student Conversion” really mean for Professional Bodies?
Converting or upgrading a member from student to graduate/associate/full member implies that:
There has been mutual engagement and a previous financial transaction.
The upgrade is both relevant and important to the individual concerned.
They are actually aware of their relationship with the professional body!
Student membership for many professional bodies is little more than an arms-length encounter with those studying on a relevant course at University or College. The student has access to most of the membership benefits, but does not pay for them, and in many respects, the interaction is little different to signing up to an online newsletter or forum.
In our experience, students know what they want and need but often have no real perception of what a membership value proposition is. Unless there is personalised, targeted engagement during the student lifecycle, it is unlikely that many will have made use of or be aware of all the benefits available. Importantly, it is also unlikely that they are aware of how membership can help and support them on their future career path unless clearly explained.
As we mentioned in our previous article “The Challenge with Student Conversion”, for some students it may be the academics who register them for membership, and the relationship with the organisation can be even more disjointed.
Although we talk about student conversion, we actually mean the recruitment of new fee-paying members who just happen to have had a relationship with the professional body while they were studying. It raises a question over whether student members should be part of the overall retention calculation if they do not pay for their membership? Also, how can you encourage a student or graduate to “renew” when they have never had a meaningful financial relationship with the professional body?
In terms of the process, the real challenge is engaging effectively with students during the key milestones in their student membership journey. It’s easy to overlook this form of engagement when the memberships are free. Equally it can be easy to overdeliver to those who may never become full, fee-paying members.
University or College should be an incubator for new members. Students and younger audiences are the future of the organisation and should be nurtured and supported to progress through the mutual membership journey and their chosen career path.
Focused, pro-active contact at the key stages of the student lifecycle can help cement the relationship through raising awareness of the benefits on offer, addressing any underlying concerns and emphasising the importance of membership for their future career progression.
This is a complex subject, but in our experience the key steps to effective “conversion” of students into full members following graduation are:
Establishing a clear student member journey and route map for the duration of their studies and the early stages of their career. Mapping the entire journey and reaching out with a personalised message at each of the engagement touchpoints from entry level student through to fee paying member.
Recognising the requirements and needs of students and graduates differ from those of the rest of the membership population and creating an individualised value proposition that is both relevant and appealing to these specific audiences.
Ensuring that membership for new and recent graduates is affordable relative to their personal circumstances. For example, a transitionary membership grade that allows them to take advantage of the full range of benefits but with a reduced fee during the first year or two, until they are more established in their career.
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