Items to Include in a Welcome Pack

New member welcome pack

There are many things you could include in a new member welcome pack, so to prevent overwhelming them you might want to consider:

• Staggering despatch
• Sending parts electronically
• Pointing them to your web site for some of the information
• Sending them a list of what is available and ask them to indicate what they would like sent next on a request for information form.

The list below is not exhaustive but designed to help you review or brainstorm what to include.

Items to include

• Item 1 – A welcome covering letter personally signed by the president or director of membership. In the letter highlight what happens next, any personal passwords and encourage them to get involved.
• Item 2 -Their personal membership card and certificate. Include an expiry date to aid in the renewal process.
• Item 3 – A personal development record card (CPD).

Information sheets

• Item 4 – A reminder of the benefits you can expect from your membership.
• Item 5 – A summary of services and products.
• Item 6 – How to do things e.g. options for contacting you, how to inform the association if your details have changed (including instructions on how to up date information on-line if this is possible).
• Item 7 – Details of forthcoming events – nationally and in their area.
• Item 8 – Contact details of people in national and regional offices – a list of offices and departments.
• Item 9 – Committees and how to sign up for them.
• Item 10 – Volunteer opportunities.

• Item 11 – Definition of industry or professional acronyms.
• Item 12 – Logo artwork and design instructions.
• Item 13 – Career development information.
• Item 14 – Screens from web site showing key functionality that you would like new members to use.
• Item 15 – History of the association.
• Item 16 – List of association achievements.
• Item 17 – Association merchandise e.g. diaries, key rings, stickers, etc and an order form.
• Item 18 – Case histories of past members.

Publications

Other

• Item 19 – Current newsletter.
• Item 20 – A listing or catalogue of publications, resources, products and services and how to order. New members are most likely to find things more difficult.
• Item 21 – Annual report or summary of highlights.
• Item 22 – A directory of members.
• Item 23 – New member manual. Include rules and regulations or by-laws and any of the information sheets listed above.

• Item 24 – A list of members with common interests in their region. If you ask them on the application form to tick their areas of special interest and code this on your database then you can use this to create this list
• Item 25 – A personal questionnaire. Ask them for information about themselves to be used on in your newsletter or web site. People like to read about people.