Recruitment
Continuing to grow the membership of a student organization is critical to long-term success of the organization. While there are number of avenues in which to market and recruit members on-campus, it is important to remember that first and foremost, successful recruiting comes down to building relationships. The more members seek to get to know and build relationships with potential members, the more welcome potential members feel and the more likely they are to join your organization.
Retention
Once members join your organization, it is necessary that they stay involved, motivated, and engaged in order for them to stay. Members want to feel valued and like they can contribute to the organization. They want to feel like they are part of a community. Keeping members engaged starts with transparency. Let members know what is going on with the organization, what they can participate in, and how they can be involved. Some organizations use list servs or newsletters to keep all members up to date with the happenings of the organization.
Additionally, make members feel involved. Create committees and subcommittees where members can feel ownership over tasks and projects. Even if the role is small, the most the member feels their contribution is valuable, the more likely they are to stay involved.