How to Create the Ultimate New Member Welcome Packet

Every organization wants to get lots of new members, I’m sure yours does – that’s why you’re here! Being able to onboard these new members and officially welcome them to your organization is key and it all starts with a new member welcome packet.

A successful onboarding process includes this packet as a way to make your newbies feel valued, informed and excited about being a part of your organization. We’ll guide you step by step in creating your own new member welcome packet, the key elements to include and important things to consider.

Ready to welcome your new members? Read on!

Why Do I Need a New Member Welcome Packet

We know joining an association or club is an exciting time for new members. Often, they’re eager to jump in, learn about the organization and find out how they can contribute. This is a vital time for your org, you don’t want these newcomers to fall to the wayside and lose their excitement.

Unfortunately, though, many organizations don’t have a set new member onboarding method to follow. This means new members can quickly become overwhelmed with questions like:

• Who do I contact for my membership card?
• Am I required to fulfill volunteer hours?
• When is the annual meeting?
• Is there a member website?

…And the list goes on!

Many organizations are operating with limited staff, a tight budget and possibly even volunteer support — meaning fielding the sheer number of questions isn’t always possible. That’s why creating a strong new member welcome packet is so important. The packet is your first tool to excite new members and inform them of their commitment.

When it comes to building your welcome packet, putting thought into the creation and execution doesn’t just ensure happy members. It also makes your job as group leader easier in the long run.

A well executed packet can take the pressure off your staff and volunteers by giving new members the ability to access key information without needing them to be on call. Plus, it allows new members to explore more information about your organization at their own pace, so they can come back to it without getting overwhelmed.

Read More: How to Build A Volunteer Onboarding Process & Why You Should

12 Essentials for New Member Welcome Packets

1. Table of Contents

Using a table of contents gives members a glimpse at what you included in the new member packet. It also allows for easy navigation so they can flip back and forth between the parts they’re most interested in.

The American Ornithology Society has a digital welcome packet. Their table of contents links to each section, making it easy to jump to the information a new member needs.

2. Personalized Welcome Letter

What would you prefer: a generic letter, or one that used your name and thanked you?

Little touches go a long way in making members feel like they’re a vital part of something special.

Make your new members feel welcome with a friendly, personalized greeting. Address them by name, thank them for choosing your organization, give them a broad sense of the perks of membership, and once again outline what’s included in the packet.

3. Contact Information

Arguably, the single most important thing you provide your members is your association’s contact information.

Otherwise, how will they know who to reach out to when they’re learning the ropes?

While some organizations add this to the welcome letter, I’ve find it’s best to put all vital contacts on one single page so that new members can easily have it on hand to refer to. If possible, add email links for your digital copies for easy navigation.

Some things to include are:

• Association’s physical address
• Phone number
• Association’s main email address
• Names, roles, and contact information for contacts
• Board members
• Staff
• Other essential volunteers such as committee leads

The AATCC provides ample contact information for members depending on what they need. They have it segmented by leadership and the types of questions they are able to answer.

4. Organization History and Mission

Stories incite emotions and connect us all to the people, places, groups and other things that matter most.

And guess what? Whether your association is decades old or brand new, it has a story — and that’s something new members love to hear.

Use this section of your packet to get your new members up-to-date on your association or club’s unique story and build a connection. You can include the history of your organization and how it got to where it is today, as well as your mission statement and any values that you follow.

The Canadian Association of Virtual Assistants outlines their philosophy, mission, and vision in their New Member Welcome Packet.

The Washington County Creating Healthy Communities Coalition shares an introduction about their organization along with their core principles and important definitions new members need to know.

Finally, include a 30-second elevator pitch. That way it’ll be easy for your new members to educate and inspire others if they’re asked about their exciting new organization!

5. Membership Benefits

You know your organization provides tons of great perks to members — so why not showcase them loud and clear?

The Association of Fundraising Professionals clearly outlines member benefits with helpful links to each in their new member welcome packet.

For clarity, use a bulleted list (like the one above), spreadsheet or graph to highlight these benefits.

6. Rules and Regulations

New members will naturally want to know: what kind of rules and regulations do they need to follow?

Depending on the kind of organization you manage, regulations will vary. However, your new member welcome packet should include the following:

• Membership fees and how to pay (include a payment processing website or dues mailing address)
• Relevant laws or member obligations, such as mandatory volunteer hours
• Official code of conduct
• Conflict of interest information
• How to sign up for committees
• Member handbook

7. Forms and Surveys

If there are any forms that your association needs from members, such as an official membership form, conflict of interest document or volunteer interest survey, include this in the final packet.

8. Membership Card

Many associations use physical membership cards, either paper or plastic, as another benefit to membership. Although it doesn’t seem like much on the surface, membership cards help build your organization’s brand recognition, reminds your members of your group’s value, and even serves as an industry-level identification for conferences and other events.

Although physical cards are easier to keep track of, if you send out a digital new member welcome packet, you can also include a link to print out a membership card.

9. Events Calendar

If you’re anything like me, your agenda starts filling up a few months in advance.

That’s why it’s so key to get your events on members’ calendars as soon as possible.

Plus, new members are likely to be gung-ho about attending and getting involved — so the more events you can tell them about, the better! If you have the majority of your activities planned for the year, or even the next 6 months, provide a complete list of all upcoming events.

The Wooster Regional Chamber of Commerce created a year-long events calendar for members.

10. Member Directory

Your members likely joined to meet other individuals with common interests and passions. Say they meet someone at your monthly meeting, but didn’t get a chance to exchange contact info. They’ll need a one-stop-shop in your membership welcome packet to find that member’s email or phone number to connect.

Your membership directory is always adding new people, so a digital directory is the easiest to keep up to date. This can be stored in your members-only portal, just make sure you provide a key link or instructions on how to access the directory in the packet.

11. Merchandise

Whatever your personal opinion is, many members love swag with your club’s logo.

(I can personally vouch for this — I’ve definitely worn my writing club’s shirt a few times at the gym!)

Throwing a keychain, t-shirt, water bottles or bumper sticker into your new member packet may not seem like the best use of money, but remember that it’s little things like this that help excite your members and also increase your brand exposure.

12. Ways to Get Involved

Whew, with all of that information, a new member will definitely have all the key information they need about your organization. But, you want to make sure they know how to get involved in your groups, online community, training events, etc.

This is also a great section to include links to your member communication, whether it’s a Slack channel, Facebook group, online community or member portal.

The AATCC provides a comprehensive page with key links for all the ways members can be involved.

What Else to Consider When Preparing a New Member Welcome Packet

So you’ve compiled your list and checked it twice as far as the content of your onboarding package goes… but there are still a few questions that might come up as you put it all together.

Before sending out your next new member welcome packet, take a few seconds to review this list and see if you’ve crossed everything off your list.

1. Online or offline?

In the past, new member packets were printed, arranged in a large envelope or folder, and either delivered in-person or through direct mail to members.

However, a lot of organizations are transitioning to digital ones, with everything included in PDF format.

The method you choose depends on the expectations of your member base and budget — but keep in mind that receiving a physical packet is often more exciting and meaningful. If you do decide to go the digital route, remember that it’s impossible to send some contents, such as “swag” digitally, so save these for your next event or meeting.

2. How often do you need to update it?

This really depends on the information you’re sending along. Keeping your event calendar up-to-date is key, but as long as the other rules and regulations you’re adding aren’t changing, the packet can stay relatively similar.

Still, it’s probably best to designate a specific month for this task on your organizational calendar, and get buy-in from all staff and key volunteers at your association or club for their feedback.

3. What do your current members think?

Your current members were once newbies too — meaning they know better than anyone what you should be including.

So, as you’re fine-tuning your new member packet, don’t hesitate to ask for feedback from them. Better yet, incorporate a question about the new member packet in a member survey.

4. Are there any questions you haven’t thought of?

In an ideal world, your new member packet will answer every single question and motivate your new members at the same time.

But even with all the preparation in the world, there’s sure to be other questions you hadn’t thought of.

So, make note of these extra questions, and be sure to add them to future packet iterations. You could potentially also add an FAQ section to your welcome packet (or your website) if you notice there are a few that come up again and again.

5. Did you say thanks?

Put yourself in your new members’ shoes. What would motivate you more:

On the surface, a new member packet answers questions and gives new members a head start into your organization’s world.

But that doesn’t have to be its only purpose.

Instead, use your new member packet to inspire your members and make them feel invested in the group. Be sure to thank your members for choosing to join and share success stories from other members. Above all, let your members know that you care about them and appreciate their presence!