Member Recruitment Best Practices

See below for best practices related to IEEE member recruitment and promotions.

Section/Chapter meetings

  • Advertise Section and Chapter events effectively. Get your event listed in a local publication, blog, or online calendar. The more people see your event advertised, the more  it may spark their interest in attending your event and joining IEEE.
  • Invite a friend or colleague to a Section or Chapter meeting.
  • Include membership recruitment reminders in Section and Chapter newsletters.
  • Plan joint Section/Chapter activities with Student Branches for Spring and Fall. Highlight career discussion exchanges with students and also emphasize the importance of continued IEEE membership after graduation.
  • Demonstrate the capabilities of IEEE Xplore® at Chapter meetings.
  • Visit the Section/Chapter Support or Unit Officer Training sections of IEEE.org for more information on Section management, Section newsletters, officer training and the dynamics of running an effective meeting.

Students/Young Professionals

  • Initiate a Young Professionals Affinity Group in your Section to foster a greater sense of belonging to the community while also providing these members with leadership opportunities.
  • Contact graduating students and invite them to a Section meeting. Form a committee comprised of members from various IEEE employers in the Section available to act as company liaisons or IEEE mentors for these new members.
  • Have your Section's data officer provide your outreach volunteers with the names of graduating students and new members to be contacted each month.
  • Contact a representative at a local college or university to announce special IEEE student rates, networking or career growth opportunities.
  • Sponsor a job fair or career workshop and invite graduating Student members where they can network and learn of the values of IEEE membership.

Recruitment promotions

  • Aggressively promote IEEE membership during technical conferences. Have a kiosk or laptop available at registration to encourage conference attendees to join online.
  • Use the half-year dues period as a peak recruitment time. This allows people to test IEEE membership for a smaller initial monetary outlay. New members pay half price dues when they sign up from 1 March through 15 August. Membership begins immediately upon joining and continues through December of that year. A member joining in March for example receives a bonus of four months of extra service above and beyond the six months they are paying for.
  • Announce and provide information on the Member-Get-A-Member referral program at Section, Student Branch and Chapter meetings. Information is provided on the Member-Get-A-Member page of IEEE.org.
  • Use the Conference Member Recruitment Program on IEEE.org to offer a free Society membership to anyone who joins IEEE at a conference. 
  • Run programs concurrent with National Engineers Week (EWeek). IEEE Sections can sponsor exhibits, local science fairs and contests to promote this week-long technical event in February.

Professional setting

  • With company permission, post notices of IEEE activities on office bulletin boards and electronic communications. Submit articles on employee IEEE involvement and and show how this can reap benefits for the company as well.
  • Conduct a Professional Society Day and have a table exhibit of IEEE benefits and services.
  • Share positive IEEE experiences with your colleagues during professional meetings. This will show potential members what IEEE means to you.
  • Plan national engineering days and week-long celebration displays and exhibits for local schools and businesses.

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