How Associations Can Use Social Media to Grow Membership Social media is no longer just for brands or influencers. For associations, societies, councils, and foundations, it is a powerful tool for attracting new members, engaging current members, and building long-term loyalty. At The Ways and Means, we have spent over 20 years helping associations across Canada and the USA use strategic marketing to increase membership, strengthen relevance, and enhance their reputations. In

Strategies That Work: Many association leaders ask: Can I use social media platforms to attract new members to my association? How?  The answer is yes, and it requires a strategic approach tailored to your audience. Our team has helped over 100 trade and professional associations use social media to share their stories, grow their membership, and change perceptions. In this post, we will show you what works, what does not, and how your association can leverage social media to

For associations, however, strategic marketing is much more than that, it is the foundational relationship engine that drives sustainable growth, reinforces relevance, and fosters trust with members, partners, and the wider community.

Association executives recognize that video is a non-negotiable tool for building trust, humanizing your mission, and raising awareness. However, the commitment to high-quality video production must be justified by clear strategic returns.

Our experience working with over 100 associations has shown that success is found when you adopt a unique blend of insightful strategy and compelling creative, enabling your association to deliver results across key mandates.

If you are an executive who feels your association has "tried everything" to grow membership, you are not alone. The issue is not a lack of effort; it is a lack of precision. Generic, one-size-fits-all recruitment campaigns fail because they overlook the critical differences between a Trade Association and a Professional Association, and, most importantly, they ignore the true executive-level insights needed to drive growth.