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Non-Dues Revenue Opportunities
"Non-Dues Revenue"
By Chris Harrington
The current slowdown in the U.S. economy has distressed many Americans where it counts, their pockets. Most people are in fear of losing their job, car, house, and all other things that revolve around their income. Spending on non-essentials has come to a screeching halt. Most are too afraid to commit to something without a guaranteed return on their investment. And with that, the number of new members joining associations has dropped, not to mention the noticeable decrease in membership renewals.
Associations must find creative ways to increase their revenue without relying on their members to bear the burden of higher membership dues and other fees.
Here are just a few ideas to generate non-dues revenue:
- Offer banner advertising for web or e-newsletter (this can be very cost effective for the association)
- Host a Job Fair at the Annual Meeting (This will benefit attendees and exhibitors)
- Sell logo products to members using on demand printing. (Promote this idea right before the annual meeting to encourage members to wear at the event.)
The goal is to create value for your members and supporters without raising dues, if possible. The key is to select methods that are low cost, high yield and require minimal setup and execution time.