Everyone you meet in the process of doing your job is a potential STC member—but they aren’t likely to join unless you ask them. Why wait?

Suggested Prospects

  • Academics Recruitment tips
  • Content developers
  • Documentation specialists
  • Information architects
  • Information designers
  • Technical editors
  • Technical illustrators
  • Technical translators
  • Technical writers
  • Usability and human factors professionals
  • Visual Designers
  • Web designers and developers

Helpful Ideas for Recruiting and Welcoming New Members

  • Invite a coworker to join you at your monthly chapter or SIG meeting.
  • Welcome the new member by publishing his or her name and the name of your recruiter in your newsletter.
  • Send an email to all technical communicators at your organization and invite them to come to a meeting and learn more about STC.
  • Talk to your company’s senior management and explain why they should encourage STC membership among the staff.
  • Have a brown-bag lunch meeting at your office, invite all your colleagues to attend, and explain how joining STC can help them.
  • Give special ribbons to new members at chapter or SIG events.
  • Develop a buddy system by providing each current member with a potential new member to contact and invite to meetings.
  • Hold new member receptions at events and announce new members and recruiters at every meeting.
  • Ask the potential new member if they would like to contribute an article or give a presentation at an event.
  • Coordinate the timing of all campaign efforts and marketing communications so that members are not overwhelmed.

Brown-Bag Meetings

  • Coordinate a one-hour lunch meeting at a member’s office.
  • Ask that everyone bring their own lunch or have a sponsor cater the lunch.
  • Invite company colleagues to attend the lunch.
  • Hold a discussion on a technical communication “hot topic.”
  • Discuss how STC has helped you stay on top of things and up to date in your career. Open the meeting up for questions.

“Meet STC” Program

  • Conduct a membership recruitment program at your monthly Chapter or SIG meeting. Identify nonmembers and talk to them about joining STC.
  • Pass out STC membership brochures and applications.
  • Ask Chapter or SIG members to target this meeting to invite potential members.
  • Conduct a PowerPoint presentation reviewing the benefits of STC membership.
  • Offer special incentives if people join the night of the meeting.
  • Alternative: Find a sponsor to pay for nonmember dinners and offer free dinner certificates to area restaurants as incentive to join.

Live Web Seminar as Recruitment Vehicle

  • Schedule a viewing of one of STC’s live webinars in a member’s office conference room.
  • Invite members and nonmembers to attend.
  • Conduct a post-webinar discussion on the topic.
  • Follow up with nonmembers and invite them to join STC.
  • Alternative: Find a sponsor and speaker to present a hot educational topic in person.