Starting a society – Part 2 – Promotion

So, you have been approved and now have your very own society! What do you do now? You need to plan your societies fayre table, attract some members and plan some events!

If you’ve stumbled across this post and don’t know whats going on, check out part 1 for what to do if you’re thinking about starting a society.

Social media

You may want to set up some social media accounts for your society. Facebook can be particularly useful for planning and listing events, but depending on the nature of your society you may also want a Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or even your own website or blog!

Keep in mind that as a society you must abide by the code of conduct and other rules and policies set out by the Students’ Union and this covers posts on social media. Make sure you read them carefully!

Societies fayre

As long as your society got approved before the end of the year, you should be entitled to a table at the societies fayre during freshers week.  This is one of the best ways to attract new members as a lot of students will be walking around trying to find a society to fit their interests.

You will want some materials to hand out on the day that briefly describe what your society does, how much it is to join and how to get in touch. You’ll also want a method to collect names and emails of those who show an interest in joining, so you can email them details of what you have planned and how to join.

You can also decorate your table or display banners or posters, if the budget allows for it. And sweets never hurt to attract people over to your table!

You will also need people to staff your table, ideally at least two so that you can have breaks and get something to eat and drink throughout the day. When people come over you will want to have some things prepared to tell them about such as what your society is about, how often you will meet and any special events you have coming up, in particular…

Freshers events

You will want to plan some taster events or socials for people who are interested in joining your society to try it out before paying the membership fee. This will enable them to get to know you and other prospective members, and give you a chance to talk to them about the society and why they should join.

The events can be anything you like, from a general meet and greet social to a specific activity centred around the society itself like games or a quiz. As well as talking about your taster event at the societies fayre, you may want to create a Facebook event and publicise it on social media.

You will also need to complete a Risk Assessment Form and submit it to the SU for any events or activities you plan to run, so make sure to get that done in advance.

Hopefully you now have plenty of members and can move forward and plan regular socials, events and even trips!

But how do you run a society effectively? Click here to find out on my next blog!