Dave: All right, so this is a conversation about student engagement. We'll go over how people are using PropFuel to engage students, but this discussion extends beyond that. I’d love to hear what other tactics you’re using to engage students successfully.

Do we have any trade associations here? Click on the raise hand feature so I can see who’s here. Don, thank you. Can you tell me how a trade association would engage with students?

Don: Sure. It’s a great way to show students that our industry is a viable career path, while also helping them make connections. This includes mentorship and guidance on navigating the industry.

Dave: So it’s more philanthropic than focused on membership recruitment?

Don: Primarily, yes. While we’d love more members, our main goal is to assist students in finding a path into our industry. We collaborate with colleges and education groups to ensure students know we’re here to help.

Dave: Got it. And Don, could you introduce yourself and your organization?

Don: I’m Don Lupam, Executive Director of ThinkLA, serving the advertising, marketing, and media industry in Southern California.

Dave: Thank you. Michelle?

Michelle: I’m Michelle, Vice President at MISBO, which serves independent schools. I’m interested in hearing from others because sometimes industry-specific tactics inspire ideas applicable to my work.

Dave: Great. I’ll outline a loose agenda. We’ll go as long as there’s engaging content or up to an hour. First, Ashley and Melissa from our client success team will share insights from student engagement campaigns. We’ve broken engagement into four stages:

1. Validation – Confirming if students are staying in their field and when they graduate.
2. Profile Data Collection – Updating AMS with critical information like graduation dates and contact details.
3. Creating Value – Demonstrating how membership benefits students.
4. Conversion – Encouraging students to transition into full membership.

Before we dive in, quick note: We’ll be at MMCC on May 17-18 in DC. Let me know if you’ll be there. Ashley, you’re up first.

Ashley: Thanks, Dave. Let’s start with validation. Many associations know where their student members originate, but the challenge is keeping them engaged. A great first question in a prospective student campaign might be, “Which of these do you need the most help with?” with choices like study groups, mentors, or career planning.

For example, APA asks students, “Did you know that APA membership is free if you’re in your first year of residency?” Students often don’t know this, so framing it as a question increases engagement.

Dave: I love the “Did you know?” approach. It cuts through the noise. We see the same pattern with lapsed member notifications—people often don’t realize their membership has expired.

Ashley: Exactly. If someone says yes, APA provides immediate value by reinforcing membership benefits. If they say no, APA educates them on why membership matters. Short, simple messages work best for students, as they often check emails on the go.

Dave: Could we automate membership enrollment? Instead of asking, “Are you planning to apply?” we could ask, “Would you like us to set up your free membership for you?” Reducing friction leads to higher conversion rates.

Ashley: Absolutely. Some organizations auto-enroll students and then focus on engagement. Checking in with students throughout their membership is critical.

Melissa: Another key piece is updating student records. Oklahoma Society of CPAs, for example, asks students, “Is your expected graduation date still correct?” If not, they update their AMS accordingly. Once graduation is confirmed, they begin messaging about transitioning to full membership.

Alicia: We were impressed with the response rate. We had a 14% engagement rate, which helped us tailor our communications effectively.

Dave: That’s excellent. Graduation dates and personal email addresses are crucial to maintaining post-graduation engagement. PropFuel helps streamline this process.

Ashley: Agreed. New Jersey CPA Society uses a dynamic approach, asking, “Are you still on track to graduate?” If they say yes, they’re prompted to provide a non-school email. If they say no, follow-ups help determine how to keep them engaged.

Melissa: Missouri State Teachers Association took a unique approach. They conducted a student loan survey, asking members if they had student debt. Thousands responded, and MSTA later partnered with a financial services company to offer relevant assistance. This direct connection between member needs and benefits is key.

Dave: That’s a great example of listening to members and acting on their feedback. One note: while response rates matter, the real metric is engagement outcomes. The goal of a survey should be to improve member services, not just collect data.

Liz: We use educator partnerships and social media to recruit student members. We also provide posters with QR codes linking to an application page.

Guest: The American Bar Association worked with law schools to offer free student memberships. While we succeeded in recruitment, retaining them post-graduation was a challenge.

Dave: Working with schools seems effective but labor-intensive. QR codes have also regained popularity post-COVID. Using them strategically to capture student emails before offering benefits can increase engagement.

Steve: We’re using QR codes for CPA student outreach. Once students scan the code, they enter a PropFuel campaign that categorizes them based on their education stage. This helps us tailor future communications.

Dave: That’s a smart use of segmentation. QR codes should lead to a focused engagement rather than just a website menu.

Any other thoughts before we wrap up?

Thanks, everyone! We’ll plan the next roundtable based on your interests, so let me know your preferred topics. Reach out anytime—our team is here to help!

‍