The Best Way to Start a Club in 2024
Interested in building a new community? We'll walk you through starting a club in 2024
Starting a club or organization is a worthwhile endeavor and activity for both university students and working adults alike. Whether on campus, or as your own past time, the benefits of running a club extend far beyond just extracurricular involvement.
In this article we’ll walk through why club leadership can be an enriching endeavor for individuals across all walks of life, and how you can best run your club using membership management software like embolt.app
Benefits of Clubs
Studies have shown that individuals who actively participate in communities they enjoy experience lower levels of stress and anxiety. According to research conducted by Holt-Lunstad J. and published in Annu Rev Public Health, social connections and a sense of belonging are associated with a 50% reduction in the risk of premature death from all causes.
Being part of a community not only provides emotional support during challenging times but also fosters a sense of purpose and belonging, which are vital components of mental well-being. Whether it's a club centered around a shared hobby, a professional network, or a social group, the camaraderie and mutual support within such communities can serve as a buffer against the stresses of daily life, promoting resilience and overall psychological health.
Fostering Community and Connections
For University Students: At the collegiate level, clubs can be a catalyst to finding a community to belong in and drive purpose in your life. Universities are melting pots of diverse talents and interests, and launching a club allows students to connect with like-minded peers who share their passions. Often times clubs can even supercharge your academic journey by providing diverse professional networks graduation.
For Adults: Even if you’re not in college, clubs can help you foster a community around your own interests and connect with your local community. Whether you're new to a neighborhood or simply eager to expand your social horizons, a club offers a conduit for meeting individuals who share your hobbies, values, or professional aspirations. In an age characterized by digital connectivity, the physical space of club activities provides invaluable opportunities for genuine, face-to-face interactions, fostering a sense of belonging and mutual support.
Building Leadership and Organizational Skills
For University Students: Clubs equips you with invaluable leadership and organizational skills. From planning events and managing finances to resolving conflicts and delegating tasks, club leadership offers a hands-on learning experience that often hard to learn from traditional classroom education. These skills not only improve your resume, but also connect you with lifelong friends & experiences.
For Adults: For adults looking to improve their professional skills or climb the corporate ladder and transition into leadership roles, starting a club can help you build leadership qualities in relaxing and supportive environment. Managing teams and members, coordinating events, and navigating complex group dynamics all contribute to the development of effective leadership. Moreover, showcasing your ability to foster a club demonstrates initiative and entrepreneurial spirit to prospective employers.
Creating Positive Impact
For University Students: Beyond personal growth, clubs have the power to drive meaningful change within the university community and beyond. Whether it's organizing charity events, raising awareness about social issues, or advocating for policy changes, clubs serve as catalysts for positive impact. Through collective action and advocacy, you can address pressing issues and contribute to building a more inclusive and equitable society.
For Adults: In the realm of adulthood, clubs offer a platform to channel your passion into purposeful action. Whether it's volunteering in your local community, organizing environmental initiatives, or supporting marginalized groups, clubs enable individuals to make a tangible difference in the world around them. By uniting people with shared values and goals, clubs amplify individual efforts and create a rippling effect of positive change.
When Should You Start a Club?
Maybe you've got an interest that keeps you up at night, or a passion that makes the hours blaze by; it could be a fascination with astrophysics, an obsession with vintage vinyl records, or a desire to explore sustainable living practices. Whatever it is, you’re likely not alone.
With the right tools and resources at your fingertips—like member management software such as embolt.app—starting a club is easier than ever and not the daunting task it once was, so when should you actually commit to starting a club?
1. When You're Passionate and Committed
The first and most crucial sign that it's time to start a club is when you’re active in online communities around your passion. Starting a club requires dedication, time, and energy, so it's essential to be fully invested in your interests. If you find yourself constantly thinking about your passion and eager to share it with others, then you're already halfway there.
2. When You Can't Find an Existing Club
Another indication that it's time to start your own club is when you've searched your area for existing groups or organizations dedicated to your interest, but come up empty-handed. Perhaps there are similar clubs in your area, but none that align perfectly with your specific needs. It might be that a lot of people have already looked around in your area for clubs in your interest and are just waiting for someone to take the first step.
3. When You Have a Core Group of Members Already
Maybe you already have a group of friends that you share your interests with, and you’re always looking to meet more people. It could be that you already have your own club in a sense, you just haven’t marketed outside of your friend group; in this case you’re in a great position to start a club.
4. When You Have Access to Resources and Tools
With member management software like embolt.app, you can turn an idea or a loose community of friends into a well structured and run club or organization. Member management software like embolt allows you to create custom registration forms, accept member registrations & member dues, run events, and manage your data to make running a club easy.
5. When You're Ready to Make a Difference
Ultimately, the decision to start a club comes down: Are you ready to make a difference? Whether it's bringing people together, fostering connections, or advocating for change, starting a club allows you to have a positive impact on your community and the world at large. If you're passionate about your interest and eager to share it with others, then there's no better time than now to start your own club and make a difference.
How to Start a Club
Starting a club doesn’t need to be an intimidating or daunting task, in fact it’s easier now than it’s ever been before. Before jumping straight into scheduling events, you’ll want to follow these five steps to get your up and running:
Step 1: Define Your Purpose
The first step in starting a club is to pinpoint exactly what it is that you what your members to be passionate about. Maybe you're a die-hard Harry Potter fan who wants to discuss theories and dissect plot twists with fellow Potterheads. Or perhaps, you're a fitness fanatic looking to organize group workouts and share healthy recipes.
Whatever your purpose is, write down a one to two sentence purpose statement for your club. Anyone reading this purpose statement should be able to 1) understand what your club does and 2) understand who would find the club fun.
Example for a club focused on whittling
Purpose:
The SNWC (Southern Nevada Whittling Club) is a club for all levels of whittlers; we meet monthly to share tips, tricks, and ideas for your next project.
Example for a club focused on tennis
Purpose:
The ATC (Arizona Tennis Club) is a club aimed at providing competitive tournaments to the state of Arizona; we run three leagues a year for all types of players, beginner to expert
Step 2: Choose a Format
Next, decide on the format for your club. Will it be a casual meetup group that gathers once a month for coffee and conversation? Or perhaps a more structured organization with regular meetings, events, and activities? Consider what works best for you and your members, keeping in mind factors like time commitments, resources, and accessibility.
You can always adapt and evolve your club’s format over time, but having an initial format planned ahead of time will help you organize your thoughts and goals around running the club. You’ll also want to write this down below your purpose statement
Example of a club that meets monthly outdoors
Format:
This club will meet monthly, on the weekends in the evenings. The setting will be outdoors casual and rotate park locations each week to accommodate everyone across the city.
Example of a casual coffee club that meets bi-monthly
Format:
This club meets bi-monthly at a new coffee shop location in the city. Meetings will involve individual table seating and encourage members to meet new people each visit.
Step 3: Get Organized
As your club begins to take shape, it's important to stay organized and keep things running smoothly.
Set up a system for communication
Whether it's a group chat, email list, or dedicated social media group—to keep members informed about upcoming events and activities. This doesn’t need to be anything official yet, and be careful using a platform that makes your members download or install some sort of new software.
Often times you want to focus on providing a low barrier of entry for your members, so choose a simple but effective platform like discord, instagram DMs, facebook groups, or SMS message groups.
Use membership management tools
Keeping track of your members can be a time consuming and frustrating task if you aren’t using tools that integrate all of your clubs data together. Understanding who paid dues, who’s still a member, and who needs to renew is something that tools like embolt.app trivialize for clubs. With embolt you can:
Create a custom registration form for your members and define the duration of a membership for your club.
Link your PayPal and integrate your form with payments so your members can pay dues over Credit Card, Venmo, or PayPal
View statistics about your club’s performance and easily filter your members to send personalized messages to whether you’re welcoming new members, recurring members, or reminding members to renew before lapsing.
Step 4: Spread the Word
Lastly, with your club defined, organized, and ready to go it's time to spread the word and drum up interest in your club. Get creative with your marketing efforts—post messages in adjacent interest groups, create an eye-catching social media page, or reach out to local community centers or libraries to see if they can help promote your club.
Here are a couple ideas for spreading the word:
Create eye-catching flyers and posters to hang up in community centers, coffee shops, and other high-traffic areas.
Utilize social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X to share information about your club and engage with potential members.
Reach out to local newspapers, magazines, and online publications to see if they'd be interested in featuring a story about your club.
Attend relevant events, fairs, and gatherings in your community to network and spread the word in person.
Partner with other clubs, organizations, or businesses that share a similar target audience to cross-promote each other's activities.
Host an informational session or open house where interested individuals can learn more about your club and meet current members.
Utilize word-of-mouth marketing by encouraging current members to invite their friends, family members, and colleagues to join the club.
Create a website or blog dedicated to your club where people can learn more about your activities, upcoming events, and how to get involved.
Offer incentives for referrals, such as discounts on membership fees or exclusive club merchandise, to encourage current members to recruit new ones.
Conclusion
The decision to start a club is a significant one, whether you're a university student seeking to enhance your campus experience or a working adult looking to enrich your personal life. The benefits of club involvement extend far beyond the realm of extracurricular activities, offering opportunities for personal growth, community building, and positive impact. By fostering connections, developing leadership skills, and making a difference in your community. Running a club allows you to cultivate a sense of purpose and belonging that is invaluable in today's fast-paced world.
With the help of member management software like embolt.app, the process of starting and running a club has never been easier. From organizing events and managing finances to communicating with members and tracking data, embolt.app streamlines the administrative tasks so you can focus on what truly matters—building a community around your passion. Whether you're passionate about astrophysics, vintage vinyl records, or sustainable living practices, starting a club is an opportunity to share your enthusiasm with others, make lasting connections, and create positive change in the world.
So, when should you decide to start a club? The answer is simple: when you're passionate and committed, when you can't find an existing club that meets your needs, when you have a core group of supporters ready to join you,, and when you're ready to make a difference. With these signs in mind, along with the guidance provided in this article, you're well-equipped to take the leap and start your own club. Don’t forget to start you’re journey off by using embolt to simplify the less interesting parts of running a club