If you run a membership site or a membership organization, it may be a good idea to create a membership agreement for your members. Are you legally required to have your members sign a membership agreement? No. But having some sort of contract in place will ensure that all your members are on the same page, know what to expect from your organization and are aware of the terms and conditions associated with their membership. It may seem unnecessary, but even having the most obvious guidelines written down in a dedicated document will help keep your membership a safe, fun and mutually beneficial community for all members to enjoy. Not to mention, it will help you deal with any uncooperative members and safeguard against any legal trouble. If this sounds like something you’d like to implement within your organization, read on to find out everything you need to know about membership agreements. Plus get a free template to help you create your own! Read More: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Membership Site Platform (+5 sites to try right now)
A membership agreement is essentially a contract between you (as the admin of your membership organization or site) and each of your members. Each member receives their own copy with their name in the document, and both parties sign the document to indicate their agreement to follow the terms and conditions outlined in the contract. A membership agreement can be used for any kind of membership, whether you run a membership site and your community interacts solely online, or you run an organization with members who meet in person. Your membership agreement can be a hard copy document signed in person, a digitally signed PDF, an electronic form submitted through your website, or even just a section of your membership application form. The agreement outlines the terms and conditions related to your members’ participation in your membership. These might include rules, guidelines, due payment schedules, minimum participation requirements and protocols for common adverse situations. Having members read through and understand the membership agreement will help keep them accountable and responsible for the wellbeing of the entire community, and will help your membership thrive.
In all of these and many other similar situations, you’ll be able to point to a specific clause in your membership agreement and follow the documented protocol. Since both parties have agreed to the consequences, you’ll be free to take the necessary action to remedy the situation.
For example, your membership agreement may state that if someone abuses their member privileges and shares login information with a friend, their membership will be terminated and they’ll lose all access. If this ever actually happens, you’ll be able to revoke someone’s access without any protest or hurt feelings on their end. After all, they did read and sign the agreement.
If ever the situation is escalated to a level where legal authorities are involved, the signed agreement will help resolve the situation quickly in your favor.
There are no set rules when it comes to creating your membership agreement. Every organization is different, so their agreements are highly customized to their needs.
When coming up with your own, think about your members’ experience with your membership and what rules and guidelines you need to put into place (no matter how obvious they may seem).
To help you get started, here are a few common elements that a typical membership agreement might include:
If you need help putting together your membership agreement, we’ve prepared a template that you can use to get started. Feel free to remove any of the clauses or add any additional ones as you see fit.
Click here to download the membership agreement template now.
Good luck creating your membership agreement!
