Let your Members do the Talking

Your board might have dozens of strategies on how to attract new members but the simplest and cheapest way to grow membership is through your current membership. People are more likely to join your organization if they hear about the positive experience someone else is having in it rather than seeing a list of benefits spelled out on your website.

Don’t get me wrong. Having a clear list of benefits is important, however, word of mouth makes a bigger impact. Word of mouth creates a sense of trust that other methods can not imitate. You might be wondering now how to get your members involved with spreading the word and we’ve got a few options for you!

·      Referral program. Offer an incentive for members to reach out to potential members. This could be a discount on their membership, a gift card, or something else creative. Make this program and it’s guidelines clear to all of membership so that you don’t have the same 5 people bringing in all of the new members.

·      Surprise your members. Go outside the box and provide members with something that is not already expected. When members get the benefits that they are promised, they do not see it as something worth sharing with others. They are getting what they paid for, however, if you give them something they didn’t see on their radar, it gets them talking! This could come in a variety of forms.

o   Send a gift card to someone who comes to the majority of your monthly meetings.

o   Do a member spotlight on your website highlighting the member

o   Send a card to congratulate a member on a promotion

The options are endless. When doing these special things for members make sure that they are reasonable, repeatable, and relevant. You want to do things that could be done for a variety of members rather than singling out a member. This will create a bigger buzz to potential members. When depending on members to spread the word, it is important that the board is also involved. The board should be setting the example for members. By reaching out to the community and creating incentive, you should see your membership start to grow.

How to Build Memberships at Every Step in your Organization’s Life Cycle: Wild Apricot Webinar Review

Kristen recently watched a Wild Apricot Webinar on building memberships at every step in your organization’s life cycle. The instructor broke down the various stages and indicated what the focus should be on for each step.

1.     Emerging. When your organization is getting started, it is in the “emerging” stage. This is when early adopters will join looking for something to fill the gap that your organization fills. You should spend your effort focusing on getting the word out, the benefits of being a small organization, and pushing your mission out.

2.     Catching on. The next phase of your organization is “catching on.” In this phase, more people are finding out about the organization and joining. The focus during this stage should be creating processes, reducing fiction, and ensuring an easy time for new members.

3.     Getting the Hang of It. Once your organization is more established, you branding and staffing should have improved. The “getting the hang of it” phase is when people start to care more about the brand rather than just what you are offering. Your attention should be on efficiency and transparency.

4.     Time to Shift. At this point, you are fully set up and known in your industry. You have a broader audience and should be more responsive as well as putting in effort to stay relevant.

With each step of your organization, it is important to keep members happy and returning. This is what will ultimately keep the organization afloat.

How to Increase Online Membership Renewals

Collecting checks in the mail can be a bit clunky and unnecessary during due renewal season. It is a constant waiting game. As the processor you are waiting on the check to arrive, then depositing it and the member is waiting to see if the money goes through. This process would be made a lot simpler if members moved their payment process online. It is quicker and more convenient for both you and the member. In order to give members that extra push to online, try the following tips!

1.     Express the benefits. Explain to members why it is beneficial for them to pay online. This can be done in an email blast, at a member meeting, or on a handout! Figure out which communication method fits with your membership and run with it.

2.     Simplify the process. Make sure that the payment portal is easy to find and use on your website. Have a button on your home page as well as a separate page for renewing membership. The more places members can find where to pay, the better. Include instructions on how to use the payment portal to make the steps even simpler.

3.     Allow mobile payments. Ensure that your website and the payment portal are both mobile friendly. Many people might remember to pay their dues when they are away from a computer. If they go to pay on their phone and the process is not responsive, they might abandon the idea all together.

4.     Offer an incentive. If you are still seeing resistance to online renewals, offer a small discount to those that pay online. Sometimes that extra push one time can lead to a habit forming action.

Moving the payment process online will make your job easier and will eventually make members happier. The hardest part will be getting older members to change their ways but once they do, nobody will be looking back.

Making the Most out of Membership Feedback

When asking for feedback, you might get more than you bargain for. Some people are going to complain about everything and people will rarely share their positive thoughts. This does not make it any less important, however, to ask for feedback. Whether you have a monthly meeting, a big conference, or simply want to know how happy members are with their membership, you can find out a lot by simply sending them a survey!

We often use Survey Monkey to reach members after the event is over or just to gage how they are feeling about the organization. If you want to catch them in the moment, print out a sheet of paper with questions on it and collect it at the end of a meeting.

Feedback is the only way to grow, evolve, and give your members what they truly want. It can give you insight in how to attract other members, what to change for next year’s event, or what other benefits they would like to see provided.

Exhibitors Matter Too

When prepping for your conference, your main focus is on the members. You want to make sure they are happy and getting their money’s worth which is very important. Exhibitors, however, are also paying to attend and exhibit at your event and deserve some love as well.

Anticipate their needs. Exhibitors require a lot of set up prior to the event. Make sure they have anything they might need or a contact they can get it from. Keep in mind this could include electricity outlets, chairs a map of the showroom, a schedule of where members will be and when they will be in the showroom. Instead of putting the pressure on yourself, you can also ask your exhibitors when they sign up questions like,

• What technologies will you need the day of?

• What kind of information would you like to know about attendees?

• What will you be bringing to your booth?

Consider an event app. An event app is useful for both attendees and exhibitors. It allows them access to all of the information they could possibly need about the event while also being able to connect with one another. Some apps even allow for appointment setting between exhibitors and attendees.

Require/encourage exhibitor visitation. If your association requires continuing education credits, offer credits for attending a set number of booths. This benefits both parties and is easy to do. If continuing education is not a component of your organization, offer a different incentive. This could be entering their name into a raffle, discounting membership, or anything else that applies more specifically to your group.

Improving your exhibitor experience will bring in more money for events, instill a good reputation for your association among vendors, and leave attendees feeling happy.