Sharing vs Competing for Members

People who belong to an association often belong to more than one. They use them as a way to network and learn more about their industry.  Rather than competing for members in other local associations, work together! Find a way to share members and create unique benefits for each. Below are tips on how to do just that.

• The introduction. Make sure to reach out to the association you might be competing with. Send an email or give them a phone call and explain what your association offers its’ members.

• Talk it out. Meet up with the contact point you have with the other association and discuss areas of crossover. What do members that belong to both groups have in common? What unique benefits do they gain from each association.

• Avoid overlapping events. Look at your schedules for the next 6 months to a year and make sure that future events do not fall on the same day. This will allow each association to have higher attendance at events and makes for happier members.

Working together will only make each association more successful and will prevent members from feeling as though they can only join one.

The Key to Potential Members’ Hearts: Events

It can often be hard to explain what makes your association unique when putting it on paper. Some things are hard to describe in words and the feeling of community and experience that your association offers are two that you might have a hard time describing to a non-member. If this is the case, try to reach potential members in person. Plan events!

Current events. Open up some of your current events to non-members. Showing potential members what they are getting involved in is your number one recruiting tool. Make sure, however, to keep some things exclusive to members. You don’t want your current members questioning why they are paying for a membership or feeling under appreciated.

Speed networking. We know that people join associations to network and meet people in their industry. Open up a speed networking event to both members and non-members. This allows the two to meet while giving them something they are looking for in an association. To follow through with this, make sure that attendees are clear of the industry you are in to ensure like-minded professionals. You could also give your speed networkers talking cards. This could get the ball rolling on the conversation. Throw in the topic of the association. Are they a  member? What do they like about it? Have your members do the recruiting!

Get involved in the community. Offer fun events for members and non-members. This could be a picnic, a holiday celebration, a sporting event, and more. This will stick in the mind of the guests and provide them with a  positive experience.

These experiences will shape potential members’ opinions of your association. It will also create brand awareness and spread the news to other potential members. Get started on these events this summer!

Investing in a Member Management System

As a group of Executive Administrators, we see a variety of ways to handle different obstacles in an association. Most of our clients use an online member management system including WildApricot, Your Membership, StarChapter, and more. If you are hesitant about investing in a member management system, here are a few reasons you should make the switch.

1.     Storing data. Nobody wants to maintain paper documents filled with important information scattered around their office or locked away in filing cabinets. Luckily, member management systems can store information about members, events, expiration dates, committees, and more. Having it in the system makes it convenient to search and quickly find information.

2.     Easier payments. With an online platform, you can have members easily pay for membership renewals, events, and conferences. This eliminates the act of sending a check, waiting on it to be received, and the drawn out process involved.

3.     Personalized adaptions. Membership management systems are completely designed to work with associations. This makes building your website and any special features easier. Creating new and varying membership models is an option you can find on a membership management system that you could not find on a standard website.

If your association can relate to one of these points, it is time to make the move to a member management system. The difference it can make is astounding!

If you are interested in investing in a member management system, read our blog on Wild Apricot!

5 Quick Tips to Get Members Involved in a Committee

Associations are filled with members who have busy lives. Whether it be a strict work schedule, children to care for, or other personal obligations, members do not always have time to take on anymore responsibility. This can be an issue when trying to fill committee seats in your organization. If you are looking for volunteers, it is important to focus on how the position can benefit both the organization and the individual. Here are a few ways get members more involved in committees.

1.     Announce any openings. Make sure your members are aware of openings by spreading the word through email, meetings, and social media. Ensure that as many people as possible hear about the opening!

2.     Give it a trial run. After making the announcement about the opening, invite those interested to a meeting. Let the candidates see what they might be getting themselves into. This could relieve any worries about the position. It could also deter anyone that is not a good fit for the committee.

3.     Increase membership. If you are consistently having trouble finding members who want to get involved, it might be time to work on recruiting new members. Look for people who are eager to be a part of the organization and who have less time commitments. These people could be a great fit for committees.

4.     Approach good fits. Have the committee get together and discuss the type of person and skills needed. After this, compile a list of current members that fit that description. Once the list is complete, approach those members and ask if they would like to get more involved. This has potential to make the member feel special and more likely to join.

5.     Be upfront about what the member will gain. Knowing the time commitment of being on a committee, it is important to create a list of reasons for the member to join. This could be presented in a meeting, pamphlet, or even online. This might just be the final push a member needs.

After your list of candidates is narrowed down. Be clear about the expectations and responsibilities involved. Make sure the members are dedicated and you will have a full committee in no time.

Converting Guests into Members

Marketing your organization’s events to guests is always a good idea. You might, however, find that these guests continue to pay the guest price rather than ever joining the association. We have a few suggestions that could be just what your guest needs for that last push into membership.

Follow up with your guests.

Reach out to your guests via email and let them know how much you appreciate them visiting. In this email, you could include links to the website as well as a list of upcoming events. Once they are to your website, they will be able to see member benefits and more. The email will also make them feel valued and will make them more likely to sign up as a member.

Shine a light on guests through social media.

Take pictures at your event and make sure to get some photos of guests. Let them know that the pictures will be on the organization’s social media page. This might make them more inclined to visit the social media page and get more of a feel for the association. It also allows them to feel special and as if they are already a part of the organization.

Consider discounts.

If you are not opposed to docking the price of membership or events a little bit, discounts are always a strong motivator. In the email you send to guests, let them know that if they sign up for membership before the meeting, they will get a free ticket to the next event or a discounted membership price. Setting the deadline will pressure the guest to sign up. Also, who doesn’t love a nice discount?

Survey.

Along with a follow up email, you could also send or call for a survey of the event. Ask the guests what they enjoyed? What do they want to see at future events? Were they welcomed? These answers could not only help your organization in recruiting future guests, but also force the guest to consider all the positive experiences they had at the meeting. You could then invite them to join the organization and cross your fingers.

Converting non-members to members is always the goal. These guests that sign up for events are already familiar with the organization and interested in the industry. A quick moment of reaching out could make all the difference.