A Systems Approach to Membership Development. By Constance Wrigley-Thomas, CAE. Getting and Keeping Your Association's Customer

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1 A Systems Apprach t Membership Develpment By Cnstance Wrigley-Thmas, CAE Getting and Keeping Yur Assciatin's Custmer Let s face it. Over the next 12 t 18 mnths ne f the biggest challenges fr mst assciatin executives will be keeping membership attritin t a minimum and membership retentin t the maximum. Ptentially dismal results, quite frankly, will give us all pause fr thught and may inspire a little fear - hpefully it will be the impetus fr affirmative actin. A dwnturned ecnmy desn t have t translate int dm and glm. In fact, it may present sme unique pprtunities t assciatins resulting in innvatin, cntinuus imprvement and lng term membership grwth. Recgnizing these pprtunities is critical. Acting upn them by invlving all assciatin staff, defining a plan and taking a systems apprach t membership develpment, is crucial. A systems apprach? This is best defined as a well-planned, well-dcumented system based n a set f principles and best practices that is needed t ensure that assciatins can effectively achieve their gals ver time. In his bk The E-Myth Revisited[1], Michael E. Gerber describes a system as a slutin that integrates all the mving parts f the business int a well-iled machine, all wrking in cncert tward a realized bject. Gerber s system mdel is well-rganized and well-dcumented with slutins based n real-wrld perspective and expressly stated gals. And, while its applicatin is geared twards small businesses and franchises, it can be easily transpsed t the assciatin wrld. Traditinally, the varius parts f an assciatin are independent and cntribute in a dynamic way t furthering the rganizatin as a whle. In additin t membership develpment, ther prgrams r cmpnents include management and gvernance, member services, cmmunicatins and public relatins and legislative and regulatry affairs. T ften they tend t exist in sils, ften c-existing separate frm each ther. Since membership develpment is the prgram area that has the biggest impact n the assciatin s existence, we tend t fcus a gd deal f ur attentin there. Membership develpment generally represents the series f tasks we assciate with recruitment and retentin and the annual event knwn as member renewal. As a cre prcess, membership develpment ften perates independently frm ther assciatin prgrams r cmpnents, smetimes with nt s satisfying results. By taking a systems apprach, membership develpment, alng with ther cre prgrams r cmpnents, perate interdependently. This means that membership develpment impacts all ther prgram areas within the assciatin and their success (i.e. events r gvernment relatins) is dependent upn membership. An assciatin with a successful membership develpment prgram has identified, frmalized, incrprated and cmmunicated a set f principles that

2 defines the imprtance f members, including their acquisitin, invlvement and ultimate satisfactin. These principles are shared and inculcated by all staff and vlunteers. Accrding t 7 Measures f Success What Remarkable Assciatins D That Others Dn t[2], the 4 th measure, Dialgue and Engagement, states that all emplyees thrive in a culture where infrmatin is analyzed and shared and cmmunicated and where everyne makes a cntributin. Remarkable assciatins d nt wrk in sils but share a cmmn view where everything is abut the member. S, where shuld yu begin with creating a membership develpment system that wrks fr yur assciatin? The successful assciatin will develp their membership develpment strategies in fur stages. Each f the strategies within each stage (see sidebar image belw) prpels members thrugh the member career cycle (i.e. prspective member, new member, active member, renewing member, member satisfactin). There are 12 steps in the prcess. Phase One Preparatin These are the preliminary steps required t systemize yur membership develpment prgram: Step 1 The lead persn in charge f membership develpment (i.e. Directr f Membership) establishes a vlunteer-staff leadership team (staff and vlunteers with cmplementary skill sets). Jb descriptins may be necessary; The team identifies trends that persnally and prfessinal impact members (regulatry burdens, cntinuing educatin requirements); They review key messages t cnfirm their relevance t the needs f members; They suggest tne and cntext necessary t gain the attentin f different membership categries r segments (think diversity); They review draft cpy f tls designed fr vlunteers supprting the membership develpment effrt. Step 2 The team assesses the assciatin s ptential fr membership grwth (i.e. have they reached critical mass?); They identify current and ptential member prfiles (aging bmers, gegraphic disbursement); They perfrm an envirnmental scan gather all infrmatin; They assess members cre needs against current member services; They review the rganizatin s visin, missin, gals and values. Step 3

3 Establish key messages (they shuld be clear, cnsistent and pwerful); Key messages are based n the values f the assciatin (they cultivate understanding f the assciatin). Phase Tw Design The infrmatin gathered in Phase One is utilized in the next phase but is als invaluable fr sharing with all ther prgrams within the assciatin (i.e. think interdependency). Step 4 Set numeric gals and prgrammatic bjectives Numeric gals - EXAMPLE Current Membership Ttal: 892 Number f expected cancellatins: -120 Number f new members: +130 Number f reinstatements +83 New Ttal Membership: 985 Prgrammatic gals (based n stages f membership develpment) EXAMPLES Prspecting - Add new surces f prspective member names Recruiting - Develp a cmprehensive membership recruitment campaign Orienting - Create an rientatin prgram that cmmunicates t new and current members hw t btain value frm their membership Invlving Increase the number f members attending educatin events by 10 percent Renewing Strengthen the existing renewal prcess t maintain ur current renewal rate f 82 percent Step 5 Establish strategies and tactics - in this cntext, strategies identify hw stated bjectives and verall numeric gals will be achieved. Tactics are the key actins needed t achieve the strategy. If yu can fulfill a strategy in ne actin, it is mst likely a tactic. Step 6 Maximize all ptins fr membership - Have yu maximized all yur ptins? Review last year s strategies and tactics and repeat thse that were successful Review thse that were unsuccessful Review ideas that yu have cllected ver the past year Brainstrm new pssibilities Srt, priritize and select the mst apprpriate strategies and tactics Understand the difference between an independent and integrated membership develpment: The independent apprach invlves activities that rely slely n yur effrts in planning and implementatin. It is easy because it invlves less peple, less decisin-making and less brain pwer. It als keeps activities in sils.

4 An integrated apprach includes thse activities that must be planned and implemented in cperatin with ther assciatin departments, prgrams, activities and events. It is mre difficult t achieve but mre synergistic because it is mre cllabrative. Step 7 Develp a budget and a detailed wrk plan. (The wrk plan and budget will help yu t track yur prgress and als make adjustments alng the way.) Cmpile a summary f csts fr all strategies and tactics. Develp a wrk plan that reflects tactics and actins fr each strategy. The best part abut Phase Tw is that when yu begin the cycle again, yu will have cmpleted mst f the wrk and will already have the steps laid ut, dcumented and measured saving yu time year t year. Furthermre, the wrk plan keeps yu and yur team fcused and n task. Phase Three Implementatin This phase encurages everyne frm the team t ther imprtant stakehlders t see membership develpment as a cre prcess which infrms all activities f the assciatin. Step 8 Gain rganizatinal supprt (i.e. key players within yur rganizatin such as cmmittee chairs, senir staff, Executive Cmmittee) Make a list f yur key grups t be infrmed r invlved in yur plan (Bard f Directrs, staff) Step 9 Cmmunicate plan t members (annunce in the newsletter r at member rientatin sessins) Cmmunicate plan, milestnes and results thrughut the year t members (use every pprtunity including print and in persn) Step 10 Implement strategies and tactics. They shuld include the fllwing features: Break mnthly wrk plan int tasks t be accmplished each week Meet as apprpriate with key cntacts frm vlunteer-staff leadership team Meet with staff cntacts t explre pprtunities t cllabrate Delegate tasks (as apprpriate) Keep in cntact with key players t ensure implementatin is underway Make all accuntable fr their part in the implementatin Designate a mnitr t keep the pulse n the timelines etc.

5 Step 11 Mnitr and reprt prgress t key players (see abve) Explre prblems existing r ptential Make membership statistical reprts available t all team members Keep everyne infrmed Phase Fur Evaluatin The final phase helps everyne in the prcess answer the fllwing questins: 1. Are we achieving ur gals using ur current strategies and tactics? 2. Will we achieve ur gals using scheduled strategies and tactics? Step 12 Cnduct peridic and year-end evaluatins. A membership develpment prgram can be a cstly and resurce intensive venture s it is imprtant t measure and evaluate team effrts and the plan. Evaluatins will help t determine which strategies and tactics wrked and can be repeated and which didn t and shuld be abandned. Failing t cnduct an evaluatin guarantees that effrts that didn t wrk well will cntinue t nt wrk and effrts that did wrk may nt be fully maximized. Plans shuld be adjusted accrding t findings. When cnducting a year-end evaluatin, it shuld be timed t cincide with planning fr the next year. Everyne wh has made a cntributin t the prcess shuld be invited t get them invlved in the dialgue and gather their impressins. S, why a systems apprach t membership develpment? It is my belief that it will prvide yur members with a clearly defined message n hw t maximize their membership experience. It will give yu the pprtunity t maximize resurces thereby getting mre dne with less effrt. It will change yur assciatin s apprach t membership develpment ensuring its cntinued grwth. It helps members t achieve their ptential. After all, membership satisfactin is yur assciatin s number ne pririty. [1] Gerber, Michael E. The E-Myth Revisited. New Yrk: HarperCllins Publishers, 1995 [2] Center fr Assciatin Leadership. 7 Measures f Success: What Remarkable Assciatins D That Others Dn t. Washingtn, DC: 2006 Six Cmpnents f an Effective Membership Develpment Prgram

6 1. Membership Develpment Stages Strategies and tactics, in five key stages, designed t cultivate members awareness f the value f membership as a means t achieving their persnal r prfessinal gals. Prspecting this is a prcess t identify, gather and qualify names f ptential members Recruiting this is the prcess used t invite prspects t becme part f the rganizatin Orienting this is an nging prcess that helps members discver hw t use the rganizatin s prgrams, benefits and services t fulfill initial expectatins, expand pprtunities t becme invlved, and achieve a sense f value. Invlving this is the prcess used t help members meet their persnal and prfessinal gals thrugh the use f the rganizatin s prgrams, benefits and services. Renewing this is the prcess used t extend access t the rganizatin s prgrams, benefits and services. 2. Statistical Histry and Trends Strategies and tactics created t cmpile and analyze the impact n members f trends in the external and internal envirnment, histrical trends in membership s statistic, and shifts and changes in the current and ptential membership prfile. 3. Member Services Packages Strategies and tactics designed t prvide a range f benefits and services t meet member need. 4. Leader Supprt Strategies and tactics designed t prvide a range f benefits and services t meet member need. 5. Member Recrds and Operatins Strategies and tactics designed t ensure the accuracy f the recrds as they are entered, prcessed, accessed and stred. 6. Administratin Technique emplyed t versee and manage the membership develpment prgram. Patricia A. Siegel, CAE and James S. DeLizia, CAE. Beynd Membership Marketing Develping an Innvative Plan That Guarantees Results. San Francisc, CA: Center fr Excellence in Assciatin Leadership, 1999.