First Impressions That Motivate Prospects Lorraine Martinez MRRC State Chair
Quote to Consider: “If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.” Maya Angelou
Your First Impression? What were you thinking as you walked away from your first encounter with CalRTA?
Your First Impression What happened as a result? What others are thinking when they walk away from their first CalRTA encounter is critical to our future.
Can We Do a Better Job With Personal Contact? YES! Divisions need to go where prospects are or are going to be in attendance. Where? ● Farmers Market or Other Community Events ● District Retirement Events ● Pre-Retirement Events ● Welcome to Retirement Breakfast or Lunch or Wine/Cheese Tasting ● Teacher Grant Give Aways at Local Schools ● Lunch Time Sharing at Schools ● Retirement Community Get Togethers
To Do a Better Job With Personal Contact... ● What do members want to learn about other than the repeal of WEP/GPO? ● What webinars can we do that could be of interest to members other than CTC topics? ● Have we asked others to do a short article on a passion they have for our magazine or newsletters? ● Do we publically celebrate years of membership with a pin or free lunch? ● What else can we do???
10 Ways to Help Increase Membership From: Connectivity Help for government relations, advocacy, and nonprofit professionals/by John Haughey/Feb 2015 1.) Have an ‘on boarding plan’: ● First, recognize that first-time members are a specific group within your membership profile and that they need to be approached with specific strategies ● Things to address with first-time members is how to keep them engaged. Engaged members tend to come back. Unless you can show them the value of their membership, they can slip through the cracks. 2.) Say hello with a personal touch: ● The personal touch is really important, the local chapter member should, “Point out, ‘Here is the value I got. Here is why you want to hang with us.’” ● Follow that up with emails about offerings from association and an email from the division president or membership chair welcoming them aboard.
10 Ways to Help Increase Membership 3.) Reach out at three and six months: ● After initial “onboarding” and “welcome aboard” contacts, use a hands-off approach for the next three to six months. ● At three months, the association should email the newcomer a listing of opportunities and other benefits, followed up by an email at six-months highlighting local and state association events. 4.) Do a first-year ‘loyalty assessment’ ● You need to find out what they want, what they appreciate about the association about six to nine months into that first year to determine if new members recognize the value of their membership. ● To do that, develop a survey that “more granularly examines” the needs of first-time members to get an accurate portrayal of what they want and what will induce them to re-enroll ● Rather than think of this survey as a needs assessment, think of it as a loyalty analysis. ● Go back to basics needs. Are their needs being met? Your publications, conferences, website – we don’t know which will be the most important until we start analyzing and see if there is a difference between what you are providing and what they want.
10 Ways to Help Increase Membership 5.) Sell your association ● Every member of the association should be selling the organization and should understand that it is their job to do so, whether they are a “salesperson” or not. 6.) Always stress benefits ● Constantly update website and promote its offerings, from webinars to online seminars on varied topics, always stressing that the association is the only one providing this information and that it is specifically designed for its members ● Publications, certifications, group insurance, as well as interactions with the association – conferences, email communications, contact with member representatives, are among the benefits that should be emphasized in different ways and different times throughout that first year in the association.
10 Ways to Help Increase Membership 7.) Keep it local ● Rather than promote national events and emphasize advocacy on broad issues, think about keeping it local during that first year. ● It is more important initially to stress the local chapter. People want to talk about their own people, what’s going on in their local chapters. ● That doesn’t mean you don’t address national issues. 8.) Provide programs ● Keep in mind that an association membership is always changing. We have 50-year members and new members joining. Younger members have different priorities and you have to address their priorities. I think that is one of the challenges– it’s a good challenge, though.
10 Ways to Help Increase Membership 9.) Capture engagement data ● The association needs to capture and document engagement data: Volunteer activity, attendance at chapter events, usage of professional development ● If an association is keeping track of who is accessing its website, attending conferences and taking advantage of education, it has another resource for accurately assessing needs and inducing loyalty. ● Create stronger ties with members 10.) Meet them ● “We have members all over the map, going to their meeting means that “We value their membership” ● President Mahoney has made it a priority “to do a road trip” and visit divisions and to specifically meet its new members
8 Stages of Member Experience ( Donorbox Non-Profit Blog) Here are eight specific stages of member experience as defined by guidestar.org: ● Discovery – The prospect has a problem (or a social concern) that deeply troubles them. ● Contemplation – The prospect considers whether your membership offers a viable solution to the problem. ● Activation – T he prospect completes the buying action. They join your membership. ● Onboarding – The new member looks for validation of their buying decision. ● First 30 Days – The new member assesses early experiences to determine if promises of value will be kept. ● Beyond 30 Days – T he member continues to assess whether their investment has been worthwhile. ● Pre-Renewal – The member faces the renewal decision. ● Post-Renewal – The member assesses whether their loyalty is appreciated.
Questions? “Success comes when opportunity meets preparation.” Zig Ziglar Email: lorrainemartinez13@yahoo.com
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