You don’t need a big budget or celebrity endorsements to hit your mark.

Your decorations might be exquisite, your venue might be in the ideal location, and your speaker a class act. Unfortunately, this won’t go too far without the impeccable marketing strategy to match. In today’s connection economy, it’s as important to organize a well-executed marketing campaign as it is to organize a stellar event. Below are some options you may want to consider for your next big event.
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​Whatever avenue you choose to use, timing is key. You’ll want to give yourself at minimum two weeks to advertise. Use original artwork and be quick and to the point. Regardless of the size of your budget, your marketing efforts can only go in one direction. 

With so many moving parts, sometimes it’s difficult to manage your event as well as your marketing efforts. Luckily, services such as memberplanet have developed an all-in-one platform to keep you focused on your bottom line: having a successful event. 
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Get started now with memberplanet and take the first step towards streamlining your events in a way that makes sense for you.

Social media can be your greatest marketing tool for fundraising efforts, as long as it’s done correctly.

Social media is a giant but gentle force. It’s a tool that should be used in almost every marketing campaign in order to give people the opportunity to share and get the word out. However, if you use social media the wrong way, you might end up getting so much negative press that your social media presence is doing more harm than good. The fear can’t keep you off the networks, but the following Do’s and Don’ts are sure to help give you that extra boost in the right direction.

MemberPlanet understands how significant social media can be for fundraising campaigns and donations. That’s why our cloud-based platform provides you with the ability to share your events and campaigns through social media with just a click of a button. Learn more on how our streamlined solutions can simplify your fundraising efforts today!

The back-to-school season is here and that means packing lunches, shopping for school supplies, and, if you're following an academic-year contract, new member recruitment. While summer vacation and transition periods are often a great time (thank you, extra time off!), people tend to have extra busy schedules during this time and are wary of adding more to their plate.

As a leader of a local PTA unit, it’s very possible that you’ve seen a drop in member enrollment and engagement rates during this time of year.

So the question is how do you boost membership and grow your PTA during a period of transition, whether it be the new school year or end of a quarter?

We’ve talked to a bunch of group leaders who’ve successfully battled the member-boosting issue. How did they do it? By focusing on many of the same best practices they focus on during the rest of the year: showing people the value of being part of the group, and entice them in joining. That was made a whole lot easier by using memberplanet, and we’ve compiled their tips and best practices below.

Here are four ways to ensure your member numbers increase when the leaves start to change color. 

1. Make it easy to join your PTA

We go shopping online, look up cooking recipes, and even date online. It just makes sense to simplify membership by making it easily accessible online as well. If you aren’t doing this already, offer online dues payment methods with automatic or early membership renewal. Think of it this way: Making it convenient for members to sign up online is way better than sending them running to look for their checkbooks to mail in a payment. If not, you’re creating an unnecessary hurdle (and it’s an especially bigger one during a time of transition). Joining an organization should be as easy as a click of a button, and it means members don’t have to think twice about making a commitment to your organization. Providing them with mobile access is even better. (We have a custom mobile app for that!) 

2. Offer incentives

Do you have extra swag to give away? Host a membership drive and offer an additional reason to join your PTA. Whether it’s a branded gift, an extra raffle ticket for a gift card giveaway, or discounted rates for membership levels. We love free stuff, and your potential members are the same way. Your incentives can vary, but showing your prospects how much you want them in your group and appreciate their involvement is essential. 

​Everyone loves a good gettogether — it's a great way to attract new members and show appreciation to current ones. Make it fun, ask current members to bring guests who haven’t signed up yet to. Going with a friend will make them feel more comfortable and welcome. Make sure everyone has a great time. Bottom line: Show them the love. Send out invites and allow attendees to RSVP online. Want to send out a quick reminder before the par-tay? Our built-in Broadcast feature allows admins to draft a message once and send it to their group via email and text message simultaneously. Extra pro tip: After the event, update your event page with photos and videos, and share it with attendees so they won’t have to hunt for pics.

5. Communicate your group’s impact
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Whatever good you end up doing, inform your members, as well as the school community through multiple channels (email, text, social media). Send thank you emails to those who contributed, and share your post-campaign results. For example, if you reached your fundraising goal for a back-to-school book drive, let your donors know (easy to do using Smart Lists), and send them pics of the newly stocked classroom library. Effective communication will drive home the message that your PTA is doing significant work, and in turn, boost your membership. 

​Learn how memberplanet makes it easy to do all these things mentioned.

When it comes to fundraising in today’s society, nobody can deny the all-encompassing power of the internet. Organizations that have adopted and implemented online fundraising campaigns are reaping the rewards of the immense reach and communication capabilities that only social media can tout. 

If your non-profit has made the decision to begin using social media for fundraising, the prospect may seem a little daunting, although exciting at the same time. To help you, we’ve created this guide filled with tips on how to make the most of your efforts and harness all the opportunity that social media fundraising can provide. 

1. Establish a presence 

If you haven’t ever used social media for communicating with and engaging your members or audience, start right away. Create a Facebook page, a LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram account and start posting information and relevant content to establish your social media presence. 

Set up a schedule for posts; most organizations do them on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, although there are some that post daily. Figure out what works best for your group and be consistent. 

If you already have these pages set up, you’re a step ahead! And this will enable you to easily transition to fundraising activities. 
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2. Tell your story

The most successful social media fundraising campaigns are ones where people feel connected to the cause or the group. Make sure that your pages are being used creatively and that you are presenting who you are and what you do in the most vivid and engaging ways. 

Use photos as much as possible, use pictures of your people, events and any activities to capture your audience and get them interested in what you are fundraising for. If you have them, videos are also a powerful way to present your message. 

And if you can, show who you’re helping or the results of successful fundraising activities in the past. Let supporters know exactly where their donations will be used—this is key to encouraging people who may be on the fence. 
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3. Give them something to talk about

We have all witnessed what happens when something goes viral. It’s amazing how quickly content can travel around the world via social media. For your purposes, having content that is intriguing, moving or impactful will increase the chances of your members sharing it with their connections. 

So keep this in mind when creating your content because even the most committed supporters won’t share your posts unless they are touched by it and feel compelled to spread the word. Remember, the more people who know about your cause, the more funds you will raise!
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4. Be responsive

Getting folks interested in your campaign is only one-half of the effort, it’s equally as important to be responsive to your audience. When you post, encourage people to ask questions, leave comments and ideas and be sure you respond right away to their suggestions. Give a shout out to awesome volunteers or members who have given their support in extraordinary ways. 
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5. Implement an online management tool 

To make your fundraising campaign effortless, use our online member management software. With it, you’ll have an arsenal of powerful tools to create, run, manage and track your campaign and even go mobile with your own custom app. 

Your memberplanet management account will enable you to share news with everyone in your group at the same time via text message or email. You can even create customized email invites branded with your organization’s logo and messaging. And you can direct them to your social media pages to get more news about the fundraising campaign. 

When they are ready to make a donation (whether a one-time pledge or recurring support), they can do it on your customized memberplanet site. You’ll also be able to keep track of who’s donated and share your fundraising campaign’s progress with everyone.

​Today’s smartest and most effective fundraising campaigns take place online. Once you’ve decided to begin using social media to engage, inspire and gain support from your members (and others), be sure to incorporate the tips we’ve given you here and get started with memberplanet to manage the entire campaign—there’s no better way to rally support for your cause!

Today’s congregations are always on the go - now you can connect with them wherever they are. 
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Although your mission and message may not have changed, the way people communicate, participate and give has changed dramatically. And while years ago, passing around the tithe plate during services was perhaps the ideal way to collect donations for your church, many religious organizations around the world have realized the need for change. Just as technology has transformed so many aspects of our lives, it has impacted the way you can fundraise, tithe and communicate with your congregation. Here’s a guide on how you can implement technology into your efforts:
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Create excitement for fundraising events

Even those with zero technological know-how can use memberplanet to create customized, interactive events sites. Your church can have its own event page, complete with your logo and branding, and all the information your members need to know. And because it’s interactive, they can log on from anywhere (their cellphone, laptop, tablet, etc.) and RSVP, volunteer, ask questions, buy tickets and get updates.
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​Let them give from the heart (and home)

Tithing and fundraising become effortless when you set up online donations and tithing using memberplanet ​. Your members can log on and make a one-time donation or set up recurring tithes in minutes. You can even set up a “donate now” button on your church website that members simply click on to give. And they’ll be able to view fundraiser progress, see photos and videos from events and much more. 
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Get mobile

Connect with your members wherever they are with your church’s own custom mobile app. With it, your congregation can see what’s happening wherever they are and whenever they want. All your events, communication and even the ability to make a donation or payments is accessible via the app. 
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Sign up for a free memberplanet ​account today and discover just how easy it can be to communicate, tithe and fundraise with you congregation.