Boosting membership is a common challenge for organizations. Keeping current members invested and bringing on new members might be tricky, but these tips will give your group a leg up on engagement.
Check out the tips in the video below. We guarantee it’s as easy as one, two, three!
0 Comments
Happy Chinese New Year! Want to know an amazing trick to being a wonderful group leader? Act like a rooster! Yes, you read that right. Don’t worry we haven’t lost our minds – this is the year of the Rooster in the Chinese Zodiac. Also known as Sheng Xiao, the zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle aligned with the Chinese lunar calendar. Active years of the rooster include: 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, and 2017. It is said that those born during the year of the rooster are observant, practical, and perfectionists. Roosters carry out challenges with wit and analysis of the problem at hand. They are able to overcome adversaries, though are known to be the warm-hearted center of any room, often being the most sociable among any group. So even if this isn’t your lunar year, it wouldn’t hurt to adopt those awesome characteristics. Check out more great qualities of the rooster in the infographic below, and browse our blog for more leadership tips.
Let’s face it, we live in a tech world. Technology is so ingrained in our daily lives that it is nearly impossible to function without it. When was the last time you paid a bill by check, or bought something in store instead of online? For many of us, doing everyday things online has become the norm. However, as someone who isn’t naturally computer savvy, I know the constant frustration this reality can be. Truth be told, those who are adept at computers often fail to realize that it isn’t always a quick study. So if you haven’t quite given tech trends a thought, this is a great place to start – because it’s bound to affect your members! Here are four member management tech trends of 2017, and what it means for you as a group leader. 1. Get ready for automated everything! According to Forbes.com this year will also see an huge increase in automation. “Marketers will be (mostly) pleased to learn that automation will become a bigger mainstay in and throughout 2017, with advanced technology enabling the automation of previously human-exclusive tasks.” This means that your existing members and new members will come to expect their payments to be exclusively online and automated. memberplanet users: If you haven’t done this yet, try setting your dues payments on a set-it-and-forget-it basis. Less work for you and your members, and a more productive way to collect funds. Everyone wins. 2. Social Media: Your friends list will keep on growing It’s no secret that social media is a powerful marketing tool for your group. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram offer boundless access to free advertising for your group’s events and goals. These outlets also provide the ability to share this content with everyone’s personal network of friends. In 2017 social media’s use is only slated to expand, which gives your group all the more opportunity to harness its advantages. Take a look at these stats from Hubspot, and work on incorporating more social media marketing tactics into your group’s promotional strategy.
3. More visuals and videos are on the way We are a visual society. With visual learners making up 65% of the population, it is not surprising that pictures and video are among the most popular posts on social media and blogs. As a group leader, your content should be visually appealing. Everything from your website to your social media posts should be visually stimulating to your audience. Member management software arms you with tools and templates to create streamlined sites, fundraising campaigns, and emails that can easily include photos and videos. If you’re using memberplanet, we recommend sharing those out to social media with our built-in URL shortener. Here are some pretty eye-popping statistics from HubSpot to keep in mind when creating your next flyer, event site, or social media post:
4. Group creation and involvement will increase A quick survey around our office confirms that people are now involved in twice as many clubs and social groups than they were five years ago. It’s no secret that this trend of increased social involvement is likely to continue. This means great news for growing your membership. People are looking to get involved, connect with others, and be part of a cause that’s bigger than their individual selves. Help your group stand out by showcasing your group culture and personality. Take advantage of every event you plan to introduce your group to potential members, or highlight the work you’re doing through a donation site or email newsletter. Keep in mind though that more groups means your members’ attention and time will likely be divided among several different places, so be sure to focus on retaining and engaging your members as well. What are some other tech trends you think will make a huge difference in member management? Let us know if we missed any. Ready to see for yourself how memberplanet can help you take advantage of these tech trends? Try it and create a group for free.
The new year is here and that means food, family, and, if you're following a calendar-year contract, member renewals. While holiday breaks and transition periods are often a great time to tie up any loose ends within your organization (thank you, extra time off!), people tend to have extra busy schedules during this time. As a leader of an organization, it’s very possible that you’ve seen a drop in member retention and engagement rates during this time of year. So the question is how do you retain members and keep them engaged during a period of transition, whether it be the new year or end of a quarter? We’ve talked to a bunch of group leaders who’ve successfully battled the member retention 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 members the value of being part of the group and keeping them interested. 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 members remain loyal 'til their dying day. 1. Make it easy to stay a member 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 payments with automatic or early membership renewal. Think of it this way: Every time you send your members looking for their checkbooks to mail in a payment, you’re creating a hurdle (and it’s an especially bigger one during a time of transition). Renewing membership should be as easy as a click of a button, and automatic online renewals 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 The holidays present the perfect time to introduce an opportunity to give free gifts, whether it’s branded swag, an extra raffle ticket for a gift card giveaway, or discounted rates for membership renewals. We love free stuff, and your members are the same way. Your incentives can vary, but showing your members how much you appreciate their involvement is essential. Consider membership length and added value for members who have been with your organization for a certain amount of time. 3. Round up the troops Everyone loves a good gettogether — it's a great way to show appreciation to members. Make it fun, invite family members, and encourage people to branch out and meet people they've never spoken to before. Bottom line: Show them the love. Sending out invites and allowing your members to RSVP online is one of the easiest ways to get them to come. 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. 4. Re-engage your members with a philanthropic cause Giving back to the community is a great way to re-engage your members, because the entire year is ripe with occasions for giving back. It's also a great bonding experience to do so as an organization. Giving makes people feel good, so facilitate the process. Hold an annual charity drive, or get all your members together for a charity experience. Doing little things like this will show your members that you care about the bigger picture and are willing to put in the work to make the world a better place. 5. Communicate your group’s impact to your members Whatever good you end up doing, inform your members through multiple channels (email, text, social media). Send thank you emails to your members for participating, and share your post campaign results. For example, if you reached your fundraising goal for a holiday toy drive for an animal shelter, let your group know, and send them pics of the furry friends the toys went to. Effective communication, in turn, will drive home the message that your members are significant in making an impact. memberplanet makes it easy to do all these things mentioned. Log in to get started.
Happy Giving Tuesday! During our #12DaysofGiving campaign to gear up for Giving Tuesday, we spotlighted a few amazing groups that are raising money for charitable causes. Now in its fifth year, Giving Tuesday kicks off the charitable season fueled by social media and collaboration. Last year, more than $118 million was raised online through this effort. Our campaign focused on spreading awareness through social media to champion each organization’s philanthropic goals. Along with spreading awareness of these donation campaigns, we also decided to give away some awesome prizes in the process - 12 of them to be exact! We recognize that each of these campaigns continues to make an impact just by participating in #GivingTuesday, and to further commend their efforts, memberplanet is donating to the fundraiser with the most social engagement per day on average. And the winners of the $20 gift cards are… *drum roll please* Carol-ina, iiamrachelle, Mariana, Anthony Chinni, Jacqueline Collins, Kate Dodge, Natalie Hess, Kate Moreles, Therese Quattrociocchi Longe, Lawrence J. Burns, Shakeera Collins, and Toni D. Postell Congratulations to everyone who participated! Winners, be on the lookout for a direct message from memberplanet to claim your gift card. The grand prize winner of the #12DaysofGiving campaign is… BANA International United - This organization based in South Korea works together to promote B1A4, OMG, and WM Entertainment and complete projects for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and other charity projects that they inspire. Here are the organizations that participated in our campaign. It isn’t too late to donate to these wonderful causes:
Neville Alumni and Friends Association - NAFA to provide supplemental funding for programs and projects to enhance the quality of instructional delivery and student life, and to promote excellence in higher education at Neville High School. United Way of Hudson County - UWHC is a community-based nonprofit organization that focuses on improving the lives of the most vulnerable residents in Hudson County, New Jersey, for 76 years. Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation - This foundation supports pediatric research, education, community benefit programs, and other initiatives that improve the health of children in Michigan. Delta Gamma Foundation - The Delta Gamma Foundation fosters lifetime enrichment for members, promotes Service for Sight, and partners with the Fraternity to ensure the future of its sisterhood. Zeta Phi Beta - The sorority was founded in 1920 at Howard University and continues to create a lasting impact on the community through its charitable efforts. Dual Sport Ride for ESA - Robert Reger is individually raising funds for Theta Eta Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha International, and completing a daring motorcycle adventure for this effort. The 3rd annual "2016 Dual Sport Ride for ESA" is a back-country adventure ride inspired to help the Colorado-based Epsilon Sigma Alpha Sorority in its efforts to raise money for the Denver Rescue Mission. This year he will be completing the 850-mile Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route (from Utah to Mexico) back-to-back for seven days. He will have no modern accommodations to signify his identification of the efforts in overcoming physical and mental challenges the homeless face every day as they overcome obstacles in life. Along with the organizations we worked with, many groups around the world are raising funds for #GivingTuesday. Here are some other groups making a difference in their communities. Check out these wonderful organizations and consider making a donation to their cause. PIKE Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity works to provide a superior collegiate and lifetime fraternal experience and a focus on making young men better leaders in their chapter, better servants in their community and better contributors to society. Donations go to leadership programming, academic and leadership scholarships, and support to undergraduates and alumni. Pawsitive Friendships This group works to provide animal-assisted therapy to help children with special needs build animal-human friendships and works on a child’s individual therapeutic goals. Delta Chi LFC Delta Chi Fraternity at Lake Forest College is raising money for The V Foundation for Cancer Research. The V Foundation has raised more than $100 million in honor of the award-winning broadcaster and basketball coach from North Carolina State Jim Valvano who battled cancer. 100% of all new direct cash donations support cancer research. Center for Transforming Lives This organization provides safe housing for mothers and their children who are facing abuse at home. Along with providing shelter, the center connects women with education, job training and employment opportunities while providing affordable, high quality child care, and financial coaching. Giving Tuesday is just the beginning of the charitable season of giving. We at memberplanet encourage you to find a cause that is close to you and we hope you’ll consider giving, whether it’s making a donation, volunteering, or spreading the word of a fundraising mission. Happy Holidays! Get your organization online seamlessly with a member management solution The Internet can seem like a daunting place as you consider moving your association online. Chances are, even if your group isn’t physically online, people are still talking about it online. That is why it is more essential than ever to go to where your members and prospects are, especially if you’re looking to attract millennials. This generation grew up with the world at their fingertips, and they may refuse to join your organization or sign up for an event if it’s not easy to do on the Internet. You might ask yourself, “Ok, I’m ready to make the move but where do I begin?” That’s where we come in. 1. Find a member management solution that fits your organization An organization is only as great as its members. In order for supporters to cooperate with your move online, they need to have the tools to communicate easily and effectively. That’s how a membership management solution can help. If you’re looking to build an online presence, you’ll want it all in one place. With memberplanet, you have your membership directory, marketing tools, and event and donation pages on one platform, making both group management and communication that much easier. 2. Get started on the platform Once you create a free user account, the next step is to create your group. You can add your logo or design your look through memberplanet’s collection of images. Next, you’ll want to email your members, inviting them to join the group. Our platform provides you detailed reports on who received the invite, who has opened it, and who has joined. 3. Utilize the communication tools available to you Start communicating regularly with your members, prospective members, and the wider online community. memberplanet makes this possible through both user-friendly e-newsletters and Broadcast, a feature that enables you to send out a quick message that will immediately text your members, alerting them to any time-sensitive information. 4. Broaden your horizons outside your membership base
Take your organization one step further by reaching those who are not (yet) members. Create event pages, fundraising forms, and e-newsletters with dedicated information for prospects. memberplanet makes it easy to share this marketing material across all social platforms and allows others to share it as well. Building an online presence has never been easier! Moving your association from offline to online might seem like a difficult task, but it doesn’t have to be. That’s why our motto is “life simplified.” We strive to make this process as seamless and painless as possible. And nothing you create on memberplanet has to be permanent – it can always be updated and completed as your organization changes and evolves and, if you have more questions, you can reach out to us or find help under the Getting Started guide. What are you waiting for? Create your group today and take the first step towards building your brand online. Get excited about what YOUR group can do! Are you constantly searching for ways to manage membership and communication within your group? Well, we are here to help! memberplanet is an easy-to-use platform where group leaders can enhance member communication and promote team engagement. You have come to the right place to get simplified, user-friendly management software that really packs a punch. With memberplanet, you have all the tools you could imagine (and then some) to keep track of every aspect of your group—from relaying announcements and important information, to creating and managing events, and so much more. Keeping all of this in mind, here’s a quick guide to introducing your affiliates to our services so that they’ll be as excited as you are: 1. Create a customized email invite If your members have never heard of our services, it’s always a good idea to send them a little introduction. The key is to customize your message by including your group logo or banding. This not only makes the message more official, but adds a level of personalization and gives them the option to explore what you’ll be doing with memberplanet. 2. Share your plans Include a brief description of how you plan on using memberplanet and what its benefits are. Make it short and sweet; even a bulleted list helps. Aid members in understanding what memberplanet is and give them a preview of how using it will enhance all things related to your group. Some features to highlight include that memberplanet:
3. Sending the invite memberplanet makes it simple to reach your entire team all at once. Once you’ve created your customized invite, have selected the members you would like to reach, and have personalized your “Join Now” button, you are ready to go! Just log into your memberplanet account, go to “Send Invitations”, and hit “Send Now”. Instantaneously, your invites will be sent out to all those you’ve selected. 4. Follow up on invites In a perfect world, everyone you have reached out to would immediately click “Join Now”. But with constantly flooded inboxes, invites sometimes get lost in cyber space or accidentally overlooked. If you’ve gone through your list of invitees and notice members that have yet to respond, it’s easy to resend their invite. Even if someone has declined the invitation to join your group in the past, reach out again by reissuing their invite. To reissue invites:
By sharing a little bit about what memberplanet can do for your team, you’ll find even your most stubborn members jumping on the bandwagon! For help with other memberplanet tools, check out our support database or get in touch with us and we’d be happy to help you. This Sunday, August 28th, comedian Sheryl Underwood will be appearing on celebrity family feud playing for the Zeta National Education Foundation (ZNEF). Sheryl Underwood is a famous comedian, radio, and television host known for her role as host of CBS’s ‘The Talk’. She is also a soror of Zeta Phi Beta, Inc. sorority. Underwood first joined in 1990 and since then has served as president of the Omicron Rho Zeta Chapter, as the National Chair of Honorary Members, as well as the 23rd International Grand Basileus (President) in 2008. As a proud soror she will not only be representing Zeta Phi Beta on Celebrity Family Feud she will be playing for a cause near and dear to her heart, the Zeta National Education Foundation. The Zeta Phi Beta Sorority National Education Foundation was founded in 1975 by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. with a mission to improve the living standards of individuals and communities by providing scholarships to students, implementing social action programs, and conducting research to improve health conditions across the nation. Since the founding in 1975, the Foundation has given young woman around the world the opportunity to pursue higher education. Some of the scholarships are awarded to commendable students include the Mildred Spencer West Scholarship, the Isabel M. Herson Scholarship, and the Arizona Cleaver Stemons Scholarship. memberplanet is a proud partner of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., providing the engagement tools to take their sorority to the next level in member management. Be sure to watch Celebrity Family Feud on Sunday Aug. 28th and good luck to the Underwood family! To donate or for more information on Zeta Phi Beta or the Zeta National Education Foundation please follow the links below: DONATE HERE Zeta National Education Foundation Zeta Phi Beta, Inc. Close communities and groups have unique traits, but all share fundamental membership characteristics Organizations, groups, and close communities are where most social behavior occurs. With our society becoming more detached due to technology and busy schedules, it makes it harder to feel a sense of community. That’s one reason why close communities and groups have become so popular and necessary. And while these collections of people might seem different, each possesses some similar critical elements that define them. 1. They’ve established boundaries
2. They have a sense of belonging
3. They have a defined means of communication
4. They have shared tasks and goals
5. They have a personal investment
Each organization has its own reason for existing. However, the makeup of each group or community is relatively similar. They all have certain attributes that they share, a desire to follow a passion, and the perceived benefit of finding a group to help support these efforts. Something all communities and groups should have, but many aren’t aware of, is membership management software. Whether you want to communicate through email or text, set up a group page, or collect funds and donations, memberplanet has the tools in place to make your life simplified. Create your free account today to learn more.
The Issue With Your Synagogue Membership Might Not Be Membership Dues, But Valuable Membership.7/18/2016 Perhaps membership dues aren’t the problem – perceived value is. For decades, temples have been known to finance their operations through annual dues. But when the recession hit, several new trends started to emerge. Many members lost their jobs and, thus, the income that supported their dues. Meanwhile, young adults found it difficult to rationalize annual dues within an already limited budget. In response, temples around America started their own trend – rethinking synagogue financing. Many of these institutions implemented suggested donations, rather than required dues. This strategy isn’t new. In fact, this is what churches have done for decades. Rather than require dues, in which synagogues can charge an average of up to $3,100 a year, churches send around a collection box asking for any nominal donation. Will donations help? This could be part of the reason that a 2013 study by the Pew Research Center found that only 31 percent of American Jews actually belonged to a synagogue. Instead of regular attendance, individuals tend to show up for high holidays or bar mitzvahs and find other, less expensive ways to maintain their ties to Jewish religion and culture, such as joining a study group. With these financial and social realities, a massive change in due structure is underway. However, is it sufficient? If rabbis are sought after for lifecycle events or holidays, rather than moral or spiritual development, then will free membership make a difference in the long run? The problem with synagogues may not be the financial burden they impose, but their perceived value to prospective and current members. What can be improved? Provide value and the people will come, at whatever reasonable price. Empower members to believe and preach their faith. Engage them with discussions that they can bring into their daily life – how to be a better person, a superior business person, and a great family member, and they will continue to come back. Organizations typically don’t die because they’re too expensive; they go under because they fail to provide enough value to enough people. The biggest asset in help you bring value is communication that allows you to positively stay on the minds of your members. This can come in multiple forms, whether it’s texting or emailing about news and events, photo sharing, or surveys about member benefits. While crafting the right amount and types of communications may seem overwhelming, it can be made easier with a full-service member management tool like memberplanet. What tactics can improve value? Stay relevant to your members by being present both while they’re in the synagogue and also in their daily life. With member management software, it only takes a few clicks. Here are some examples: Email campaigns: Hosting a special event? Need ideas from your members? Want to wish your members a happy holiday? Choose a template and color palette and get your message out in minutes. Group text message: Ever wished you could talk to all of your members at once, while also letting them discuss topics with one another? Group text messages are the solution. Register a phone number with your own area code and, in seconds, send an SMS message to all or some of your members reminding them of tomorrow’s service. Donation site: Don’t wait until members are attending your services to ask for donations. Set up a donation site and begin collecting them in minutes! Engage donors with interactive features and social sharing so they can extend the word out to their networks. Rather than decreasing dues, consider investing more funds into creating a valuable organization for your members. Part of the solution may be a full-service, membership management tool that can improve your communications and help revive your perceived value. Create your free memberplanet account today and see the opportunities that are out there to improve your membership.
|