It’s not about bragging rights, but it sure does feel good to be noticed. In addition to stacking up stellar reviews on Capterra, we’ve now been noticed as a market leader by SoftwareAdvice.com. Its annual Frontrunners Hub is a 100% data-driven assessment of the most capable and valuable products for small businesses, and the scores are largely based on end-user reviews of software. This year, memberplanet was recognized as a quadrant leader. We’re incredibly excited to be included in this year’s hub. Our philosophy of simplifying life for our clients remains our goal. We are equally proud of not only our software, but the reviews from customers who need it for their group or organization to thrive. However, the work is not done. We continue our mission to be the absolute best software platform for groups of any size to manage their members, process payments, and communicate. Ready to take your organization to the next level?
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Marietta Business Association (MBA) is the premier business organization in Marietta, Georgia. It counts the mayor, senators, congressmen, judges, city and county offices, and businesses large and small among its members. MBA had struggled with outdated member management software that required volunteers to spend more than 20 hours a month managing members. Since transitioning to memberplanet, it has seen a 29% increase in total number of members, a 49% boost in paid memberships, and a 167% jump in revenue for its annual event luncheon. Everyone's Problem: Limited Time and Competing Interests Retaining, managing, engaging, and growing membership are challenges that plague most organizations. Limited time and competing interests contribute to this challenge for both members and those who manage them. Employing tools that help to engage and manage members while making the best use of time for everyone involved is a big win. Mobile, segmentation (the difficulty of reaching multiple generations that think and act differently), and social media add more layers of complexity to membership management challenges. Outdated software and disparate single-service features confound these problems by fostering disorganization and draining resources. A Colossal Waste of Time In 2016, MBA was struggling with “archaic” member management software, Angella Ocheltree, Vice President of MBA, said. “The former manager would spend twenty-plus hours a month keeping up with it, which is simply too much to ask of a volunteer.” Prior to using memberplanet, MBA attempted to implement another product, but due to poor communication between the new software’s transition team and MBA’s sales team, Ocheltree deemed the attempt “disastrous.” “I wasted so much time and all for naught,” Ocheltree said of the failed transition. She and the board of directors screened 15 other companies before memberplanet was chosen as the best solution for MBA. Service, price, and functionality were the determining factors. A Miraculous Transition memberplanet’s onboarding and engagement teams collaborated with MBA to make the transition as efficient as possible. The process took less than one month. “The implementation was seamless,” Ocheltree said. She was responsible for completing all tasks during implementation. “The transition was so easy, one could call it miraculous.” memberplanet’s support team also conducted trainings for MBA staff members, and provided an online support site tailored to MBA’s priorities. “The training offered was excellent,” Ocheltree said, “and we still tap into that resource.” Boosting Membership, Engagement, and Event Funds In just over one year, MBA has recognized a stellar 49% increase in paid memberships. Its number of total members increased by 29%, a number which includes non-paying members – perfect candidates for future conversion. “Our entire site – our website was built by memberplanet as well – the membership platform, and its functionality have streamlined our leadership team's ability to create events and manage them, to raise funds, and to communicate with our members,” Ocheltree said. Attendance at the association’s annual luncheon increased by 19%, which led to a 167% jump in revenue. Collecting electronic payments, sharing event sites, sending invites, and managing RSVPs are all tasks MBA’s volunteer admins completed from one platform. “We use both desktop and the mobile app to take payments,” Ocheltree said. “It couldn't be easier to set up or to pay!” One may think a platform that offers such a robust toolset for member management is complicated to use. The memberplanet staff prides itself, however, on building the platform with volunteers in mind. “The platform is user friendly – and the staff is even more so,” Ocheltree said. “If I cannot figure something out, I call or send an email. The response is always fast and friendly.” Ocheltree said she knows MBA is just getting started and is excited for the future growth and success its partnership with memberplanet has to offer. memberplanet’s streamlined membership management solution has already helped tremendously with member retention and recruitment. “We have even attracted the larger companies with our professional presence.” -Angella Ocheltree Vice President of Marietta Business Associaton Contact memberplanet today if you would like to see how your organization can put
this powerful platform to work. For some, summer is a time to unplug, unwind, and reconnect with the things that matter most. Time with friends and family, long days doing nothing, and reading a good book are the only things on their to-do list. But if you’re the type of person who is always involved, and forever leading a group, team, or event, summer can be just another whirlwind of planning, execution, and follow up. Admit it: It’s no fun. Even if you’re are the type of person who likes to stay busy, you still need time to unwind. Taking the time to slow down and enjoy what you love the most (and don’t say event planning!) is important, so you can go back to leading an organization, group, or event successfully. This probably makes you uncomfortable, but it can be done. You’ll be a better version of yourself if you put the vacation back in summer. Yes, teams are still competing, events are still being run, and fundraisers are still important during the summer months. But you can easily automate some of your tasks ahead of time, or create a blueprint so you aren’t working all the time. If you haven’t tried putting the following tasks on autopilot yet, now’s the time. 1. Schedule communications (social media, email, or text) This way you can strategically connect your communications to build on one another and create a stronger message. The best part about this—if you schedule your communications a month ahead of time, you only need to do this once a month. 2. Asking members to keep the conversation going Reach out to attendees of your next event or team members and ask them to post on social media for a period of time. This will keep your organization in front of people, without you doing all the work. The downside of this is giving up some control, but the upside is creating authentic enthusiasm and excitement around what you are trying to accomplish. 3. Create a copy of a site page This sounds simple, but creating template designs is different from creating an entire copy of a site page. The benefit is recreating a site page without overwriting your existing one. Having the option to copy an entire donation site, event site, online survey, or payment form will save you time and give you some breathing space when you need it most. 4. Delegate admin responsibilities Assigning others with admin tasks and defining their roles by differentiating their access by function and privilege gives you a break… and peace of mind. For example, give someone access to manage your group communications without giving them access to your group’s bank account data. You can use these ideas all year if you want, or only when you need them. The most important thing to consider is your sanity. Taking time to refresh your mind and spirit—especially in the summer—will help you to come back to your responsibilities with renewed energy and commitment. You may be the Energizer Bunny, but even he needs to change his batteries now and then! So, as the days of summer get warmer, think about what you need to do to put vacation back into summer. Make lists if you have to! But most importantly, make a commitment to take some time off, rest, and renew. “There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” –Alan Cohen Learn more at memberplanet.com.
In Santa Maria, the town where I grew up, taking a dip in the pool was a popular way to beat the California heat. For six straight summers, I lifeguarded at an outdoor public aquatic center with an Olympic sized pool and a recreational pool. I was a lifeguard for countless water polo practices, swim meets, recreational swim days, field trips, and lap swims. Just thinking of the giant jug of 100 SPF sunscreen we kept in the guard room takes me back. I learned a lot during those summers, and I’ll always remember this: Every lifeguard is a leader. Leadership comes in different forms. I may not be the one spearheading nationwide events or speaking in public in front of hundreds, but when it comes to managing a local group, or my part of pool activities, just as much effort goes into making it a success. As the school year comes to an end, many of us find ourselves looking forward to the long, lazy days of summer. No plans. Nowhere to be. The reality is, if you’re managing a group, your summer is filled with to-do lists, event invites, follow-up emails, activity sign-ups, and more. Sure, it’s a little slower than the rest of year. Yes, you can unwind a bit. But there is definitely still planning to be done. Whether you manage a sports team, a summer camp, or a simple BBQ potluck, staying on top of things is a must, so summer can still be relaxing and fun. Summertime madness As a leader, you are probably orchestrating a plethora of details to keep things moving, even during the slow summer months. Tasks that seem simple can be quite tedious. Do you find yourself:
This summer, simplify your life A platform that can transform your summer planning and make things so much easier does exist. Having all the tools you use to manage your swim team, summer camp, or any other group in one place would simplify your life. Check out memberplanet, and you may be able to sneak in a few lazy days yourself this season.
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!
Managing members is what we do best – and we’ve been optimizing our platform’s features so group leaders like you don’t have to sweat this stuff. We’ve created a whole new role management feature for assigning admin roles, as well as easy-to-access links for both admins and members that customize the member home page and join process. Check out the features and enhancements that have been recently released:
Assign, Create, and Edit Admin Roles In the world of productivity, delegating work to your group’s admins is just as important as doing the work yourself. One way to effectively do this is by assigning and editing admin roles. This ensures that those you’ve tasked with managing your group have access to the tools they need. For example, you may want to give one of your admins access to create email campaigns without giving that person access to your group’s finances.
How Do I Assign and Edit an Existing Admin Role?
Improved Member Level Renewal Emails Everyone could use a friendly reminder now and then. We typically receive a phone call reminder about a doctor’s appointment booked in advance, or an email that the phone bill is due in a week. Membership renewals are the same way, and we’ve taken care of all the heavy lifting so admins can set up automated email reminders for specific member levels and time frames. To schedule up to three email reminders per paid membership level before a member’s renewal date: 1. Hover over the Membership module in the left navigation sidebar 2. Click Manage Membership Levels in the submenu 3. Membership levels will display. For the paid level you choose to edit, select the gear icon and click Edit from the drop-down menu 4. In the Reminders section, select a time frame to edit. The default is set to no automated reminder, so an action must be selected to activate this feature 5. Admins can edit the number of days before the renewal they’d like to send out a reminder 6. Check the boxes to specify who receives the email reminder: group leaders, members, or both. For group leaders, you will need to enter their email addresses 7. Admins can also edit the reminder email’s subject and part of the body What happens when members are late to renew? You’ll likely have to pause their membership until they do renew, which means changing their level, removing them from email campaign lists, event invitations, and more. Doing all this manually is asking for a headache, but fortunately, you can set this up to happen automatically. Simply follow the same steps as above, but instead of the Reminders section, select the Late & Missed Renewal section. Admins have a number of options to choose from, including Change Member’s Status to “Lapsed” and Send an Email to the Member. Added Member Level to the Member Homepage As soon as your members log in, they can now see their member level displayed, and it serves as a quicker way to go directly to their account details. Clicking on their member level will give them access to view payment schedules, their renewal date, and other membership levels. They can also click anywhere else on the module to expose quick links to Change Membership Levels, View Group Profile, and Leave This Group. Added Link to Customize the Join Group Pages on Membership Dashboard To give new members the best experience in joining your group, we consider it a best practice to customize the join process. That means using your group’s branding in the join email and including a message that emphasizes the value of joining. We’ve added a quick link to the Membership Dashboard so admins can get to the customization process faster. 1. On the left navigation sidebar, select Membership 2. In the Joining Our Group section, select Add Custom Content to New Member Pages In this preview mode that displays what new members will see, admins can change the logo and add custom messaging. Added a Short URL for Join Now Button We realize there are many ways to get new members to the join process. Admins can send an email with a Join Now button or post a Join Now button to their website. But for those times when they want to send new members a link instead of a button, we’ve created a short URL that can be used anywhere, including posting to social media or sending a text to view on mobile. 1. On the left navigation sidebar, select Membership 2. In the bottom section Get the Word Out, select Get a Join Now Link 3. A short URL will be provided in the pop-up overlay. Copy to Clipboard and get the word out Added New Custom Field Types: Date, Radio Button The best time to collect info from your members is during the join process, because that’s when they’re most engaged. This is the perfect time to collect custom info needed from the start, so you won’t have to hunt members down for it later. To make it easier to organize your custom data, we’ve added two new custom field types: date and radio button.
How to edit or select custom field types: 1. On the left navigation sidebar, select Membership, then click Custom Profile Fields 2. To edit an existing custom field, select the pencil icon, or click the +Add a Custom Field button to create a new field 3. In the Type drop-down menu, select the desired input field Mobile App Enhancements Members now have the ability to access their member card in offline mode after they’ve downloaded it for the first time. We’ve also streamlined and updated the app navigation menu for a more intuitive display. Ready to make the most of managing your membership? Log in to memberplanet to explore these new enhancements. We welcome suggestions on how we can improve memberplanet to help simplify your life. Email us at suggestions@memberplanet.com.
Wittmann Elementary School has 570 ethnically-diverse students, and the school is part of the ABC Unified School District in Southern California, which serves more than 20,000 K-12 students. For years, Wittmann PTA and Education Foundation found it difficult to raise the funds necessary to increase the number of student programs while maintaining 16 enrichment and career pathways for its K-6 students. Wittmann turned to memberplanet, and PTA membership funds increased by 75% between 2014 and 2016. More than 77% of funds in 2016 was raised online, and staff membership has now reached 100%. The Common Funding Challenges Faced by Schools Insufficient school funding is unfortunately a sign of the times. A 2016 review by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities revealed that 31 states had lower funding than before the recession of 2008, and total local funding across the nation declined between 2008 and 2014. Parents, teachers, and administrators have found themselves in the position of having to financially supplement programs that were once included in the curriculum. In a survey of more than 1,000 principals across the nation, the National Association of Elementary Principals found that 94 percent of schools relied on fundraisers to supplement money from district, state, and federal sources. Wittmann’s Fundraising Struggle The Wittmann Organized Warriors, or WOW, is responsible for fundraising and supporting the school’s wide range of career and technical enrichment programs, including Music, Video Game Programming, Math Olympiad, Robotics, STEM, Art 4 Kids, Ecology, Performing Arts, and Business Finance. Three years ago, Wittmann realized there was a problem with WOW’s fundraising efforts. Although the group was raising money, it couldn’t provide enough revenue to maintain existing programs, add programs, and upgrade the technology necessary for the school to remain competitive. Furthermore, volunteers no longer felt comfortable handling cash, nor did they like contacting parents about bounced checks or corrections. Boosting Parent Engagement and Transparency When Wittmann’s administrators decided to improve their fundraising efforts, they explored various online options, such as GoFundMe and Kickstarter. These platforms “lacked the parent connection and outreach and publicity needed to properly communicate,” according to Principal Miguel Marco. The school approached memberplanet about providing a system to meet its needs, and quickly started using the platform’s features. These included newsletter templates, an interactive directory for members, a free group mobile app, Smart Lists to develop targeted distribution, and group text – all to connect with members and bolster engagement. "We wanted to show our parents the fundraising progress and donation totals," Marco said. "memberplanet offered a graph of total funding for all parents to see. And membership funding reports and the communications features allowed us to target groups of parents who have donated in the past, target funding goals, and do cost analysis for future events." The platform's easy-to-use member portal also allowed donors to print documents and receipts for tax purposes. A Closer Look at Wittmann’s Online Results In 2014, Wittmann had raised $20,395 in membership dues. By the end of 2016, total membership funds had risen to $35,655 – a 75% increase over the span of three years. The $27,535 raised online through memberplanet represented 77.2% of 2016’s total – an impressive leap from 2013’s $550 online membership funds. Although funds are still coming in via mail and checks, Marco has noticed the effect of increased online giving. “Not only has the frequency [of donations] increased, but the total dollar amount is higher online compared to offline contributions,” Marco said. This increase in donations has been earmarked for a number of programs, including the Dance-a-thon, Jump-a-thon, Language Program, and Math Olympiad. Marco attests the use of online event management and donation campaign features were key in broadening fundraising reach. Furthermore, the memberplanet solution helped Wittmann achieve:
An All-in-one Fundraising and Membership Solution When Wittmann made the decision to work with memberplanet, the school was approaching a crisis. A lack of financial resources made it increasingly difficult to provide students with the enrichment programs necessary in today’s competitive world. What began as a means to raise funds and increase parent involvement in the process has had a ripple effect within the school. Not only have programs been saved and upgraded, but fundraising has become more efficient and staff members have been freed up to work with children rather than on administrative and financial tasks. In all likelihood, school budgets will remain a contentious issue, and enrichment programs are often the first to go when it’s essential to save core programs. In addition, fundraising fatigue and the limited financial resources of families can make raising money difficult. memberplanet’s streamlined, all-in-one online membership solution makes it convenient for parents to join WOW and donate money, while making it easier for staff and volunteers to manage the process, communicate with members, and solicit funds. Marco remains convinced that the software, coupled with memberplanet’s best-practice approach to member engagement, is critical for future growth and success. “We were able to boost membership and increase funds enough to save at-risk programs. It’s given us the luxury to focus on adding new ones and upgrade technology resources.” -Miguel Marco Principal of Wittmann Elementary School Contact memberplanet today if you would like to see how your school can put
this powerful platform to work. There are lot of common misconceptions when it comes to best practices of member management. We respect that leaders have their own unique way of doing things, but sometimes the most used practices are not the best. Times change and the tools that were once adequate become outdated. (Remember when the internet was dial up?!) The same can be said about best practices to lead an organization. Member management software is a groundbreaking tool that can change the way you handle administrative tasks. It’s time to shed some light on common myths. By the end of this post we bet all of your views on management software will be busted! Myth: Dues collection is more secure offline. There is a widespread and valid concern about the security of payment processors when it comes to sharing credit card information online. Don’t worry we’re right there with you. However, collecting dues offline also comes with some risks. Checks can get lost in the mail. Cash can be lost or miscounted. And there is no way to track or record payments other than ledger. There is greater risk for mistakes. This can cause a major issue for groups who will harbor sole liability if something were to go wrong. Reality: Collecting dues payments online increases the security of the transaction, and allows for accurate record keeping and transparency that all admins have access to. Yes, payments processing comes with a fee – but offering the option of online payment methods is also proven to increase funds. It’s a benefit that greatly outweighs the cost of fees. Myth: It is easier to send a mass text OR email, and impossible to do both AT THE SAME TIME. Using your email account and plugging in the names of from a spreadsheet to your group members can take hours. Then once you’re done, you have to text the group separately (in case they don’t check their email). Plus, I think we can all agree that group chats and text become very cumbersome very fast. Check your phone on your lunch break and suddenly you have 75 responses to scroll through, and a drained battery. The information at the top of the thread can get lost in the hullabaloo. Reality: You can send both email and text at once. Even better, each person will get an individualized text that won’t inconvenience them with no chance of creating a massive reply thread. Instant and fast communication for you, and no hassle for your group members. Myth: During leader transition, the organization takes a couple steps backward. Training a new group leader can be a tedious task. The transitional period, which can last a couple months, can also cause groups to take either a few steps backwards, or remain at a standstill while the new leader adjusts. Reality: The software allows you to cut down on time when transitioning from one leader to the next. You’re not starting over from scratch. You’re building upon the great work already accomplished. Myth: Planning events using Facebook is the most effective way to reach your group. Hosting an event on Facebook, while helpful in certain aspects, leaves a lot of work to be done for an admin. You must jump between multiple single services, such as email, payments processing, and your database (if you have one), for features not on Facebook. Reality: Let’s get one thing straight – social media is great for socializing, and using it to broaden the reach of your communication is a MUST. But the truth is, not EVERYBODY has Facebook. Building an event through a member management platform gives you the ease of using one system for all your event-planning needs. There is an added sense of professionalism to your organization’s official event. Your members can access your event site, invitation, and RSVP, without having to sign up for an account (Facebook or otherwise). And you will have access to the same features available on Facebook and more! Photos can even be uploaded by members to a shared album. Now all you have to do is, “Say cheese!” Join us and check out how we can help you improve the way you manage your group.
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.
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