To start the new year off right, we’re sharing our list of shiny new features now available on the memberplanet platform. We took into account a ton of user feedback and got busy all through the holiday (and still managed to put on a few pounds because of one too many office potlucks). Check out our tech updates, and let us know how else we can make this year a great one. Smart Lists Targeting your communication to specific recipients makes a greater impact, and Smart Lists is a feature that allows you to do exactly that. Segment your contact list using data, such as member levels, and tailor your message to that audience. If, for example, you want to send an email to those who didn’t RSVP to an event, you could use Smart Lists to filter those contacts for you. Then craft a message to those recipients reiterating the value of attending your event. Copy an event Have you ever created an event page you liked so much that you wished you could make a copy of it and use it as a template? Voila! Your wish is our command! This is an easy way to copy and rehost without the setup time. Member cards We don’t think printing out membership cards should be a pain in the derriere. (That’s French, for ass.) Admins can now take advantage of our Avery standard business card size – easy for printing on perforated cardstock. Your members can view their cards by logging in to memberplanet on desktop or mobile app. And once it’s viewed on the mobile app, it’s stored for offline viewing thereafter. Record event RSVP Admins can now record an event RSVP on behalf of someone – particularly useful if you’re recording offline payments on-site to a ticketed event. They can add to the RSVP list for other attendees to view, or keep impeccable records without the need for guests to RSVP themselves. URL shortener Any time you create a form (such as a survey) or event, you can now use our built-in URL shortener if the amount of characters is a concern when sharing the link. No need to venture outside of platform for this! Drag-and-drop image uploader You can now drag and drop images using our image uploader for emails, events, donation sites, forms and photo albums. Sexy, isn’t it? Terms of use Chances are, this wasn’t on anyone’s wish list, but we want to inform you that we’ve updated our legalese. Don’t worry – we’ve written it with non-techies in mind, so if you got through this blog, you’ll most likely understand the language we put forth regarding use of our services. We’re always looking for ways to simplify your life and make member management as easy peasy as possible. So you can approach admin tasks like this: And NOT like this: What else we can do to help simplify your life? Email us and let us know at info@memberplanet.com.
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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.
5 Ways Member Management Software can Transform your Homeowner’s Association Communications11/7/2016 Improve HOA communications with a single management solution Managing a Homeowner’s Association (HOA)’s communication can be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. In today’s technology-driven economy, if you’re not using the Internet to manage communications, you’re not working efficiently. You might employ one or more single-feature tools like Gmail, EventBrite, Survey Monkey, or Constant Contact, and therefore understand that while these tools are useful, they are not made to work together and do not provide member engagement. However, with management software like memberplanet, designed specifically to help organizations such as HOAs, you can simplify life by having all the tools you need in one place. 1. Collect online payments With memberplanet’s HOA solution, you have the ability to send out an HOA payment form in an email or website link. All members will need to do is click on the link and pay online–from any device. What’s more, members have the option to create recurring payment for dues if there are monthly fees. This way, your members don’t have to worry about paying on time because it’s automatically done for them. 2. Communicate with members Send out monthly or bi-weekly email newsletters letting your affiliates know what’s going on with the association, when the next meeting is, and when their HOA fees are due. With memberplanet’s email campaign capabilities, you can see who opened the email, opened the link, and which emails bounced. 3. Get member feedback with surveys Get more in tune with your member’s needs and concerns through online surveys. Easy drag and drop creation features enables you to have a survey sent out in minutes and start receiving instant feedback from your members. 4. Give members access to one another With memberplanet’s interactive directory, affiliates can log on to search and contact one another directly via email or social media. Members have complete control over what information is shared and direct emails are always kept secure. By providing simple access to this information, HOA's encourage members to communicate with one another and provide value. 5. Communicate events and spread the word Boost the participation of your community events with memberplanet’s easy event sites. Send email invitations, allow members to register, manage RSVPs, and utilize social sharing capabilities to encourage your followers to help get the word out. You can customize your event page with photos, videos, and other interactive features. memberplanet was created with the purpose of making life easier for group leaders. Our team has created all the tools you need to communicate with your members across all mediums. Most importantly, memberplanet allows you to conduct all your business needs in a single, trusted, and secure environment. That’s why Capterra named us one of the top HOA software products. To learn more, schedule a call with us today!
Drastically improve member communications with proper management Do you use several management tools to keep up with your team and operations? Do you often feel so disconnected with the endless information that you’re forced to use spreadsheets to keep everything organized? Managing your current members while attempting to expand your group is hard work, but we are here to help! At memberplanet, we streamline your communications and reduce stress and disorganization in several ways. Keep membership data in one place The primary purpose of our technology is to improve correspondence and relationships between administrators and their affiliates. With our platform, you can create a user-friendly directory with custom fields that grant you the ability to easily search, sort, and upload files accessible to all. This will help the management team collect data on their associates, including those up for renewal, while providing everyone involved with a network base. Individuals can view each other’s profile pages and contact information. This increases rapport between members, enforcing their loyalty to the organization for an extended period of time. Improved user access The modern-day employee prioritizes flexibility above all else, what with the endless amount of information that technology places at our fingertips. Thus, hosted services are the golden ticket to retaining and growing your membership base. With memberplanet, users can receive automatic emails when they’re up for renewal and pay their dues on branded payment forms from anywhere, on any device, with flexible payment options. If users want to know about upcoming events or have questions, they can visit their group page to find everything they’re looking for. Event marketing Our software provides a complete event solution that allows you to easily create and post information straight to your website, including online and mobile registration. This information can also be marketed to your members through email campaigns with access to social sharing. Group text messaging Getting your message across to your affiliates can be quite confusing through excessively long email chains. But with our broadcast app, you can deliver anything from time-sensitive information to fun photos of events – directly to your group members’ phones with just a few clicks. Survey your audience When you use our member management technology, collecting data becomes easier than ever.
At memberplanet, we aim to streamline your communication by providing all of the resources that your group needs in one spot. Say goodbye to multiple spreadsheets and hello to user-friendly and real-time data and communications. Create your group for free and get started today! The Real Difference Between Membership Management Software and Association Management Software10/17/2016 Learn how to decipher which management solutions are best for you You know you need software for your organization, but you’re not sure which kind. Research leads you to options for Membership Management Software and Association Management Software (AMS), but you can’t make out the difference between the two. You are not alone. Software that is used to track membership tends to fall into one of those two categories and, to make things more confusing, there’s no clear distinctions for either. However, based on the size of your company and the features you’re looking for, one of the two will clearly suit you better. Association Management Software (AMS) An AMS has similar features to membership management software, like event and website management, but can also offer additional features such as targeted marketing campaigns, certification management, publication management, and awards management. These features are more involved and make the software more expensive than membership management software. Because AMS is more robust, depending on the package you choose, it can cost up to a few thousand dollars per month. AMS can also serve groups in very specific ways. For example, a housing builder’s trade association can utilize an AMS to provide services to members that includes accreditation, conferences, and group insurance rates. These needs would require a more tailored system than membership management systems. Membership Management Software Membership management software is typically used by social or shared-interest groups as well as small organizations that don’t need enterprise features that an AMS offers. Rather, member management software is good for those who simply need a central space to organize, manage members, and improve communications. From a cost perspective, membership management software is much more cost effective. Cost is primarily driven by the amount of members and member profiles, rather than specific features. For AMS, cost drivers can also include gross annual budget, number of events, and whether they offer certain subscriptions or products. The organizations that would be better suited for member management software are those that use membership as a fundraising strategy to help achieve larger goals rather than for serving members. For example, booster clubs raise money through membership drives but you don’t have to be a member to participate. This type of organization might need a membership management system to track member dues and renewal dates, as well as be fully equipped with fundraising capabilities, but don’t necessarily need sophisticated functionality to track member benefits or awards. Which system do I need? Before making a decision between the two types of software, you’ll want to carefully define your membership processes and ensure you’re getting the best system (and features) for your budget. Ask yourself questions including:
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. How to grow your business practice through improving communications The business world is an interesting place in the 21st century—given the technologically driven economy we now live in. Our population is more transient, our pace is faster, our attention spans shorter, and our expectations higher for receiving information instantaneously. A successful business is also very much about people. To best serve your clientele, your practice should develop ways to communicate effectively with your team members, clients, and community. The goal of effective communication is to empower your employees with the information they need. With memberplanet, you can now achieve this, all in one spot. 1. Create a mobile office calendar
2. Make online payment forms
3. Continue managing relationships with email newsletters
4. Use group text messaging for appointment reminders
5. Gather contact information online
6. Create a website for your practice
If you’re looking to grow your business and build a loyal customer base, look no further than memberplanet. We provide a one-stop shop for connecting with your clients and give them the opportunity to share their experiences with your community online. If you haven’t created your group already, get started today!
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. Social media engagement is an essential tool to attract new members Like most associations and nonprofits, you’ve likely either been utilizing social media to grow your membership or you are about to make the transition. If you want to effectively spread the word about your group, you’ll need to do it strategically. Using social media to blast out your organization’s name can sometimes be perceived as a walking advertisement rather than a source for interesting and relatable content. The following four strategies can help do it right – using social media to really grow your membership base: 1. Connect with other industry professionals In order to be viewed as a credible source of information in your industry, you should connect with like-minded professionals in the same sphere. On social media, most other associations and nonprofits are not competition, but prospective followers to engage with. Developing relationships like these can be helpful for cross-promotion and expanding who sees your content. Social media is a very reciprocal medium – when you promote or comment on another organization’s content, they will typically do the same. Use these connections as a resource to find individuals who share your values. Look at whom other groups are following (and vice versa) to expand your prospective membership base. 2. Encourage engagement If you really want to spread the word about your organization, you’ll need to inspire your current supporters to share your posts beyond the follower base. When you make a post about something that you want to go viral, email your members to tell them about it, with sharing buttons embedded within the email that make it easy for them to promote the post in their own networks. 3. Google loves social Social media channels rank high on search engines. This means that having an active Facebook or Twitter page can help new members find your organization online, even by accident, as they are conducting searches. When posting on social media, try to boost your Search Engine Optimization with SEO-friendly verbiage and news articles that improve your ranking on search engines – this makes it drastically easier for web users to encounter your organization and become new members. 4. Provide value in your space Use tools such as SocialMention to monitor mentions on industry or community topics that relate to your group and highlight those that you can participate in. When you come across an interesting exchange, join the discussion. Don’t use these interactions as a way to pitch membership – instead bring value to the conversation. Share helpful information, like links to related data. Remember, you are not trying to sell memberships, you are trying to develop relationships, provide value, and create awareness about your organization. As you do so, the memberships will come naturally. The name of the medium says it all Social media is about just that – being social. While you may have hopes of quickly growing your base through being active on social platforms, you will not get there by simply advertising your membership. Instead, give people a reason to want to learn more. Provide valuable, credible, and entertaining content and feedback. Highlight your members and your events. Show prospects who you are without asking for anything in return. And most importantly, make it easy for your current members to support your efforts. memberplanet’s purpose is to make life simplified for you and your group. Our platform eases the job of adding social media channels and gives you sharing capabilities on all pieces of marketing in order to expand your networks. For more optimization tips, read our blog on how to make this powerful tool work for your organization.
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.
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