MEMBERPLANET BLOG
  • Log in
  • Sign up
  • Blog
  • Categories
    • Emailing
    • Event Planning
    • Fundraising
    • Leadership
    • Member Management
    • Mobile
    • New Features
    • Pro Tips
    • Reporting
    • Social Media

The Issue With Your Synagogue Membership Might Not Be Membership Dues, But Valuable Membership.

7/18/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
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.
Click Here to Get Started
Picture
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Emailing
    Event Planning
    Fundraising
    Leadership
    Member Management
    Mobile
    New Features
    Officer Transition
    Pro Tips
    PTA Simplified
    Reporting
    Social Media

Who we serve
Associations
Nonprofits
Fraternal Organizations
Schools
Educational Foundations
Booster Clubs
Military
Faith-based
Homeowners Association
Political Campaigns
PTAs
Fraternal Undergrads
Fraternity Alumni
Sorority Undergrads
Sorority Alumnae
Fraternal Orders
Music Schools
Features
Overview
Membership Management
Events
Fundraising
Communication
Online Payments
Websites
Mobile App
Invoices
Group Text Messaging







​Pricing
Subscription Plans & Pricing
Enterprise Pricing
Case Studies



Support
Support Center
888-298-8845
Email Us


Company
Blog
Download Our App
Picture
Picture
Legal
Terms of Service
Privacy Policy

Picture
© 2021 memberplanet, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Log in
  • Sign up
  • Blog
  • Categories
    • Emailing
    • Event Planning
    • Fundraising
    • Leadership
    • Member Management
    • Mobile
    • New Features
    • Pro Tips
    • Reporting
    • Social Media