Membership Strategies FSAE Annual Conference July 11 th , 2013 Discover the Treasures!

1. Membership StrategiesFSAE Annual ConferenceJuly 11th, 2013Discover the Treasures! Chuck Ewart, IOM, CCE The Ewart Group theewartgroup.com

2. Quick Membership Quiz • How many members do you have right now? • How many members did you have one year ago? • How much money is earmarked for membership recruitment in your budget?

3. Membership Quiz • How much money in your current budget is earmarked for retention? • What is your market penetration? • What was your retention rate last year? • What goal have you set for member retention this fiscal year?

4. Membership Quiz • What does it cost to recruit a new member? • What does it cost your organization to lose one member?

5. Membership Quiz • List your organizations three major competitors: 1. 2. 3.

6. The Membership Plan • Part of your annual Program of Work • Objectives (written) • Action Steps • Measurements • Who’s Responsible

7. Best Practices • New employee hire letter states that every staff member is responsible for recruitment of new members and retention of existing members. • Policy statements such “Membership is Everyone’s Responsibility” are widely understood and accepted, often published on business cards.

8. Best Practices • The CEO sets the tone. • A customer service culture is at work. • Employees “own” a problem until it is resolved. • All phone calls returned by day’s end. • All staff is empowered. • Laminated mission statements are carried by all employees.

9. Best Practices • Staff adheres to corporate design standards. • Every staff member has business relationship with customers. • All interns and temporary workers are thoroughly trained. • Every interaction with a member is recorded in the database.

10. Best Practices • Staff is trained by professionals in basic customer service techniques. • All staff share in incentives for reaching sales, retention, and service goals. • Customer service “employees of the month” receive recognition and cash awards. • Prizes are given for referrals, customer calls, etc.

11. Understanding the Member of the Future • Technology has changed everything. • Time is the new currency. • Few memberships will be institutionalized. • The definition of responsiveness has changed dramatically. • That which is considered unique will be valued. • X’ers & Millennia's think differently.

12. The Future • Competition will come from sources other than different membership organizations. • Organizations will need to move from being service providers to problem solvers. • Organizations will need to become more memorable to their various constituents. • All effective marketing takes time.

13. Strategic Membership Audit • Environmental Scan • How is the changing world affecting your member’s needs? • What business are you in? • Has your organization adapted to changing member needs?

14. Audit • Core Issues • What is your retention vision? • Are you recruitment or retention focused? • How do you ensure that your organization is recruiting for keeps and not for just one year? • What is the average lifetime value of a member?

15. Audit • Numbers, Trends, Issues • What changes do you expect will affect your organization over the next three years? • Who are your competitors? • As you analyze your retention rate over the last five years, what trends emerge? Can you explain the changes? • What key factors affect your retention rate?

16. Audit • Membership Satisfaction and Service • How does your chamber identify member expectations? • How do you gauge member satisfaction? • How do you deal with dissatisfied members? • Are staff and volunteers trained in customer satisfaction techniques? • How do you track complaints? Who responds?

17. Audit • Evaluating Products and Services • How well do you understand your members’ perceived value of the organization? • What programs and services do you currently offer? Do you have a complete listing? What is your process for developing new programs? • What is included in the base investment? • How have member needs changed? • Do you have a Golden Handcuff?

18. Audit • Research • What member information do you keep? How have you used this information to help meet member’s needs? • What kind of retention research have you conducted in the last year? • What are some of the key findings? • Do you conduct exit interviews? • How can you be more responsive to needs?

19. Audit • Communications • Evaluate how well your communications program does the following: • Identify needs • Establish contact • Inform • Respond • Involve members

20. Audit • Communications • Evaluate the effectiveness of your communication program regarding: • Timing • Frequency • Format (technology) • Audience / readership • Implementation

21. Audit • New and Second-Year Members • How does your chamber encourage recruiting for retention rather than for only one ear? • Do you track first-year retention rates based on how members were recruited? Which method is most effective for retention? • What is the retention rate of first-year members? How does this rate compare to the overall retention rate?

22. Audit • New and Second-Year Members • Describe your “high touch” activities aimed at first-year members. • How do you encourage your first year members to become active? • What are the top three reasons given by new members for joining? For dropping? • Why do second-year members retain their membership?

23. Audit • Structure • How recently have you evaluated the effectiveness of your volunteer structure? • Is the Board representative of the rank & file membership? If not, how do you obtain balanced feedback? • How does the CEO set the tone for retention? • Does your staff understand what business your members are in?

24. Audit • Structure • How effective is your volunteer membership task force? If you don’t have one, why not? • What training do you provide for staff and volunteers on customer service and retention techniques? • How are you addressing volunteer recruitment? • How do you recognize and thank volunteers?

25. Audit • Planning for retention • How do you integrate retention into strategic planning? operational planning? • How do you ensure that all staff and volunteer leaders understand the importance of retention to the future of the organization?

26. High Tech / High Touch • Customer Service programs must include “high touch”! Members want to be touched by the staff and Board. • Members want to receive articles that a staff person thought may be of interest. • Members want to be asked how their business is doing and if the organization can do anything to help them. • Members want to be told that their investment is important to the organization.

27. The Key… • Is getting “buy in” on the importance of retention and customer service from all the critical stakeholders… including the Board of Directors and Staff.

28. The Cost of Member Attrition • “Most businesses could double their profits if they could reduce their customer loss by just five percent.” - D. Peppers & M. Rogers

29. The Cost of Member Attrition • “For growth to occur, two new members must be recruited to replace one lost member. When a member is retained, growth then occurs with each new recruit.” • A. Sirkin & M. McDermott

30. Why Do Members Drop? • Little things count… Indifference can kill a member’s enthusiasm! Failure to send material as promised… Failure to return phone calls promptly… Failure to change a members information in the database… Failure to place a member on a requested committee.

31. Creative Techniques RETENTION • Board Involvement • Ambassadors • Customer Call Program • The “Buddy” System

32. “ROI” • Gone is the day when a business joins the association because it is the “community thing” to do… there must be a visible return on investment!

33. Why Should I Give You My $? • Name five reasons a business should join • Don’t write down single words • Write the reasons in sentence form

34. Features vs. Benefits • Businesses really don’t care what you do… they want to know what the value is to them! • What offers them a competitive advantage? • What are the benefits?

35. Creative Techniques NEW MEMBERS: Formal Invitation Membership Consultants Sustainable Resources Campaign Corporate Challenge Telemarketing Board & Staff

36. How to Make the Sale • FEEL, FELT, FOUND • THAT’S THE VERY REASON WAY! • THE LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEE

37. It’s All About Relationships • Rapport • 90% of the sales process is rapport • Mirror • Spoken Communication Process • 55% Body Language • 38% Tonality • 7% The Actual Words We Use

38. Listen • God gave us two ears and one mouth… that must have been done for a reason! • As a talker, we learn absolutely nothing… as a listener, we stand to learn a great deal!

39. The Sales Call • The Appointment • Your Attire • The Materials • The Membership Application • The Close

40. The Close • Direct Close • Simply ask for the order when the prospect gives a buying signal.

41. The Close • A Deal / Concession Close • Using this technique gives the prospect the feeling that they are making a smart choice (or saving money or getting more value). Use this technique with phrases like “join today and the Board has authorized me to waive the $25 registration fee”.

42. The Close • Trial Offer • Give your prospect the opportunity to sample programs and services. Offer a 90-day Money Back Guarantee.

43. The Invitation • Remember…most businesses do not join the organization because they have never been invited!

44. The 7 Sales Blunders • Allowing a prospect to lead the sales process. • Ask questions • Uncover specific issues / challenges

45. Sales Blunders • Not doing your research. • Talking too much. • Giving the prospect information that is irrelevant.

46. Sales Blunders • Not being prepared. • Neglecting to ask for the sale. • Failing to prospect.

47. Final Thought • Become member – friendly! • Make it easy… • To join • To pay • To get involved

48. Let International Speaker, Chuck Ewart Entertain & Motivate Your Audience!

49. Seize the Future! Chuck Ewart, IOM, CCE The Ewart Group (864) 582-0541 Office (864) 680-6977 Mobile theewartgroup.com Find us on Facebook / LinkedIn… and follow us on Twitter… @theewartgroup