MARKETING 101: MEMBER RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

1. MARKETING 101: MEMBER RECRUITMENT & RETENTION Alumni Leadership Connection June 11, 2011

2. GOALS FORTODAY

3. Session Overview • Membership Philosophy and Approach • Membership Today • The Decision to Join • The Basics • 10 Steps to Growing Your Program • Idea Exchange/Q&A

4. Philosophy and approach

5. Membership Defined mem·ber·ship, n. • A group of individuals who come together to support a common cause • Membership should support the enduring values of your organization and the promise of your experience • Access is easy … but membership is complex, diverse, and ever-changing Membership = Engaged Communities

6. MEMBERSHIP TODAY

7. Key Trends Impacting Groups • Members are in-charge • More splintering and blurring of loyalty • Convenienceand ease are all-important • Members are more self-directed • Members are more critical, seeking guarantees • Changingworkforce dynamics, demographic , andconsumption habits • Time is currency

8. Today’s Media Landscape

9. Approach to Membership Development • Membership development is a continuous process of testing new ideas and adjusting the variables that affect response and improve ROI • Monitor performance of segments, lists, media, offers, creative, message • Analyze membership data to unlock opportunities • Research to uncover trends • Apply learning and gained knowledge • Results through innovation • Drive high-quality membership through strategic, integratedmarketing campaigns

10. WHY JOIN Why Join

11. The Decision to Join “Membership” should answer four key questions • Why should I join? • What do I get? • What do you do with the money? • Why should I stay?

12. The basics

13. Key Considerations

14. Before You Begin • Membership is a process—not an event • Single appeals are no longer enough • Tactics/channels cannot operate in a vacuum • Cultivation and involvement are key • Not every communication is about asking for money • Great programs provides a continuous outlet for individuals to support your organization or cause • Builds rewarding relationships • Allows you to communicate with lots of people over time

15. Features of Great Membership Marketing • Strategic • Orientation has shifted from siloed to integrated • Integrated • Across multiple channels • Within an organization • Throughout the member experience • Specific and focused • Measurable • Scalable • Results-driven • Data driven • Should generate a response • Both data-generating and data-collecting • Frequent and Consistent

16. Engagement Channels Events Email Publications Welcome Kits Direct Mail Website Member Calls Social Media

17. Factors Influencing Response • Who are your best members today? • How did they find you? • What are they doing for you? • Who do they know? • What do you give them? • Why do you need more? Impact: A data driven approach can increase results by 10-30% and allow your organization to minimize risk and optimize investment

18. 10 Steps to GROWING YOUR MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM

19. Organizational Checklist • Take stock in your organization • Know your audience • Set goals • Start small • Create a plan • Make membership relevant • Be a broken record • Provide access and choice • Engage the right people • Rinse and repeat

20. 1. Take Stock in Your Organization • Understand business priorities • Internal review of marketing activities, results, and data assets • External review of best practices across multiple verticals • Illustrate concepts and financial impact of decisions • Make short-term and long-term recommendations

21. 2. Know Your Audience • Who are your best members today? • How did they find you? • What are they doing for you? • Who do they know? • What do you give them? • Why do you need more? Impact: A data driven approach can increase results by 10-30% and allow your organization to minimize risk and optimize investment

22. 3. Set Goals Net Growth

23. 4. Start Small

24. 5. Create a Plan

25. Sample Plan • Project Name • Date of the effort • Audience or segment • Effort name • Channel(s) or media used • Quantity • Project costs • Response • Members • Revenue • Net

26. 6. Make Membership Relevant Impact: Personalized communications can increase results by as much as 25% versus non-personalized communications

27. 7. Be a Broken Record Announcement/Launch Reminder Reminder Last Chance Impact: Frequency and consistent communications have a multiplier effect on overall results

28. 8. Provide Access and Choice Impact: Multi-channel contact yields better results – adding a response channel can improve overall response by 20%- 30%

29. “Other” Choices • Channels • Mail • Email • Phone • Social Response Mechanisms • Online • BRE • Events • In Person • Length of • Membership • Partial • Annual • Multi-Year • Life • Messages • Benefit-driven • Mission-driven • Peer-driven • Industry-driven • Billing & • Payment • Auto renew • Bill Me • Installments • ACH/EFT • Member • Types • Free • Basic • Enhanced • Discounted

30. 9. Engage the Right People • Motivate them with “why” membership is important • Help them understand the organization’s story • Help them get in touch with their own story of how membership has influenced their life and success • Tell them “how” they can be involved • Focus on the strengths of your volunteers • Help them establish a plan of “what” to do • Create a written plan of action • Set specific goals

31. 10. Rinse and repeat

32. The Real #10 …. Ask for help

33. Remember…. Retention Acquisition Best Practices Programmatic programs(e.g. annual membership drive) Member-get-a-member Event-based recruitment Incentives/premiums • Offer renewals early and often • Try more efforts • Renew in unexpected places/media • Segment renewals to match acquisition strategies  • Tell a story and use specifics • Ask early, ask often • Test, test, test • Frequency = success • Use multiple channels Best Practices • Personalize (e.g. handwritten note) • Call lapsed members • Put it in an envelope • Renewal incentive • Multi‐yearrenewals

34. Final Thoughts • Great membership programs are strategic, integrated, focused, data driven, and measurable • Communicate with people when they want, how often they want, and in the manner that they are most comfortable • Datacontributes to the ongoing dialog with members and provides a foundation for greater interaction

35. Final Thoughts • Identify characteristics of your best members and use that to find new members and markets not reached • Engagement is not joining, so get members involved on Day 1 • Start slow, but don’t be afraid to challenge convention

36. Questions

37. Ideas to grow membership

38. Idea Exchange • Research • Conduct annual brief survey • Programming • Develop programming and events based on members’ input • Segment or create new programming to attract specific segments and retain current members (family, young, career networking) • Communications • Welcome e-mail to new members • Welcome phone call with follow up information by email • Announcement of new members at next chapter meeting • New member webcast or online chat • Send link to recorded welcome video from Chapter President

39. Joe Fiochetta Penn State Alumni Association 814-863-2307 jtf11@psu.edu THANK YOU

40. Membership is…. … a way to stay connected to Penn State and show your Penn State Pride … an investmentin Penn State, the community … a votefor the enduring value of a Penn Stateeducation … a way to preservethe past and ensureavibrant future … another way to give back to and supportthe University