Membership Recruitment and Retention PowerPoint

Recruiting and Retaining Members Southeast Region Leadership Meeting July 2004

Why do you join an association?

What’s the VALUE ??
Save organization money
Current information for decision-making
Maximize impact of RIM
Make an impact through information and education!

What are the key issues for RIM professionals?

The impact of technology is driving the RIM industry today, including conversion to electronic records; data retention, storage and recovery; and software implementation. Despite the demands of technological innovation, many employers don’t provide enough support to records management. MOST CRITICAL ISSUES Q12. What are the one or two most critical issues you face in your position today with respect to records and information management? NET ERM 28% Electronic records management 18% Converting from paper to electronic information 5% Electronic records control/ Controlling electronic information 5% Time to input data in electronic management systems 1% NET SUPPORT FOR RIM 26% Lack of support for records management 10% Gaining respect/recognition for profession 8% Financial resources/funding/ Time budgets 7% Employer buy-in 2% Personal development 1% NET RETENTION, STORAGE, RECOVERY 15% Retention scheduling 9% Records/information storage 5% Disaster recovery/ Emergency preparedness 3% Movement of information 1% NET SOFTWARE, OTHER TECH. 10% Implementation of new programs/software/technology 4% Emerging technologies 4% Effective records management software 2% NET EFFICIENCY/TIMELINESS 7% NET INDUSTRY STANDARDS 6% NET GOV'T REGULATIONS 3% NET OTHER 23%

INTEREST IN EDUCATION Members show the most interest in technology and its risks, including ERM, information protection and legal issues. Industry standards and legislation also draw strong, widespread interest. Q21-28. Please indicate your level of interest in pursuing ARMA educational offerings in each of the following topics as either high, moderate or low interest. (Continued)

PREFERRED CHANNELS Most members like to receive education at local seminars; online courses and seminars are also gaining widespread acceptance. Thus, localized and Internet distribution top the agenda for supplementing education at the annual conference. Q30. What are your preferred delivery method(s) for future educational sessions? 68% in Canada, 82% International 53% International

Keys to effective membership recruitment

Keys to effective recruitment
Personalize the message
Customize the approach
Empathize with the prospect

Understanding your audience
What’s their work situation?
What professional challenges do they face?
What knowledge or education do they need?
How has ARMA helped you in those areas?

Understanding your audience
Prospects want to know if you know who they are and what they face every day. – This is how you personalize .
Prospects need to know that ARMA knows what they do for a living. This is customizing
Prospects must believe that ARMA can help them do their job more effectively. This is how we empathize .

Know ARMA’s programs
Bi-monthly journal
Books, videos
Online seminars
Chapter seminars
Annual conference
Web-based resources
Standards
Leg/Reg info

The membership recruitment and retention plan

Have a plan
Membership function - is to try to recruit and retain as many members as possible.
Membership goals and the strategies used to accomplish them should be part of a structured plan of action.
Think of all points of entry and ways to reach prospects
Reach outside the box to gain members

Member Recruitment Plans
Goals / Objectives / Assumptions
Measurement criteria
Implementation strategies
Budget
Evaluate / Re-tool
Celebrate accomplishments!

The membership recruitment and retention plan
Lessons Learned:
The membership plan will help keep your membership efforts focused.
A well thought out plan will help limited resources to be used in the most productive way.
Plus it helps define success and gets the board and members committed to accomplishing the objectives and being successful as a team.

The membership plan: Evaluate / Re-tool / Celebrate
WWW / WNI
Improve the program
Keep at it!
Recognize the work of all involved

Membership
Prospects
Referrals
New Members
Reinstatements
Retention

Prospects

How do we get people to stay?
Listen to / meet expectations
Introduce them to others
Engage them in meaningful activity
Based on their needs
Based on their skills
Achievable, non-threatening
Give recognition for contributions

Recruitment Tips: Greater Columbus Chapter
Add a personal touch
Welcome members and guests upon arrival
Introduce members to members / guests
Ensure no one feels excluded
Develop a camaraderie of fellowship
Entice members and guests to come back
Follow-up / Follow-up / Follow-up !

Prospects
Tailor your message to your audience -
A good message aimed at the wrong audience is about as effective as giving a great speech to an audience that doesn’t speak your language.

Physical vs. virtual participation: Both have value!
Chapter meetings
Chapter seminars
Annual Conference
Information Management Journal
Chapter newsletters
Online resources
Leg/reg updates
Books

Referrals

Referrals
Referrals are nonmembers who participate in the organization’s programs, unsolicited inquiries, former members, and purchased lists.
Can be brought to the chapter through your members

Referrals
How to have a referral program through your chapter members-
send a referral card to members and asking them to send back the names of prospective members
Articles in chapter newsletter with a reply card or a phone number to call for more information,
Have referral forms available meetings

Reinstatements

Reinstatements
Reinstatements are former members
ARMA provides this list to the chapters in the Chapter Connection
We can’t approach former members the same way we do first time prospects.
First, know when and why they left.

Reinstatements
Your message is “what’s new?” Tell them what has happened since they left the organization that makes it meaningful to them to join again right now.
Make it clear that you know that they use to be members and that there is a reason for them to come back at this particular time.

Membership retention Four Step Plan

Membership Retention
What we know:
It costs more to get a new member
First and second year members are less likely to renew – if they initially do not see the value

Four step program for retention
Step One – Focus on new members
Try to identify why they are joining - reinforce those benefits
Establish a system of new member orientation
Allow new members to attend their first meeting free…

Step two: Try to get everyone involved in an activity
individuals and companies involved are less likely to drop out - they get more of a return on their investment
Not necessarily a leadership position - it can be participation in activities
Track their involvement

Step three: Give Some Form of Recognition to those Who Do Get Involved
Every time someone gets involved on all levels, including programs and meetings, someone needs to say “thank you”

Step four: Develop an Effective Renewal Invoicing Process
ARMA makes six contacts with the member before marking their record inactive. One of the six contacts is a telephone call and another is a hard copy invoice in the mail.

Overcoming objections

Overcoming objections effectively is a skill that all of us need to master if we are going to really maximize our membership efforts.
The most important thing when overcoming objections is to listen carefully before responding.
It is natural for recruiters to become defensive when someone presents their objection.

Overcoming Objections
There is one technique that can be used to overcome virtually any objection
Feel-Felt-Found method

Feel-Felt-Found
When prospects say that they think the membership is too expensive or that they don’t have time to participate, the person asking them too join simply says:
“ I know how you feel , I felt the same way myself, but I found that membership really was a great investment”
* 83

Communications and Outreach

Communications
Letters -
Personalize all letters including earned designations
Match the level of formality with the level of who is receiving the letter with the level of who is sending the letter.
Determine if it is appropriate to use first or last names. Depends on the culture of the organization.

Telemarketing

Telemarketing
Volunteers placing membership calls is better than HQ staff or a telemarketer
Can be more effective than direct mail because of the direct interaction
Must start with a list of good, qualified prospects
Have an effective script...

Telemarketing
Other uses of telemarketing
follow up tool with a mailing
can be used as invitations to meetings
to gain valuable information if the prospect does not join.
Should not be perceived as a hard-sell technique

Media
Public Service Announcements (PSAs) promote services of general interest to a wide audience of viewers or listeners
Shred day or How to organize your personal files and records
Short lengths of air time radio, T.V. and newspaper
Call public affairs at station – or editor of paper
*

Media
Remember that your message has to be brief and to the point.
Give the listener an address to write or a number to call for more information
Or provide Web site for more information.

Newspaper

Newspaper
Write letters to the editor
Send chapter events to the business journal calendar of events
Write articles - think about who is reading it and how/who it impacts on a business level.
Focus on the discipline of the profession as an important part of doing business

Newspaper
Send press releases before and after an event
After the event - focus on what was done, the benefits and results
Needs to be for a good cause such as improvement of some sort.
Invite the media out but have someone who can talk about it.

Radio
Don’t forget about Radio - send releases to the Public Affairs Director
“Look at it as the good side of business”, it’s not about ARMA and who we are, it’s about the ability to compete or serve in community business at its best.
Don’t sell your name, sell the message

Trade show and information booths

Trade shows and information booths
Most industry associations, chambers of commerce and professional societies have several opportunities throughout the year.
Booths can help you qualify your prospects, listen and talk to them.
Make notes on business cards that you collect and follow up with a personalized letter or call...

An expensive display is not needed
samples of every promotional piece - applications, magazines, newsletters
have a back drop or banner indicating who we are.
Send an advanced mailing to their prospective attendee list to encourage people to come by the booth...

Order promotional materials and chapter display from ARMA HQ
Forms are in the Chapter Connection
Reserve booth at least four weeks in advance
Materials allow 10 days

Faxing

Faxing
Has some appeal because it is more important than mailing.
New rule – don’t fax to anyone that is not affiliated with you. Give them a way to opt out of receiving another fax.
Develop a piece specifically for fax machines, no photos or colors, easy to respond and easy to read

Member get a member campaign

Member-get-a-member
The American Society of Association Executives found in a study that member-to-member recruiting was found to be the most effective way of getting people to join organizations...

Member-get-a-member
Train volunteer recruiters how to recruit:
The goal is not to make sales people out of them but simply to give them confidence to recruit.
Educate them in a professional way on reasons to join
Group training works best
Talk about challenges they are going to face and how they can overcome the challenges...

Membership campaigns
Identify a volunteer leader as a head of the campaign because it gives added credibility asking for support from others
Adequately plan all activities surrounding the campaign and set a time frame for the campaign
Have clearly defined goals and objectives - challenging yet achievable

Members will make many contacts with people who do not join - have a follow-up system that enables someone to call on these prospects again
If the member joins after the follow up they should be counted as part of the campaign

Wrap Up
Features vs. benefits
Keys for recruiting
Have a plan
Prospects, referrals, new members, reinstatements and renewals
Communications and Outreach

Member Services
Anita Willis
Director of Member Services
ARMA International
[email_address]
888-299-4319

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