TOP SOCIAL SOLUTIONS FOR ACQUIRING & RETAINING MEMBERS IN 2009

privately-held company; founded in 2005 ; hq in austin, texas single focus on “building successful & vibrant on line communities” social media veteran/pioneer 150+ enterprise customers small world labs buzz award winning technology including “best for” award from Inc. magazine featured in publications, including : WHO IS SMALL WORLD LABS?

privately-held company; founded in 2005 ; hq in austin, texas

single focus on “building successful & vibrant on line communities”

social media veteran/pioneer

150+ enterprise customers

small world labs buzz

award winning technology including “best for” award from Inc. magazine

featured in publications, including :

Tough times Reality: Economic conditions are impacting associations across the board, both in mission and in membership.

But the news isn’t all bad. Union membership is on the rise! Why?

But the news isn’t all bad. Union membership is on the rise! Why?

meet peers and expand personal network collaborate and communicate knowledge share social media creates an environment where your users can congregate to: WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?

meet peers and expand personal network

collaborate and communicate

knowledge share

Hmmm..sound familiar?

With social media Associations become… super connectors hub and catalysts for conversations fuel for outreach beyond the traditional boundaries

super connectors

hub and catalysts for conversations

fuel for outreach beyond the traditional boundaries

Decade of association experience Membership development marketing Chair of GWSAE’s Emerging Leaders Group Account strategist with Convio Worked with both small & large nonprofits President, Gravit8 Social Relationship Marketing Immersed in web solutions for over ten years…social media for last five years ABOUT CHRIS BAILEY

Decade of association experience

Membership development marketing

Chair of GWSAE’s Emerging Leaders Group

Account strategist with Convio

Worked with both small & large nonprofits

President, Gravit8 Social Relationship Marketing

Immersed in web solutions for over ten years…social media for last five years

Social Solution #1 Connections The Tale of the Diabolical Directory “ A classic tale of obsolescence…” One association missed a crucial member need due to their cherished directory How? They merely transferred their paper directory to an online format What happened?

Social Solution #1 Online Community The Big WHY? emphasizes the value of association The CHALLENGE Offering members the ability to: Easily connect with like-minded peers Long-term relationships that have value Utilizing talents within your membership

The Big WHY? emphasizes the value of association

The CHALLENGE

Offering members the ability to:

Easily connect with like-minded peers

Long-term relationships that have value

Utilizing talents within your membership

Share personal information Exchange contacts Highlight their own skills and expertise Online Communities allow your members to: The Value of Connections:

Share personal information

Exchange contacts

Highlight their own skills and expertise

community users remain customers 50% longer than non-community users. Source: AT&T, 2002

community users remain customers 50% longer than non-community users.

NEXT STEPS: Online Communities begin with the ‘end’ in mind… business goals drive community goals put together a business plan for the community grow your technology with the community as they request new features – helps build credibility and ties you into the community needs

begin with the ‘end’ in mind… business goals drive community goals

put together a business plan for the community

grow your technology with the community as they request new features – helps build credibility and ties you into the community needs

Social Solution #2 Conversations The Tale of the Alarming Loudspeaker “ A woeful tale of one-way communication…” One association’s consistent approach to keep doing what it’s always done How? A continuation of old practices like brochure website and outbound-focused publications What happened?

Social Solutions #2 People-Powered Communications The Big Why Promote more a deeper sense of efficacy amongst your members The Challenge Creating ways to encourage actual dialogue Member-to-Member Member-to-Association Member-to-Society

The Big Why

Promote more a deeper sense of efficacy amongst your members

The Challenge

Creating ways to encourage actual dialogue

Member-to-Member

Member-to-Association

Member-to-Society

Personalize value of their membership Collaborate with other members Share and collect business ideas Personally-powered communications that allow your members to Value of Connections:

Personalize value of their membership

Collaborate with other members

Share and collect business ideas

Online comments by users are second only to offline WOM in purchase influence Source: Rubicon Consulting, October 2008

Online comments by users are second only to offline WOM in purchase influence

NEXT STEPS: People Powered Communications Prep legal , executive team, and Board for the issues you’ll face like dissent, trolling, etc. Develop strategy for engaging in conversation Build structure to stay involved . That means identifying staff responsible for communications.

Prep legal , executive team, and Board for the issues you’ll face like dissent, trolling, etc.

Develop strategy for engaging in conversation

Build structure to stay

involved . That means identifying staff responsible for communications.

Social Solution #3 Outreach The Tale of the Abominable Advertisement “ A terrifying tale of mass media mayhem…” One association’s noble intention: to spread the word about the benefits of their profession How? Via billboards, nationally televised PSAs, a Got Milk -like ad campaign What happened?

Social Solution #3 Outreach The Big Why Social Networks are growing rapidly at the expense of broadcast and print The Challenge Generating awareness at a grassroots level Enabling members to actively recruit and advocate for you association

The Big Why

Social Networks are growing rapidly at the expense of broadcast and print

The Challenge

Generating awareness at a grassroots level

Enabling members to actively recruit and advocate for you association

Peer-to-peer communications Trusted reputation Existing external networks that leverage your members’: Value of Outreach:

Peer-to-peer communications

Trusted reputation

75% of online users 18-24 years old and 50% of 24-35 year olds online have joined a social network. Source: eMarketer, 2009

75% of online users 18-24 years old and 50% of 24-35 year olds online have joined a social network.

NEXT STEPS: Outreach Determine where your members already hang out online Build your presence, not just through posting content but through commenting Make it easy for your members to share content

Determine where your members already hang out online

Build your presence, not just through posting content but through commenting

Make it easy for your members to share content

Cultivate Structure Be Patient Experiment and Measure Some Final Keys

Cultivate Structure

Be Patient

Experiment and Measure

Sam Eder [email_address] @sameder Chris Bailey [email_address] @chris_bailey www.smallworldlabs.com Thank You! www.gravit8.com