Your data is unique and extremely valuable to your organization. Your association management software should contain everything you need to manage your members and their employees: contact information, related employees, invoicing, transaction and contact history, committees, email & communications tools, reporting and much more. Truly innovative membership management software will improve operational efficiencies, help you deliver more value to your members and provide key member intelligence to help you manage your organization. Yet, with an asset so crucial to their organization's success, many business associations and chambers of commerce make mistakes that directly impact the usefulness of their membership database, and - ultimately - the success of their organization. During this recorded webinar, hosted on Thursday, October 31, 2013, we explain how these mistakes can impact your organization, and how to avoid them. Topics covered include: The most common mistakes. Know what the most common mistakes are - and how you can avoid them. The value of your database. Your database is your organization's biggest asset. We'll show you all of the valuable information you should be storing and tracking within your database. Time and money saving tips. Many of the biggest mistakes also create inefficiencies. Learn how to avoid costly and time-wasting processes.

1. 5 Mistakes
That Haunt
Associations
When Using Their
Membership Database
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

2. Session Agenda
• 5 Mistakes
• Examples
• Solutions
• Bonus Mistakes
• Get a Copy of the
Presentation
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

3. About Me
• Curt Moss, Senior
Product Marketing
Manager @ WebLink
• 12 years at memberbased orgs
– Las Vegas Chamber of
Commerce
– Chapter of National Safety
Council
• 7 years @ WebLink
linkedin.com/in/curtmoss
linkedin.com/company/weblink-international
– Faculty for W.A.C.E.
– Present at association and
chamber conferences
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

4. About WebLink
• SaaS Company (Software as a Service), Leading Software
Provider to Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations
• Established in 1996, 60 Employees, based in Indianapolis, IN
• 94% Customer Retention Rate
• Based in Indianapolis, Indiana
• 94% Customer Retention Rate
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

5. About WebLink
• Membership
Management Software
• Website Design &
Development
• Non-Dues Revenue
Programs
• Partner in Your Success
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

6. 5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

7. WebLink Websites
• Responsive website
design
• Automatically adjusts
for any screen
• Fully integrated
database & website
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

8. About WebLink
• iPad app for mobile
commerce
• Integrated credit card
reader
• New member sales
• Event registrations
• Pay open invoices
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

9. WebLink Blog
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

10. Our next webinar:
November 21, 1:00 pm EST
6 Ways to Produce
Content that
Members Value
weblinkinternational.com/content
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

11. Do you use association management software to
manage your organization?
We use a
custom solution
built for our
organization
27%
We use
something like
Excel or Access
to manage our
members
13%
I'm not
sure
8%
We use an out
of the box
solution with
some
customization
44%
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
We use a
completely out
of the box
solution
8%
© WebLink International

12. How many paid staff members
does your organization have?
26-49
7%
50+
5%
11-25
18%
1-3
36%
4-10
34%
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

13. Is your database integrated with your website, events,
finances, and email communications?
Yes, our
database is
completely
integrated.
25%
No, we use
separate
systems to
manage our
organization.
29%
Our database is
somewhat
integrated.
46%
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

14. Your association database is the single most
important asset your organization owns.
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

15. Most Associations Don’t…
• Hold Patents
• Manufacture Products
• Create Proprietary
Information
• Conduct Extensive
Research
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

16. The collection of data in your
membership database IS a propriety asset.
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

17. Your membership software contains…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Contact information
Employees
Billings, invoices
Contact history
Committees
Reporting
Much more…
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

18. Your data is crucial to your
organization’s success.
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

19. 5 Mistakes
That Haunt
Associations
When Using Their
Membership Database
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

20. Mistake #1: Secret lists

21. Mistake #1: Secret lists
• Excel files used as a
management tool
• Notes outside your
system
• Board members,
committees
• Members who want X
or are interested in Y
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

22. How secret lists will haunt you
• Two (or more) systems
to update
• Out of sync, errors
• Sharing list is hard
• Multiple versions of
documents
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

23. The solution
• Membership
management software
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Tags
Groups
Codes
Custom Fields
Related Profiles
Relation types
Segmentation
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

24. Mistake #2:
No database-website integration

25. Mistake #2:
No database-website integration
• Manually update
directories, events, lists
• Send to vendor to
update “ASAP”
• Online event
registration is not
seamless
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

26. How a lack of database-website
integration will haunt you
•
•
•
•
•
Out of date information
Errors
Unhappy members
Additional work
Less time focusing on
driving value for
members
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

27. The Solution
• Full integration
• Instant updates for
member listings
• New members get
exposure & benefits
immediately
• Update once, reflect in
many places
• Staff is happy, members
are happy
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

28. Mistake #3:
Not having all the staff use it

29. Mistake #3:
Not having all the staff use it
• Staff doesn’t have
access
• Refuse to use
• Can’t get to info
• Can’t create info
• Non-users ask others
for info
• Time-waster
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

30. How only having some staff use
your system will haunt you
• Team can’t move
towards same goal
• Can’t share information
effectively
• Additional work for
users
• Inefficient
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

31. The Solution
• Everyone has a login
• Everyone is trained
• Get the information
they need
• Give information others
need
• Find ways to use it
MORE
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

32. Mistake #4: Sharing logins

33. Mistake #4: Sharing logins
• Generic logins
– Admin
– Marketing
– Intern
• Share another user’s
login
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

34. How sharing logins will haunt you
• No audit trails of who
changed data and when
• Can’t gauge which staff
needs more training
• Can’t collaborate
effectively
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

35. The Solution
•
•
•
•
Unique logins
User roles
Training
Management
commitment to use the
system to deliver value
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

36. Mistake #5:
No documented data entry policies

37. Mistake #5:
No documented data entry policies
•
•
•
•
•
•
Addresses
Abbreviations
System Code
Nomenclature
Notes fields vs. choices
Procedures
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

38. How a lack of data entry procedures
will haunt you
•
•
•
•
•
Hard to report on
Errors
Inconsistent data entry
Additional work
Can’t manage
effectively
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

39. The Solution
•
•
•
•
•
Document processes
Collaborate
“Desk notes”
Job shadowing
Cross-training
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

40. Bonus Mistake #1:
Not Recording Conversations
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

41. Bonus Mistake #1:
Not Recording Conversations
• Copies of emails sent to
members
• Notes about
conversations
• Agreements or
disagreements
• Issues/resolutions
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

42. How not recording conversations
will haunt you
• He said, she said
• Finger pointing
• Reflects poorly on your
organization
• Impossible to share
information needed
• Historical data will not
exist
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

43. The Solution
• Membership
management
software/CRM
• Easily record emails,
calls, discussions
• Track by type of
contact, by user, date
• Reporting & visibility
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

44. Bonus Tip - Use your AMS to store
members’ profile data
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

45. Bonus Tip – For your members
Add members’ social media links on their listing
on your website. Connect them with potential
customers.
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

46. WebLink Connect
• List & group
management
• Fully integrated
database & website
• Audit trails for unique
logins
• Record & report on
documented
conversations
• Advisory services for
process improvement
and documentation
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

47. WebLink Recap: An Integrated Solution
• ONE web-based
centralized database
• Prospects, members,
non-members and all
reps in same system
• Financials, events,
email, committees,
website, reporting
Financial
System
Prospects
Website
Central
DB
Email
Marketing
Events
Members
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

48. Association & Chamber Websites
• 500+ client websites
• WebLink Local business
directory drives 67%
increase in traffic from
organic searches
• Adds value for members
• Non-dues revenue
• Responsive website
design
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

49. iPad App for Mobile Commerce
• Sell memberships
• Event registrations
• Integrated credit card
reader
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

50. 3 Questions
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

51. Webinar Recap
• We will email copy of
presentation to
attendees
• Link to video recording
of webinar
• Please let us know if
you have any questions
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

52. Happy
Halloween!
5 Mistakes That Haunt Associations When Using Their Membership Database
© WebLink International

53. Curt Moss
Senior Product Marketing Manager
curt.moss@weblinkinternational.com
WebLink International
3905 W. Vincennes Road, Suite 210 Indianapolis, IN 46268
P 317-872-3909 | 1-877-231-4970 | F 317-872-3929
www.weblinkinternational.com