This presentation discusses effective strategies for regional leaders to promote membership in their associations on a volunteer basis. It emphasizes that personal stories about the benefits of membership, such as networking opportunities, are more persuasive than features alone. Regional leaders may feel uncomfortable with sales but can focus on sharing how membership enriched their own experience in a fun, casual way. The goal is to help others become more aware of the value membership provides.

1. The Importance of Regional
Participation in Personal Selling Your
Association Membership and a Way to
Approach It
Or…
Selling Membership doesn’t mean
having to say “You’re Sorry”
Erik Schonher
Vice President
Marketing General Incorporated
(703) 706-0358
February 2013

2. 1
A Quick Note from Erik Schonher…
This presentation is an adaptation of one being made to a client’s regional
leadership. Mostly volunteer, these individual’s struggle with the
responsibility of “new member sales” for the association. As not all of
them are “out-going” by nature, this is obviously a challenge.
However, I hope that this presentation will help by showing how important
their personal experience is and that the process is really based upon
having a little fun and talking about something they feel has benefit to
them…their membership.

3. What is our goal..?
TO GROW MEMBERSHIP
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4. It’s a Process.
The Membership
Five Activities Lifecycle
Awareness
Recruitment
Engagement
Renewal
Reinstatement

5. What are the most effective recruitment marketing channels you have used? (Top
10 listed)
Word-of-mouth recommendations 58%
45%
Direct mail 40%
33%
Association website 35%
35%
Email 35%
43%
Cross-sell to non-members who buy your products or attend your conferences 20%
20%
18% 80% or above (n=192)
Chapters
20%
Less than 80% (n=168)
Association-sponsored events 15%
13%
Promotion to/at your own conferences/conventions 14%
18%
Local events/meetings 10%
10%
Exhibiting at other conferences 8%
10%
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6. What’s the best way
TO GROW MEMBERSHIP?
“WORD OF MOUTH”
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7. What is the number one reason “Why People Join an Association?”
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8. What do you believe is the ONE TOP reason members JOIN your organization?
(Top 10 only)
Networking with others in the field 18%
20%
Continuing education 16%
6%
Access to specialized and/or current information 10%
13%
Accredidation or certification 8%
5%
Advocacy 8%
10%
Association publications 6%
5%
Learning best practices in their profession 6%
8%
80% or above (n=192)
Advancing in their position 4%
2% Less than 80% (n=168)
Prestige of belonging to the association 4%
5%
Access to career resources 3%
1%
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9. What is common between “Word of Mouth” and “Networking”?
PERSONAL INTERACTION
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10. Has anyone ever told you their
story as to why they became a
member?
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11. Why did you became a member?
10

12. WHAT IS KEY TO THE STORY?
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13. What the member received, or…
WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
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15. 14
Features
Benefit
Value

16. SHARE…THE BENEFITS
COMPARE…THE VALUE
BECOME MORE AWARE
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17. 16
Value Message: What does the research show that members value?
Presented here was confidential data obtained
through a comprehensive research project of the
associations membership.

19. DISCUSSION
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20. THANK YOU
Erik Schonher
Vice President
Marketing General Incorporated
(703) 706-0358
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