Membership: Retention and Loyalty in 2012

Staying ahead of the game in 2012...

In providing membership management software to many different and successful clubs, organizations, and associations over the past 13 years, the MemberzPlus team has had the opportunity to experience first-hand the many aspects that go into the membership life cycle. From recruitment to efforts to retain members, we've come up with some important things for you to keep in mind at the start of 2012:

Prospecting Your Current Market and New, Alternate Markets: Are market trends shifting towards other demographics? Are they worth pursuing?

Reaching out to your current market is just as important as pursuing other markets where potential 'new-joins' exist. Every year, there seems to be a change in the perception of quality or emphasis a person places on a particular good or service. A successful association, club, or organization knows how to follow and keep track of these trends along with utilizing marketing ploys to take advantage of such inclinations. A great way to stay on top of what's happening with existing members and potential members is to pay attention to satisfaction levels along with consumer awareness. For instance:

• Quality of Service Surveys (Outbound Calling, eMail, etc.)
• Monitoring Membership Metrics
• Integrated Marketing (Taking advantage of all Marketing channels - social media, email, direct mail, telemarketing)
• Following Members through every "Touch" or "Touch Points" (Associations today are facing member data that is 'locked' away in silo’ed operational systems that are core to their business lines.)

Keep that in mind as your organization plans for recruitment at the start of this year, and ask yourself if you've developed your marketing plan to perfection.

Consider the Following:

The Target Market: What marketing trends are worth pursuing to gain a larger member base? Is your club, association, or organization successfully reaching the prospected market?

Your Marketing Campaigns/Messages: What membership value proposals are defined, and are your solutions and benefits that are geared towards members still gripping their attention?

Persuasive Strategies: Like before, (integrated marketing), what new channels will you be utilizing to reach new members? Also, note new channels to reach and communicate with existing members.

The Membership Offering: Are there any new added services or benefits to becoming a member? What special offers will you make in your promotions? Consider rewarding, if not already, existing members with pricing benefits, gifts, etc.

Make 2012 a great year for membership by focusing on key areas such as these. If your marketing plan or proposal is still in the works, take a moment and reflect on the potential that may reside in such focuses.

Stay tuned for a future post on Membership Salvage!