I recently attended a great session at ASAE's MMCC (a bit snarky) led by
Losing members because what you're doing not because what you're NOT doing!
Here's their list of 10 ways to lose members:
#1 Make it hard to find information - arrange your website the way they can find information in an easy intuitive way.
#2 Make it hard to give you money - do you have a one-click solution, think Amazon and their one click buy - your members expect that now!
#3 Make them wait - give them instant feedback or acknowledgement of joining, not on a weekly/monthly schedule. Use auto respond emails to make that instant connection.
#4 Tell them what's good for them - it's important to continue to ask your members what they want, think annual needs assessment survey. Ask, listen, track, respond. Do a focus group as qualitative research from time to time.
#5 Ask for more money, right away - let them get settled and take advantage of the membership before bombarding them with new ways to spend money with your chamber. Think engagement first and help them solve a problem. Communicate what you're doing for the community.
#6 Make discounts a main benefit - talk about the value of membership in your chamber (advocacy, economic development, community development) not a discount on a future purchase. Make your interactions with people transformational, not just transactional.
#7 Don't personalize - there is no reason with today's technology that you can't personalize every communication with your members. Always use their first name, don't ever use "Dear Member."
#8 Don't talk to them - if a member calls your chamber will they get a real person or will they get the phone voice mail tree that takes forever to leave a message. We're in the relationship business and your members should be able to easily get in touch with you and get their question or problem fixed.
#9 Ignore the user experience - are you tracking how your members are accessing your information on your website. Are you using Google analytics to track your members interaction with you and make it easier for them to get what they want. Don't waste their time trying to navigate your website, just fix it, no excuses.
#10 Ask for everything all at once - ease your new members or current members into the work of the chamber. Have them make "one decision at a time."
Bonus #11: Fuhgettaboutem - don't do this!
Their final thought, engage with your members throughout the year in a piece meal kind of way and continue to listen to them and respond in an appropriate way.
