We’ve all heard the terms, right?
Recruitment, Engagement, Renewal (Retention).
Recruitment, Engagement, Renewal (Retention).
When reviewing your membership application process and onboarding of new members, start with the basics.
Ask yourself these three questions?
Ask yourself these three questions?
- Is the application easy to fill out? Do you make it easy for your members to renew?
- Do you have ambassadors to help you sell memberships? Think member-get-a-member campaign.
- Do you send a welcome kit?
Once the initial transaction has taken place with the welcome kit. Are you connecting with these new members in 30, 60, 90 day communications?
That is an example of drip marketing and an effective way of making sure you keep your new members focused on their membership. These communications should be personal and come from the CEO. Think segmentation.
That is an example of drip marketing and an effective way of making sure you keep your new members focused on their membership. These communications should be personal and come from the CEO. Think segmentation.
How do you personalize? Think segmentation. Are you listening to them in the recruitment process? It’s important to understand their challenges and be ready to solve their problems.
Differentiation - tell your chambers story at the 30,000 foot level and then drill down to how you can help them with their needs. At the end of the day, it’s about them, the member, not you.
Always remember to connect, listen and engage with your new members. Don’t forget to communicate your culture! What do you stand for in addition to what you are doing?
Think about how Amazon communicates with you if you’re a Prime Member - when you join Prime they don't send you one communication with all the benefits. They send you three different communications, first is the free shipping benefit, then the movie TV option, and then the Prime Music station, etc. Again, it’s called drip marketing and it's very effective.
Are you making phone calls to that new member six months in? Old technology still works and should not be discounted. Everyone likes a check-in call.
Create a script for your staff team or ambassadors who will be making the calls. Most calls will go to voice mail, but you've made the contact. At the very least, end the call with thanking them for being a member and a call back number should they need anything.
And at renewal time, prove your worth - are you doing a year in review document with your invoice? Are you using video to show value by having your members give testimonials - show the value of ethics, connections, advocacy?
Communicating with your membership on a regular basis should be top of mind for all chambers and your members' lifecycle.
Finally, membership is a team sport - Membership Is Everybody's Business! Go here for a blog post on that HERE.
Good luck in your revitalized onboarding process!
