SHRM Membership CLAJanuary 23, 2014

Webinar

Membership CLA Co-ChairsPhyllis Shurn-Hannah, SPHR – SHRM NE Region FSD

Scott Ferrin, SPHR, PMP – SHRM SW&PW Regions FSD

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2014 Membership CLA2014 Webinars

4/17 - Webinar @ 3:00 PM ET9/4 - Webinar @ 3:00 PM ET

12/2 - Webinar @ 3:00 PM ET

2014 Membership CLA Director Survey

Membership Star and Superstar Awards

The Membership Star and Superstar Awards recognize achievement in SHRM membership growth. All chapters and state councils are eligible for this

program. Award levels recognize membership growth during the calendar year. The 2013 and 2014 award parameters are:

Star: 1% -3.99%Superstar: 4%+

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Brochures for Membership Recruitment

VLRC – UNDER MEMBERSHIP CLA

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Located in the VLRC – Membership

CLA section

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Monthly

Report

Tips for Membership Marketing

Chantal Rotondo & Tracy Liaw SHRM

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What We’ll Be Covering:

– Key learnings from 2013 MGI Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report

– Understanding the investment in new members

– E-mail best practices

– 10 Tips for Membership Success

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2013 MGI Benchmarking Study

Top Reasons for Joining an Association– Networking (24%)– Access to specialized/current information

(13%)– Advocacy (8%)

Top Reasons for Not Renewing:– Budget cuts/economic hardship of the

company (18%)– Lack of engagement with the organization

(15%)– Unable to justify membership costs with any

significant RO! (11%)

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2013 MGI Benchmarking StudyAcquisition Source

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2013 MGI Benchmarking StudyOnboarding Trends– The e-mail welcome has gone up from 72 to 79% this year

– Associations with 80%+ renewal rates are significantly more inclined to use a staff welcome call

– Associations reporting increases in membership over the past 5 years are significantly more inclined to also use new member webinars and in–person new member receptions, as compared to those reporting a decline in membership

– What else are you doing?

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2013 MGI Benchmarking Study

First Year Renewals

– The mean renewal rate for first year members is 68%– More than half of associations reporting <60% retention

of first year members report overall decline in membership in the last 5 years

– What do your chapters do differently for first year members?

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2013 MGI Benchmarking Study

– Associations are increasing the number of renewal contacts

– Associations with 80%+ renewals are more likely to indicate that they don’t stop contacting members after expiration, as opposed to the 36% that end renewal efforts after 2 to 3 months.

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2013 MGI Benchmarking Study

Marketing Channels Used in Renewal Efforts

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2013 MGI Benchmarking Study

Non-Renewal Reasons

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Investing in New MembersIn most instances it costs more to get a new member than you get back in revenue the 1st year

The basic math:

– Each year I get $55 per member on average between dues and events revenue

– Members renew overall at 75%, which means on average they stay for 4 years. $55 x 4 years = $220 of revenue from an average member.

– Does spending $80 to get new members today make sense?

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Recruiting people through multiple channelsAn example of daily life

8 pieces of mail 96 emails 10 phone calls

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Recruitment is an ongoing processKeep the trains running on time…and have a basic plan

• Find ways to collect prospective member names and e-mails

• Ask non-member attendees to join with a follow-up e-mail after each event

• Quarterly send a letter to prospects asking them to join• Twice a year call each lapsed member and event

attendee asking them to join

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SHRM Learnings/E-mail Best Practices: SenderWhich one gets the highest open rates from SHRM e-mails?

– Chantal Rotondo, SHRM Membership Marketing Manager

– SHRM Membership Team

– SHRM

Test what works for you!

If you do use someone’s name to send emails, people expect you to answer their questions.

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Email Best Practices: Subject Line Character Count (50 or less)

Short (could be just 1 word)– Invitation – Your Status Pending– Can we help?

How About These?– Employee Appreciation Day, New FMLA Poster,

Daylight Saving Time and More – [HR FAQs] Paid Leave, Overtime, Health Care, Criminal

Background Checks and More

YES- Longer subject lines work too if you use lots of good key words!

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Email Best Practices: Subject Line Urgent– 2-Day Membership Sale– Expires Friday - 3 Recert Credits

Personalize (Include your readers’ first name)– Tracy, Your Membership Gift

Use Actionable Words– Download I-9 How-To Guide– Register for Employee Conflict Chat

Avoid SPAM Triggers: – Free, Cash, !!!, $, ALL CAP

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Email Best Practices: Call to Action Be Clear and Obvious:

When you ask people to sign up for a networking event, which one is more likely to get more clicks?

Click Here

Submit Now

Register Today

Above the Fold: Place it in the top third of your email layout

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Email Best Practices: DesignPretty is not always better. Test using a clean and consistent template and focus on your offer and messaging.

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Email Best Practices: Ideas on Growing Email List

– Encourage your current email subscribers to share and forward your emails by including “social sharing buttons” and an “Forward-to-a-Friend” bottom.

– Be sure to include a “Subscribe” link at the bottom of your emails too.

– Run a member-get-a-member promotion and offer a chance to win a giveaway to encourage referrals, such as a gift card. Note- extra engagement may be needed for these new members.

– Allow your website visitors to signup to receive information from you

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Email Best Practices: Offer & Messaging

Short, Limited Time Offer– Short deadlines make people act quicker

(1 day offer; 48 hour discount, registration ends tomorrow, etc)

Ask Your Current Members What They Think!– Why did they join?– Why did they renew?– What do they really value from your membership?– What needs do they go elsewhere for?– Use their feedback for your pitch to new members and

to enhance your programming and engagement of current members

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Email Best Practices: Offer & Messaging Clear Value Proposition: – What is it that they will get? Recert credits,

networking, big savings, free white paper, free webinar? Free lecture? Mentoring opportunities?

– Find different ways to explain ROI.

For example, SHRM Membership is $180 a yearOr$15 a monthOr less than 50 cents a dayOr$3.75 a week

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Explaining Value Proposition

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10 Quick Membership Marketing Tips

1. Make it easy for your members 2. Personalize your e-mails and communications3. Make new members feel welcome and included4. Keep in touch with your expired members5. Understand who your current members are and look for

more of them as the easiest method to growing membership

6. Use multiple communication channels for renewal 7. Pretty doesn’t always work8. Optimize your website9. With marketing messages, use a clear call to action with a

deadline10.Focus on what matters to your members

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THANK YOU!

QUESTIONS?

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Contact Information

Scott Ferrin, SPHR (FSD)Membership Champion, RetentionSHRM800/283-7476 ext. 6453 Scott.Ferrin@shrm.org

Phyllis Shurn-Hannah, SPHR (FSD)Membership Champion, RecruitmentSHRM800/283-7476 ext. 6293 Phannah@shrm.org

Chantal RotondoManager, Membership Acquisition MarketingSHRM800/283-7476 ext. 6302 Chantal.Rotondo@shrm.org

Tracy LiawMarketing Acquisition SpecialistSHRM800/283-7476 ext. 6461 Tracy.Liaw@shrm.org