association comments-o-matic

Great post, Tony! One of my least favorite questions is "How does my membership retention compare to other associations?" Asking what a "good" response rate is for direct mail is the same. 72 degrees may good or it may be bad. It's all a matter of context.

Wes Trochlil
Effective Database Management, LLC
Reply at Membership Marketing

Kim: Thanks so much for your kind words and feel free to link to this post. Be a Kid Again (and these points made in this post) is one of my favorite keynote speeches to give.
Reply at Jeff Cufaude

What a terrific reminder to be playful, find joy, and most of all jump in to life. I was just writing about these ideas on my blog for Suzuki music teachers and parents. I plan to link to this article with your permission. Great writing and thanks!

Www.suzukijunction.com

Kim
Reply at Jeff Cufaude

So how do you change the value equation? There are five options according to logic and Kotler — raise benefits, reduce costs, raise benefits and reduce costs, raise benefits by more than you raise cost, or lover benefits by less than you raise costs. What is the best direction for your organization to increase the value equation? Tony
Reply at Membership Marketing

I like to see that Good response rate in direct mail.

Plastic Business Cards
Plastic Cards
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At the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, we focus our Member Get-A-Member efforts on doing what's good for the organization, and for the other person. We learned in a recent survey that over 60% of our members first learned of NACDL through another member. So we ask them to pass it on. Our current campaign is at www.nacdl.org/getamember; our previous one is at www.nacdl.org/100daysx.

We also give the new recruit a 15-month membership for the price of 12, and we give current members $25 off their next renewal for each recruit, up to a total of $125. We promote the Member Get-A-Member program through eNews, a full page ad in our monthly magazine, and on the website, as well as an email from our president. Our MGAM resources page provides a membership application, talking points on the value of membership, and a page of member quotes about NACDL.

Last year we had about 120 new members through referrals, and so far this year we've had about 50 (we're in the 4th month of our fiscal year). Current membership is just under 10,000.
Reply at Thx 4 Playing

FWIW, I keep wondering if there is other language, a different appeal, that would better capture what was learned in the Decision to Join … that individuals aren't just in it for the personal benefits, but want to be a part of a larger community.

Member Get a Member seems so entrenched in our community that I don't know if someone else has found a more compelling way to frame it. My intuition tells me it is a conversation (and a pursuit) worth having. It's not just about getting another member, it's about what becomes more possible with more members; a more vibrant community, one with more influence and resources to bring to bear for the profession or industry, etc.

Stepping down from soapbox now.
Reply at Thx 4 Playing

Hi Annie — Good point on prioritization. I do see strategic plans that have seven goals that all appear to be of equal importance. But beyond having too many goals, I also see goals that are set in a vacuum. A goal is just a nice intention without a strategy in place to accomplish it. Tony
Reply at Membership Marketing

Hello there! Do you use Twitter? I'd like to follow you if that would be ok. I am definitely enjoying your weblog and look forward to new updates.
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After reading the Kreamer post and Athitakis’s post above, I find the business case for reading novels to be reasonable. Beyond storytelling, Kreamer reinforces the power of fictional characters to reveal unique insights and emotions. Unfortunately, today’s business or association executive often has a short supply of empathy (note recent occupy movements); thus, novels can be sources for empathy development. Even Middle Passage (which I have not read) probably taps those core emotions that make us human. Emotions and empathy for those around us can form strong organizational threads. Lack thereof can weaken the business or association bonds.

- Amanda Batson

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