 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
Keeping Members in Tough Times Whether you are an association, networking organization or chamber of commerce, it’s getting more difficult for you to not only attract new members but to retain the ones you have. And it seems almost impossible to get them involved in the activities of the organization rather than just ‘belonging’. Often members think that by joining an organization they will reap the benefits of membership - that business will be easier to get, relationships will materialize, legislation will happen in favor of the members. They get courted by other associations and promised many benefits by organizations related to what you provide. Keeping them interested is not so easy you say? So how do you keep them attracted to your organization and its programs? That means developing a proactive strategy for keeping them. Most organizations contact their members on some kind of regular basis. The members expect that contact and it’s almost invisible to them. It does accomplish the goal of getting your message out, letting them know of upcoming activities, and creates a venue where you can passively request their involvement. By touching your members when they don’t expect it, you can create a sense of surprise and loyalty. Here’s how. Marsha Lindquist’s Tips for Getting Lifetime Member Involvement 1. Identify those members you can least afford to lose! 2. Focus on them! Assign these VIP members to your Vice Presidents or your ambassadors who are charged to establish frequent contact and maintain an ongoing relationship. 3. Make them part of your organization! If you are the leader of the organization, begin an outreach program by calling each VIP member and introducing yourself. Find out their interests, potential needs, and what would make them a raging supporter. Solicit their advice on important issues. Enter this information into your contact management system and member profile and make it available to your ambassadors. 4. Make each contact effective! Provide training for each Vice President or ambassador on how to approach the member, build trust, and profile their needs in a customer record. 5. Make them important! Seriously consider your members suggestions. They wouldn’t take the time to tell you if it wasn’t important to them. Don’t reject their views or suggestions as not fitting into your larger scheme - they may work to energize the organization and spur other members to participate more. Reaching out to your members and letting them know they are valued is a wise strategy. And if you do this in addition to what you are now doing on a regular basis, you will surprise and flatter them. No one else will be doing this. If you have a way of identifying your high-value members, you are wasting your time and money if you aren’t implementing an active relationship-building program. So, if you want to retain your members and build deeper relationships with them, make them part of the team - start creating your own loyal following. As a leader, your personal behavior makes a difference in the image you convey to members as well as your ambassadors. Identify how both your personal behavior and that of your staff leaders can limit or increase the membership as well as their involvement. If you aren’t selling to the members on an ongoing basis or doing outreach, your customer service is suffering. Selling is not a dirty word. It means you care about the members by recognizing their needs and fulfilling them. If you don’t reach out to members, your organization will die. You may ask, “What does outreach accomplish?” It’s a good way to let your members, particularly VIP members, know what is going on in the organization and gain their support. Help them grasp the mission of the organization and become part of the team. It’s also your best chance to have them become new messengers and recruiters. And you don’t have to add staff to do that - it’s free. Satisfaction breeds more satisfaction. Finally, you enhance your reputation. Your brand identity can be a powerful draw, but it takes constant communication to build your brand and your reputation. When you set out to make a difference to your members, understand and use the five service basics. 1. Be empathic with your members and care for what they want and need. 2. Be responsive to them. It is easy to let “open and approachable” get pushed aside when you are delivering programs, answering the legislative call, and finding new members. 3. Be knowledgeable. Make sure you and your staff are educated about your special area of expertise. 4. Be sharp. Look the part of a smooth-operating organization. Make your materials and surroundings both professional and polished. 5. Be reliable. Consistently deliver what you promise. You can say that you deliver quality service, but to be on the cutting edge of what organizations need to deliver today - keep members involved. Reach out to them and grab their interest on a personal level. About the Author |
