Strategies for Membership Retention -- 2-18-10
Studies show that communication is the key to retaining members. Contact members early and often, and remember that the personal touch really does make a difference!
The following are some proven retention tips from the Membership Marketing Benchmarking Final Report by Marketing General Inc. of Alexandria, Virginia:
- Associations with higher renewal rates tend to offer first-year discounts, but not multiple-year discounts.
- Associations with higher renewal rates are more likely to use personal contact to engage and retain new members, such as new member receptions and welcome kits (see the AMA Alliance Membership Toolkit for a sample welcome kit letter and ideas for welcome packets).
- Associations with higher renewal rates are more likely to contact members regarding renewal with greater frequency, with 7-10 contacts being the most successful.
- More successful associations are more likely to have immediate renewal plans in place after welcoming new members and tend to begin their renewal efforts sooner.
- Associations with higher renewal rates are more likely to use personal renewal methods, such as staff phone calls, board phone calls, and peer member contacts.
Retention begins the moment a new member joins. Make sure to welcome them to the Alliance and personally invite them to a meeting or event. If you have several new members, you could even host a new member reception to introduce them to your group. Then follow-up with a thank-you card and try to get them involved in a future project or event. If they're not able to be actively involved, keep them updated with monthly emails or newsletters so they feel included and are aware of how their dues are being used to promote healthy communities and support the family of medicine.
Once you've welcomed them and made them feel included, make it easy for them to renew their membership. Since everyone is so busy these days, members often need multiple reminders when it's time to renew their membership. That's why it's important to start your renewal campaign early and send multiple dues statements, following up with a personal phone call, if possible. It's easier to say "no" to a piece of mail than to a live person, so a simple phone call can make all the difference!
For more membership strategies, visit the Alliance's online Membership Toolkit.
