Building MembershipBuilding Membership

Karen Hudson, Executive DirectorKaren Hudson, Executive Director

SSI Conservancy SSI Conservancy

Tom Arnold, Manager, Member CareTom Arnold, Manager, Member Care

TLCTLC

Why build membership?Why build membership?

Cornerstone for successCornerstone for success

• Easy entry-point to your organizationEasy entry-point to your organization

• Can be primary source of:Can be primary source of: VolunteersVolunteers Board MembersBoard Members DonorsDonors Major DonorsMajor Donors Planned GiversPlanned Givers Missionaries!Missionaries!

Why build membership?Why build membership?

Route to long-term financial stability:Route to long-term financial stability:

• Key source of discretionary revenueKey source of discretionary revenue

• Implied sense of commitmentImplied sense of commitment

• Immediate connection to organization Immediate connection to organization (not just a project or property)(not just a project or property)

• Easy way to encourage monthly givingEasy way to encourage monthly giving

Why build membership?Why build membership?

The benefits of monthly memberships:The benefits of monthly memberships:

• Ongoing gifts, no renewals Ongoing gifts, no renewals (especially if using pre-authorized chequing)(especially if using pre-authorized chequing)

• Cheaper gift processing costsCheaper gift processing costs

• Increased emphasis on thanking memberIncreased emphasis on thanking member

• Simple upgrade strategySimple upgrade strategy

AnnualAnnual MonthlyMonthlyYearYear Renewal Renewal Active DonorsActive Donors RenewalRenewal Active DonorsActive Donors

11 50%50% 10001000 90%90% 10001000

22 70%70% 500500 90%90% 900900

33 70%70% 350350 90%90% 810810

44 70%70% 245245 90%90% 729729

55 80%80% 196196 90%90% 656656

66 80%80% 157157 90%90% 590590

77 80%80% 126126 90%90% 531531

88 80%80% 113113 90%90% 478478

99 80%80% 102102 90%90% 430430

1010 80%80% 9292 90%90% 387387

Source: Hidden Gold, Harvey McKinnon

Getting StartedGetting Started

The case for support:The case for support:

• Why does your organization exist?Why does your organization exist?

• How does the community benefit?How does the community benefit?

• What are you asking for?What are you asking for?

• Why do you need money and how will it be used?Why do you need money and how will it be used?

• Why should people care?Why should people care?

• What is the benefit to them?What is the benefit to them?

Getting StartedGetting Started

Sharing your “case” with the worldSharing your “case” with the world

• Developing a “voice” for your organizationDeveloping a “voice” for your organization

• Taglines and phrasesTaglines and phrases

• Visual identityVisual identity

Getting StartedGetting Started

Keep it simpleKeep it simple

• Giving is 90% emotional, 10% rationalGiving is 90% emotional, 10% rational

• Simplify messaging and “asks”Simplify messaging and “asks”

Avoid asking for everything at once:

Membership pricing and benefitsMembership pricing and benefits

Case study #1:Case study #1:

Salt Spring Island ConservancySalt Spring Island Conservancy

Membership pricingMembership pricing

Membership Type: Youth (Under 16) 1 yr @ $15

Senior, or Low-Income: 1 yr @ $20 3 yr @ $60 Regular Single 1 yr @ $25 3 yr @ $75 Regular Family 1 yr @ $35 3 yr @ $105 Group/School 1 yr @ $35 3 yr @ $105 Business 1 yr @ $55 3 yr @ $165

Donations: In addition to my membership fee above, I have enclosed my donation in the amount of:

$25 $50 $100 $250 $500 $1,000 $5,000 Other: ________ *Tax-deductible receipts are provided for donations over $20

Membership BenefitsMembership Benefits 3-4 issues of3-4 issues of The Acorn The Acorn, the Conservancy newsletter , the Conservancy newsletter

Advanced email notice of Education and community Advanced email notice of Education and community eventsevents

The knowledge that you are conserving and restoring The knowledge that you are conserving and restoring Salt Spring Island ecosystemsSalt Spring Island ecosystems

Use of the Conservancy broom pullers to remove this Use of the Conservancy broom pullers to remove this invasive speciesinvasive species

A voice that speaks for you on island conservation A voice that speaks for you on island conservation issuesissues

Salt Spring Island Conservancy member decalSalt Spring Island Conservancy member decal

Member Trail Maps to Conservancy lands: AVNR, Member Trail Maps to Conservancy lands: AVNR, MRNR, and coming soon: Mt. Erskine Park.MRNR, and coming soon: Mt. Erskine Park.

Membership pricingMembership pricing

Case study #2:Case study #2:

TLCTLC

Membership pricingMembership pricing

Old system:

•Levels-based

•Separate asks for memberships and donations

•Promotes annual membership

Membership pricingMembership pricingNew system:

•Amount-based

•Blends membership and donation components

•Promotes monthly membership

Membership BenefitsMembership Benefits#1: You will help save BC’s most special places#1: You will help save BC’s most special places

Quarterly newsletter, the LandMarkQuarterly newsletter, the LandMark

Monthly e-newsletterMonthly e-newsletter

Free access to TLC visitor sitesFree access to TLC visitor sites

Discounts on TLC trips and cottage rentalsDiscounts on TLC trips and cottage rentals

Access to the TLC Advantage ProgramAccess to the TLC Advantage Program

Reciprocal NT MembershipsReciprocal NT Memberships

TLC’s Privacy GuaranteeTLC’s Privacy Guarantee

Why your Membership is so importantWhy your Membership is so important

LeadershipLeadership

LeverageLeverage

Core supportCore support

Where to find members?Where to find members?

Start with existing contacts:Start with existing contacts:

• People who attend eventsPeople who attend events

• VolunteersVolunteers

• Board membersBoard members

• Mailing listMailing list

• LandownersLandowners

• Suppliers / contractors /local businessesSuppliers / contractors /local businesses

Tools to recruit membersTools to recruit members

Personal asksPersonal asks

• Most effective form of fundraisingMost effective form of fundraising

Tools to recruit membersTools to recruit members

EventsEvents

• Friend-raisersFriend-raisers

• Member-only raffle at regular eventsMember-only raffle at regular events

Tools to recruit membersTools to recruit members

OutreachOutreach

• Low-cost way to get noticed…especially in small Low-cost way to get noticed…especially in small communitiescommunities

• Information table at community eventsInformation table at community events

Tools to recruit membersTools to recruit members

Telephone solicitationTelephone solicitation

• Can be very effective tool for existing contactsCan be very effective tool for existing contacts

Tools to recruit membersTools to recruit members

E-mail / webE-mail / web

• Ever-increasing online accessEver-increasing online access

• Importance of websiteImportance of website

Tools to recruit membersTools to recruit members

Direct MailDirect Mail

• Versatile – can be used for acquisition, renewal, Versatile – can be used for acquisition, renewal, special appeals, invites to monthly giving, etc.special appeals, invites to monthly giving, etc.

• Newsletters can also be important toolNewsletters can also be important tool

Keys to growing your Membership Keys to growing your Membership

Integrate membership into everything you doIntegrate membership into everything you do

Borrow ideas from other organizations Borrow ideas from other organizations

Don’t think: “It won’t work here”Don’t think: “It won’t work here”

Be accessible, have office hoursBe accessible, have office hours

Treat your members with respectTreat your members with respect

Focus on renewals, not just acquisitionFocus on renewals, not just acquisition

Ideas SharingIdeas Sharing

ResourcesResources Karen Hudson, Salt Spring Island ConservancyKaren Hudson, Salt Spring Island Conservancy

Ph.: (250) 538-0318Ph.: (250) 538-0318E-mail: E-mail: ssiconservancy@saltspring.comssiconservancy@saltspring.comhttp://www.saltspringconservancy.cahttp://www.saltspringconservancy.ca

Tom Arnold, Tom Arnold, TLCTLCPh.: (250) 479-8053Ph.: (250) 479-8053E-mail: E-mail: tarnold@conservancy.bc.catarnold@conservancy.bc.ca

Fundraising for Social Change Fundraising for Social Change by Kim Klein, Jossey-Bass; 4th by Kim Klein, Jossey-Bass; 4th edition (November 2000) ISBNedition (November 2000) ISBN:: 0787961744 0787961744

www.charityvillage.comwww.charityvillage.com www.afpnet.orgwww.afpnet.org