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MARKETING TIPS
Submitted by Mary Bullard
When was the last time your
association evaluated its marketing plan? Perhaps now is a good time to go
back and look at the stated goals in your original plan and determine
whether you are meeting those goals.
One way to evaluate your plan is
to track your successes. Did you retain current members and successfully
recruit new ones? If you did, that’s great! Was your target audience happy
with your association’s services? If so, wonderful! But if you were one of
the chapters who saw a decline in attendance and membership, take time to
reassess your marketing plan.
Keeping a record of contacts made
during the year is one of the best ways to evaluate your plan. Read through
the responses from prospects and the reasons they chose not to join. Were
they clear about the benefits of membership in the association? If not,
then be sure to point out the benefits that apply to the prospect’s areas of
interest and let them know what is in it for them. Was the reason for not
joining that “now is not a good time”? If so, calendar a time to follow up
with the prospect and see whether their circumstances have changed. Was the
prospect concerned that they would not fit in? Let them know they are
needed and discuss how they can fit in to the association.
To ensure our personal health, we
visit our doctor each year for an annual checkup. To help keep your
association healthy, your marketing plan can benefit from a checkup as
well. And, remember how marketing your association begins – a member asks
someone else to join.
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NETWORKING WITH NEWBIES
Submitted By: Judy Border
New members (affectionately referred to as “Newbies”) need to see our
passion for Texas ALP. Why? Because if you don’t get new members involved
within their first 60 days of joining, they won’t experience the true value
of membership and our odds of losing them at the end of the first year will
increase. How do we show our passion? Easy. Here are a few examples.
Be outgoing!
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Simply talk to new members about current
and future activities or projects, and don’t forget to tell them about the
fun we have working together.
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Get them involved and excited about Texas ALP. You can do this by showing
them areas that may suit their personalities and give them a better
understanding of the big picture of our organization and how easily they
can fit in.
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Have
an icebreaker at the start of each event. This gives people explicit
permission to talk to a stranger.
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The friendlier
and more welcoming your chapter community is, the more your chapter will
grow and develop loyal active members. Creating friendliness and a
feeling of welcome for your new members is critical in motivating them to
be interested and keeping them coming. If a new member does not feel
wanted or included by the group, they will not
return. The key is getting them involved from
the get-go.
Be considerate!
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Use name
tags. Name tags ease people’s fears about remembering names: they
help new people find their way and should be used at all events.
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Roll out
the welcome mat. Make your chapter meetings more welcoming by
talking to people who are standing alone and introduce them to others.
Create a “safe environment” for your new members by having interactive
meetings, allowing them an opportunity to start relationships with people
they don’t know.
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Don’t overwhelm them. You need to be aware of their need to be
a part of the group. How many of us veteran members recall when we were
first approached and included? It made us feel special and included. It
is similar to the country song, “You Had Me At Hello.” That’s what we
need to think about when recruiting a new member to become more involved.
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Show them they are relevant. We must show them by their
joining, attending meetings, and volunteering that they are truly valuable
to our association. People join groups because they are looking for an
opportunity to gain something from their membership.
Remember—Every time a member says “YES” to any
commitment in our organization, they have to say “NO” to family, friends,
work or another personal commitment. So
make sure they are receiving value from our organization.
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Give them
information to review at their leisure. New member packets can
assist them in becoming productive and feeling appreciated. They should
be provided with a roster of contact information, a list of current
officers, a copy of the bylaws and standing rules, and a schedule of
planned meetings and social events. It can foster a sense of belonging to
the group and stimulate their interest in becoming quickly involved in the
actives.
Be Proactive!
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Volunteer to become a mentor. Each new member should have a mentor. It
is important that the mentor have a positive attitude, and their interests
and personality are compatible with those of the new member. Mentors can
provide valuable assistance by answering and getting the answer to all
questions a new member may have. They are responsible for introducing the
new member and ensuring they are encouraged to participate in the
activities of the group. They can help to ensure the new member is
immediately made to feel a part of the group and prevent a let down or
left-out feeling.
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Constant follow-up is required to ensure new members will be welcomed and
integrated into the group. After the member’s newness wears off,
frustration may develop. You should continue to follow-up to make sure
the member’s personal goals and objectives are being reasonably met by the
association. Encouragement cards are another way to keep in touch and let
the new member feel a part of the group.
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Having someone, other than the mentor, follow up with new members after
they attend a function can reinforce the importance of that new member to
our organization. Follow up callers should encourage the new members to
attend the next event and share any details that will make the new member
feel more confident because they are “in the know.”
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Officers should make every attempt to take a moment to welcome all new
members one on one. New members are usually very excited to get a moment
of an officer’s time. This short interaction helps them feel like they
are an important addition to the chapter. Icebreaker activities are a
good way to get conversations flowing. Our goal is to help new members
find buddies in our group—it makes it easier for them to get involved.
Be positive!
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No
explanation is needed regarding being positive. You cannot begin to show
your passion for your membership if you are not positive. It would be
akin to a car salesman trying to sell you a used car. Of course he is
positive because he wants to make a commission. We, however, are positive
because we are passionate about being a member of Texas ALP.
We need all of our new members to be excited about joining Texas ALP and our
local chapters. Strive to keep the business meetings productive and the
legal educational programs interesting. Members become disenchanted by
boring, endless meetings merely composed of internal bickering, and
committee reports read word-for-word. Our association depends upon the
successful recruiting of new members, but more importantly the future of our
association depends on retaining these new members and getting them
involved.
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