1. Hot Topics in Membership
Retention

2. What is your hot topic?

3. What is your hot topic? Choice Count Percentage of Sample Answering
Percentage of Sample Asked
Percentage of Total Sample
Membership Retention 35
50.0%
Tiered Dues 11
15.7%
Sales 16
22.9%
Other, please describe: 8
11.4%

4. Words Mean Things Why do we call it retention?
Is it some sort of medical condition?
Satisfaction vs. Loyalty
Name the activity that leads to member retention
Let’s call it that…

5. Customer Service Customer Service when referring to people
Retention when referring to numbers

8. Greater Louisville, Inc.
In January of 2007, Greater Louisville Inc. implemented an initiative to increase net membership by improving retention among current members. This plan became known as the “CEE” Plan, which stands for Contact, Educate, and Engage.
The concept is to improve member retention to 81% versus 75% actual in 2006, by contacting our members more frequently on a non-revenue basis; educate our members about the overall benefits and value of membership; and encourage increased engagement with the chamber through events, committees, or cost-saving programs (newly developed Member Value Program).
In order to succeed at this initiative, GLI invested significant resources toward retention by creating a position focused on managing the CEE Plan, which is the Member Retention Specialist. Included, is a compensation plan which holds both the Member Retention Specialist and Membership Development Managers (MDM’s) accountable for improved drop count and revenue.
The Member Retention Specialist is responsible for implementing and managing the CEE plan, which includes involvement by MDM’s, Ambassadors, Total Resource Campaign (TRC) volunteers and GLI employees. The CEE Plan includes regular contact from GLI in the form of newsletters, informational electronic postcards, event alerts, legislative and community updates for the CEO, and personal contact from the Member Retention Specialist, Ambassadors and MDM’s.
We have found success in the CEE Plan, both with tenured members as well as high risk members who joined through the TRC campaign and HealthSolutions. As a result, GLI has seen the member drop rate decreased 13% 2006 to 2007 through August, with an anticipated 20% improvement by year end.

12. Calculate Your Retention
Dollars lost July ’06 – June ’07
Divided by
Dollars at end of June, 2006

13. Is It Worth the Effort? What if I hired more staff?
Lost Revenue from drops $ 70,000
Cost of full-time employee $ 34,500
Influence on these (25%) $ 17,500

14. Best Ideas in Membership Retention Customer Service
What’s the big
Idea?

15. Best Ideas in Membership Retention Customer Service
Stolen from: Medford, Oregon
Big idea: Monthly customer service calls 3 months prior to renewal
Agenda: Say, “Thank you.”

16. Best Ideas in Membership Retention Customer Service
Stolen from: Dawn Moliterno, Walton Co., FL
Big idea: Take the word “Participation” out of your sales pitch, and your marketing, and your board, and your ambassadors
Result: Fewer drops due to “no time to participate”

17. Best Ideas in Membership Retention Customer Service
Stolen from: Shane Moody, Destin, FL
Big idea: Convert to membership tiers
Result: 99% Retention among tier members

18. Best Ideas in Membership Retention Customer Service
Stolen from: ACCE Best Practices Session
Big idea: Segment dropped members
Result: Focused efforts on members fewer than 5 years investing less than $500

19. What is your hot topic? Other, please describe:
Monetizing our Chamber website: Boise Metro Chamber
Non-Dues Income - New Ideas: ACCE Message Boards
Membership drive, retention and sales: Joan Testa, CDS
Retention and Tiered Dues: ChamberThink.com
all of the above; retention is currently down, and sales are slowish; we'd like to move to tiered dues, but I have to focus on the other 2 areas first… FastChamber.com
Getting Members involved: ACCE Message Boards
Engagement/Investment rather than joining (not value proposition but something easier)
Depth (engagement/ownership) of membership: Cathy Haight; Membership Tiers, ChamberThink.com

20. Thank You! Kyle J. Sexton Director of Member Services
Salem Area Chamber of Commerce
Salem, Oregon
salemchamber.org fastchamber.com