Dear Colleague
Welcome our first monthly eUpdate of 2012! Hopefully you enjoyed a well-deserved break over the festive period!
We believe 2012 will be another challenging year, so we are 'all charged up' once again to provide you with:
- Free online membership professional networking opportunities
- High quality (and practitioner led!) good practice information & advice
- Dedicated events linked to membership sector demands
This will be facilitated in association with leading membership professionals and 'MemberWise Recognised Suppliers'.
This year our initial focus will be on the poignant topic of recruiting and retaining members during challenging times.
In this issue we signpost our NEW advice sheet, Getting to Grips with Email Marketing, provide information on our '10 Ways to Gain More Members' seminar (to be delivered on 20th January in association with The Guardian) and more...
This eUpdate is kindly sponsored by leading CRM provider and Platinum Sponsor of our forthcoming Recruiting and Retaining Members During Challenging Times conference, Silverbear.
You may also be interested to hear that we have rescheduled our free membership professional competency-based workshop (23rd January). Please see related article below for further information.
Enjoy!
Richard Gott
Founder
The MemberWise Network
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| New: Getting to Grips with Email Marketing Advice Sheet | |
Initial findings from our Recruiting and Retaining Members During Challenging Times survey indicate that 93% of us utilise email marketing tools to help recruit and retain members.
Examples of usage include product/service signposting, regular eUpdates, online poll call-to-actions and membership promotions. However, how can we be sure we are doing this effectively?
Rather than try to answer this ourselves we enlisted the help of leading email marketing company (dotMailer) Chief Executive,Tink Taylor.
Note: This is his real name!
He is best placed to advise us as he sits on the email marketing council with the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and the E-Communications Council of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).
We interviewed Tink to find out why we should get grips with email marketing, how to better understand 'open' and 'click-through' rates, and why email marketing will not be replaced by online social networking.
Tink will be speaking at our forthcoming Recruiting and Retaining Members During Challenging Times conference on 5th March. His session will include information and good practice advice on how to make your emails stand out, design/content, branding and effective segmentation/targeting.
Download our new advice sheet...
Take part in our Recruiting & Retaining Members During Challenging Times survey
Find out more about Tink's session at our Recruiting & Retaining Members During Challenging Times conference...
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Guardian Seminar: 10 Ways to Gain More Members... | |
We have partnered with The Guardian to facilitate a dedicated morning seminar - 10 Ways to Gain More Members.
This high profile morning seminar will take place at The Guardian's Headquarters in Central London on 20th January 2012.
The focus of the seminar will be on how effective strategy and operational delivery in ten critical areas can significantly aid better recruitment of new members.
This seminar is unique because it not only incorporates strategic/operational content, but it will be led by membership practitioners Richard Gott and Abby Wright-Parkes.
Founder of MemberWise, Richard Gott, commented:
"We have been ruthless in our approach when compiling our 'top ten ways to recruit more members' and have pretty much 'ripped up the rule book'. This has meant we have gone back to basics and built on the fundamental areas we need to 'get right' in order to effectively recruit more members."
MemberWise subscribers can enjoy a 10% discount by entering the following promotional code '10ways12' when registering.
Find out more about this seminar...
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| 'Member Networks' Advice Sheet updated following ' Christmas Social' | |
We are pleased to advise that our popular 'Member Networks' themed advice sheet has been updated following our 'Christmas Social' event in December.
This advice sheet contains all the information and advice you need to set-up effective member networks in a structured and informed manner. The advice sheet is structured in a presentation format and incorporates practical tips and good practice casestudy examples.
A big 'thank you' to Abby for a well organised 'Christmas Social' (kindly hosted by the Institute of Biomedical Science) that incorporated good practice sessions by Mary Foley, Director of Member Services & Operations, Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) and Matthew Jaffa, Senior Development Manager (London), Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
Most interesting 'take-away' of the evening - Finding out that the FSB incentivises new member recruitment by offering a 'finder fee' for each new confirmed member. This helps the organisation to develop and grow its 200,000-strong membership.
We are currently calling for topics/hosts for our next MemberWise Social, so if you have made a notable membership achievement or would like to showcase your venue for the potential hire by MemberWise subscriber organisations please contact social@memberwise.org.uk |
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Recruiting & Retaining Members During Challenging Times conference Update | |
Date: 5th March
Location: One Whitehall Place (Central London)
In December our 'early-bird' tickets completely sold-out and we now have only a limited allocation of tickets remaining.
This 'much needed' conference will focus on practical and cost-effective solutions to help maximise member recruitment and retention during the current economic downturn.
We have partnered with ten high profile membership experts and speakers to deliver eight good-practice themed sesions that include:
- Recruiting members during challenging times
- Retaining members during challenging times
- Organising events that will drive membership
- Driving recruitment and retention through online engagement
- Optimising member recruitment and retention by getting the design right
- Effective membership organisation email campaigns in practice
- The BIG Debate: Print V Digital
- Expert Panel Question & Answer Session
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| Online Professional Networking Group - The latest discussions... | |
Our online professional networking group provides you with a unique opportunity to network with fellow membership professionals, as well as:
- The latest news & views within & outside of our sector
- Good practice sharing, case studies & news items
- Newsfeeds from key sector organisations
- Updates on MemberWise Network activity
This month we highlight five 'hot topics':
1: Customer service is the new marketing - What do you think?
2: Poll - Your outlook for 2012 - + or -
3: Coordinating an event to feature & attract new members. 2 Responses.
4: Poll - Chartered bodies - Should we get involved in politics?
5: So who does your design work? 3 Responses.
Join in the conversation right now... |
| Membership Professional Competency Framework Workshop - Resecheduled | |
An ever growing number of membership organisations and associations have (or aspire to have) structured lists of key competencies or competency frameworks.
So where's the framework or list of key competencies for membership professionals? Good question!
Time for MemberWise and the Professionalism Group to move things forward -We have compiled a comprehensive draft professional framework that you are invited to comment upon.
The consultation process will take place in a free-to-attend reflective workshop format so it will be a unique CPD opportunity in its own right. It will also be an opportunity for you to benchmark your knowledge and skill.
The rescheduled workshop will take place on 23rd January (4:30pm to 6:30pm). If you would like to register an interest please email framework@memberwise.org.uk.
Note: Due to capacity issues only membership professionals are invited to attend this event. |
| Dates for the diary (January) |
Key membership organisation and association-specific events taking place this month: 12: CEO Luncheon with Christine Farnish, Trade Association Forum (TAF), London 20: Featured Seminar: 10 Ways to Gain More Members A Guardian Seminar, London - Featuring MemberWise Founder, Richard Gott & Consultant, Abby Wright-Parkes
23: MemberWise Focus Group: Membership Professional Competency Workshop (free to attend). Email framework@memberwise.org.uk for further information.
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We are always looking to develop and improve this e-update so if you would like to submit ideas/recommendations or enquire about sonsoring the next issue please get in-touch!
Yours Sincerely,
Richard Gott
Founder
The MemberWise Network |
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Our Sponsor | |
Silverbear deliver Membership CRM solutions for their customers.
Through a familiar interface using Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Silverbear offer greater efficiencies and provide membership organisations with an intelligent understanding of their members.
This ensures the organisation a more connected, personalised experience, adding further value to their members, increasing their renewals and allowing them to focus on their membership strategy.
Silverbear Membership includes event and conferencing, online applications, portals and financial integration, plus much more.
For further information visit the Silverbear website or call 01483 409409. | |
| Featured on our website... | |
Our website contains the membership sector's leading directory of suppliers.
This month we signpost the 'Web Designer' section that includes 6 high profile suppliers:
Fisher Technology
Fusion Workshop
02 Creative
Pixl8
Premier IT
Refreshed Membership
A number of the above suppliers offer MemberWise subscribers up to 30% off standard prices.
Find out more...
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Vacancy Service
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Helping membership organisations & associations find the right candidate...
Users include:
British Institute of Interior Design
British Institute of Facilities Management
Royal Academy of Dance
Royal Commonwealth Society
Londonwide LMCs
Association of Colleges
Oracle User Group
Royal Automobile Association
Council for International Schools
Find out more about this service and/or submit your CV... |
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The Charities and Associations Exhibition takes place on 15/16 February 2012 at the Business Design Centre, Islington, London N1. This year will see CHASE celebrate its 20th Anniversary!
With the benefit of the anniversary celebration, CHASE is anticipating a record year. Exhibitor bookings are already well ahead of 2011 and the exciting seminar programme promises a bumper attendance.
As usual there will be an educational seminar programme alongside the exhibition covering topical subjects and issues of interest to senior association managers.
Membership related topics being covered include:
*Trade Associations - The Subscription Structure Dilemma
*Virtual and Hybrid Events - Do You Speak the Language?
*Driving Online Constituent Engagement with a Smart Website
*Case Study: How CAMRA replaced their Membership Software in just Six Months
In total, there are nearly fifty free seminars covering Fundraising, HR, Finance and Legal, Online Services, Membership and Events Management, all available free of charge to delegates.
Find out more... |
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