www.financialexecutives.org membership recruiting and retention best practices february 20, 2010...

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Membership Recruiting and Retention Best

Practices

Membership Recruiting and Retention Best

Practices

February 20, 2010Kyle Davidson

Portland Chapter President


Overview

• Portland’s approach to Membership

• What does National FEI suggest for Membership best practices?

• Examples from other Chapter’s in the Western Region

• Specific Goals we can take away to improve current practices

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Portland Membership Facts

07/06 07/07 07/08 07/09 02/10 Change

Executive 155 145 143 134 130 (25)

Academic 4 4 3 3 3 (1)

Career Services 4 6 10 15 19 15

Entrepreneur 8 7 8 7 8 0

Honorary 0 0 1 1 1 1

Retired 4 2 4 4 4 0

Life retired 27 29 28 24 22 (5)

Total Members 202 193 197 188 187 (15)

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Portland Membership/Retention Committee Responsibility

• Work closely with the Treasurer and National to ensure accuracy of membership data.

• Reach out to all new members, especially at chapter meetings, to ensure smooth transitions into the chapter.

• Send welcome letters highlighting membership benefits.

• Encourage absent members to become active members, sending emails, using delinquency list from National.

• Devise and implement innovative ways to attract new members, including canvassing other chapters for successful methods.

• Solicit friends of the chapter to help attract new members and retain current ones.

• Making calls to target members to invite them to join, maintaining prospect list.

• Hold annual new member breakfast, inviting new members to orientation.

• Consider holding an annual prospect meeting or reception to explain benefits of FEI. 4

Membership & Retention – The Membership Committee recruits potential new members through a variety of activities. It processes membership forms and acts as a liaison with the National Membership Committee. Specific activities include:


2008-2009 MEMBERSHIP GOALS

• Increase by 20 new, net 10 new– Went from 197 to 187, net 10 decrease– 15 new additions– 19 departures– net 6 transfers out to other chapters

• Identify potential recruits at annual PD session and CFO of the year for follow up

• Get more active in CFO of the year nominations

• Perform member survey to help with retention

• Reinforce at meetings/in newsletter that FEI members are welcome to bring potential FEI members and their CEO/COO as guests

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2009-2010 MEMBERSHIP GOALS

• Increase membership by 5, net, excluding transfers out to other chapters

• Prospect list management• Increase awareness of FEI as an

organization• Recruit nominees for CFO of the Year

Awards• Follow up on nominees to become

members6


Portland Membership Committee Activities

• Committee meets monthly by phone– 5 members on committee, including 2 Friends

• Tracking lists– Potential members– At risk members (delinquent dues)– Activity list (add, delete, move support)– “At-large” National Members that we can invite to be local

members– Meeting rosters to coordinate guests and guest follow up– Linked In

• Responsible for CFO of the Year Award – Potential member contact and follow up

• Annual new member orientation every fall

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Portland Membership Committee Activities

• Have Monthly item in newsletter – Membership news updates– Encourages members and Friends to bring guests

• Potential members are introduced and applauded at dinner meetings– Immediate and constant follow up performed by VP of

Membership– Dinner speakers are a good draw for potential

members/guests

• Prospective Membership Mixers– Fall and Spring– Raffle prize given (bottle of wine) drawn from people

who bring guests, member or Friend is a winner– For March meeting, asking members to tell us who to

invite, if they don’t know them well enough to directly invite

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National Membership Recruiting Best Practices

• Successors should be identified and groomed well in advance of expected rotation

• Membership chair support – recruitment is everyone’s job

• Use multiple sources to identify prospects

• Remember the importance of personalized contact

• Use National office marketing tools and supplies

• Incentive programs, such as prize drawings

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National Membership Recruiting Best Practices

• Monthly reports to Board about membership

• Be familiar with application form option

• National reports – weekly and monthly activity and chapter status

• Pointers for recruitment:– Contact prospects early in the year and

qualify them during initial contact– Use company letterhead or FEI letterhead– Personal contact is a must, phone them to

confirm attendance at meetings– Personally greet them and follow up after

mtg

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Membership Best Practice Examples

• Seattle (Patty)– Prospective member event with sponsors driving

guest list– Recruitment is a primary role of the sponsors– Task force for the next generation– C-level breakfast with Marie

• Orange County (Margaret)– 150 people at meetings, including 30 prospective

members– Strategic partners are responsible for bringing

guests and members do, too. Dinner free for guests.

– Retention – great meetings, good speakers, free wine

– Reach out to possible members with letters and calls

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• Los Angeles (Marzi)– Joint meeting with Treasurer’s Club, USC Governor’s

conference– Sponsor of CFO of the Year Award– Personal relationships, bring prospective members to

meetings

• Arizona (Gayle)– Excel workbook with all data in one place

• Paid members and attendance• Former members and why they did not renew• Prospects – guests, CFO of the year candidates

• San Francisco (Larry)– Send out dues early and follow up early for retention– Sponsors obligation is to bring qualified potential

members – $25 Amazon gift card for members that bring guests– Active phone call follow up

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• Sacramento (Mark)– Enthusiastic Board Member as Membership Chair with

Goal– Members are rewarded with tickets to theatre and

dinner if they bring in a new member that signs up– Personal interaction to encourage sign up guests

• Colorado (John)• Inland Empire (Dwight)

– Good growth from 30 to 46 last year– Invited people to meetings, ongoing personal contact– Free dues first year of membership

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Specific Goals we can take away to improve current practices

– Portland– Seattle– Orange county– Los Angeles– Arizona

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– San Francisco– Sacramento– Colorado– Inland Empire

What ONE new thing are you going to try:

www.financialexecutives.org membership recruiting and retention best practices february 20, 2010...

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