02/19/2009jack smith, doug hilton, mary wade & chris ramsey 1 retaining members “winter school...

02/19/200902/19/2009 Jack Smith, Doug Hilton, Mary Wade Jack Smith, Doug Hilton, Mary Wade & Chris Ramsey& Chris Ramsey

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RETAININGRETAININGMEMBERSMEMBERS““Winter School 2009”Winter School 2009”

Tennessee Master GardenersTennessee Master GardenersLebanon, TennesseeLebanon, Tennessee

Jack Smith - Certified Master Gardeners - Doug HiltonJack Smith - Certified Master Gardeners - Doug Hilton Mary Wade -- Extension Agents -- Chris RamseyMary Wade -- Extension Agents -- Chris Ramsey


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Retaining MembersRetaining Members

Retention of members in your Retention of members in your organization can be briefly described as organization can be briefly described as “having something for people to do”. “having something for people to do”.


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It can become more complicated than just It can become more complicated than just keeping people busy. The following keeping people busy. The following information attempts to give a breakdown information attempts to give a breakdown of some of those problems that arise and of some of those problems that arise and to give some suggestions to prevent or to give some suggestions to prevent or solve them before or after they occur.solve them before or after they occur.


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ProjectsProjects Members will be lost if they do not have Members will be lost if they do not have

projects they can be involved with.projects they can be involved with. Engage members by asking them to do Engage members by asking them to do

specific things that have a beginning and an specific things that have a beginning and an end.end.


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Projects Projects ---- Con’tCon’t

If you ask a member to do a volunteer job, If you ask a member to do a volunteer job, make sure it’s a worthwhile job.make sure it’s a worthwhile job.

Never allow people to feel that you wasted Never allow people to feel that you wasted their time or that they weren’t really needed.their time or that they weren’t really needed.


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RecognitionRecognition Thank members for their support and let Thank members for their support and let

NONO good deed, no matter how small, go good deed, no matter how small, go unrecognized.unrecognized.

Public recognition for those members who Public recognition for those members who show up and do the association’s work is the show up and do the association’s work is the best way to retain their interest and best way to retain their interest and commitment.commitment.


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RecognitionRecognition – – Con’tCon’t

Pay attention to “milestone members” and Pay attention to “milestone members” and acknowledge their 1st, 5th, 10th, & 25th acknowledge their 1st, 5th, 10th, & 25th anniversary as members and list them on anniversary as members and list them on your website or in your newsletter and thank your website or in your newsletter and thank them for their service.them for their service.


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Contact people immediately after they join Contact people immediately after they join and welcome them to the organization.and welcome them to the organization.

Recognize new members at meetings and by Recognize new members at meetings and by publishing their names in your newsletter.publishing their names in your newsletter.

Recognize members for their Recognize members for their accomplishments through local and state accomplishments through local and state awards.awards.


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Ask new members for their ideas – they Ask new members for their ideas – they may have some fresh exciting thoughts and may have some fresh exciting thoughts and asking for their input will show you are asking for their input will show you are interested in their opinionsinterested in their opinions


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MeetingsMeetings Keep your monthly meetings short to retain Keep your monthly meetings short to retain

the interest of those who attend.the interest of those who attend. Make sure you have a meeting time that Make sure you have a meeting time that

works for most people.works for most people. Don’t let activities become stale.Don’t let activities become stale.


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Meetings Meetings – – Con’tCon’t

You will lose members if they feel they You will lose members if they feel they are getting nothing out of the meetings.are getting nothing out of the meetings.

Leaders should spend time talking with Leaders should spend time talking with members and getting to know them.members and getting to know them.


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CommunicationCommunication Communicate the successes of your association Communicate the successes of your association

frequently to all members.frequently to all members. Take advantage of email as a fast, inexpensive way Take advantage of email as a fast, inexpensive way

to communicate frequently with your members and to communicate frequently with your members and collect email addresses regularly.collect email addresses regularly.

After an activity send a note to those who didn’t After an activity send a note to those who didn’t attend saying “Here’s what you missed”.attend saying “Here’s what you missed”.


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Communication Communication – – Con’tCon’t When important issues arise, call or email some of When important issues arise, call or email some of

your least active members and ask their opinion.your least active members and ask their opinion. Members may not renew due to a lack of Members may not renew due to a lack of

communication.communication. Encourage membership renewals.Encourage membership renewals.


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EvaluationEvaluation Evaluate your membership plan regularly and Evaluate your membership plan regularly and

discard things that don’t work.discard things that don’t work. Conduct exit interviews with dropped members to Conduct exit interviews with dropped members to

learn why they are not renewing their learn why they are not renewing their memberships.memberships.

At least once every year or two, you might send At least once every year or two, you might send out a survey questionaire to every member with out a survey questionaire to every member with specific items on which you want feedback.specific items on which you want feedback.


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Evaluation Evaluation – – Con’tCon’t

Periodically survey your membership about Periodically survey your membership about program preferences by mail, email or program preferences by mail, email or phone.phone.

Email is a quick way of sending mini-Email is a quick way of sending mini-surveys of important questions and issues surveys of important questions and issues as they arise.as they arise.


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InvolvementInvolvement People are more likely to get involved if they feel People are more likely to get involved if they feel

needed or have a specific role.needed or have a specific role. Some people might not come anymore because Some people might not come anymore because

they feel like they don’t have a say in the they feel like they don’t have a say in the organization or want to do different projects. organization or want to do different projects. Make sure people’s opinions are heard and Make sure people’s opinions are heard and respected.respected.


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Involvement Involvement – – Con’tCon’t

Without specific-short and long term activities Without specific-short and long term activities which encourage and require membership which encourage and require membership involvement, people will simply not remain involvement, people will simply not remain members of your organization.members of your organization.

Members leave when they feel useless or Members leave when they feel useless or frustrated.frustrated.


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MentoringMentoring Establish a member-mentoring plan by assigning Establish a member-mentoring plan by assigning

new members to current members.new members to current members. Assign a host/hostess to each new member for a Assign a host/hostess to each new member for a

few meetings, so that he/she has someone to sit few meetings, so that he/she has someone to sit with.with.

Have new members serve as greeters during a Have new members serve as greeters during a meeting so they can get to know all the members.meeting so they can get to know all the members.


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GeneralGeneral Membership growth is easiest if you can keep your Membership growth is easiest if you can keep your

current members!current members! Keep records of activities and results to assist Keep records of activities and results to assist

planning for subsequent years.planning for subsequent years.


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GGeneraleneral – – Con’tCon’t

Send member profile forms to new members Send member profile forms to new members to gain informationto gain information..

There are only two forms of currency that There are only two forms of currency that we can use to pay our members: we can use to pay our members: RecognitionRecognition and and Tradition! Tradition!


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General General – – Con’tCon’t

Look for any opportunity to recognize any Look for any opportunity to recognize any member’s contribution. Create a tradition in your member’s contribution. Create a tradition in your organization and recognize those that uphold that organization and recognize those that uphold that tradition.tradition.

Remember that the best time to retain members is Remember that the best time to retain members is BEFOREBEFORE they show signs of dissatisfaction. they show signs of dissatisfaction.


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GeneralGeneral – – Con’tCon’t If members start missing meetings give them a call If members start missing meetings give them a call

to find out why before it becomes a chronic to find out why before it becomes a chronic situation.situation.

IFIF you do not manage your members well, you you do not manage your members well, you will soon have to recruit new members.will soon have to recruit new members.

Organize social events for members such as Organize social events for members such as picnics, parties and outings.picnics, parties and outings.


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Why Members LeaveWhy Members Leave There were some minor/major There were some minor/major

disagreements within the organization.disagreements within the organization. The group made decisions that they couldn’t The group made decisions that they couldn’t

agree to support.agree to support. They may have left due to not being elected They may have left due to not being elected

to an office, or getting the committee to an office, or getting the committee appointment they wanted, or otherwise appointment they wanted, or otherwise didn’t get their way.didn’t get their way.


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Why Members Leave Why Members Leave – – Con’tCon’t They did not renew because they thought They did not renew because they thought

meetings were chaotic or boring.meetings were chaotic or boring. Meetings were to long.Meetings were to long. Members do little other than listen to leaders Members do little other than listen to leaders

talk.talk. They complained but no one paid attentionThey complained but no one paid attention ..


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Why Members LeaveWhy Members Leave – – Con’tCon’t

Actions of the Executive Committee were not Actions of the Executive Committee were not explained.explained.

The group didn’t seem able to accomplish its The group didn’t seem able to accomplish its stated purposes.stated purposes.

The group didn’t meet their needs or measure up to The group didn’t meet their needs or measure up to their expectations.their expectations.


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Why Members LeaveWhy Members Leave – – Con’tCon’t Members felt they could not achieve required Members felt they could not achieve required

volunteer hours.volunteer hours. No one asked them to be involved, or they didn’t No one asked them to be involved, or they didn’t

become involved.become involved. Did not receive the degree of prestige or status Did not receive the degree of prestige or status

from their involvement.from their involvement.


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Why Members Leave Why Members Leave – – Con’tCon’t They did not renew because they felt slighted by the They did not renew because they felt slighted by the

leadershipleadership A small clique has all the power and does not encourage A small clique has all the power and does not encourage

others to get involved.others to get involved. Members may not renew membership because no one Members may not renew membership because no one

asked them to renew. asked them to renew. After not renewing their membership no one followed up After not renewing their membership no one followed up

and asked why.and asked why. THEY FEEL BURNED OUT!THEY FEEL BURNED OUT!

02/19/2009jack smith, doug hilton, mary wade & chris ramsey 1 retaining members “winter school...

Documents

members retention of

milestone members

mary wade chris ramsey

chris ramsey mary wade

chris ramsey slide

cont projects

public recognition

people busy