SECTIONS LEADERSHIPWEBINAR: SEPTEMBER 2012 RETENTION: HOW TO KEEP YOUR MEMBERS ON BOARD WITH KEITH GRAHAM, CHAIR, SAN FRANCISCO SECTION

Topics for discussion today Why do members leave? How do you keep them on board? The personal touch Other ideas?

First Clues  Look at the 90-days tab on Roberta’s monthly membership list  As soon as possible – send an reminder  Simple mail merge with Word and Outlook (more later)  Let them know you can be contacted  Follow up on any responses you get

Why do members leave?  Moving out of the area  No longer in the industry  Can’t see the relevance of SMPTE  Didn’t realize / forgot to renew

Leaving Area/Industry  Reach out to departing members  Wish them success  Advise / help them re-establish in a new region  Contact the new region chair/secretary and let them know a member is coming  If you know a new member is coming, send a welcoming note

Can’t see the relevance of SMPTE  Make contact  Pick up the phone  Have coffee / Lunch and try to change their thoughts

Forgot to Renew  Hopefully an reminder will jog their memory

Simple mail merge  Create template document in Word  Add “First Name” as a field to personalize  Select the Excel sheet as a data source  Merge as an blast

Other suggestions from Sections  What else works?  Please share your successes and failures

How can SMPTE help?  Updated and phone scripts will be available shortly in the Section Resources area  DCM and Current member lists will be reconfigured so that you can merge them as needed.  aliases are now working so you can use them for Section announcement  We can run lists for you as needed.  What else do you need that we can help with?

FYI - What SMPTE does for renewals  ed renewals at 90 days, 60 days, 30 days, 15 days before – at expire and 30 days after expire  Mailed renewals at 90 and 30 days before expire  Phone calls once yearly to back file, 24 months and less in US and Canada  s to all expires when we have new features of membership

Questions & Comments

Please publicize at your meetings Members are our best recruiters!  Membership! Please let Roberta know if you need applications and flyers. We can send you files to be printed as needed.  Regional Seminars, if you have one in your area. Montreal is sold out!  Student Membership Challenge. We are starting to get more student applications, and we want to be able to fund everyone.

Celebrating 100 Years in 2016 Join SMPTE in celebrating its rich tradition and heritage while we look to the future! Plans are being developed for a festive year of activities Contact SMPTE with your ideas and support at

Next Webinar Topic Thank you for attending today!  Streaming Your Section meetings  Date: November TBA

KEITH GRAHAM