Sink or Swim Getting and Keeping Members AAUW of Virginia State Convention presented by Anita Aymer and Claudia Richards

Agenda Opening Activity Membership Cycle and Retention Action Steps What Makes Women Decide to Join or Stay in Organization Today? Chapter Leaders Playground Resources Q & A

Membership Cycle Awareness Recruitment Engagement Renewal

Membership Retention Action Steps Inform Recruitment Engagement Orient Educate Involve

Membership Retention Action Steps Engagement

Membership Retention Action Steps Engagement and technology

Membership Retention Action Steps Orientation Education Involvement

Membership Retention Action Steps Renewal

What makes Women Decide to Join or Stay in an Organization Today?

Why Join? Top Five Reasons 1.Connection with women of similar interests 2.A friend asked me 3.Belief in mission 4.Participation in local programs 5.Participation in philanthropic activities 1.Interested/passionate about cause 2.Ability to manage commitment/time 3.Organization has track record of success 4.Agreement with values and goals 5.I am personally affected AAUW Every Member SurveyProspective Member Studies

Why Stay a Member? Top Five Reasons 1.I believe in the mission 2.I enjoy branch activities 3.I want to connect with women of similar interests 4.I participation in local programs and activities 5.I support AAUW’s advocacy positions and efforts 1.The organization works on causes I believe in 2.I am personally impacted by the cause 3.The organization has track record of success 4.I feel connected through outreach materials / events 5.Friends, family, co-workers are involved AAUW Every Member SurveyProspective Member Studies

Why Stay a Member?

Reasons for Remaining a Member

Key Points: Focus more on the collective benefits of membership, less on the personal. Define, encourage & measure member involvement Don’t assume that elected leaders can correctly identify the priorities of regular members Stop worrying so much about the younger generation ASAE’s 2009 “Decision to Join”

Biggest Issues faced by Women and Girls Today 15 24% - Unfair wages / unequal pay 22% - Low self esteem / negative media images (41% for young women) 18% - Access to quality health care health issues / obesity / cancer / STDs 14% - Sexual harassment / gender discrimination / stereotyping 13% - Workplace climate and lack of promotional opportunities 11% - Work / family or work / life balance

Advocating for AAUW Membership 16 Use the full name for AAUW. Awareness and favorability increases when the full name of the organization is used. AAUW alone loses many prospective members and donors. Focus on accomplishments, especially around being the leading source of funding for women’s education, providing campus sexual assault programs, and providing fellowships, grants and scholarships for women and girls. Highlight AAUW’s groundbreaking research on women’s underrepresentation in STEM and practical suggestions for improvement; the prevalence and impact of gender-based hostility in America’s high schools; sexual harassment in middle schools; and exposure of the gender pay gap.

Among those likely to join an organization like AAUW, the most powerful messages include: Using its powerful voice to speak out on issues Active in colleges and leading provider of grants and fellowships to women AAUW has been breaking through barriers for over 130 years AAUW provides networking, advocacy and action to contribute to a more promising future for women AAUW is committed to groundbreaking research Advocating for AAUW Membership

Potential Barriers 18 AAUW branch membership as primarily a social activity Dues cost (branch plus state plus national) Legislation and work around political representation can be seen as too partisan. Lobbying is also less appealing. Address the perception that AAUW might be a feminist organization. This is a detriment for some and they note this as what they like least about the organization.

Potential Barriers 19 Access to higher education is less motivating to women. Access to education and training works better, especially with women of color. A focus on college affordability is also effective. If the goal is to get women to join AAUW, then a barrier to overcome is their inclination to donate to rather than join an organization.

Increasing Awareness Flyers and displays Publicity Speaking engagements Community Activism Exhibits Collaboration with other branches and organizations 20

Millennials Who are Millennials? – Individuals born between 1976 and 1996 – They are the largest and most diverse generation in the United States, representing over 80 million people – Their use of technology makes them unique

Millennials Their use of technology: – 90% use the internet – 94% have a cell phone – 75% use social networking sites (and 55% check social networking sites at least once a day) – 88% use a cell phone to text – 59% get most of their news from internet – 14% use twitter

Why Millennials are important to AAUW – The Millennial generation is slightly more supportive to efforts to ensure equal rights than are members of other generations – Millennials represent over 15% of the workforce and this percentage is growing – Millennials volunteer more than those of other generations – 57% of Millennials said they volunteered in the past 12 months Millennials

What motivates Millennials to volunteer for an organization? – Compelling mission and cause (84%) – Friends or family involved (55%) – Networking or professional development (40%) Millennials

Tips for getting Millennials involved in your Organization – Ask Millennials their opinions (don’t make assumptions) – Provide leadership opportunities – Offer specific opportunities with a clear mission – Make it clear that you want to hear from Millennials and their voices count Millennials

Cynthia D’Amour Register for the Chapter Leaders Playground today at or ym.com/general/pick_username.asp Getting & Keeping Members

Holistic Approach: everyone is a participant Are you helping (guest magnet) or hindering (repellant)? Guests are not just “bodies & checks” Positive attitude is the key Make Recruit Everyone’s Job

Leadership needs to: Create energy Make the meeting dynamic Exciting programming…good speakers/participatory experience Show AAUW matters in your community (e.g. volunteer hours) How to Accomplish

Publicity team needs to get the word out: newspaper, Twitter, Facebook, website etc. Promote value for time Don’t focus on money decision (dues) Pay Value is what matters Invitations are NOT scary – keep it social Close with invitation to “come again” – “hope you had a great time” Become a “Guest Magnet”

Make it prestigious to bring a guest Recognition – special name tag, front row seating Make it fun – celebrity status for guests Give rewards/recognition for 5 or more guests Encouraging “Guest Magnets”

Door prizes for guest magnets Extra raffle tickets Standing ovations Stars on nametags – cumulative Thermometer for growth Building Energy/Excitement

Resources AAUW Membership Committee AAUW Staff Member Services Database Membership Payment Program Annual Starter Kit Membership Matters, MVP newsletter State Membership VP Chapter Leaders Playground AAUW Website

Questions & Answers

Contact Information Anita Aymer AAUW of Virginia Vice President for Programs 276/ Claudia Richards Sr. Branch Relations Manager Connect2AAUW 202/ / Monday -Friday 10am-5pm