1. 2015 Section Membership Chair Webinar
This module deals with recruitment and retention of Members and, specifically, what can be done at the local level.
Greet the attendees and welcome them to the session. Introduce yourself and give a bit of your background and experience with this topic.
Depending on the size of the group, you may ask participants to introduce themselves and indicate their leadership position, Section, and District.
In each of the last several years, between 6,000-7,000 new Members have joined ISA. Since membership has remained fairly constant for the past few yrs, this means that about 9,000 fail to renew their membership with ISA every year.
Finding out why Members join and why they stay, and how to influence their decision, will go a long way toward ensuring a positive membership experience for ISA Members.
Marty Bince, VP IMD
Rachael McGuffin, ISA Staff

2. Membership Chair Training: Retention and Renewal
This module deals with recruitment and retention of Members and, specifically, what can be done at the local level.
Greet the attendees and welcome them to the session. Introduce yourself and give a bit of your background and experience with this topic.
Depending on the size of the group, you may ask participants to introduce themselves and indicate their leadership position, Section, and District.
In each of the last several years, between 6,000-7,000 new Members have joined ISA. Since membership has remained fairly constant for the past few yrs, this means that about 9,000 fail to renew their membership with ISA every year.
Finding out why Members join and why they stay, and how to influence their decision, will go a long way toward ensuring a positive membership experience for ISA Members.

3. Agenda
Introductions
IMD’s goals, roles and responsibilities to membership
Future: IMD working with Sections
Membership Chair Yearly Plans
Section Membership Activities
Review renewal
Membership Chair Resources

4. After Years of Research the number 1 reason why ISA members discontinue membership has been found to be… (GUESS ???)
This module deals with recruitment and retention of Members and, specifically, what can be done at the local level.
Greet the attendees and welcome them to the session. Introduce yourself and give a bit of your background and experience with this topic.
Depending on the size of the group, you may ask participants to introduce themselves and indicate their leadership position, Section, and District.
In each of the last several years, between 6,000-7,000 new Members have joined ISA. Since membership has remained fairly constant for the past few yrs, this means that about 9,000 fail to renew their membership with ISA every year.
Finding out why Members join and why they stay, and how to influence their decision, will go a long way toward ensuring a positive membership experience for ISA Members.

5. They never get around to RENEWING
This module deals with recruitment and retention of Members and, specifically, what can be done at the local level.
Greet the attendees and welcome them to the session. Introduce yourself and give a bit of your background and experience with this topic.
Depending on the size of the group, you may ask participants to introduce themselves and indicate their leadership position, Section, and District.
In each of the last several years, between 6,000-7,000 new Members have joined ISA. Since membership has remained fairly constant for the past few yrs, this means that about 9,000 fail to renew their membership with ISA every year.
Finding out why Members join and why they stay, and how to influence their decision, will go a long way toward ensuring a positive membership experience for ISA Members.

6. Image & Membership Department
Goals
Chartered to manage the ISA brand
Retain and grow membership
Roles
IMD to marshal Society resources
Section Membership Chairs to work with local members
How about IMD and Section membership chairs to work together?

7. Working Together IMD reaching out to sections
Assist with Membership Chair continuing education, best practices (your contributions appreciated).
Membership campaigns:
Monthly Active Grace
Senior Member Upgrade
Divisional membership campaign
Defining, identifying and improving member value and benefits

8. Membership Chair Plan - Some guidelines
A membership committee meeting (outside of the board meeting) is beneficial in May to invite new membership assistants to the committee and plan some membership activities in preparation for the September – May technical meeting schedule
A membership report/update is useful for the minutes for each board meeting, whether or not you can attend the board meeting. Just log members, students, grace members from the membership report

9. Goals: Retain (and grow) membership numbers
Encourage Active Grace (membership runs out, ISA holds as members for another 90 days) to renew by phoning these folks directly each month.
Encourage Senior Membership – members generally remain if they have additional services or benefits
Encourage Divisional membership – members generally remain if they have additional services or benefits
Inform members of benefits of ISA membership
Utilize membership desks for the purposes of membership growth at tradeshows or other events where potential members may be reached as required. Other board members and retired board members to assist.
Encourage ISA membership at all courses, conferences
Acknowledge new members in the newsletter and at meetings
Possible member benefit lunch & learns for companies?

10. Section Membership Activities
Membership Chair Guide:
Membership Desk at events
Review use of latest rosters
Welcome new members
Active Grace Retention
Membership Goals
total Members at year-end (vs. the previous year)
retention rate (vs. last year)
number of new Members recruited net growth (combination of recruitment and retention)
growth vs. other Sections of a similar size

11. Membership Chair Yearly Plan
Month/Date
Action:
Action by/Due Date
June
Call Membership Committee meeting to plan
Admin to send invite to board members. Location TBD
July 1
Officially take office
August 1
Prepare Budget
Send to Admin
September 10
Utilize Active Grace reports to invite members to September kickoff event
Membership committee to call/ invites to AG list
September 21
Membership Board update/report
Send brief report to admin
October 10
Utilize Active Grace reports to invite members to October technical meeting
October 21
Membership Board report
November 10
Utilize Active Grace reports to invite members to November technical meeting
November 21
January
Membership Committee meeting
Catch up, adjust plans
February 10
Utilize Active Grace reports to invite members to February technical meeting
February 21
Tradeshow Year Only:
February board meeting
Prepare Membership Desk for tradeshow: Invite board members and Life/retired members to volunteer at Membership Desk, order membership materials and computers for registration
Admin to send invite to board members.
Personal invites to life/retired members
Order membership materials/gifts
Confirm computers/wifi for registration
March 10
Utilize Active Grace reports to invite members to March technical meeting
March 21
April 10
Utilize Active Grace reports to invite members to April technical meeting
April 21
May
Plan for the Fall
May 10
Utilize Active Grace reports to invite members to May technical meeting
May 21

12. Active Grace phone script – leave a Message
Hello, is _________________ in? Not in, leave the following message:
This is ________, a volunteer on the membership committee calling from the local ISA Edmonton section. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ _________________ ‘s membership has lapsed and we’re wondering if ________________ would be interested in renewing ISA membership. Please have him/her call me at XXX- XXX-XXXX and I’ll fill them in. We have an interesting lineup of technical events this year and we’d like to help every instrumentation/automation member benefit from our technical resources.

13. Active Grace phone script - live
Thanks for taking my call. My name is _______, and I’m a volunteer on the ISA Section membership committee. You were a member in the past and your membership may have lapsed if we didn’t get our renewal notices to the correct or mailing address. Would you be interested in renewing your membership?
If not renewing: Could I ask why? Change Careers _ Meetings not of interest_ Lost job _ Moving____Other _______
Remaining on the mailing list. Would you be interested in continuing to receive our s? Yes ___ What would be your personal address _________________________________
If renewing, “Great, you could renew on-line at (can I send you the link)
This year we had 2 technical events, our monthly newsletter to stay abreast, and a webinar on XXXX topics. As well, all ISA standards are available to members at no charge and there are some 40 online presentations and courses for members to receive to keep their technical education current. Our next technical event is _______________
Can I update your ISA , address, phone numbers to ensure that the newsletter can be received?
If you need any assistance with your renewal, you can contact me,

14. Membership Desk at events
Name tags for all
Color dot to identify new members
Membership forms available
Sample technical materials, InTech, divisional materials

15. New Member welcome letter
Dear <new member>, Subject: Welcome to ISA XXXX Section Thank you for joining the ISA XXXX Section. There are many opportunities for you to take advantage and maximize the benefits of your ISA membership including: • Local Section technical meetings which are the ideal opportunity to meet your peers, learn about interesting technologies and influence what is happening in our industry. We have enclosed a coupon for dinner to one meeting. Meetings are normally held the last Monday of the month September – May. The next meeting is ………………….. • Local newsletter, featuring technical meeting announcements, job board announcements, training courses and local activities for your professional development. • Student activities – if you are looking to hire (a common need these days), you may be interested in being involved with our student chapters. • To stay up-to-date, please check our Section website Thank you again for joining ISA and I look forward to seeing you soon at one of our local Section events. I am certain you will find it as rewarding as it has been for me. Sincerely, ISA XXXX Section President Encl: Section Meeting ticket, Contactor newsletter

16. Rosters Let’s look at the latest rosters New Members identified
Rachael McGuffin, ISA Staff
New Members identified
Active Grace
Automation community members

17. Section Reports Builds on large bullets.
Note to Facilitator: Read each of the session objectives on the overhead.

18. Automation Community Members
Automation Community Members have joined from the web, after purchasing materials or registering for a webinar and are not ISA members. Digital membership only.
Only recently assigned to sections
Invite to local section meetings and events
ISA Society will organize a conversion campaign: stay tuned

19. MEMBER RETENTION IDEAS
“Once you have recruited new Members, your work is not over. Because it’s easier to keep a Member than to keep recruiting new ones, be sure to focus sufficient efforts on keeping the new Members you’ve worked so hard to attract.”
Review some of the reasons for retention that were identified earlier
(slide 5 ).
IDEAS

20. Top Member Retention Ideas
List new members in newsletter
Identify new members at meetings
New member phone orientation with members that don’t attend meetings
Member surveys (paper or surveymonkey.com)
Contact active grace members by phone
Help adjust settings

21. The Critical Years of Membershipst
Highlight them the first year nd
--Studies show that the first 1 or 2 years are the most important for the Member deciding whether to renew or not.
--Focus on integrating the first-year Members and making them feel comfortable. Highlight: Introduce them at meetings, emphasize the importance of new Member, their ideas and involvement. (People generally like to be recognized.)
--Assign a seasoned Section Member as a Mentor.
--In the second year begin to get the Member more involved with the Section; i.e., committee or officer participation.
Use their talents the second year

22. First-Year Strategies
Make new Members feel welcome
Color code badges of new Members
Organize a hospitality committee
Hold a reception for new Members
Spotlight new Members during the meeting
Door prize – ISA branded st
Read the first-year strategies on the overhead. Ask participants what things they’re doing now to make new Members feel welcome.
An idea - Have a contest for the veteran Member who can remember the names of the most new Members following the reception.

23. Available Resources IMD Membership materials
Newsletter with best practices
Rachel McGuffin, staff
Membership materials
Rosters, membership guides
“There are plenty of resources for you to use in your recruiting and retention efforts and to help you serve your Members. “
NOTE: Labels for non-members (ISA customers) can be ordered at cost: $1.50 per 100 plus shipping.
Read Slide
“For more information about these resources, contact your Member Services Administrator.”
Laura Crumpler - Districts - 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, and 14
Dalton Wilson - Districts – 2, 3, 10, 11, and 13

24. Help Your Members RENEW
Most Members
never leave ISA they
Just forget to renew
Help Your Members RENEW
Conclude the session by noting that these strategies will only work if Section Leaders put them into action. Challenge the attendees to take the first step and make recruitment and retention a top priority in their Section plan.
Thank all for participating.