1. How to become “better than free” Meeting the Membership Challenge

2. Trends Identified in ASAE Decision to Join StudyDecision to Join Study Joining decision not based on a simple cost- benefit analysis. More emotional than pragmatic. Members who join for “the good of the professional community” on the up-swing vs. those who join for personal advantage, benefit People have different motivations at different career stages. Common factors:  Strengthen public appreciation of our profession  Access to privileged information, training, PD  Connecting members to others with similar interests/networking  Opportunities to do something significant

3. Why members don’t renew: trends from the ASAE study 1.Didn’t receive the value I expected when joining (do we understand expectations?) ‏ 2.No one asked 3.Employer stopped paying dues 4.Change of career focus 5.Not enough local programming 6.Change of job 7.Dissatisfied with association’s performance.

4. Most important key to maintaining affiliation: Volunteer Involvement Who is willing to recommend membership to others? 66% of governance volunteers would 61% of committee members would 47% of ad hoc volunteers would What can we do to provide more meaningful volunteer opportunities as a strategy for building membership?

5. NCTE Members’ Rating of Most Important Organization Functions

6. Member Motivations More Altruistic/Action-Oriented

8. Membership as a Business Model: Today’s Challenges Kevin Kelly argues in the Technium that the Internet is a giant duplicating machine. He believes that when copies are super- abundant, they become worthless. Conversely, things that can’t be copied become precious. How can we make the membership experience about these eight “generatives” or values that can’t be copied?Technium

9. Four Membership Values that Can’t be Copied

10. …and four more

11. “Free” as a business model “Free” is a powerful price-point, but, oh-oh, it won’t work by itself! Some strategies for coupling free with high value- added purchases  Membership as loss-leader  Certificates and recognition  Special invitation-only events at meetings  Premiums vs Freemiums Advertising and sponsorship—hidden costs and benefits

12. Better than Free Benefits Free strategies Community space social network, including  Book/article chats  DC webinars with policymakers  In-depth member directory  Open archive for members of back issues of journals  Literacy terms wikipedia  Classroom portraits series  Calls to action  Convention handouts and videos  Self-forming groups National Gallery of Writing/National Day Celebrations/Celebrity endorsements Member portfolio with pre-loaded memory stick Advocacy Month Recognition letters 20/200 I Make a Difference Members NCTE Plans to Become Better than Free While Leveraging Free Offers to Build Membership

13. Practical planning tips Overcoming obstacles to membership enrollment

14. What matters most in a promotional campaign?

15. Someone must be responsible for inviting members to join and renew—first step on the planning trail!

16. Finding lists of potential members: sources

17. Sharing strategies that work