Entice, Enlist Enthrall:Getting and Keeping Members in a

Multi-Channel World

Michelle Conklin, Executive DirectorTucson Botanical Garden

Bob Mermelstein, Chief Financial OfficerPhipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Dana Hines, President and CEOMembership Consultants

Rosie Siemer, Founder + CEOFiveseed, Inc.

Entice, Enlist Enthrall:Getting and Keeping Members in a

Multi-Channel World

Entice…

The Garden

Flower Shows

Exhibitions

Benefits

Offers

Your Mission

Entice…

Your Garden

The Conservatories

Gardening

Plants

Entice…

Events

Flower Shows

Exhibitions

Experiences

Entice…

Benefits

Free Admission

Free Parking

Discounts

Entice…

Offers

Dollars off

2 Months Free

A Tote Bag

Entice…

Your mission

Research

Conservation

Saving Plants from Extinction

Enlist….

On-Site Sales

Direct mail

Telephone

Email

Social Media

On-Site Sales

Most popular method of gaining new members

Most cost effective

Everyone can do

Convert 2% to 4% of visitors to members

Best practices

Enlist….

Direct Mail

Still works!

Second to on-site sales in terms of new member volume

Components: lists, offer, creative

Timing

Expectations

Enlist….

Enlist….

Telephone…

Still relevant, but with challenges

Renewals

Lapsed recapture

Capital campaign inclusion

Enlist….

Email

Social Media

Enthrall….

Experiences

Communications

Customer Service

Enthrall….

Experiences

Member Only Events

Previews

Tours and Travel

Spring flowers!

Special traveling exhibitions

Enthrall….

Communications

Enthrall….

Customer Service

Enlist….No longer can an organization rely solely on a single marketing activity to drive membership.

On-site Sales

Direct Mail

Telemarketing

Email

Social Media & Mobile

Digital Advertising

Loyalty

Enlist….Your secret weapon…

Time with mail campaigns

Content strategy

Call to action

List building

Testing

Expanded email programs

Enlist….Facebook is king…

Organic reach has been greatly diminished

Advertising

CRM retargeting

Website retargeting

Time-bound offers

Cover photo

Join tab

Enlist….

Enlist….

Enlist….Use social contests to generate rapid visibility and email capture

Expand reach and deepen engagement

Increase the number of email subscribers

Capture one-to-one contact info and create a path to membership

Expose member prospects and potential donors to mission messaging

Connect emotionally with audiences and capture personal stories

Garner media attention

Enlist….Social media…

Enlist….Social media contests…

Enlist….Social media contests…

Enlist….Social media contests…

Enlist….Mobile is no longer a trend.

Offers

Geo-fencing

In-app advertising

Apps

Text-to-give

Enthrall….Leveraging loyalty programs...

Capture contact info

Track activity

Encourage repeat visits

Engage on site and online

Reward members

Enthrall….

18 to 29-year olds are more likely to use a brand’s social media site for customer service interactions (43%) ~ J.D. Power and Associates

The number of questions asked on brand pages on Facebook has increased by 85% over the last year. ~ Social Bakers

57% expect the same response time at night and on weekends as during normal business hours ~ Edison Research

Source: Nielsen, 2012; Oracle, 2012; Edison Research, 2012

32% of social users expect a

response within 30 minutes

1 in 3 social media users prefer social media over phone for customer service

53% of Twitter users expect a response within 1 hour

Enthrall….

Enthrall….Millennials…or the future of your membership program

Crave community

High tech – high touch

Instant gratification

Expect real-time communication

72% want to spend money on an experience

Support issues, not organizations

Want VIP treatment and recognition

Support issues, not organizations

Things they like: discounts, contests, games, celebrity endorsements, relatable characters, visual content

Enthrall….

Marketing automation is the future.

Member communications

Automated renewals

Personalized content

Customized event invitations

It is increasingly difficult to attain long-term financial sustainability. Botanical Gardens and nonprofits, generally, need to remain focused on maintaining the…

“Iron Triangle”

Organizational Capacity

Financial Capacity

Mission and Program

May-1

0

Aug-10

Nov-10

Feb-11

May-1

1

Aug-11

Nov-11

Feb-12

May-1

2

Aug-12

Nov-12

Feb-13

May-1

3

Aug-13

Nov-13

Feb-14

May-1

4

Aug-14

Nov-14

Feb-15

May-1

56,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

11,000

12,000

13,000

14,000

7,292

8,986

13,009

Phipps Member HouseholdsMay 2010 - May 2015

Changed Membership Structure & Rate Increase

9/2012

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015$500,000

$600,000

$700,000

$800,000

$900,000

$1,000,000

$1,100,000

$1,200,000

$601,846

$651,391

$686,752

$912,091

$1,070,275

$1,145,159

Phipps Member Revenues12-Month's Ended May 31

Changed Membership Structure & Rate Increase

9/2012

AWARENESS

RECRUITMEN

T

ENGAGEMEN

T

RENEWAL

REIN

STAT

EMEN

TThe Phipps Membership Lifecycle…

How do we get prospective members to discover Phipps?

We want to develop a relationship with prospects so that membership becomes a natural consequence.

Direct mail acquisition, Bring a Friend Day, We Our Members

AWARENESS

RECRUITMENT

ENGAGEMEN

T

RENEWAL

REIN

STAT

EME

NTThe Phipps Membership Lifecycle…

Events centered around the wants of our members. Also, targeting young professionals.

Direct mail acquisition is key to finding new members.

We don’t place much emphasis on promotions.

AWARENESS

RECRUITMENT

ENGAGEMENTRENEWAL

REIN

STAT

EME

NTThe Phipps Membership Lifecycle…

Member exclusive events (Peek Behind the Petals, Members’ Night)

Member preferred events (Jazz in the Garden, Glasshouse Happy Hour)

Member concierge

AWARENESS

RECRUITMENT

ENGAGEMENTRENEWAL

REIN

STAT

EME

NTThe Phipps Membership Lifecycle…

Over 50% of our renewals come through the Welcome Center

Focus on renewal of 1st year members. Huge disparity of renewal rates for 1st year members and longer term members.

Approach to “touching” members about renewal is key. How long have you been doing what you’re doing?

AWARENESS

RECRUITMENT

ENGAGEMENTRENEWAL

REIN

STAT

EMEN

TThe Phipps Membership Lifecycle…

We try to use a major event/happening as an impetus to rejoin

Should be part of your direct mail acquisition campaign.

Entice…Know who you’re enticing and structure your membership program around that

Young familiesEmpty nestersRetireesCollege studentsMillennials

Understand the ramifications of offers…good, bad or indifferent

DiscountsReciprocal membershipsExtra months (“drop dead deal”)

Entice…What are we selling?

Seasonal Flower ShowsCenter for Sustainable LandscapesSEED ClassroomFree admission for 1 yearQuarterly members-only magazineMember-exclusive events

Peek Behind the PetalsMembers’ Night (Spring Show Preview)Tour of Production Greenhouses (higher level members)Jazz in the Garden (member preferred)

Discounts in Gift Shops, Education classes

Enlist…Majority of new members join onsite (79%)

Commission to Guest Associates for selling new memberships ($3 - $6/per)Up to 7 days to receive credit for admission Conversion rate

Combination of email/social media to alert members/non-members about upcoming events

Easy to navigate website

Phipps Virtual Member Card

Enthrall...Personal touch: “Meet Your Concierge Team”

Personal response to all emails/voicemails from a member of our membership team

E-blasts are signed with Membership Manager’s signature

Quick turnaround on getting cards out to new/renewed members

Phipps Virtual Member Card to launch shortly

Look closely at Member benefits

Renewal rate: 68.1% overall (goal 70%), 74.7% multi year (goal 75%), 42.6% 1st year (goal 45%)

Phipps Membership Web PageVirtual Member

Card

Website and Facebook posts about Jazz in the Garden and Peek Behind the Petals

Renewal email signed by Membership Manager

Deep roots reaching back to the 1920’s

5 ½ Acres

18 Display Gardens

Indoor Tropical Butterfly House

Outdoor Garden Railway

Café

2 Gift Shops

Gallery

Weird Plant Sale

Luninaria Nights

SAVOR Food Festival

GrowDown Garden Competition

Ultimate Garden Tour

Feast of the Dearly Departed

Family Days…

1982 -10 members

1983 - $1.00 Admission Fee on an honor basis.

4,200 Households

$13/$9 Admission

2013

3,100 Household

Tucson Botanical GardensMember Households 1985 - 2013

Raiser’s Edge

Butterfly Exhibit

Economy Crash

The Plan….

Create a Compressive Acquisition Campaign

Direct MailTelefunding

Lapsed Donors

Build Annual Fund

Expand Outreach

The Budget…. $0.00

2013 $10,000 General Operating Support Grant

“Support, Strengthen and Build Capacity”

This Grant Will Fund…

TBG first telefunding campaign to recapture lapsed members, which will build capacity and strengthen our organization.

The Plan….

Create a Compressive Acquisition Campaign

Direct MailTelefunding

Lapsed Donors

Build Annual Fund

Expand Outreach

Direct Mail….Mail to all non-renewing members in database

Create an Incentive

InexpensiveCan’t Refuse

P.S. “If we don’t hear from you, someone will call you to follow up.”

June - AugustNew Member Category….

$20 Dog Membership includes…

Unlimited Summer Admission (Regular Dog Admission is $3 per visit)

Special Canine Membership Card with Attachable Collar Ring

Sibling Dog Memberships for an additional $10

New Member Category….

New Member Category….

$9,401.00 182 Donors224 Gifts

Outreach….

Sales Table at all Garden Events

Tucson’s Top Three Community Events

Telefunding….

THE DISCUSSION

The Opposition….

Telemarketers – Hate em!

Too many telefunders

We ask too often

I hate getting phone calls during dinner

I hang up on those people

It won’t work

Phone calls can build relationships

Better than online and direct mail fundraising

If done right: Donor is grateful to hear from you and you can’t get them off the phone

Very personal to the donor

Boost direct mail response quickly

The Reality….

The Discussion Continues….

TimelinePhone AppendWrite ScriptsTrain the StaffSchedule StaffListen and EvaluateAdjust Campaign as neededProduce Daily Reports

Compile ListsLapsed MembersGarden EventsMember Benefits

Review ScriptListen in!Follow up

MembersPledgesThank You’s

“We can do this ourselves”

Can we, really?

TimelinePhone AppendWrite ScriptsTrain the StaffSchedule StaffListen and EvaluateAdjust Campaign as neededProduce Daily Reports

Compile ListsLapsed MembersGarden EventsMember Benefits

Review ScriptListen in!Follow up

MembersPledgesThank You’s

NO!

Telefunding campaignGoal Actual

% of those that said “Yes” 12%

% of Credit Card Purchases 60%

% of those that pledged 40%

Average renewal amount

Contact Rate

Number of Calls 2,000

Number of calls completed

Number of Hours Contracted 163

Total Number of Renewing Members

24%

67%

33%

$45.13

70%

1,500 out of 2,000

163

394

Telefunding campaignEXPENSE

Outside Consultant $ 6,500

Direct Mail $ 2,800

Postage $ 600

TOTAL EXPENSE $ 9,900

INCOME

Direct Mail $ 9,805

Phone Calls $ 7,925

GOS Grant $10,000

TOTAL INCOME $27,730

LESS GOS GRANT ($10,000)

Profit $17,730

CAPACITY BUILDING

Retention…

38%

Welcome Center Opens 9/1/15

Reason for success…

Right person asks the right person for the right amount for the right project in the right place at the right time.

Trained/Experienced Staff

Past Members

Can’t Refuse Offer

New Member Programs

The Comfort of Home

Prior to Opening Season

Reason for success…

The Six “Rights”

Efficiently Run Campaign

Tight Timeline

Great Incentive

2150 N. Alvernon WayTucson, Arizona(520) 326-9686www.tucsonbotanical.org

3868 Russell BoulevardSt. Louis, MO 63110(520) 326-9686www.membership-consultants.com

Denver, CO 303-880-7105www.fiveseed.com

One Schenley ParkPittsburgh, PA 15213(412) 622-6915phipps.conservatory.org