supercharge your member referral program hl

Supercharge Your Member Referral Program With Social

Media

Presented by Sheri Jacobs, CAE

President + Chief Strategist Avenue M Group, LLC

December 16, 2010

Friends

Friends

Teachers

Friends

Teachers Experts

How important is social media to a member referral

program?

Quick Poll: How do most members first learn about your organizaQon? (select one) •  Referral from a colleague or friend •  Direct mail •  Email •  PublicaQon adverQsement •  OrganizaQon’s website

Quick Poll: How do you typically spread the word about something new or interesQng? •  I use the telephone •  I share news when I see someone in-‐person •  I send emails •  I update my profile on Facebook or LinkedIn •  I send a text message •  None of the above

Quick Poll: How o[en do you log in to Facebook? •  More than once a day •  About once a week •  About once a month •  Less than once a month •  Never

Consider this…

Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic

Source: Socialnomics by Erik Qualman

WHY?

60 million status updates daily


“I had to be very persistent to download the Tech10 iPhone app. I hope it was worth it. Get it here”

“Curious now that the Association Forum is charging to attend the Holiday Showcase - how low the attendance will be. #HSC2010”

GeneraQon Y + Z consider email passé


Is the second largest search engine in the world


While I’m giving this presentaQon, 100 hours will be uploaded to YouTube.


25% of search results for the world’s top 20 largest brands are links to user-generated content!!

34% of bloggers post opinions about brands (organizaQons + their products)


“We don’t have a choice on whether we DO social media, the quesQon is how well we do it.” ~ erik qualman

Source: Socialnomics.com

Step 1: Find out who is loyal

and why.

The UlQmate QuesQon

1.  How likely are you to recommend membership in XYZ AssociaQon? (Scale 1 – 10)

2.  What would XYZ need to do to change your posiQon?

3.  What is your age group? Gender? Work selng? Etc.

Source: Fred Reichhold,The Loyalty Effect

Step 2: IdenQfy and create

your referral incenQves + tacQcs.

Moving Members to AcQon:

2010 Benchmarking Study on Member Referral Programs

•  100+ AssociaQons

•  66% Professional socieQes •  26% Trade associaQons •  8% Hybrid of both

•  61% have a budget of less than

$5M

•  81% use a referral program

Key Finding #1: Tangible, individual rewards are the most commonly

used incenQves.

Moving Members to AcQon: Rewards

Key Finding #2: The most effecQve type of incenQve is an “Exclusive Club for Members Who

Make Referrals.”

Moving Members to AcQon: Exclusivity

Chairman’s Club

Key Finding #3: AssociaQons are constantly reminding members about their program using online

+ offline tacQcs.

Moving Members to AcQon: Online

Moving Members to AcQon: Offline

Key Finding #4: InvitaQons to live events + loyalty programs were

rated as the most effecQve tacQcs.

Moving Members to AcQon:

RecogniQon + rewards are important

•  76% published names in an

electronic publicaQon

•  30% gave an incenQve valued between $100 -‐ $249

•  11% gave an incenQve valued between $250 -‐ $500

•  59% gave members gi[ cards

Case Study – ABA Referral Program

Case Study – ABA Referral Program

•  AcQve members received four trial membership gi[ cards.

•  Asked to give them to their colleagues.

•  1,700 new members joined.

TCMS changed its prospect member kit.

Or visit www.welcometotcms.com

Step 3: Launch, track and measure success.

11 Ideas You Can Use Immediately to Jump-‐Start Your Member Referral

Program.

1. Tell a story that is bigger than you.

2. Ditch the single voice

3. Use a crowdsourcing tool -‐ slinkset

4. Use social sharing to spread the word

5. I Like it! Borrow a page from Facebook.

6. Create a VIP Program

•  Offer meaningful freebies.

•  Create a special membership tag.

•  Create in-‐person events that will generate buzz via texQng, facebook posts or tweets.

6. Create an answer box

7. Create an answer box Member-‐generated content increases sales

•  PETCO ran an “Answer This!” contest. •  Customers were awarded for answering the quesQon first. •  During the promoQon, PETCO saw:

•  358% increase in answers •  49% increase in daily quesQon volume

•  Those who visited the Answer Den had: •  100% more orders per session •  72% higher conversion rate •  28% more items ordered

8. Let members see progress

Make members part of the soluQon. Share the results – good or bad.

Engage members in the markeQng 1.  Ask members to review events and post real

comments – good + bad online 2.  Invite members to make predicQons about

the future – and share it 3.  Interview members 4.  Highlight member achievements 5.  Create a statement from the community 6.  Ask members to contribute op-‐ed pieces 7.  Encourage members to be guest columnists

9. Be unscripted and authenQc

Use candid photos and unfiltered comments.

10. Create an “Unofficial Handbook”

11. Turn employees into brand ambassadors

#1 thing people talk about is amazing service.

They read what interests them and sometimes

that happens to be an ad.

People don’t read ads.

The last 7 words spoken by all

failed companies are…

But we’ve always done it that way.

Resources •  Socialnomics by Erik Qualman

•  The Loyalty Effect by Fred Reichheld

•  199 ideas: Powerful Marke>ng Tac>cs That Sell by Sheri Jacobs, CAE

Sheri Jacobs, CAE, President + Chief Strategist Avenue M Group, LLC [email protected] T. 847.849.3396

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