Membership Management
Finally, something I completely relate to regarding public relations. I have worked in some aspect of membership organization for 7 years and can contribute to this conversation. Member management is the ultimate public relations for a non profit.
I can definitely see a positive relationship between public relations and association management. Constant communication and relationship building are key to retaining members. It gets more difficult on a grander scale (we have 3100 members) but is essential.
I also believe that in this case, public relations and marketing are measurable. The article returns findings to retention, as the magic word. Everything you do for your members has an affect on your membership. The more positive people view your association, the more members you will retain and recruit.
But, even when working on a grand scale, how one person views your org can also damage your reputation. Think blogging, anyone?
The national professional organization affiliated with our state org, has endorsed a candidate in the presidential election. We have already had phone calls for members wishing to resign their membership based on this decision. They are FURIOUS! Although, no one ever hears from those that are supportive.
Part of the power of a professional organization is to exert influence on public policy. What power would anyone have if we all chose to sit idly by. But, who decides what exactly it is that the membership wants? After all, we are here because of them. Or are we? Would we be here without our members? Would we forge ahead without the power of numbers?
Do we cave for one person, ten people, a hundred...??? Where is the line to measure when we should listen to the collective voice? How will the disrupted members make waves with the rest of the group? Will there be blogs and chat rooms and bulletin board posts? Will the minority opinion detract from all the good we do for the profession?
Are we executing "bad" public relations or taking a stab at power and influence?
I can definitely see a positive relationship between public relations and association management. Constant communication and relationship building are key to retaining members. It gets more difficult on a grander scale (we have 3100 members) but is essential.
I also believe that in this case, public relations and marketing are measurable. The article returns findings to retention, as the magic word. Everything you do for your members has an affect on your membership. The more positive people view your association, the more members you will retain and recruit.
But, even when working on a grand scale, how one person views your org can also damage your reputation. Think blogging, anyone?
The national professional organization affiliated with our state org, has endorsed a candidate in the presidential election. We have already had phone calls for members wishing to resign their membership based on this decision. They are FURIOUS! Although, no one ever hears from those that are supportive.
Part of the power of a professional organization is to exert influence on public policy. What power would anyone have if we all chose to sit idly by. But, who decides what exactly it is that the membership wants? After all, we are here because of them. Or are we? Would we be here without our members? Would we forge ahead without the power of numbers?
Do we cave for one person, ten people, a hundred...??? Where is the line to measure when we should listen to the collective voice? How will the disrupted members make waves with the rest of the group? Will there be blogs and chat rooms and bulletin board posts? Will the minority opinion detract from all the good we do for the profession?
Are we executing "bad" public relations or taking a stab at power and influence?
posted by Anonymous @ 7:22 PM
1 Comments:
At 8:22 PM, February 04, 2008,
Tanesha said…
Kristen,
I can definitely see where you are coming from as I worked for a historical non-profit for three years. It almost goes back to the WOMMA article from last week in that the members and volunteers are the ultimate public relations tool. They discuss your organization with others and it is imperative for most nonprofits that they do so in a positive way.
Therefore, nonprofits must always take into account their members satisfaction and the relationship that they have with that relationship. In my organization, it was a little easier as we only had about 600 members (only about 200 that were large donors) and we had an idea of what would be “acceptable” to them as it applied to the organization and other aspects that you wouldn’t think had anything to do with the organization.
There were many times when some of our large donors disagreed with each other on certain policies and we had to walk a tight rope. You want to build that relationship but also still run the organization as its by-laws and mission statement require of you. It is amazing how one person with enough “clout” can affect an organization. And if you give into them what’s to stop them or someone else from stirring the membership up about another issue?
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