Transcript Executive Summary

Executive Summary
Our last increase in membership was in 1980,
approximately 34 years ago. The combination of the
drastic decline (by 50%) in initiated members along
with the enormous 65,000 average of annual non-pays
is creating an annual average loss of 25,000.
When we were growing in the late 1970’s through
1980, we initiated more than 100,000 new members
every year.
Our annual non-pays average was 75,000.
While we were growing membership, the enormous
average of annual non-pays was less of a concern than
today.
Reducing non-pays is our top priority.
• We have assembled notes on lodges that were
successful in terms of growing membership for
ten consecutive years, each bucking the
national membership trends.
• They displayed many consistencies. Most
notably embraced modern communication
strategies and a strong presence in their
communities.
• They are all passionate recruiters and provide a
family friendly environment.
• All were active Elks Lodges with a bar….not
active bars with an Elks Lodge.
• All displayed a good understanding of the
Order’s programs/opportunities and how that
translates back to the community they serve.
Current State
We initiate or reinstate approximately 60,000 new members
a year.
However, with 60,000 annual non-pays, 9,000 annual
absolute dimits, and 16,000 annual deaths, we lose more
than 85,000 members each year.
We have an annual deficit of approximately 25,000 each year.
Simply, we need to increase our annual new member
initiated and reinstatement totals to above 70,000.
We need to reduce non-pays and absolute dimits to fewer
than 50,000 annually.
These are realistic and attainable goals.
This requires a promotional plan which will help us increase
our new initiated members with a focus on adding quality
more than quantity. We want to add “active Elks”, not just
short-term card carrying members.
Objectives:
Increase new initiated members by 10,000
through two national campaigns.
Drive enthusiasm and results with a lowcost, highly visible recognition program.
Focus on adding quality more than quantity.
We want to add active ‘Elks”, not just shortterm card carrying members.
Reduce non-pays and absolute dimits by
20,000.
Focus on payment solutions and inspired
collection campaigns.
MEMBERSHIP
PROGRAM & PLANNING MANUAL
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Get the Membership Manual out of the
Lodge Secretary's Office.
Print or Order additional copies based on the
size of your Membership (one Manual per
every 100 Members). More on this.
Read it Cover to Cover (It’s the most
important 10 minutes you may spend this
year).
Keep this Manual with you and refer to it
often.
It Takes an Army to Win a WAR
Do you have the correct size Committee to get
the job done?
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5.
Exalted Ruler
Lodge Secretary
Leading Knight
Membership Chairperson
Add at least one additional committee person per 100
members in your lodge.
200 Member Lodge- add 2
500 Member Lodge- add 5
1000 Member Lodge- add 10
Lapsation
• Review duties and timelines with your
committee.
• Know your numbers.
• Dig a little deeper so you know more
about members on the delinquent list.
• Use your best judgment with Members
in distress.
Legacy Recruitment Drive
Contest to recruit Members’ spouses, children,
grandchildren, etc.
Web/Recognition:
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Members initiating or reinstating one family
member into the Order will receive mention on the
new “Share the Pride” page on the Elks website
(similar to the ENF donation recognition).
Members initiating or reinstating two or more
family members into the Order will receive mention
and photo recognition (post initiation) on the new
“Share the Pride” page on the Elks website (similar
to the ENF donation recognition).
GER PIN AND WATCH
Recognition:
• Members initiating or reinstating
three members into the Order
will receive the prestigious GER
pin award.
• Members initiating or reinstating
eleven or more members into
the Order will receive the
prestigious and attractive Elks
watch (male or female sizes
available.)
Reinstatements-Our Low Hanging Fruit
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We have more than 10,000 reinstatements a year.
Review sample reinstatement letter from Manual.
Ask the Lodge Secretary to run you a list of all the formers that were
dropped for non-pay over the past three to five years.
Former Members have misperceptions on the costs and process to
reinstate.
It’s easy to come back home to the Elks…show them how and many will.
So you want to be reinstated? It is really quite
simple to reinstate your membership in the Elks
Reinstate in your same lodge:
Go back to your old Lodge and ask the Secretary for an Application for Reinstatement. Fill out
the form. Pay the prescribed fee of $____ and this years dues of $___. Your application will be
forwarded to the Investigating Committee, who will contact you for an interview. After the
interview, the committee will make their recommendation to the members at a regular
meeting. After the Lodge vote, you will be notified by the Secretary. You will be required to pay
a prorated portion of annual Lodge dues. Then you will be issued your membership card.
So you moved and want to be reinstated in another Lodge?
Reinstate in a new lodge:
Should you wish to reinstate your membership in Elkdom with a Lodge other than the one in
which you were initiated, you must reside in the jurisdiction of that Lodge. Before you
reinstate you have to obtain a Certificate of Release from your old Lodge. Write a check
payable to the old Lodge in the amount of $25 and ask the Lodge Secretary to forward a
Certificate of Release. When you receive your Certificate of Release present it to the Secretary
of the Lodge you want to reinstate your membership with. Then you would go through the
steps previously described. If a Lodge has no proof of prior membership, the burden of proof
falls on you.
Proof of prior membership can be:
An old membership card
A canceled check
An affidavit signed by two members attesting to prior membership (which must be notarized)
If you cannot provide proof of prior membership, it will be necessary to apply for membership
as a new member
SPECIAL REINSTATEMENT FEE
Section 14.180
Lodges may, BY BY-LAWS establish a sixty (60) day consecutive period or a two
(2) consecutive month period during the Lodge year in which any
reinstatement fee otherwise required by this section is reduced to one (1)
dollar except the months of February, March, April and May.
In order to take advantage of this a Lodge must amend their By-Laws to
include this special reinstatement period.
Delivering the
Membership Experience
through the Lodge Secretary
By mailbox, inbox or mobile device, your annual renewals
must connect with your members.
We help you maximize the opportunity to create an experience with your members
along all communication lines and build a more solid relationship.
From traditional print and mail invoices
to electronic invoice presentment and payment solutions
to inspired collections campaigns.
We have a Collection Problem!
• We all know getting members to pay dues in a timely manner can be a
gruesome task.
• In fact, nearly 40% of our membership does not pay their dues by the first
week in April.
• More than 30% of our members will be more than 90 days past due.
• More than 15% of our members will be more than 180 days past due.
• We know that more than 6% of our membership will not pay at all.
• We dropped more than 60,000 Elks on March 31, 2014 for non-payment of
dues.
• Nationally we lost more than $4.5 million dollars in uncollected dues
revenue.
• Yes we have a BIG collection problem
Top Tips to
make ‘em pay!
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Let your members pay – in any way possible and as quickly as possible. Online,
mobile, snail mail, or in person. At the end of the day, you need to provide your
members with a quick and easy way to pay you in a method they prefer. Let the
member click one link to pay you online via credit card. Don’t make paying a
chore. Period.
If it doesn’t look professional, you’re not a professional. Make the dues invoice
look nice and branded to your lodge. While still remembering its primary
purpose.
Everybody could use a reminder. Make sure all dues invoices are on a healthy
30 day cycle. Bill every month starting on May 1st.
Top Tips to
make ‘em pay!
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Watch your tone with collection letters and calls. Don’t get all “official” just
because this is a late invoice and you’re talking about money. Remember that
you have formed a fraternal and social relationship that’s supposed to be
mutually beneficial. Be personable, humble and friendly.
It’s time to get over it find a solution in your collection letters and calls that
takes the edge off things like understanding that times are hard, or
understanding that many (not just seniors) are on fixed incomes. The sluggish
economy has made an impact.
It’s my Life (membership) this should be reviewed annually by the Lodge
Secretary to see who is eligible well before the close of the fraternal year. In
general people are living much longer…well into their 80’s. However many are
not financially prepared to maintain their membership.
The Secretary
• Bill all delinquents monthly
• Use personal notes on late notices
• Cooperate with the Exalted Ruler and
Membership Committee with up-to-date
figures.
• Secretary is a paid Officer of the Lodge, who is
largely responsible for dues collection.
• Monitor the monthly duties and schedule.
• Verify the Secretary’s Membership work is
getting done.
Revamp
Dues Invoices
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Make me Proud to be a Member
Make it Easy for me to understand
Make it Convenient for me to pay
Make it Easy for me to donate online
Allow me to be Active from anywhere
First Step:
A Gentle Reminder Letter
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The first step in successful collection letters is to send a gentle reminder. Rather than a
simple "past due" notice, the first set of debt collection letters you send should be a
personal letter addressing your member in pleasant terms.
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If the letter is worded as a reminder, it gives the member a chance to maintain their selfimage. Be business-like and include the date of the first invoice, the amount and when the
first payment was due.
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Your first and second collection letters are positive and helpful, the third collection letter
may show concern for their situation, and so it builds.
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In today's electronic age, handling your entire invoicing and collection letter process by
email is simple and quick. However, it also can result in your correspondence being buried in
an overstuffed inbox and given low priority. Therefore, use additional means of sending out
your collection letter correspondence including faxes, phone calls, and regular mail.
1st Collection Contact –
Post-it note or “gentle reminder” letter
with 2nd dues invoice
Hi_____(hand write first name):
Just a gentle reminder. We have not received your annual dues payment of $_____,
which was due on April 1st, 2014. Please send it to us right away in the enclosed envelope.
You can also go online to our lodge website and pay with a major credit/debit card
right away at lakehopatcongelks.com. It’s fast and convenient and just takes a minute or two
Please feel free to give me a call_________or email________with any questions or concerns.
Stay well and we hope to see you soon down at the lodge.
Fraternally,
Rick Gathen PSP
Lodge Secretary
Uh Oh!
Did you
forget?
2nd Collection Contact –
Post-it note or
letter with “gentle reminder”
with 3rd dues invoice
Hi_____(hand write first name):
Have you forgotten to send us your annual dues payment? The amount of $_____was due on
April 1st, 2014. If you have not already mailed it to us, please do so today in the enclosed
envelope.
You can also go online to our lodge website and pay with a major credit/debit card right away
at www.lakehopatcongelks.com. It’s fast and convenient and just takes a minute or two.
Please feel free to give me a call at_______or email________with any questions or concerns.
Stay well and we hope to see you soon down at the lodge.
Fraternally,
Rick Gathen PSP
Lodge Secretary
3rd Collection Contact letter –
“not so gentle” typed reminder
with 4th dues invoice
Dear ____:
I have written to you three times without any answer concerning your annual dues of $_____
which was due on April 1st, 2014. We have also tried to contact you by phone, but again
without success. I am surprised I have not heard from you since you have been a good and
reliable member for _____years.
If there is a health or financial hardship please give me a call at_______or email________
explaining your unfortunate situation so I can work with you.
Remember….You can go online to our lodge website and pay with a major credit/debit card right
away at lakehopatcongelks.com. That’s fast and convenient and just takes a minute or two.
Fraternally,
Rick Gathen PSP
Lodge Secretary
INTEGRATING CLMS AND LAPSATION PROCESS
APRIL:
Submit Annual Report
Utilizing the Mail Merge Features to send the following letter:
Mail April 1st to members dropped on March 31st
2ND Dues Notice should be mailed/emailed to all 2014-2015 delinquents
MAY:
Utilizing the Mail Merge Features to send the following letter:
Mail May 1st to members not reinstated
Mail May 1st to all 2014-2015 delinquents (1st gentle reminder letter)
JUNE:
Mail 2nd Gentle Reminder letter to all delinquents
JULY:
Mail 3rd Gentle Reminder Letter to all delinquents
AUGUST:
3rd Dues Notice should be mailed/emailed to all 2014–2015 delinquents
SEPTEMBER: Utilizing the Mail Merge Features to send the following letter:
Optional Lapsation Letter
OCTOBER:
Utilizing the Mail Merge feature to send a letter from the Exalted Ruler
to all delinquents
NOVEMBER:
Utilizing the Mail Merge Features to send the following:
Lapsation Questionnaire
Submit November Mid-Year Report
JANUARY:
4th Dues Notice Mailed/Emailed to all 2014 – 2015 Delinquents
FEBRUARY:
First Dues Notice for 2015 – 2016 Year
Utilizing the Mail Merge Feature to send the following:
Mail on Feb 1st Owe More than Half – Lapsation Comm.
Mail by end of February
Final Notice Mail before End of Elk Year
MARCH:
Review delinquent list and evaluate who may need assistance
Drop Delinquents by March 31
Share the Pride of Elkdom!
Share Your Lodge Impact
• You've likely heard it time and time again, but it bears
repeating; you need to routinely share where your Lodge
has made an impact. Not only does this help recruit new
members, it also allows Lodges to retain the support of
current members. Regardless of whether people support
the Lodge by donating or volunteering time, they'll likely
want to know they're contributing to making the
community and nation a better place. It's your job to
make sure they're able to see the impact they're having
through their involvement with your Lodge.
Share the Pride of Elkdom!
Increase New Members
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When deciding whether or not to join
the Elks and volunteer, many people
want to get a feel for the impact
they'll be having. Effectively helping
them visualize this impact through
advanced Public Relations programs
can boost your recruiting efforts.
Share the Pride of Elkdom!
Increase Membership Retention
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Even after candidates have joined your Lodge, they
likely want to know what impact their work had.
Studies have shown that members are more likely to
stop supporting the local Lodge and leave the Order if
they're unsure if the Lodge was making an impact in
the community. Sharing the fruits of their labor through
Public Relations can improve the chance they'll
volunteer more and remain members.
Share the Pride of Elkdom!
Increased Name Recognition
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No one is capable of supporting a cause or event
they don't know exists. Beyond simply getting your
Lodge name out there, people are far more likely to
support an organization they trust. While such trust
is developed over time through repeated positive
exposure, it starts with simple awareness of your
Lodge existence and mission. Of course not
everyone you touch will ultimately become an
active participant. But the more people you're able
to reach in some way, the greater likelihood you'll
reach people who are interested in participating.
Share the Pride of Elkdom!
Maintain Relationships With Current Members
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It can be tough to find volunteers who are dedicated to
helping your cause through donating or working with
your Lodge. But once you've managed to find such
people and make them members of the Order,
maintaining these relationships should be of prime
importance. Cultivating long-term relationships with
members who have demonstrated their willingness to
support your Lodge should be mutually beneficial.
Share the Pride of Elkdom!
Connect With New Members
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No matter how good you are at retention,
you'll need to recruit new members. A person
will likely be more receptive to joining your
Lodge if your message comes with an
endorsement from someone they value. Public
Relations provides a huge opportunity for such
peer recommendations to help spread your
communications to prospective new
members. And since your members are the
ones sharing your message with their friends
and family, those friends and family will be
more likely to actually listen to what you have
to say and join your Lodge.
Share the Pride of Elkdom!
Increase Overall Fundraising
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More new members coupled with better membership
retention should help lead to better fundraising as a whole
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Share the Pride of Elkdom!
Pictures Speak 1,000
Words
• When you complete a community or
committee project, It’s essential for
our members to see their impact
with photos. Replace the typical
long-winded article with photos.
Share the Pride of Elkdom!
Establish Your Authority on a Topic
• People are more likely to support an Elks
Lodge that consists of knowledgeable
Officers and committee chair people.
Public Relations success stories gives your
Lodge even more credibility and
exposure.
Why Your Lodge should Publish
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To increase awareness about your Lodge or add money to its coffers, a newsletter, website
and members-only social media page are essential.
The reasons that Lodges should publish a newsletter, website, and members-only social
media page are many. Whether small or large, it is important that your Lodge
communicate effectively with members, foundations, donors, legislators, media, and the
general public.
Start by determining the primary purpose you'd like the publication to serve, and go from
there. Some of the ways that newsletters, websites and members-only social media pages
can help Lodges are described below.
Why Your Lodge should Publish
Boosting Contributions
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Often, the best future contributors to a Lodge are the
people who have donated in the past. Recognizing this,
many Lodges publish a newsletter, website, and
members-only social media page just for their donors
and volunteers. These important vehicles focus on
communicating the work the organization is doing for an
important cause and highlight why that work is
important. Such communication vehicles are often filled
with appeals for additional support and photographs of
the people who benefit from it. It's also common
practice to profile and praise volunteers so that other
people are inspired to sign up for some volunteer time.
Why Your Lodge should Publish
Creating a Sense of Community
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Some people are compelled to join the Elks
because they crave a connection to people with
whom they work or live. In addition to making
new members feel welcome, successful Lodges
use their newsletter, website, and members-only
social media page to remind existing members
how they benefit from belonging to the Elks and
encourage them to remain involved.
LODGE BULLETIN-MEMBER OPTION
Section 1.115
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You must offer your members a choice
to receive the lodge bulletin
electronically or by postal mail.
You can’t force them to accept the
electronic version as the only option by
Statutes (below).
“Except as otherwise directed by
Executive Order, any notice required to
be sent or mailed to all Members of a
Lodge may be included in the Lodge
Bulletin or sent electronically to any
Member who has given written
authorization to receives notices
electronically”.
Social Media, Membership and
Public Relations are Cousins
Defining "Success” for Your Lodge
Have A Reason
• There's a good chance at some point someone has told your Lodge you need to be
utilizing social media. They're right-there's huge potential to leverage social media to
help your Lodge fulfill its mission. But the use of social media is not an end in itself. Far
too many Lodges are rushing into using social media without a reason to do so. Just
because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean you should be too.
Spread the Word
• Messages sent through social media channels have the uncanny ability to spread
like wildfire. Empower your influential members to promote your Lodge by
distributing your messages.
Communicate
• Social media facilitates two-way communication, some real time, that enables you
to engage in conversations directly with your members. It makes your Lodge seem
more accessible and personal allowing members to be active and engaged from
anywhere. Bringing Elkdom closer to peoples' hearts and minds is good Public
Relations.
Social Media
Statistics
Social Media Statistics
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One in every nine people on Earth is on Facebook ( This number is calculated
by dividing the planets 6.94 billion people by Facebook’s 750 million users)
People spend 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook
Each Facebook user spends on average 15 hours and 33 minutes a month on
the site
More than 250 million people access Facebook through their mobile devices
More than 2.5 million websites have integrated with Facebook
30 billion pieces of content is shared on Facebook each month
300,000 users helped translate Facebook into 70 languages
People on Facebook install 20 million “Apps” every day
190 million average Tweets per day occur on Twitter (May 2011)
Twitter is handling 1.6 billion queries per day
Twitter is adding nearly 500,000 users a day
Measuring Organizational Impact
The key questions to ask yourself when beginning your use of members-only social media is:
What outcomes will serve as indicators that you're using social media effectively?
These outcomes should be metrics you're already tracking, like:
• Number of new and repeat volunteers
• Total number of volunteer hours
• Overall fundraising
• Number of new and repeat donors
• Number of new and repeat meeting attendees
• Number of new and repeat event attendees
• Increase membership
If social media is to truly serve your Lodge, it needs to have a tangible impact on your
organization's ability to serve your community. It's up to you to figure out what impact
makes the most sense as a starting point for your organization.
Do’s & Don'ts
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Do be clear about your objectives.
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Do accept only Members as
“Friends”.
Don’t dive in head first. Social media
beginners should focus on a few things
and do them well.
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Don’t accept non-Members as friends.
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Do set privacy controls.
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Do know when to ask for help.
Don’t post photos of members drinking
or smoking.
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Do focus on using social media to
encourage attendance at lodge social
events.
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Don’t post photos that may be
“harmful” to the Elks image and
reputation.
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Don’t post names of children.
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Don’t post Lodge business that would be
in violation of your Obligation.
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Do post photos of committees
performing charitable work.
Lodge WebsiteYour Portal to the World
Promote
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Being active and posting fresh content can help drive traffic to your Lodge website
and help you promote and position your various programs and committees.
Raise Support
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Drive members to specific pages on your lodge website where you need support
the most with links to your online donation or volunteer sign-up pages.
Suggested Must Haves (or jobs):
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Who We Are
What We Do
Why Join
How to Join
How to Reinstate
How to donate online
Who is in charge
What is happening at the Lodge
Make me Proud to be a Member
List all community projects and donations your Lodge has supported
Keep the site fresh and relevant
Suggested Not Haves:
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Don’t post Lodge Official business. This may be considered a violation of your Obligation.
Don’t post photos of Members/guests drinking or smoking.
Don’t post photos that may be considered “harmful” to the Elks image and reputation.
Don’t post names of children. You may be putting them at risk from online predators.
Do not use tiny fonts.
Do not require a registration unless it is necessary.
Do not play music.
Suggested Not Haves:
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Avoid “drop down”•menus: the user should be able to see all the navigation options
straight a-way. Using “drop down”•menus might confuse things and hide the information
the reader was actually looking for.
Use a simple navigation structure. Sometimes less is more. This rule usually applies to
people and choices. Make sure that your website has a single, clear navigation structure.
The last thing you want is to confuse the reader regarding where he should go to find the
information he is looking for.
Do not use harsh colors. If the user is getting a headache after visiting your site for 10
consecutive minutes, you probably should pick a better color scheme. Design the color
palette around your objectives (i.e. deliver a mood; let the user focus on the content, etc.).
No spelling or grammatical mistakes. This is not a web design mistake, but it is one of the
most important factors affecting the overall quality of a website. Make sure that your links
and texts do not contain spelling or grammatical mistakes.
Membership Growth
Lodges that are growing membership have a strong presence in their
communities. Each have from one to four community service projects
which are well publicized. The Lodges are well known for these
community projects. All have successful Legacy recruitment drives.
Member’s spouses, children and grand children are joining. Making the
Elks a true “American family tradition”
Examples From Growing Lodges
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Red Lion PA #1592
Hickory NC #1654
Potsdam NY #2074
Falmouth MA #2380
Lake Hopatcong NJ #782
Get Out in the Community
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Falmouth MA #2380 is well known in the community for
their scholarship night, Dictionary program, and bicycle
helmet giveaway program.
Potsdam NY #2074 is well known in the community for
placing American Flags throughout the area, and providing
“bounce around” for young children/families to enjoy from
8 am to 8 pm, strong youth activity programs, and they
partner with other local organizations to benefit the
community.
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Hickory NC #1654 is well known in the community for their
projects to assist the homeless.
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Lake Hopatcong NJ #782 is well known in the community
for their Leap in the Lake for Special needs children and
the largest Christmas Appeal program in the county.
Ideas That Will Work For Your Lodge
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Red Lion PA #1592 have a member appreciation day in
April. All members are free. The Lodge gets about 200
members to attend. The members are encouraged to bring
a guest. The Lodge received more than a dozen
applications for membership, more than 40 dues renewal
payments, and nearly a dozen reinstatements. Soon after
they initiated 29 new members. With the reinstatements
added 41 members to their rolls. A great event.
Falmouth MA #2380 encourage members to bring guests
every month. All guests are well received and receive a
Lodge pin, making them feel welcome. All Officers wear
“Ask Me” buttons encouraging questions. All guests are
made to feel welcome and ask to join.
MEMBER
APPRECIATION
DAY
Recruiting in the Community
What We do and How to Join
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All community events should include a
strong Public Relations and Membership
presence.
Set up a table with handouts.
Think of an airplane. Public Relations and
Membership are wings that allow the
plane to take flight.
Earn a good reputation as a premier
chartable organization in your community.
Provide a family friendly and member
friendly environment.
DARE TO SOAR
ON THE HORIZON
The new indoctrination CD. The emphasis will be on lodge committees and how
joining lodge committees is exciting. It will be much more effective in terms of
making our lodges stronger….and enhance membership retention.
ON THE HORIZON
Membership/Public Relations webinars
Topics will include:
Best membership practices around the nation.
Public Relations tips to promote upcoming venues with Elks annual calendar.
Advice and examples on how to best tie in and leverage all your communication assets.
Lodge bulletin, email blasts, lodge website and members-only social media page.
The coordination and proper use of Elks logos and marks.
How to maximize all of the communication muscle that a Lodge/state has in its arsenal.
How to communicate with one voice.
ON THE HORIZON
We will be adding a Membership/Public Relations page to the Grand Lodge website
in the near future. Items will include recommended press releases and
other valuable tips…and show case some of the best practices around the nation.
ON THE HORIZON
We will be opening the lines of communication to the lodges/states
inviting questions, and sharing accomplishments to my email.
[email protected]