The Joy of Membership Podcast
Most membership organizations -want- to be using best practices for membership growth and member care... but best practices are often easier said than done.There are practical realities that get in the way… too little time, not enough staff, a board that doesn't "get it", or even chapter leaders that go rogue.There’s no shortage of advice out there on best practices in membership. What WE need to talk about is how to actually make those things possible in the real world… how to be absolutely sure that growth practices are going to stick… how to make those things easier, more consistent, and even done automatically in many cases.So that’s what we talk about here, not just WHAT to do to grow membership, but HOW to actually make it all possible.If that sounds of interest, stick around. I'll be here most Tuesday mornings and welcome you to join me.
Episodes
119 episodes
A Mid-Year Check-In on Your Progress
How is your year going? Hitting all your metrics? Have you even paused for a moment to look?In this episode, I share the 3 major areas that I think warrant a mid-year check-in. Take a listen and let me know your thoughts!
•
Season 3
•
Episode 118
•
8:47
9 Ways to Grow Your Volunteer Program with Technology
In this episode, we're continuing a special series during which we're exploring how to use technology to help you grow things that are NOT membership.In the work that I do with clients, I'm most often talking about membership growth, bu...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 117
•
18:17
8 Ways Technology Can Grow Your Donor Program
If you've been listening to this podcast for any length of time at all, you know that we talk about membership growth a lot, but there are actually LOTS of other things that membership organizations want to grow, too: donations, sponsorsh...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 116
•
17:20
How Many New Prospects Did You Attract in Q1?
We're solidly into the 4th month of the year, which means there's an entire first quarter of progress in the rearview mirror. Often, the metrics that organizations look at most closely throughout the year is the number of members who have signe...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 115
•
9:50
Does Your Membership Organization Embrace Change?
This past week, I had the opportunity to be a guest on an episode of Radio-Free 501c with host Cecilia Sepp as part of her special series focused on the 21st Century Membership.As I contemplated what being a "21st Century Membership" mea...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 114
•
8:56
The 5 Stages of Tech Readiness
Last week, I spent some time consulting with a small membership organization about their tech options. They've been operating primarily on paper but are now exploring how to up-level in the coming year. Their new membership chair was a flurry o...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 113
•
16:40
Uncommon Strategies for Member Engagement
This week is another guest episode. This time, I’m joined by Amanda Lea Kaiser from Kaiser Insights. If Amanda’s name sounds familiar, it’s probably because she’s pretty well known in association circles, but it could also be because she appear...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 112
•
17:13
Thinking About Switching Membership Software? Listen to This First
This past week, Wild Apricot clients learned that a 25% price increase was coming to all pricing tiers in April. It's not unusual for companies to have to increase prices periodically, so this is to be expected. Yet, every time the ...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 111
•
18:28
Thinking About More Marketing? Do This First.
Today, I have a special guest with me. It’s been a while since we’ve had a guest episode, so I hope you enjoy this conversation with Aron Murch. Aron is the Co-Owner of 2H Media.Aron works with nonprofits in Ontario, focusing especially ...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 110
•
16:57
What to Do with Inactive Contacts in Your Member Database
Do you have contacts who have just been sitting in your database for months, maybe even years, without ever becoming a member?Some organizations keep those old contacts on their list forever. Other organizations are constantly trying to...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 109
•
11:06
Why Won't Members Join?
Raise your hand if you’ve ever wondered why the heck people think that what your organization does is brilliant, but they still don’t become a member.Go ahead, raise those hands. I’ll wait.If your hand is now raised, you are in go...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 108
•
17:06
What Will Be Different in 2023?
For many organizations, this time of year is when things get "real". You can see whether revenue went up or down. You can see whether you have more members or less. This means that this is the time of year when it makes sense to con...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 107
•
9:58
Using Live Events to Attract More Members
Recently, my team and I provided event support for a client that was hosting its first "back-to-live" Conference after a pandemic hiatus. Along the way, I noted a few things that could be woven into the experience next time that will like...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 106
•
12:07
Membership Growth: Are You a One-Hit 'Wanderer'?
In this week's episode of The Joy of Membership Podcast, we're diving into how you can turn a seemingly dead-end opportunity for new members into a membership growth opportunity. All you have to do? A little follow-up! Take a listen and let me ...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 105
•
13:34
Attract New Members with Discovery Magnets
New members: We all want them. But when it comes to attracting new potential members, is your organization falling short? In this week's episode of The Joy of Membership Podcast, I dive into five types Discovery Magnets (more commonly known as ...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 104
•
12:11
Your Roadmap to Growth (Part 3 of 3)
This week, I'm wrapping up the 3-part series called "The Roadmap to Membership Growth". This has officially served as the kick-off for Season 3 of the podcast, and this is Episode 103!If you missed the first six growth practices...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 103
•
13:47
Your Roadmap to Growth (Part 2 of 3)
Ready for the next leg of our Membership Growth Itinerary?! Today's podcast is a brief overview of the second grouping of growth practices (remember - there are 9!) to achieve membership growth. If you missed last week's episode, listen in
•
Season 3
•
Episode 102
•
12:55
Your Roadmap to Growth (Part 1 of 3)
It's your official welcome to Season 3 of the Joy of Membership Podcast!In Season 1, you heard many interviews with membership leaders, exploring why they’re here, how they are being helpful to their audience, and what they’ve learned al...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 101
•
16:50
Rogue Chapters: Cecilia Sepp
This week, Cecilia Sepp (founder of Rogue Tulips Nonprofit Consulting & Association Management Services) chats with us about how relations between local chapters and national organizations can and SHOULD work together. Cecilia has spe...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 100
•
31:43
Want Membership Growth? Marketing Is Not the Answer
As Fall approaches (here in the US), it's the time of year that many organizations turn their focus to member recruitment. Whether it's an annual membership drive, a member-to-member referral campaign, or a growth effort conducted alongside con...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 99
•
9:03
Addressing Member Preferences in Your Member Experience
Although your members share a common interest or passion, that doesn't mean they share the same brain. Every person is different, so making sure you address member preferences within your member experience will help your current (and future) me...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 98
•
7:24
Membership Technology: It's Not Really About Your Website
On this week's episode of The Joy of Membership Podcast, I'm diving into some different ways that technology benefits your organization. While your website is undoubtedly important to the work you do, there are other elements of technology that...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 97
•
13:07
Is Your Membership Software Vendor a Friend or Foe?
No matter how great your membership software is, without reliable and honest customer service, you'll be left dissatisfied. I've been listening to many issues from clients and new inquiries about their current software vendor, and it makes me s...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 96
•
10:26
Have Member Communication Preferences Changed?
Remember how great it was when the cell phone went mainstream, and you could, for the most part, get ahold of anyone anywhere? Now with smartphones, there's a boom in ways to get ahold of people without needing to use your voice. Super convenie...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 95
•
10:23