Tag Archive for: MailChimp

Best MembershipWorks Features for Trade Association Management

I have installed MembershipWorks for dozens of clubs, organizations, trade groups, foundations, and civic organizations. MembershipWorks offers a robust list of features.

renewal notice list showing intervals for sending automated emailsI would say the best MembershipWorks features for trade associations, clubs, and organizations is the automated renewals. I have had multiple clients say how easy it is now to collect annual dues. No more mailing letters, tracking down checks, applying manually to accounts. No more collecting it in one application, like PayPal, only to have to go someplace else, sometimes an excel spreadsheet, to mark the member as paid. It’s all streamlined with online payments. Yes, members can still mail a check, but online payments are strongly encouraged, and many members find this system so user-friendly that they now feel comfortable paying dues and registering for events online.

With the automated and customizable renewal notices, membership chairpersons and treasurers aren’t made out to be the bad guy anymore because they don’t need to hound members to pay their dues! They report collecting more revenue faster because of MembershipWorks.

Some of the most important features my clients like are:

  • The customizable, filterable Member Directory that can be public or in a Members Only section on their website
  • Member Only pages for content like minutes, club documents, and forms
  • The Event Calendar that offers registration for members and nonmembers for free and for a fee
  • Automated Renewal Process with customized email reminders and streamlined online payments that update a Member’s Account immediately
  • This one is simple, but impactful… the integration with MailChimp so Members are automatically added to their email list
  • Some clients want more features like a job board, classified ads, a shop for donations or other items, and customized forms for things like new member applications, sponsors, awards, etc.

Comparing MembershipWorks to other Software

If you want to compare MembershipWorks to 9 other club or trade association management software options, you can read this post by MembershipWorks: https://membershipworks.com/best-association-management-software

Increase Your Revenue with MembershipWorks

If you are considering the best MembershipWorks features for trade associations, clubs, and organizations, then I encourage you to read my post about how you can earn revenue with MembershipWorks to help offset your costs.

There are multiple opportunities available, not just membership dues to consider. Some are paid by members, but others are paid by nonmembers, which is even better!

I have been installing MembershipWorks on WordPress websites since I first discovered it in 2018. I love making association management easier. I enjoy training my clients on how we set up MembershipWorks and how they can maintain it moving forward. I empower them to manage it themselves by providing detailed written instructions and multiple video tutorials. I want them to have tools they can hand off to the next person who fills their position. I want to make it simple, efficient, and transparent for associations to manage their membership and other club functions. Learn more about why I love MembershipWorks.

View my MembershipWorks Developer Profile. It includes testimonials from past clients.

Give me a call if you are considering MembershipWorks. I’d love to answer your questions.

Let’s connect on Facebook if we haven’t already, here’s my business page. Follow me on LinkedIn and I will follow you, cheering you on along the way to your membership or association management success!

Email me or call/text 952-484-6015

Michelle Aspelin
Mindshare Marketing & Implementation Services LLC

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Email Marketing vs Social Media to Capture Clients

What do Unilever, Coca-Cola, Starbucks and Lush have in common?

In 2020 or 2021 they put their social media advertising on pause to take a stand against hate speech and misinformation. More recently Facebook has been under fire for it’s business practices leading some companies to close their accounts with the social media giant or pause making any posts or buying ads.

That leads me to ask you, what would happen if you decided not to use any social media accounts? How would you communicate with your clients and customers? Every company has to review their own values and the values of the providers they choose to support and then make an educated decision.

When you use social media accounts, you really haven’t captured your audience because if the platform goes away, where’s your client list? Your database of your customers, followers and prospective customers? It’s lost.

Consider Adding or Strengthening your Email Campaign System

My recommend is to look again at email marketing vs social media. Look at your email database. I always recommend businesses and nonprofits use a third party email provider so you can comply with CAN SPAM laws and allow followers to unsubscribe at any time. I am most familiar with MailChimp and Constant Contact, but there are many email providers and lots of blog posts comparing them on the Internet.

If you don’t have an account with a third party provider, I suggest you start researching which one that will fit your needs and your budget as well as integrate with your website. Many times I put a button (or link) on a client’s website so anyone on their website can subscribe to their emails (capturing your prospects). To entice people to subscribe, you can offer a free gift like a PDF with tips, educational information, fun facts, do’s and don’ts list, whatever you think would be meaningful to your audience. When they subscribe, they get your free offer automatically.

When you have captured your client’s email address, you have it. You can always download your email list and upload it to another provider. They key is, it doesn’t go away like your social media followers could. In fact, your emails stay in your client’s inbox until they read them, whereas posts may be off their radar in just a few hours as they slide down their social media feed.

Something to consider

I just wanted to share this idea with you as something to consider for your nonprofit or business. If you already have a system set up, great! Take some time to review it and make sure you are keeping your subscriber list up-to-date. If you don’t have a platform to manage your email campaigns, consider adding one in December so you can hit the ground running in 2022 and share your message with your clients, customers and prospects.

As always, if you would like some help getting this implemented and integrated with your website, let me know. We can import email addresses from a database if you have one, even if that’s just your accounting software. You have to start somewhere!

Here’s a link to the Resource page on my website. I provide a little more info about MailChimp and Constant Contact and explain how they are different, costs, etc.

https://growyourmindshare.com/resources

Reach out to me with your email marketing vs social media questions!

Michelle Aspelin
Mindshare Marketing & Implementation Services LLC

P.S. If you have a membership you manage and you want a system to make it easier, I recommend MembershipWorks.com. And if you have MembershipWorks integrated with your WordPress or Squarespace website, I can connect it to MailChimp so your new members will automatically get added to your MailChimp list. No extra work. Automating the process makes it easier for volunteers who run the many nonprofits I support with MembershipWorks.

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Helping Nonprofits Get Organized

Rottweiler Health FoundationI’m so happy that the Rottweiler Health Foundation found me during their online search for a WordPress Website Designer. They were looking for someone to help update their website AND help them complete their nonprofit membership integration with MembershipWorks, a task they had been trying on their own for over a year.

I was able to create a whole new WordPress website for them and finish setting up their membership process in MembershipWorks to help manage their members, multiple donation campaigns, and sync it up with MailChimp (for email marketing) to keep their lists updated automatically. They were fantastic to work with. Their Board members are all over the country so we did everything over Zoom and it worked out great, see rottweilerhealth.org.

“Our non-profit was looking to move our membership management to MembershipWorks. However, we had issues with several other things and had stalled out. I found Michelle on a google search and contacted her to see if she could help.
After speaking with the people involved, she presented a proposal and got to work!!
Michelle helped to work through our issues. She was right there, guiding us were we needed it, and letting us get comfortable with MembershipWorks. She also was able to fully integrate our WordPress system, and helped us get all of our other issues taken care of, including updating our website.
The Rottweiler Health Foundation is now moving along smoothly with our system. We are hearing good things from our Board and our members. All of the issues were done on schedule and on budget too.
As Membership Chair, I am thrilled with how easy it was to work with Michelle. And I know if I run in to any questions in the future, she will be right there to help.” Pat Carkoski, Membership Chairperson

If you know of a group or nonprofit who is struggling to manage their membership, volunteer or donor databases, have them reach out to me! I will see if my strengths and experience match their needs so we can find solutions for them.

You can view other completed websites to see the clients I have helped, view their websites and read their story.

Connect with me to learn more about how MembershipWorks can help your nonprofit membership management. Read more review on my MembershipWorks profile.

Michelle Aspelin
Mindshare Marketing & Implementation Services LLC

 

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