Building a Non-Dues Based Membership Program That Gets

Results

Lynne M. Wester

UNC Charlotte

Donor Relations Guru

@donorguru

UNC Charlotte

• Founded in 1946

• 27,900 Students

• 113,000 Degreed Alumni

• 400,000+ Non Degreed Alumni

• 7.5 Alumni Staff- No, SERIOUSLY

• Lack of engagement and a data problem

The Problem:

The Concept:

• Updated Contact Information

• Engage Alumni (80% live within three counties)

• Build Business Community

• Provide Value

PERKS Program

• Board led effort

• No Separate 501c3

• Lofty goals

• Tangible ROI

• Metrics based program

How to Stretch Yourself

Benchmarking Poll

• Who Else Doesn’t Charge Dues?

• Are You looking to move away from dues based?

Data Collection Made Easy

The Benefits of Membership:

• $5 off at every alumni event

• Discounts on Continuing Education

• Discounts with more than 75 partners

• FREE Career Webinars (TalentMarks)

• Priority entry to events

The Cards

The APP

The Businesses

Advertising

Digital Billboards

Welcome letter

Success- Looks like-

Businesses

• Over 75 Established Partners

• 85% managed or owned by Alumni

• 400 plus warm leads generated by board members and volunteers

• Adding 5-8 businesses a month

• Huge revenue driver for the businesses

Everyone is in the game…

Data Collection

• Over 3000 members

• Over 18,000 new data points collected since November

• Continual address updates and information streaming into central database

THANK YOU!

• @donorguru

• www.donorrelationsguru.com

• lynnewester@uncc.edu