Chapter Engagement: Trends for 2017

“A chapter in isolation is much less likely to appreciate the value of being part of the system.”

Kyle BazzyDirector of Growth

Proud Detroiter

BillhighwayTechnology that solves real

problems exclusively for component-based organizations

Founded in 1999

Why Are We Qualified?

Why are they chapter leaders?

Objectives

01

How do we solve your biggest challenges with one of day’s chapter engagement tactics?

02

Example: ACG created a Professional Development Fund• Supports and encourages chapter staff education,

professional development, etc. ($750 annually)

• Global matches chapter investments towards professional development

• Used for CAE exam

#1 Create a Professional Development Program

http://www.acg.org/global/acgleadershipresourcepage.aspx

#1 Create a Professional Development ProgramHOW TO GET STARTED• Make it a priority

• Get chapter leaders involved by creating a working group

• Set a communication cadence

• Meet face-to-face

• Plan a session at your annual conference to include all chapter leaders for networking, not just training

• Ask for their feedback – find out what they want to learn

• Find and bring in experts

What is it?• The process of

improving and increasing staff capabilities through education and training opportunities internally and externally

• Helps build and maintain morale and attract higher quality staff/volunteers

• $250 retention incentive awarded to chapters that retain 95 percent or more of their membership

• $500 award for chapters that recruit the most new incentive qualified chapter members— awarded in ten categories based on chapter size.

• $100 awarded quarterly to the top recruiting non-affiliated chapter 

• $50 for rosters submitted before Jan. 15

http://www1.moaa.org/Main_Menu/Chapters_and_Councils/Chapter_Recruiting/Recruiting_Materials/Chapter_Recruiting_Awards_and_Incentives.html

Example: MOAA Chapter Recruiting Awards & Incentives• $10 for each new incentive qualified chapter membership

• $15 for each new PREMIUM Member and $30 for each new LIFE Member who joins your chapter

• $250 awarded quarterly to the councils based on new chapter membership

#2 Create Awards & Incentives

HOW TO GET STARTED• Determine your goals

• Decide how you will measure the achievement of goals

• Determine a budget

• Determine your awards, what will motivate chapters? (money, gift cards, recognition at annual conference?)

• Find the appropriate avenues to promote the program

• Keep it simple

• Pilot an awards program with a small test group to start

What is it?A way to incentivize chapters and leaders to increase engagement, recruitment and retention

#2 Create Awards & Incentives

Example: Higher Logic Chapter Communities• Society of Mechanical Engineers (SME) used the Higher Logic platform to

support of their chapters with consistent branding, etc.

• Success might be 50 branded chapter websites created & 100 events posted in their centralized calendaring system within the first six months.

#3 Online Community for Chapters

#3 Online Community for Chapters What is it?

A place for a group of people with common interests to interact, share and collaborate with each other without being face-to-face

HOW TO GET STARTED• Evaluate the need for an online community

• Survey on interest

• Listen to the feedback you receive – don’t move ahead if chapters won’t use it

• Investigate your options and what a community has to offer (weigh pros & cons)

• Talk to others who are doing it

• My Community Manager (http://mycmgr.com/) can provide tips and tricks to get started

Example: AMA• Challenge = No system to track event speakers• Instead of building, initiated partnership with Ortate (Ortate grew their base)

Example: National Association of Realtors• Challenge = increase consumer outreach• Established national partnership with Boys & Girls Club of America

#4 Create a Best in Breed Experience

http://associationsnow.com/2016/07/solving-problems-mutually-beneficial-partnerships/http://associationsnow.com/2015/08/partnership-helps-nar-chapters-fulfill-core-standards-requirement

HOW TO GET STARTED:• Download your current challenges

• Align challenges with your biggest member engagement issue

If we take events for example:

• Survey your top 10% of high performing chapters

• Find out what marketing collateral they use for events

• Ask when they send their material (what day of the week, what time, how far in advance, where do they post events, do they only use email to communicate?)

• Who could you partner with to accomplish this?

#4 Create a Best in Breed Experience What is it?

A way to leverage solutions and programs that already exist, so you don’t have to create them from scratch and avoid the pitfalls of not being an expert in everything

Example: GBTA Chapter Mentoring• Kicking off initiative created by Chapter

Presidents

• Established KPIs to self-measure and shared the results with the entire group.

• Intent is to match underperforming chapters with high-performing chapters.

#5 Peer to Peer Mentoring

HOW TO GET STARTED:• Evaluate and rate/rank your chapters

• Focus on those that are struggling

• Pair them with a chapter leader of a high performing chapter

• Have them put a meeting on the calendar for regular check-ins

#5 Peer to Peer Mentoring

What is it?Keeping your chapter leaders connected. Allowing them to share what works and what doesn’t and learn from that.

You can’t google what other chapters in your org are doing.

Investing in your chapters, ultimately invests directly into your members.

Ground Rules

#1 Nurture all-star chapter leaders#2 Connect chapters to one another#3 Sharp focus on your goals#4 Re-evaluate if the program is working

Fact FindersYou bring the challenge, we find the answers.

IT’S FREE!

ProjectDo you have a chapter project on your plate?

Business CaseTrying to make a business

case but need some external supporting

resources?

ResourcesAre you looking for

resources or research to guide your project?

http://www.billhighway.co/assn-fact-finders/

KnowledgeBankhttp://www.billhighway.co/knowledge-bank/association/

Q&A – Ask Away!