Let’s Retain Our Members

by Bill Roberge

A few notes. What is the process of lapsing a membership? How does this work? If someone doesn’t renew their membership for a period of 3 months after their renewal date, we mail out a bright orange reminder renewal card that lets the member know how important they are to ABATE of Wisconsin and protecting motorcycle rights. At the time this reminder goes out, their newsletter subscription is stopped. The fourth month after the member’s renewal date has passed, they become a lapsed member in our computer system.

This is the time for the Regional Reps or other regional members to get seriously involved by making phone calls to the lapsed member. It is a fact that it is easier to bring back a lapsed member than it is to recruit a brand new one.

So how do we go about doing this? I know some regions are doing this already. The Regional Rep can make contact with or can help by appointing a regional membership representative to do it. Heck, any member can do it. I know some of our regions have a membership officer already in place. Some regions hold a get together and share the expired membership list to see who knows who and start making phone calls. I know that Region 7D has had some success in doing this by sending lapsed members a letter reminding the lapsed members how important they are to their region and the state as a whole.

Most of you know it takes effort to get new members. Let’s put in the same effort to retain the ones we have. I have said this before, and it is worth saying again. Include your members in your regional activities. Make them feel welcome at your meetings. Give them a call to remind them of upcoming meetings and events. Half the job is to get them to join – the other half is to keep them as members. Personal contact is a great way to make those members feel important and needed and is a great way to start friendships that just may last a lifetime. Personally, my original contact person notified me not only of every meeting, but also of every board meeting. We often ended up riding together to those meetings (local and BOD) and have been friends now for over 22 years. Thanks, Doug.

As we start a new year, let’s start a new retention campaign. It’s everyone’s job and we CAN make a difference.

Ride Safe, Ride Free, Ride with ABATE.

Bill