2010 Membership, Development, PR & Marketing PAG Spring Workshop.
Cultivating Membership Among Young Professionals - Presentation by Kirsten Alexander, Senior Membership Manager, Historic New England, MA
1. Young Friends of
Historic New England
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2. About Us
Founded in 1910, Historic New England is the oldest,
largest, and most comprehensive regional preservation
organization in the country. We own 36 historic
properties in 5 states, ranging from farms to estates to
seventeenth-century homes. They include the Lyman
Estate, Gropius House, Beauport, Roseland Cottage,
and our HQ, the Otis House Museum.
3.
4.
5. Early Process
⢠Started in 2005
⢠Early focus on recruiting adult children of high-level
donors, board, etc.
⢠These folks have stayed loyal, but not always involved
⢠Growth was stagnant
⢠Total: 62 Young Friends memberships combined total
in 5 years. 25 in 2009 after significant staff turnover.
6. Young Friends Membership Details â the Past
⢠Managed by development not membership
⢠Age bracket â20s â 40sâ
⢠Invitations to a varying number of Young Friends
events per year, including receptions, behind-the-
scenes tours, and family-friendly programs.
⢠Events to introduce members to the Appleton Circle.
⢠Small Steering Committee with two co-chairs in their
late 40s
⢠Group was perceived by some non-development staff
as a bit snobby
7. Growth over time
⢠12 long-term members upgraded early on
⢠22 new joins in first year 2005
⢠5 joined in second year 2006
⢠16 joined in third year 2007
⢠1 joined in fourth year 2008
⢠5 joined in fifth year 2009
⢠1 upgraded into YF in sixth year 2010
⢠Most came in by word of mouth.
⢠Take away: Staff energy and continuity are key.
8. Retention
⢠12 from first cohort of 34 are still members, including
two co-chairs (35%)
⢠1 from second year (20%)
⢠6 from third year (37%)
⢠Some variations with staff turnover
⢠General membership retention is 75-85%
9. Our need?
⢠Grow the group in order to justify the
staff time and expense.
⢠Bring in younger steering committee
members to offset aging out members
10. Environmental Scan Winter 2010
⢠Reviewed all major young friends-like programs in
Boston, DC, and NYC (intern project)
⢠Most have age range of 21-39, Facebook pages, are
fundraising oriented
⢠Some overlap between our YF members and MFA,
Boston Athenaeum
⢠Came up with new proposal and worked through it
with Steering Committee
11. Figuring out what they want
⢠Lots and lots of events ⢠Instant pictures, responses,
specific to them online everything
⢠High-level access to ⢠To be heard
president, board, famous ⢠A new name
speakers, patrons ⢠To be an insider
⢠Day trips and walking tours ⢠âValueâ for their dues
to discover new places
⢠Preferred walking tour to
⢠Insider behind-the-scenes holiday party!
access to sites, collections,
and curatorial staff ⢠Never aging out!
12. What do they want to support?
⢠High-profile donor and member events â
entire Steering Committee came to gala
⢠Education programs
⢠Volunteering at other (non-YF) events as
greeters and helpers
⢠Their own events (as an individual sponsor)
Not membership dues
13. What do we want?
⢠Fresh blood and diversity of all kinds
⢠Help us get away from the âSocietyâ perception
⢠Vibrant volunteers
⢠Lifelong, multigenerational connection to at least one property
and organization
⢠âConnectorsâ who will raise awareness and recruit members
⢠Opportunity to get to know potential major donors
⢠Committee as training ground for future Appleton Circle,
Council, and Board members
⢠Easy and relatively low-cost to manage
14. Membership Details â What we Changed
⢠Young Friends of Historic New England â had to keep the name
⢠Integrated into regular membership category
⢠Dramatically lower entry pricepoint of $100
⢠Explicit age range of 21-50
⢠3 tiers: Contributing, Supporting, Patron
⢠Lowered entry to Appleton Circle by $500 for individuals.
⢠Capped events to 6. Quarterly steering meetings.
⢠Many more âbring a friendâ options.
⢠âDualâ membership for singles â bring a date
15. Young Friends Pricing
New Pricing for FY11 Old Pricing (â05-â10)
⢠Contributing $100 individual ⢠$250 Associate Individual
/ $150 âdualâ ⢠$500 Supporting
⢠Supporting $250 individual (Family/Couple)
/$400 dual ⢠$1500 Patron/Appleton
⢠Patron $1,000 individual Circle
/$1,500 dual
16. Successful Event Philosophy
⢠Offer memorable experiences that only you can make happen
â Events at fabulous houses (Beauport, Gropius evening events)
â Collections access (tour of Haverhill collections)
â Winter Antiques Show special access
â Behind the scenes at Fenway Park
â Family events with all the special touches
â Thoughtful inexpensive touches that are part of your brand (candy
made in NE)
â Feeback/input by the committee
⢠Keep costs low to nothing â most partners have been willing to
help out of goodwill and exposure
⢠Food budget for one big fun social event
17. What Weâre Doing to Grow â
Finding New Members in Our Midst
⢠Analyzed database â virtually no ages listed, except
for trustees and current Young Friends.
⢠Purchased âAge Appendâ service from Raiserâs
Edge/Blackbaud (about $1K for 50,000 names)
⢠Added age line on new membership forms
⢠Recruiting from base of younger staff â new price is
appealing
⢠Word of mouth
18. What Weâre Doing to Grow â Prospecting
⢠First-time budget for targeted online advertising
⢠Will be posting events on our public Facebook page, not just
Young Friends page. Easier to share.
⢠Capitalizing on our Centennial year
⢠Supporting and Patron level Young Friends can bring guests to
YF events
⢠Mailing packets to prospects. Personal invitations.
⢠Inclusion on ALL membership forms for the first time.
⢠Guide training
19. Who has been especially interested in Historic New
England
⢠History and architecture self-described âcontent
geeksâ
⢠Families with young children
⢠Single gay men
⢠Young people in the
museum/history/architecture/preservation fields
⢠Geographically dispersed in and around Boston
⢠Programming developed to appeal to each group
20. Goals for the Year
⢠100% growth to 50 memberships in the next year
⢠Standardized benefits
⢠Growing the steering committee