The Association Manager
A Newsletter for Organization Leaders
Published Courtesy of Wisconsin Association Management, LLC
Volume I, Issue II

Download Formatted Version (.PDF)

Inside This Issue:
Membership Recruitment: Creativity is Key
2003-4 Wisconsin Lobbying Statistics
Small Business Health Fairness Act
Tips for Success
Leadership Quote
About WAM, LLC


From left to right: Christopher Ruditys, Heather Westgor, Brian Parrish and Doug Stangohr

Membership Recruitment: Creativity is Key

Effective membership recruitment can be a full time job. In fact, Wisconsin Association Management, LLC is the only management company in the State of Wisconsin to have a full-time staff person specifically dedicated to recruiting new members for the associations it manages. Here are some creative ideas that we use with the associations we currently manage:

Build a Prospect Database. Work with the current membership to build a database complete with e-mail and mailing addresses. We use ACT to manage our associations' data, which allows us to log where we are for each phase of the member recruitment process.

Membership Committee. If you don't have one, make one. This important committee should meet at least bi-monthly to discuss progress and create action plans for recruiting new members. Peer reinforcement is an excellent way to keep the membership program running smoothly.

Pro-Rated Dues. It is understandable that some prospects will not pay full price to join your association when the calendar year is almost over. Therefore, consider breaking your dues structure down to semi-annual or quarterly dues structures.

Special Promotions. In managing our associations, we have found there is nothing like incentives to motivate a prospective member to join. Incentives can come in the form of public recognition (new member announcement in newsletter and website), discount coupons ($50 off dues), free membership directory, etc.

Membership Benefits. Sell the potential member on your benefits. Send an attractive mailing highlighting your association's benefits, and who they can contact to join.

Stay tuned for more membership recruitment ideas in the next edition of the Association Manager.

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2003-4 Wisconsin Lobbying Statistics

On August 25, 2003, the State of Wisconsin Ethics Board published a report outlining lobbying expenditures by associations during the 2003-2004 legislative session. According to the Ethics Board report, there are 621 organizations that employ lobbyists. The following charts represent their activities over the past year.

Source: http://ethics.state.wi.us/LobbyingRegistrationReports/LobbyingOverview.htm

Top 5 Organizations Who Spent the Greatest Number of Lobbying Dollars

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Small Business Health Fairness Act

If passed, the Small Business Health Fairness Act would support association-sponsored health plans. This act would allow associations to provide insurance to its members and their employees, under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The plans would be run under the Department of Labor. This legislation includes offering complete health insurance deductibility to self-employed members and small business owners. In essence, it provides small businesses the same opportunities that large businesses and unions have, by combining the purchasing power of numerous individuals and businesses under the umbrella of a professional trade organization.

An update on this legislation that affects our industry will be in the next editition of the Association Manager.

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Tips for Success

1)  Determine your goals and set an attainable objective.

2)  Identify the steps to attaining your goal and plan when to take them.

3)    Be willing to do what's necessary to reach your goals.

4)  Take action and stick to your plan until it's complete.

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Quote

“Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved.”  – William Jennings Bryan

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About Wisconsin Association Management, LLC
.We are excited to announce the launch of our new website! Please visit us at http://www.wamllc.net. Associations have WAM, LLC administer them because it ends up saving them money. These savings translate into more financial stability or improvements to programming and services for your membership.  Wisconsin Association Management, LLC can also be particularly helpful to your association with its unprecedented fundraising abilities and membership recruitment drives.

Please visit our website to view the letters of recommendation from all of our satisfied clients.  As our satisfied associations say, “Put the administrative work in the hands of the experts and do what you do best.” 

Please call WAM, LLC for more information regarding its affordable administrative services at (414) 271-9456.

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