Why is showing value to the membership so critical?
There is always a need for a local chapter. It is the most valuable resource to the membership. One of the main objectives of a chapter is to provide value to its membership. Value is in the eye of the beholder and must have worth to your membership.
What are some of the key ways to ensure your chapter has an added-value mission statement and stays visible to its members?
Resources available for creating value:
- STAR Report
- Regional Manager
- RMA HQ
- Surveys
- Past President and Advisory Board Members
There are numerous ways to add value:
- One of the most critical ways is through a chapter’s general membership programs.
- How does a general membership program give value to members?
- Cost effective.
- Keeping everyone abreast of current issues, concerns, industry trends, regulations, or judicial changes.
- Networking opportunities and a forum to share best practices.
- What are some of the target areas in the industry that will be constant value-giving topics for the members?
- CRE guidelines.
- Changes in accounting principles, documentation requirements, or regulations.
- New practices within the analysis or sales environments.
- Sales and marketing or relationship building.
- Award/ recognition programs.
- Another critical way to give value is through strong communications.
- What should your chapter communicate to its members?
- New events, member recognition, industry updates, local news, and lending and credit issues.
- How should your chapter communicate with its members?
- Newsletters, Web site, regular mail, phone calls, face-to-face visits, surveys, polls
- What are the benefits of getting the word out to the chapter and to its members?
- Increase awareness.
- Opportunity to recruit new members and volunteers.
- Making events successful.
- Selecting the right programs and open enrollments.
- Bring the training and educational opportunities to your members.
- Why is it important to hold local co-sponsored or chapter developed training opportunities?
- To lower cost and address breaking industry issues head on.
- To show value to the members for their dollars well spent.
- Establish or maintain standards in lending practices through consistent education.
- How do you find out what they want or what is needed?
- Strong communications – see #2 above
- Chapter advantage – being a volunteer on a board or committee
- How does that add value to the membership?
- Leadership training is at virtually no cost to the organization.
- Gain strong contacts and resources in the industry to share best practices.
- Chance to develop strong programs and become a figurehead in the banking community.
- Mix a little fun with a lot of hard work.
- Local chapter dues and strong chapter treasuries double the reasons that showing the added value to your member is critical.
- What value outside of national dues and benefits does the local chapter give to its members?
- Newsletter.
- Chapter-developed programs, classroom instructed courses.
- Leadership training.
- Resource for building referral through networking events.
- How can the chapter make use of a strong treasury balance to display value?
- Further leadership training for the board and committees.
- Honor members and volunteers.
- Give back to members by reducing cost of certain local or national RMA programs (through a raffle, gift, charity donation, college scholarship). Design a program to make sure the selection process is random and unbiased.
- Adopt the RMA Chapter Value Proposition