Membership Growth, encouraging APTI Membership Options

[marckitect]

First, the desire to increase membership comes from the Board as a financially responsible and prudent goal. The method for this was not analyzed in depth at the Board meeting in April. It is really more up to the committees to finesse the implementation of the directive to increase membership. Enhancing the International membership of existing local chapters falls to the Chapters committee. Enhancing membership at large falls to the Membership Committee.

APTI is in a delicate balance funding-wise for its ambitions. It is much stronger financially now than it was 10 years ago. But APTI wants to grow, include more resources for members, fund more scholarships, increase the functionality of the web site, increase its visibility internationally, work from a more secure, well-financed base. The current member base alone almost covers operating expenses. It is estimated that the number of local chapter members who are also members of APTI is about 25%. The goal is to increase membership substantially to cover expenses and then some. More membership is always better.

It was acknowledged at a recent Chapters Committee meeting that it is neither practical nor desirable to force and enforce a "all local members are APTI members" rule. The goal is to increase membership, and the questions became more how chapters could help us enhance our membership and why would chapters help us enhance our membership.

APTI provides benefits to chapters:

They are APT chapters - a strong parent organization enhances the affiliates.
APTI serves as a common conduit for chapters to communicate to each other through.
APTI can serve as a supplier and enhancer of local chapter programming.
APTI can help new chapters finance their 501©(3) status.
As much space in Communique as needed to promote events and share activities.
Chapter web pages can be hosted on the APTI web site.
APTI is willing to supply administrative support for chapters not administrating themselves.
APTI will be supporting a local chapter membership option on its web site when people join or rejoin APTI. The membership information and dues collected will be sent to the chapter.
Access to the APTI member database to identify potential new members.
Access to APTI members to speak at chapter events.
Chapter use of APTI marketing materials.
Chapter use of the APTI display booth at events.
That 20% rebate to the Chapter for each new member recruited!

Part of the discussion we want chapters to have is how they use or want to use the parent organization. All chapters are different and have different needs.

Reasons to become an APTI member:

The annual conference.
The Bulletin, a peer-reviewed professionally edited journal.
A searchable database of all Bulletin articles (that's an enhancement).
APTI serves as a network for preservation professionals around the world.
Young professionals can enhance their professional careers through contacts gained through APTI.
It's tax deductible!

To name a few.

The consensus from the meeting was:

Adopt a long-term, cooperative, partnership strategy with chapters to enhance International membership. APTI can reciprocate by allowing International members to select a local chapter to join.
Outline a phased approach to increase membership. Has every way been tried to recruit members from local chapters? One suggestion is to adopt a "college alumni" approach to marketing - target local members not yet APTI members, and mail and call them with offers to join APTI. We're 501©(3), we can be as aggressive as all those other causes to get your money.
Ask chapters to actively recruit, or keep in the foreground, opportunities to join APTI.
Begin to involve chapters more in the operation of APTI - contributing content to the web site, articles, polling the chapters for their opinion on issues/concerns. The web site is currently being redesigned - do people have comments on the function and look of it?
Ask chapters and APTI membership in general, to share any enhanced professional opportunities they may have received by being a member of APTI.
Requiring membership in APTI of local chapters in the bylaws could damage our relationship to chapters - this should be avoided. We want to encourage a positive relationship and grow together. This may take a while but that is what a long-term strategy is for.
Communicate as clearly as possible why APTI is trying to increase membership, demonstrate a direct benefit for chapters, outline steps to be taken to achieve the goal of enhanced membership, solicit more ideas to enhance membership, and ask for chapter's help in achieving our mutual goal of a viable, growing, resource-rich organization.

Please discuss these goals amongst yourselves and discuss them in the Forum. There will be an opportunity at the Conference to brainstorm as well.