| Membership marketing is not new. The
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| | and Gen X is not receptive to this
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| American Medical Association was founded
| |
| | approach. Hughs plans to change the
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| in 1847, while the Marine Corps
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| | creative, relaunch the magazine and
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| Association was formed in 1913, to cite a
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| | review the renewal and expire programs to
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| few examples. But membership marketing
| |
| | increase their membership base.The Good
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| seems to be gaining traction in today's
| |
| | Sam - a For-Profit Association for
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| marketplace.The world's largest
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| | RVersAccording to Sue Bray, The Good Sam
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| circulation magazineYes, it's AARP, The
| |
| | Club offers a valuable package of
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| Magazine, which arrives at 24 million
| |
| | benefits that promote the RV lifestyle. A
|
| households each month. According to Lin
| |
| | membership survey reveals the campground
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| MacMaster, Director of Membership
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| | discount is the top benefit, while the
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| Development for AARP, the magazine is a
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| | magazine, Highways, is next and their
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| tangible benefit, but it plays a
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| | web-based trip routing service is third.
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| supporting role in providing information
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| | Other benefits include Good Sam events
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| to help individuals age with grace and
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| | and member-to-member online forums. Bray
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| dignity and lead purposeful lives.
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| | is unsure if the membership card has a
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| MacMaster believes people are joining for
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| | high perceived value. Membership costs
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| the full array of benefits.She states
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| | $25/year for the basic dues.Highways is a
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| that the main benefits of membership
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| | monthly magazine which accepts outside
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| include being part of a force of over 36
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| | advertising. The club also markets
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| million Americans who are attempting to
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| | branded Good Sam products, such as the
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| remain healthy and live life the way they
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| | Good Sam Continued Service Plan, which
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| want to live it, navigating the waters as
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| | protects members against paying huge
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| life changes. Founded in 1958, AARP is a
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| | repair bills should something go awry in
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| huge advocacy organization on both the
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| | their rig.Reaching Boomers through Ads,
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| federal and state levels, says
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| | Direct Mail, Point of SaleGood Sam is in
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| MacMaster.The organization has three
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| | the mail about once a month, always
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| divisions - a foundation, a non-profit
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| | testing new formats. Direct mail is their
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| and AARP Services, a for-profit division
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| | main source, but they also test E-mail
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| where AARP partners with insurance
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| | marketing and send an E-newsletter to
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| companies and other providers, delivering
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| | members. Their DM control is a #10
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| unique benefits to members. Membership
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| | envelope 4-5 page letter, response device
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| costs $12.50 annually; two and three year
| |
| | and membership decal. Bray says that
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| memberships are also available. According
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| | people like the decal. They have also
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| to MacMaster, the AARP card has a high
| |
| | succeeded with a member get a member
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| perceived value and is frequently used to
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| | campaign. Good Sam Club utilizes a
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| obtain discounts.AARP The Magazine is not
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| | 9-effort renewal series and maintains the
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| available by subscription, but does have
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| | same offer throughout the series.The
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| some distribution in doctors' offices.
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| | association also sells memberships at
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| Associate members (those under 50) can
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| | campgrounds, RV shows and camping stores,
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| get the magazine as well. While the
| |
| | as well as through Life and MotorHome
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| magazine offers feature articles, news is
| |
| | magazines. As a result of their outreach
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| covered in the AARP Bulletin, a
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| | efforts, the association has been growing
|
| full-color newspaper. Both accept
| |
| | 1-2% per year and keeping pace with the
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| advertising. AARP also offers members
| |
| | market."Baby boomers getting into the RV
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| free e-newsletters on an array of topics,
| |
| | lifestyle have helped fuel this growth,"
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| including caregiving, health, wellness
| |
| | said Bray. While Good Sam is a mature
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| and financial well-being.Segmenting the
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| | organization that's been around for 40
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| MarketCurrently, AARP is moving away from
| |
| | years, they are always trying to improve
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| a mass approach to acquisition to a
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| | and provide an enhanced benefit package
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| segmented approach. They are mailing
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| | to members.The World's Largest Affinity
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| their control packages less - a standard
| |
| | Lifestyle Membership CompanySuch is the
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| package and a snap pack - and testing
| |
| | claim of the North American Membership
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| packages to specific groups. Rather than
| |
| | Group (NAMG) established in 1978. NAMG is
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| what MacMaster refers to as the pu pu
| |
| | a for-profit company that combines
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| platter approach (something for everyone)
| |
| | membership, publishing and merchandise
|
| AARP has been testing topics that
| |
| | marketing. The North American Hunting
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| resonate with the 50-59 year-old segment
| |
| | Club was first, followed by the North
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| including caregiving, financial security
| |
| | American Fishing Club, the Handyman Club,
|
| and health and wellness.They are also
| |
| | the National Home Gardening Club, the PGA
|
| tweaking language and offers, testing
| |
| | Tour Partners Club, the Cooking Club of
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| formats and messaging, and experimenting
| |
| | America, the National Health & Wellness
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| with information offers and premiums and
| |
| | Club, the Creative Home Arts Club, The
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| freemiums tied to their value proposition
| |
| | History Channel Club and the National
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| (Tips for financial well-being, Tips for
| |
| | Street Machine Club. NAMG has 10 clubs in
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| Turning 50, pedometers). Over the last
| |
| | all, with 10 magazines, reaching more
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| two years AARP has also done a lot of
| |
| | than 4.7 million active enthusiasts and
|
| channel testing utilizing the web,
| |
| | 21.8 million readers.The company
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| AdvoSystems, FSIs, radio and TV that is
| |
| | maintains that NAMG's magazines achieve
|
| showing promise.Getting PromotionalAs for
| |
| | something that newsstand publications
|
| renewals, AARP uses a 7-effort series.
| |
| | cannot - a deeper reader relationship
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| They are testing shorter and longer
| |
| | with unmatched interaction between
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| versions as well as different messages to
| |
| | writers, editors, and member
|
| different audiences (first time renewal
| |
| | readers.Member benefits
|
| versus longstanding member) and trying
| |
| | include- Full-color magazine delivered 6
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| more promotionally based offers tied to
| |
| | to 8 times a year- Member-only
|
| longer terms. On their website, I noticed
| |
| | interactive web sites with information
|
| a "Win-Win Membership Sweepstakes" for a
| |
| | archives, bulletin boards, event
|
| 16-day expedition and cruise to
| |
| | calendar, weekly polls, trivia
|
| Antarctica. Renewals are also handled via
| |
| | contests- Opportunities to test/keep
|
| their customer care calls for those who
| |
| | products related to the club's
|
| call in. AARP is looking to the web and
| |
| | lifestyle- Giveaways of products,
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| all member touch points for additional
| |
| | services and travel- Member-to-member
|
| renewal opportunities.MCA - Membership
| |
| | forums and informational support- Special
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| with a Mission since 1913The Marine Corps
| |
| | information resource
|
| Association is the professional
| |
| | directories- Exclusive product purchasing
|
| organization for all Marines-active duty,
| |
| | opportunities- Member-only events,
|
| Reserve, retired, and Marine veterans.
| |
| | competitions and contests- Discount
|
| Annual membership costs $21 for enlisted
| |
| | opportunities on selected products and
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| and $32 for officers, and will be going
| |
| | servicesCooking Club of America - A
|
| up in April. MCA publishes not one but
| |
| | Closer LookIn addition to Cooking
|
| two monthly magazines - Leatherneck -
| |
| | Pleasures magazine, members enjoy free
|
| Magazine of the Marines and Marine Corps
| |
| | product testing privileges, free recipe
|
| Gazette. Both accept advertising. Bill
| |
| | cards, cooking school discounts, menu
|
| Hughs, Director of Marketing, indicates
| |
| | ideas, a recipe reprint service, and
|
| Leatherneck offers more general interest
| |
| | more.While bind-ins invite members to
|
| news while the Gazette is a professional
| |
| | join, renew or give the gift of
|
| journal, covering issues that face
| |
| | membership at $2.00 a month ($24
|
| Marines every day. Members get a choice
| |
| | annually) with a hard offer, an online
|
| of magazines, and some take both. The
| |
| | offer solicits members for a "Free
|
| magazines are available to non-members
| |
| | No-Risk Trial Membership for 30
|
| with 1775 current non-member
| |
| | days."Those who sign up for the free
|
| subscribers.MCA puts out 4,400 issues as
| |
| | trial receive a Thank You package in a
|
| single copies at base exchanges, MCA
| |
| | #10 window envelope with a brochure
|
| bookstores and kiosk stands inside some
| |
| | extolling the benefits of membership, a
|
| commissaries. The magazines are also
| |
| | letter indicating they have already
|
| available at the Quantico Amtrak station
| |
| | received the first issue of Cooking
|
| and other newsstands near bases. MCA
| |
| | Pleasures, and a perf-off Membership Dues
|
| currently does catalog marketing and
| |
| | Invoice for $12.00 for 12 months.A
|
| finds 67% of their retail sales are from
| |
| | 4-color buckslip invites prospective
|
| members, who enjoy a 10% discount on
| |
| | members to receive a free multipurpose
|
| catalog products.An Association in
| |
| | grater (a $20.00 value) by returning the
|
| FluxAlmost 90,000 members strong, the
| |
| | buckslip with their payment. Prospects
|
| association is currently reorganizing,
| |
| | are enticed with the possibility of
|
| evaluating whether the magazines are
| |
| | winning free kitchen utensils, gourmet
|
| their main raison d'etre. Hughs states
| |
| | food, and more. The website indicates
|
| that members perceive the magazines are
| |
| | that 84% of each year's dues is for one
|
| the main benefit. E-newsletters are also
| |
| | year of Cooking Pleasures.Smart
|
| sent out to members. The membership card
| |
| | MarketingRemember when a credit card was
|
| does not have a high perceived value, he
| |
| | merely a plastic card issued by a bank
|
| says, as the association has not
| |
| | authorizing payment for purchases? Now,
|
| adequately promoted the other benefits
| |
| | many are portals to a world of benefits
|
| which include retail discounts and
| |
| | ranging from airline miles to merchandise
|
| travel, to name a few.Hughs stated that
| |
| | points. So, too, membership marketers
|
| MCA is taking another look at lists,
| |
| | provide added value by offering magazines
|
| affinity partnerships, positioning,
| |
| | PLUS an array of services (and sometimes
|
| segmentation and messaging. They will do
| |
| | an entire community) that tie members
|
| research, focus groups and talk to
| |
| | more closely to their brand and promote
|
| members. Currently, 62% of their
| |
| | loyalty. Now that's smart marketing!Shira
|
| membership is over 40, and they need to
| |
| | Linden is a freelance direct mail
|
| do a better job of reaching younger
| |
| | copywriter and consultant specializing in
|
| Marines (Generation X). Hughs believes
| |
| | circulation marketing, membership
|
| this is because they've been using
| |
| | marketing and direct mail marketing.
|
| directive language in their messaging,
| |
| |
|