When it comes to renewing memberships, it can be costly and time consuming to send constant reminders out to your members. This case study shows how 4Networking’s switch to SMS reminders enabled them to cut down their admin time and see a growth in memberships.
The Objective
- To increase membership renewals
- To offer improved customer service in a fraction of the time
The Plan
4Networking is the UK’s only joined-up business networking organisation, running 5000+ meetings across the UK every year and a membership base of many thousands. With a range of different membership options available and a stream of membership renewals coming in every day, communicating with members about their membership renewal is a complex task. The central support team are busy running the HQ, chatting with customers and supporting the regional 4N teams; so they were looking for a way they could improve communication with customers, increase membership renewals whilst also saving time and money.
Office Manager Di Timberlake decided to trial an account with FireText; “I needed a solution that was not only cost-effective, but also user friendly for both myself and our members. It’s vital our messages get seen, as emails often get missed and memberships can drop off.”
Di wanted to keep the process simple so opted to send a message out every Monday morning to any members whose membership was due to expire that week. With the instant nature of SMS and high open rates, Di knew that her message would be seen.
The text message is simple and friendly and contains all the vital information for the member to renew; including a clear call to action.
The Message
“Your 4Networking membership is up for renewal within a few days. We’d love you to stay with us. You qualify for our £44 monthly membership! Call us on 0845 123 4444 to renew your membership today, or visit us online at www.4networking.biz”
The Results
The message takes just a couple of minutes to send out each week and instant delivery reporting shows when the message has been delivered.
The 4N phone is always busy on a Monday after the message is sent out and membership renewals have grown.
“The SMS service has become a valuable part of our renewal programme. It ensures that everyone receives a timely reminder without tying up valuable staff time and our members find it a useful prompt to take action. My only regret is that I didn’t start using it sooner!”
If you need some inspiration on how to use SMS to boost membership click here.