Gentlemen of PROBE:
Attendees of the 2004 Dynamic Leaders Forum in Racine were treated to a sneak preview draft of the Barbershop Harmony Society’s 2005 Marketing Plan, more specifically the Membership Recruitment/Incentive component which includes a National Advertising Campaign.
This email includes answers the following questions:
What is our focus for 2005?
What will be different about this campaign?
What drives this plan?
How will this be funded?
What is the objective?
How will Staff, Districts and Chapters work together to make this plan a success?
How will this plan be implemented?
What tools will be provided?
How will we know we are ready?
We realize "the plan" is still lacking many details and certainly subject to change or refinement. That said; a higher level of TEAMWORK than has ever been mustered in the past is a critical component of this plan. In preparation for our 2004/2005 schools, all COTS Coordinators were sent the following to create "a buzz" about the exciting plans in store in 2005.
To make sure District leadership is in lock step with these exciting plans, all DPs and DVPs of Membership and M&PR have also received the following. This and future correspondence will put us in a better position to enjoy the most successful year in our Society's history.
Here's the framework for what we are looking at right now...
To level the playing field, awards will be presented for highest percentage of increase and for most new members gained. Minimum thresholds (the least number of new members recruited to be eligible) will be established soon. Any lapsed members that have been out of the Society for more than 12 months will be eligible candidates.
A $10,000 cash prize will be awarded to the member that brings in the most new members during this 90-day campaign. The Top Five Individual recruiters and Top Three Districts and Chapters will receive significant recognition for their contributions to our success. Additional incentives and recognition will also be explored.
SMOOTH IMPLEMENTATION IS CRITICAL.
The exact process for smooth implementation is still being refined. Much has to happen to make this program a success. For one thing, every person, every chapter and every district needs to be in lock step agreement with the Society in terms of scheduling a North American "You Can Sing Too" Night the week the advertising hits.
HOW CRUCIAL IS TEAMWORK AND HOW IS THIS GOING TO COME TOGETHER?
DISTRICTS: We understand the Society consists of all types of chapters: Social, Quartet-Oriented, Daytime, Competitive, Extremely Competitive and some quite frankly that have said they want to be left alone. District leadership will be asked to assist Society HQ in helping us categorize the various types of chapters operating in each community.
When a prospect calls the 800 number dedicated to this campaign, a few questions will be asked to determine the wants, needs or expectations of the caller. A brief description (menu) of the type of chapters available in North America will be presented. If we run into a scenario where only one chapter is operating in the caller's community, (without being negative) the prospect will be referred to that chapter with an understanding of the type of chapter available so the prospect knows what to expect in advance. If we do not take this approach, we run the risk of sending prospects out with the erroneous impression that all chapters are like XYZ and this is all the Barbershop Harmony Society has to offer them. This is a crucial component as we undertake the process of protecting and reinvigorating our brand in the minds of others.
THERE IS ROOM FOR EVERY TYPE OF CHAPTER IN OUR SOCIETY.
With the help of Chapter Counselors and other District and Chapter leaders, our District Presidents have been asked to put as a top priority the task of categorizing each of the chapters in their district and sending this categorization information to me by December 18, 2004.
There is no such thing as a good or bad category. There is room for everyone.
A sample template of this spreadsheet will be provided, but it will probably look something like this...
| District | SWD |
| Nearest Metropolitan Area | Dallas/Fort Worth |
| Postal/Zip Code of Chapter Meeting Location | 75219 |
| Chapter/Chorus Name | Dallas Metro/Vocal Majority |
| Best Contact Person & Info (including email address) For Handling Leads Generated By This Campaign | Charles Ehmke, Jr. 11103 Williamsburg Ln Frisco, TX 75035-7819 (972) 335-7353 chadehmke@vocalmajority.com |
| Chapter Number | N-025 |
| Type of Chapter | Highly Competitive |
The chapter meeting location information and the meeting night are already available to us on www.barbershop.org
SOCIETY: The Society marketing department, assisted by outside expertise from a professional media relations consultant will craft an advertising campaign that will resonate with our primary Strategic Value Target; men aged 35-54 with some background in singing or performing. Our secondary target is college-aged men who sing.
The Society will have to work closely with each District to gather this chapter classification information and incorporate that data into a new field in our member database so the appropriate phone script can be used when handling incoming calls.
Reporting cycles and the reporting process will be identified and communicated at a later date. At minimum, one directly after the "You Can Sing Too" Campaign which tracks the total number of guests participating and the other four weeks later to track how many new members were added through this campaign.
Additional offers could be introduced at a later date to provide recognition to Members, Chapters or Districts for the highest percentage of prospects converted to membership.
CHAPTERS: Chapters will be requested to focus time towards creating an environment that fosters success. Scheduling a compelling series of evening activities, including components like a greeter, assigning a riser buddy and music portfolio to each guest, having Society and Chapter specific materials on hand for the guests, "YCST" name tags, capturing the guest’s contact information, including phone, email, snail mail address and have a carefully crafted follow-up plan, (thank yous, etc.) in place. Give each guest an exit survey asking what they liked or didn’t like about the evening, offer CD giveaways/door prize drawings as incentive to return completed exit surveys, show a brief but compelling film, have a sound system and guest quartets lined up to sing, get the guests singing either on the risers and/or in quartets, VLQs. Get them SINGING!
RECRUITMENT: Members must take personal responsibility for bringing guests to chapter meetings. Many chapters encourage their members to bring guests, but few actually offer members any training on recruiting techniques. For us to enjoy a year unlike any other, we cannot continue with a "business as usual" approach.
ORIENTATION: To make for a smooth transition from prospect to membership, an orientation plan should be developed and implemented.
RETENTION: To retain members, a retention plan will need to be implemented. This begins with Chapters taking responsibility for creating a compelling, entertaining and fun environment at their meetings so that members and guests are inspired and encouraged to return week after week. Periodic surveys of members and guests will help chapters identify where they are enjoying success as well as areas where they may be falling short.
The Society will be updating and re-introducing helpful documentation on the critical areas of recruitment, orientation and retention.
Your Society leadership feels quite certain that one of the key components to our success in retaining existing members and those attracted from this campaign is creating an ever-growing pool of competent MUSICAL and ADMINISTRATIVE leadership.
Suggested components for success at the chapter level to improve retention:
* If the same routine is followed week after week, a member may soon get the impression that "I can afford to skip this week because I'm not going to miss anything." If there is variety, members may be less inclined to skip a meeting because they might miss something special. Along those lines, the Society is looking for ways to bring more variety to our conventions to address this very same concern.
Additional Society sponsored programs are being explored to reward chapters for "getting their house in order" and addressing the concerns noted above.
MEMBERS: Every member of the Society must take personal responsibility for bringing guests to their local chapter meeting. Each man who recruits a new Society member will be eligible to win $5000 in a random drawing at the end of the campaign. Each new member recruited increases your odds of winning the $5000.
WHAT WILL BE CRUCIAL TO OUR SUCCESS? Communication and consensus to execute this plan in complete unison with the Society staff and every other Chapter and District is CRITICAL.
PROBE can be a key player in this process. There is considerable strength in numbers.
TOGETHER WE CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING!
I hope this email energizes you like the 300+ Society and District leaders that stood up and applauded when this plan was unveiled at the Dynamic Leaders Forum.
The precise dates of the 90-day "You Can Sing Too" campaign period and additional details will be shared with everyone very soon.
I’m here to support you any way I can.
Thank you for your leadership to this organization.
Todd Wilson
Director of Marketing
Barbershop Harmony Society