10/29/2019

Marketing and Member Committee Update

by Sara Scott

Committee members include: Mike Alles, Pete Glyman, Kara Parkey, Scott Mills/WMA (Advisor/Partnership Committee), and Sara Scott (Chair)

We are pleased to report that we continue to maintain a healthy overall membership and net new member rate. We have seen a trend that should allow us to achieve the goal of 115 AFT member companies before the end of 2019.

Key Metrics

We currently have 15 new members for 2019 YTD.  Related to retention, we have seen a steady trend rate of retention in the low 80’s.  This is due to multiple acquisitions of member companies and also from some startup companies that signed up to be members but then didn’t return the following year.   

Calendar year 2019 Highlights/Programs:

• Mike Alles has made great strides to improve the Ambassador program which has proven to be very successful given the feedback we received after the Spring Summit. Thanks to Mike’s efforts and the support of the program committee, we continued the “First-Timer Attendees Toast” and the “First-Timers Breakfast” which brings the AFT Board, first timers, and their assigned ambassadors together for a proper introduction and welcome to AFT. A Board dinner with the First Timers was also tried during the Spring Summit, and arranged dinners during the Fall Summit in order to really give the First Timers a warm welcome.

• AFT video updates – The board approved the funding of a videographer for the Fall Summit. Bradley McKee shot video and took professional grade pictures throughout the summit to use on social media and the AFT website.

• Member Renewal and New Memberships – Pete Glyman initiated some renewal and new membership campaigns with the Board leveraging Monday.com for tracking the interaction. Personal reach out to non-renewed members, along with some targeted new members was the main method used to help drive the member numbers up.

• Partners – Scott Mills continues to drive the partnership program. He worked with CBANC to message the 1,000 vendors in their database regarding the summit. A letter was also sent out by the ICBA to endorsed vendors – highlighting the value of AFT and also referencing Nashville with links.

• Social media continues to be very successful. Kara Parkey, along with support from Scott Mills/WMA have continued to exceed the goals of growing social media by 30% YOY. Kara also initiated a #AskMeAnything Twitter campaign at both 2019 summits – driving more traffic and interactions with social media.