But First: What is Membership Management Software?<\/h2>\n
If you’re unfamiliar with Membership Management Software, also known as MMS,\u00a0\u00a0it\u2019s a relatively simple concept.<\/p>\n
An MMS is a digital tool that allows organizations to keep all of the information related to their members and donors in one place.This centralized data means you and your team will have the ability to search information quickly, access information from anywhere, and sort information in such a way that will help your nonprofit make decisions quickly and with the right data.<\/p>\n
In short, membership management software is an all-in-one, cloud-based tool designed to automate 90% of the administrative tasks of membership organizations. The right MMS can save your staff and board members dozens of hours of work every week.<\/p>\n
We like to think of MMS as an army of robots that run your organization behind the scenes, while you engage with members and market your events and services.<\/p>\n
There are lots of MMS options to choose from these days. And while the features and price points can vary, WildApricot stands out because it\u2019s easy to use, it\u2019s affordable, and it\u2019s trustworthy.<\/p>\n
To learn more about what an MMS is and how it can help your organization, check out our Consumer Guide.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n WildApricot is an all-in-one membership management software for small associations, clubs, and nonprofits. We\u2019ve been the MMS of choice for organizations that find themselves using multiple tools like Excel, Mailchimp, and Eventbrite to try and wrangle and use all of their data.<\/p>\n We also appeal to organizations that have an MMS but aren\u2019t happy with it. People often turn to us because their current MMS is too expensive or doesn\u2019t quite have all the features they need.<\/p>\n Here are just a few reasons why people love partnering with us:<\/p>\n As the one who actually has to use it, you may be convinced that membership management software is right for you\u2026 but what about your board?<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how you can make it clear that membership management software can actually help your organization save time and money \u2014 and stick around for the long term.<\/p>\n Even though the board recognizes the need for improvement, board members aren\u2019t involved in the day-to-day of your operations, which is why they have you! And the best thing you can do to successfully pitch your MMS of choice to your board is to set the stage.<\/p>\n Give your board context. Clearly state why a new MMS is needed \u2014 whether that\u2019s increased donations, membership retention, or increased attendance at events \u2014 then, dive into how a new MMS will accomplish the organization\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n Once they understand what the problem is, they can more easily see that a new MMS is the solution to your organizational woes.<\/p>\n After you\u2019ve given them some context for the need for an MMS for your organization, you should answer the question of, \u201cHow can membership management software help us?\u201d<\/p>\n One of the first things you can tell them is that they\u2019re not alone in making the move to a strong MMS. It turns out that 64% of nonprofit CFOs said adopting cloud technology would cut operational costs by up to 20%.<\/a><\/p>\n And as if cutting costs isn\u2019t enough, here are four other specific ways implementing an MMS can help you:<\/p>\n One of the biggest advantages of using an MMS is the move from Excel to a digital tool. While the move from the manual input of member and donor information into an Excel sheet seems like an obvious move for some nonprofit managers, other managers don\u2019t mind the world of Excel. And for some small teams, working in Excel may not be a huge burden. But between the need for access to data from staff and board members that are working remotely and the requirements for security and privacy, now really is the best time to start to move past Excel membership templates.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n And let\u2019s face it, your team won\u2019t always stay the same. Although no one likes to talk about it, turnover is alive and well in the nonprofit world \u2014 and saving data reliably in an organized fashion helps mitigate some of the pain that comes when a trusted team member leaves. If they\u2019ve been saving all of their work in a shared tool that anyone can access, it solves the loss of tribal knowledge.<\/p>\n Read More:<\/strong><\/em> 7 Steps to Protect Your Members’ Data (+ Downloadable Checklist)<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n 90% of event marketers believe technology can have a major positive impact on their events\u2019 success.<\/a> Using technology to run events can sound intimidating, but we can assure you that you can use technology in small ways or run the entire event.<\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t used technology to run your events, we recommend starting small and working your way up. One of the easiest and best ways you can use your new MMS is simply by throwing away the ol\u2019 paper sign-up sheets that can be lost or ruined by coffee stains (we\u2019re speaking from experience here). Instead, you can allow people to register and check-in online. If you\u2019re already doing that, here are some other ways you can run better events with the help of a tool like WildApricot:<\/p>\n Read More: <\/strong><\/em>The #1 Way to Speed Up Event Check-In: How to Use QR Codes<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n While everyone likes the feeling of a few crisp bills in their wallets, the truth is 54% of donors worldwide prefer to give online with a credit or debit card.<\/a> Here\u2019s a breakdown of some of the other popular methods donors prefer to use to give:<\/p>\n Given these preferences, simply having an MMS like WildApricot that can easily and seamlessly accept and track online payments means you\u2019ll see an increase in donations compared to only accepting donations via cash or check.<\/p>\n But beyond having a tool that can accept online payments, you\u2019ll see an increase in online donations, membership sign-ups, and volunteer participation by using your MMS to engage with your community, strengthen communication, and build support through consistent and powerful emails, texts, social engagement, and more.<\/p>\n Read More: <\/strong><\/em>The Ultimate Guide to Setting Up a Monthly Giving Program (+ Examples)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n A cause is important, but people don\u2019t give to or volunteer at a cause \u2014 they choose to be a part of a powerful story. Nonprofits of all sizes understand the need for a website or the digital representation of their stories. And while websites are a necessity to today\u2019s organizations, they also need to be updated for new information and features and managed for questions and donations.<\/p>\n For some, using WildApricot to help build and keep their websites to attract, engage, and convert new members is one of the main reasons they choose us. (You can also add special members’ only pages<\/a> to keep some of your content exclusive to members!)<\/p>\n (Want to find more website examples? You can see some of our top customer sites here.<\/a>)<\/p>\n In addition to helping tell your story through your website, WildApricot also helps promote your mission and fundraisers through email campaigns. These are just a few things you can do with emails when you choose WildApricot:<\/p>\n You might be ready to go ahead and implement your MMS tomorrow\u2026<\/p>\n But your board might not see it quite so clearly.<\/p>\n For that reason, it\u2019s best to be prepared for all of the most common objections that come up whenever any new software option is presented.<\/p>\n Although objections are usually from a place of curiosity or misunderstanding of the new MMS or the current state of affairs of your organization, it can be hard to know how to reply in a way that effectively conveys the urgent need your organization is facing.<\/p>\n But we\u2019re here to help! Below, we\u2019ve answered some of the most common objections we\u2019ve been able to help overcome.<\/p>\n Even if it seems like your organization is getting by on the current system, board members don\u2019t always realize that you\u2019re doing a lot of work across multiple systems. This is time-consuming, and many popular systems don\u2019t always play well together. For example, you may be emailing people via Mailchimp, but you have to constantly refer to lists of members in an Excel sheet while registering people using Eventbrite. It\u2019s simply not sustainable.<\/p>\n WildApricot offers a free plan to start and no set-up fees.<\/a> We believe in transparent pricing and a try-before-you-buy approach, which is why we encourage people to try WildApricot for free for 60 days. If you\u2019re considering WildApricot and a few other MMS options, check out how our pricing compares.<\/a><\/p>\n Choosing and setting up a new MMS takes time, but with all the new efficiencies you\u2019ll be gaining through automating your administrative tasks, you\u2019ll definitely be saving time and money in the long run. Plus, our onboarding team is here to help, and we offer ongoing support like:<\/p>\n If you want to dive deeper into the WildApricot benefits listed in this blog, you should check out our consumer guide.<\/a><\/p>\n We can tell you that our free, 60-day trial,<\/a> our seamless online payment feature, our website builder, and our member app builder have been lauded by users and are some of the biggest reasons nonprofits, clubs, and associations remain loyal to us!<\/p>\n If you have any questions about why you and your board should choose WildApricot, or you\u2019d love to run some ideas by one of our team members before your pitch to the board, please reach out today.<\/a> We\u2019re excited to work with you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The WildApricot Way<\/h2>\n
Why People Choose WildApricot<\/h2>\n
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A Summary of WildApricot Features<\/h2>\n
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![\"how](\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/how-wild-apricot-can-help-you-presentation-slide.png?v=0&MaxWidth=600&MaxHeight=&ScaleUp=false&Quality=High&Method=ResizeFitToAreaArguments\" "\\"how")
<\/p>\n3 Ways to Successfully Pitch an MMS to Board Members<\/h2>\n
Set the Context.<\/span><\/h3>\n
Explain How Your Organization Will Use It.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
1. Easier and More Secure Data Processes:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
2. Run Better Events:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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3. Increase Online Donations:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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4. Tell Your Story Better.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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How to Overcome Common Objections<\/h3>\n
\u201cOur current system is fine.\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\u201cIt’s too expensive.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\u201cSetting it up is too time-consuming.\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\u201cWhy should we pick WildApricot?\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Get Started Today!<\/h2>\n