Highlights from the 2021 Membership Cup Finalists
Each year, the NAHB Membership Cup honors one association for achieving the most outstanding membership recruitment and retention efforts of the year. HBAs from each group size with the highest percentage increase in both recruitment and retention compete to win. These HBAs are invited to submit their annual membership plan for evaluation by the NAHB Membership Committee, which then announces the Cup Winner based on the plan and the results achieved.
The winner of the 2021 Membership Cup was the Wilmington-Cape Fear HBA. Below, you will find highlights from the winner’s membership campaign, as well as from all the other 2021 finalists. We hope these examples of successful initiatives will inspire other HBAs with new ideas, best practices and winning strategies to integrate into their own membership campaigns in the future.
Recruitment and Retention Highlights
- Worked in partnership with organizations like the Veterans Business Coalition, AARP, real estate firms, mortgage lenders and other businesses to highlight the HBA.
- Used our weekly radio show (Construction Connection) to highlight the importance of our industry.
- Conducted Virtual Membership 101 classes that showcased the value of the HBA.
- Implemented a guest program where members of the Membership Committee and the Board could bring one non-member guest to an event. This was a game changer, as it quickly introduced the HBA to the prospective member.
Recruitment and Retention Highlights
- Added a Builder and Associate member spotlight each month in our Building Buzz newsletter.
- Started the BMHBA Birthday Club and promoted it via email, social media and in our monthly Building Buzz newsletter to bring awareness to this new member program.
- Our PWB read “The House that She Built” to children at the local library to help build excitement for future careers in the trades.
- Before each event we created a “Blast from the Past” post which includes photos from previous years of members at that event.
Recruitment and Retention Highlights
- The EO contacted new members personally.
- Engaged with the county’s elected officials asking them to attend a meeting or two each year, which pushes members to meet/greet those who are shaping the future for our trade jobs.
- Started a process where each new member gets mentioned at the monthly socials.
- Created both Facebook and Instagram pages, which better enabled members to learn about new members and stay up to date on major events.
Recruitment and Retention Highlights
- Recruited from a highly organized prospect list made up of prior drops and current non-member vendors of our builder members, and focused on locking in those who said they would join but had yet to pay.
- Conducted four member orientations where current members came in and shared why they joined and how to get involved.
- The Board of Directors were each expected to recruit at least two new members in the calendar year, participate on a team in the membership drive, and make assigned “welcome” calls to new members each month.
- Created several resources for members to use during the membership drive including scripts, templates and applications that streamlined the recruitment process.
Recruitment and Retention Highlights
- Hosted an orientation (HBA 101), where new members were invited to attend their first paid event for free.
- Every new member was invited to attend a Membership Committee meeting and then to serve on the Committee if they have the time and capacity.
- HBA team made calls to members at their six-month mark to get feedback on their membership.
- New members received a coupon for the new member and a guest to enjoy a free dinner during a general membership meeting at some point in the next six months.
Recruitment and Retention Highlights
- Utilized a schedule of communications and surveys to new members that included:
- Welcome packet with membership details and benefits
- Welcome letter from the president of the association
- Welcome call from the Membership Committee
- New member surveys
- Follow-up survey mid-way through their first year of membership
- During membership drives, the recruitment teams consisted of a diverse group of callers to represent the membership, including new and veteran members.
Recruitment and Retention Highlights
- Asked builder members to give Membership Committee a written list with phone numbers of the sub-contractors, suppliers and service providers they contacted.
- Started an “ASK” program: “All You Have to Do Is ASK” to encourage members to “Ask” their sub-contractors, suppliers and service providers to become members.
- Offered free advertising to every member through our new website features: “Meet Our Builders” page, “Meet Our Associates” page, and a “Learn More” button under each member’s name that links directly to their company website.
