Notes: MakeHaven Outreach & Retention Meeting

[J.R. Logan]

Date: February 19, 2025
Attendees: Terence, Ashely, JR, Kate, Sam, Emma

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Key Discussion Points:

• Flyer Tracking & QR Codes:

  • Future flyers should use UTM codes on QR codes to better track engagement.
  • Note that many visitors type the URL directly instead of scanning the code.

• Membership Trends:

  • January showed an uptick in new members (likely due to New Year resolutions and post-holiday momentum).
  • Discussion on churn rates and membership data, noting that special programs (e.g., Gateway) are tracked separately.

• Tour Process:

  • Tours are a significant pathway to membership (about 25% conversion).
  • Consider adding a “How did you hear about MakeHaven?” question to the tour sign-up process to capture referral data.

• Event Participation:

  • MakeHaven participates in various events (Hobby Hair, library events, veterans fairs, night markets, craft fairs).
  • Discussion on potential gaps and opportunities for new events.

• Partnership & Outreach Opportunities:

  • Community Organizations: Explore partnerships with the Boys & Girls Club (for older teen projects), high schools (for apprenticeships), Black & Brown sororities/fraternities, and churches.
  • Social Media & Branding:
    • Improve sharing of member creations (e.g., via Slack #made-at-makehaven and social media channels).
    • Consider enhancing the visual appeal of marketing materials by integrating additional colors (teal, coral, possibly bright pink) along with the current red, grey, and white.

• Meeting Cadence & New Members:

  • Proposal to meet monthly for the next six months before scaling back.
  • New volunteer/data scientist Brooke will join upcoming meetings to help with data analysis and narrative building.

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Action Items:

1. Flyer Updates:

   • Implement UTM codes on future QR codes and consider redesigning landing pages for better tracking.

2. Tour Sign-up:

   • Consider Adding a “How did you hear about MakeHaven?” question to the tour registration process.

3. Partnership Outreach:

   • Follow up on potential connections with community organizations (Boys & Girls Club, local high schools, Black & Brown sororities/fraternities, and churches).
   • Kate to reach out regarding sorority/fraternity partnerships.

4. Social Media & Branding:

   • Explore strategies to better showcase member projects on social media.
   • Review and update the branding guide to incorporate additional colors for improved visual impact.

5. Meeting Scheduling:

   • Set up a poll to determine preferred meeting times (noting that Kate prefers daytime or early evening).

6. New Volunteer Introduction:

   • Introduce Brooke in the next meeting.

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Next Steps:

• Finalize flyer redesign and tour registration updates.
• Schedule the next meeting with a proposed monthly cadence.
• Continue refining outreach strategies based on data insights.

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J.R. Logan
Executive Director

MakeHaven

JR: 203-676-3414 | LinkedIn | Meeting 

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[Terence Dew]

Thanks JR,

I put two polls on Slack for figuring out the times for our meetings. If you could rank your preferred days and your preferred times by this Sunday, that would help a lot.

 Also if you could turn on notifications for the outreach and retention channel that would help us keep in conversation in between meetings. I believe I've added everyone to that channel. 

Thank you all

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