Encouraging Membership Support

[Len Inkster ISP, MBCS, CITP, MIAPP, MIISP]

As the Ontario Borad member respnosible for Membership this year under
the presidency of Rick Penton, I have suggested that we offer a 25%
discount off of the following years Membership Fees for any member
that can sign up a new full member of the Society.

Having got tacit acceptance for piloting this idea in Ontario from the
National Office, the Ontario Board, London and Toronto Sections I
heard from Matt Carter in BC that they were looking at something
similar, but encompassing the whole approach to how members get
involved in the Society, with discounts for the amount of voluntary
service.

Obviously my mandate, and therefore accountability to the Society is
to try to increase the uptake of Membership in this our 50th
Anniversay Year, but I though what a great way of killing two birds
with one stone.

Does anyone else think that this might be a good opportunity to give a
real financial benefit back to those members who go out of their way
to really give back to the society, and what suggestions on scaling
the points would anyone care to give (keep them sensible and clean
please)

[Adam Cole]

Hi Len,

Good idea. What about offering something other than a discount on the
following year's membership? Perhaps a donation to a CIPS partner charity
(Neil Squire,...) or a technology gift certificate (Best Buy,...). I like
the idea of a charitable donation as this addresses two points:
1. Conflict of interest
2. Corporate sponsorship - E.g. if my company pays for my membership than
this incentive has less value.

Now combining this recruitment incentive with BC's point system we could
subsequently add additional ways to earn points (volunteer, bring in other
user groups/SIGs,...)

I like my idea in concept but it may be too much to try to accomplish all at
once. Bite-sized pieces may get us to tangible results faster.

Adam

[Robert Fabian]

Len

I can't see any serious down-side to a 25% discount in membership dues
for the year following the one in which you sign up a new member. But
I'm not convinced it's going to buy us a significant number of new
members. As an aside, before we get into this, we need to decide which
parties will suffer the 25% fee reduction - National, Provincial, or
Local, ... or have they all agreed to the 25% reduction?

The idea of financially rewarding members who contribute to the society
does have a certain appeal, but it could also open a hornet's net. In my
view, we don't need more "volunteers" who put their name forward just
for the honour of being listed as a Board member (and the fee reduction
being discussed). We need people who will actually contribute, and that
requires time and effort. It could be quite difficult to decide who has
actually contributed. I wouldn't go there, certainly not in the
immediate future.

Bob

--
Robert Fabian -- rob...@fabian.ca -- 416-769-1885 -- www.fabian.ca