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The Big Hunt Sets Its Sights On National Membership Day
National Membership Day — the federation-wide membership drive — is set for Tuesday, May 20, and across the country NAHB members and membership chairmen have donned their bush jackets and pith helmets to help grow and revitalize their local builders associations during the NAHB annual event.
This year’s drive, themed “The Big Hunt,” helps HBAs energize their members, creates excitement, builds momentum and even pits associations in a few friendly cross-state, cross-country or member-to-member rivalries.
“Over the years, National Membership Day has become a key part of our culture,” says Vince Butler, NAHB membership chairman. “It’s always an exciting event.”
The Momentum Grows
In Florida, Alan Baggett, membership director of the Florida Home Builders Association, began drumming up excitement for the membership drive late last year. He proposed creative incentive packages for the members and began making weekly, statewide membership phone calls and training volunteers at each of the state’s 29 local associations.
“I asked members across the state to donate goods and services — restaurant coupons, gift baskets, even television sets — to distribute as rewards to top recruiters,” Baggett said. “The response has been great.”
Baggett said the Florida HBAs brought a little movie magic to the membership drive theme by calling their state’s big hunt “The Quest for the Golden Spike” ― mixing a little Harrison Ford-Indiana Jones with NAHB’s member-recruitment Spike program.
In Oregon, Diane Sparks, membership director for the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland, is deep into the HBA’s “L-C-C-C” campaign. “That stands for letters, calls, cocktails and closing,” Sparks said.
Starting with letters to builders and other targeted industry professionals, members follow up a few weeks later with phone calls. After that, members meet with prospects for one-on-one orientation sessions, often over drinks.
Sparks said the HBA has three separate initiatives that target particular building industry groups ― current members, lapsed members and affiliate members.
“Former members are often astounded that their membership has lapsed,” she said. “So it’s really worth the effort to tap into that audience.”
“The core message of our campaign is that we know this is a tough time for many businesses, but this is also the time that we can really help by stepping up and providing support,” Sparks said.
“We are facing some challenging economic times, but now, more than ever, membership in NAHB is important,” NAHB’s Butler agreed. “With such a wide range of tangible benefits and so many levels of support, membership offers just a tremendous value.”
Membership Day Webcast
“The Big Hunt” membership day webcast will be broadcast from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST Tuesday, May 20. HBAs should be prepared to call NAHB at 800-899-6242 during the webcast to have May membership projections officially recorded and posted during the membership day event.
For more information about the 2008 “The Big Hunt” campaign, visit www.nahb.org/membershipday, or call the NAHB Membership Team at 800-368-5242 x8440.
For membership day resources, visit www.nahb.org/BigHunt08.
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