Here are a few helpful hints from the SMC Regional Workshop hosted by the NSMC Membership and Local Councils Committee and Florida HBA Sales and Marketing Council during the recent 2007 Southeast Building Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Ensuring Your SMC’s Survival in Today’s Challenging Housing Market

• Collect your members’ home addresses and a secondary e-mail address. If they move or change companies, you can contact them and keep them involved with your SMC.
• Create a Membership Update Form where members can update their contact information. This will ensure that they continue to receive your SMC’s benefits and stay connected, in case they switch companies.
• If employees leave their companies, stay in contact with them. Find out the company’s new contacts or sales & marketing decision-makers and invite them to join your SMC.
• Form a Membership Retention Committee that welcomes members when they join, contacts them throughout the year and encourages them to renew their dues. Split up the names of your new members and make those phone calls on a regular basis. Consistent communication will build relationships and improve your retention.
• Make it fun! Try to have fun events like a Team Bowling Challenge or special events that people look forward to.                                  

The Two R’s – Sure-Fire Ideas to Strengthen Your SMC’s Membership Recruitment and Retention Efforts

• Schedule a New Member Breakfast on a quarterly basis to welcome your new members. Use this opportunity to explain your SMC benefits, promote upcoming education programs and networking events, and get your new members actively involved in your SMC.
• Make sure your SMC is visible within your HBA. Have an SMC membership table at HBA general membership meetings with SMC applications and event flyers/postcards. Make announcements about upcoming programs and events and invite ALL HBA members to join your SMC.
• Sponsor an Economic Forecast event and invite members of the HBA to attend. Create a panel featuring a local economist, housing experts and builders to preview what’s in store for the coming year in your local market. This is a sure-fire program that will pique interest throughout your HBA.
• Consider having specialty programs like a Realtor Program/Panel, Local Home Buyer Panel, Builder-Developer Forum or Trade Expo, Builder-Realtor Expo or other special events. These programs have been highly popular and allow you to tap into different segments of your membership – all of whom are possible member leads. The Local Home Buyer Panel helps builders understand what motivated a consumer to buy or not buy or why they chose a resale or a new home.
• Create a robust Web site for your members. Make sure the Web site is fully functional, allowing members to register online for your education programs and events. You also should make it possible for potential members to join online.
• Offer a Tram Tour for your local real estate community. Builders will pay for the privilege to sponsor your event to ensure their models and communities are featured on the tour.
• Publish an annual SMC guidebook that includes a calendar of events, an overview of SMC local and national benefits and other pertinent information on your council.
• Offer an Affiliate Program. This is a low-cost alternative that can get employees of your member companies involved in your local SMC.

The Value of Team Work: Improving HBA-SMC Relations and Grooming Your Future Leaders

• Don’t allow one or two leaders to “do it all.” While their hard work is appreciated, it prevents others from volunteering and getting involved with your SMC. Try to be as inclusive as possible.
• Get the Executive Officer involved in your SMC. Have the EO sign thank-you notes, speak at your meetings and hand out awards. It makes the EO feel welcome and sends the message that the SMC is fully supported by the EO and HBA’s leadership.
• Create a Committee and Leadership Descriptions and Goals List. This includes your SMC’s mission statement, a description of each committee or working group and its annual goals and a listing of your SMC’s leadership. This will keep everyone focused, remind them of the SMC and committees’ goals and also recognize your volunteers. This list can be posted online and distributed at committee meetings. Check out NSMC’s Trustees and Committees list for an example.
• Reward your committee leaders with plaques or certificates to recognize them for their service. This will validate their decision to volunteer.
• Create a leadership binder with rules and procedures, descriptions of committees and leadership roles. This binder can be updated on a yearly basis and passed on to incoming leadership to prepare them for their job.
• Build people up – don’t tear them down. Your leaders are donating to your SMC their valuable time. Please make them feel appreciated. Never criticize their efforts: praise them.
• Highlight your SMC’s accomplishments and share them with your HBA. Show how your SMC generated non-dues revenue for your HBA through your awards programs, education and other events… it will bolster the value of your council.

Education and Designations: Tips on How to Plan and Promote IRM Classes and Other Education Programs

• Check out NAHB University of Housing’s “Blueprint for Success.” It includes an overview of all NAHB courses and designations, including those offered by the Institute of Residential Marketing (IRM). Contact NSMC’s Professional Designation Helpline at 800-368-5242 x8154 for designation information.
• Offer the “Multicultural Sales” course. If you are in a diverse market, this course will be invaluable to your sales and marketing professionals.
• Offer a wide range of courses (MIRM, CSP, Master CSP, etc.). This will allow your members to earn a designation or meet the continuing education requirements that must be completed every few years.
• Take advantage of NAHB national resources. For example, if you have a member that is working on an IRM case study, get them involved in MIRMAid or put them in touch with a MIRM who can offer suggestions.
• Check out NAHB’s Online Speakers Directory for a list of approved speakers. You can find local and national speakers from all areas of expertise. Go to www.nahb.org/education and click on Speaker & Instructor information.
• Hold a monthly breakfast program for your members. If you bring in a national speaker, hold a mini-seminar after the meeting for a minimal charge. It’s a great service for your members to get more face time with an industry expert.                            

The Art of Recognition: Secrets to Running a Successful Awards Program and Acknowledging Your SMC’s Stars

• Make designations a part of your SMC’s language. Mention your member’s designations when introducing them at events and on all printed and online materials. It will reinforce the value of the designation.
• Offer a Million Dollar Circle Awards program and tie it into NAHB’s Million Dollar Circle Awards. You can order plaques, lapel pins, certificates, etc., online. Recognize your Million Dollar Circle winners at your meetings or at their own special events. You can hold these meetings monthly, quarterly or as-needed. Go to http://www.milliondollarcircleawards.com/.
• Make your SMC awards gala or program a top-notch event, modeling it after the Academy Awards or another fun theme. Roll out the red carpet, hire a professional photographer, etc. Do everything first-rate! You don’t have to have a sit-down dinner; heavy hors d’oeuvres, a cocktail hour and dessert will work just fine.
• Bring in well-known performers or entertainers. A concert performance during the cocktail hour or after the ceremony is a nice touch and will inject some fun into your event.
• Integrate your awards winners into your HBA’s Parade of Homes. You can recognize your actual winners or you can highlight special home features with a blue ribbon or some other recognition.
• Invite the press and local politicians to your SMC gala. Your SMC and awards program will benefit from the additional exposure and coverage. You might even make the society page, if local politicians or celebrities attend.                            

NSMC Resources

• Promote NSMC national benefits and resources at your SMC meetings. Show the NSMC video prior to a meeting … it’s only two minutes long and will reinforce the value of NSMC membership. Highlight national benefits like Sales + Marketing Ideas magazine, Sales and Marketing Channel, ProNet, etc., on your membership application and/or Web site.
• Check out the Sales and Marketing Channel. This brand new online resource includes dozens of how-to articles on sales and marketing and related topics. Your local SMC members get FREE access to this site as part of their membership. Check out the site at www.nahb.org/smchannel.
• Check out NSMC’s Local SMC Resources section online. You’ll find plenty of proven ideas. If your SMC is struggling, contact NSMC’s National Enrichment and Support Team. The NEST Directory includes a list of SMC experts who can provide great advice.

For more SMC tips, participate in SMC call-in workshops or SMC regional or national roundtables. Contact Jeff Jenkins at 800-368-5242 x8292 or jjenkins@nahb.com. [ return to top ]