The Benefits of a Centralized Membership Database
April 2007 (More monthly articles)
Amazingly, I still come across trade associations, professional societies, foundations, and charities that don’t have a centralized database for managing their member and donor information. Recently I worked with a foundation to move all of their constituent data into a central data repository. Formerly, it was scattered across spreadsheets, word processing documents, and email contact lists. A different staff person was responsible for maintaining each of these data sources. The amount of duplication across these lists was astounding. What’s more, each staff member had his/her own ideas about what information was important. One list had nothing more than email addresses. Others were more diligent at collecting company names, addresses, and phone numbers. Still others tried to tabulate historical activity, such as attendance at certain events.
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While this particular client will remain anonymous, it illustrates the inefficiency associated with not having a single database for storing constituent data. This type of data is probably your most mission-critical source of information. When it is scattered and fragmented across an organization, it cannot be properly managed or controlled. In this example, my client recognized the problem and saw the benefits of changing the model in which they were operating.
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Consider the benefits this organization will now experience. By having all contacts in one place, the data is more secure and reliable. It can be backed up on a nightly or even hourly basis. Duplicate records are greatly reduced in this environment. The database in many ways becomes a shared source of knowledge. As each staff member makes changes to member and donor records, that information becomes available to everyone in the organization. An historical abstract begins to emerge for each of the contacts stored in the database. Little, if any, of these benefits could be achieved when the data was previously scattered across the organization.
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The efficiencies of a centralized data store are many. Reports can be generated to produce committee, event, and membership rosters. Management can typically identify people that haven’t paid their dues or made good on their pledges. Event planners often want to know who attended last year’s event but still haven’t registered for the upcoming one. In a typical central database, staff can usually see how one constituent record relates to other records. For instance, from a single member record, a decent database application designed for the association industry would allow you to see a company roster of the organization for which the displayed member record worked. You should also be able to see any committee rosters on which this person participates.
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Modern database software is usually ODBC-compliant, meaning that other applications can access the data. For example, most not-for-profit organizations have a website where information is made available to the public, donors, potential donors, members, prospects, vendors, and partners. Much of the information these groups want to see is probably maintained somewhere in the organization. When fragmented in the manner of the old business model of my now happy client, to get the information on the website the data would have to be manually entered. In the new paradigm, the data can be pulled directly to the website whenever a visitor requests it.
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Another example showing the value of ODBC is the ability to integrate email communication with the database. Communication with members, donors, and prospects is critical for the survival of just about any not-for-profit group. People join and/or contribute because they perceive value in being identified with other like-minded individuals. They expect to be kept informed of upcoming events, industry developments, relief efforts, and the like. Increasingly, email is the preferred method for delivering and receiving this information. A good member management software system will integrate email solutions, such as MS Outlook with the database, allowing staff to send personalized messages to large groups of people with the greatest of ease.
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A plethora of commercial member management systems are available to the not-for-profit industry, each having strengths and weaknesses. My favorites include iMIS, Avectra, Affiniscape, Internet4Assocations, GoMembers, and a brand new product called eMembership. iMIS offers a stand-alone system that organizations can purchase and host internally or at a 3rd party. Affiniscape, I4A, GoMembers, and eMembership each offer a hosted web-based solution which can be licensed. Avectra offers two products – one that can be purchased and installed as well as a web-based product that associations can license. Each of these do a decent job of simple membership management and integration of electronic communication with their software. As the database management needs of an organization become more advanced, the more separated the field becomes. If your event pricing is complicated, charging different prices to different members for example, only a couple of these packages could handle it efficiently. Some of these packages offer more advanced features by requiring you to purchase additional modules while others include them as part of the basic system. Many other software products can probably be added to this list. Nevertheless, these six are a great place to start if looking for this type of solution. The main thing is to realize the benefits of a centralized database and get moving in that direction if not already there.
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