MEMBERSHIP

We took over the management of the FP Filemaker Pro Membership Records from Scott Ross in January 2012. Membership Records were accurate and up to date, as Scott was already doing an excellent job at managing this information.

Early in the year, we began sending detailed informational membership confirmations to all members as they joined or renewed their memberships. This has been well received by our members, both old and new.

During the year, we developed methods of sharing our membership data with the Minstrel Booking Committee, placing a copy of our membership files in a secure area in the 'cloud' on the internet. This allows Mike Agranoff to view and query our membership records at will, with his copy of Filemaker Pro.

During the year, we developed methods to coordinate the data in our Filemaker Pro system with data in our Constant Contact electronic communications system, managed by Lori Falco. We are now sending renewal notices regularly via Constant Contact to eNewsletter subscribers and paper newsletter subscribers, in addition to the 'RENEW' message that has always been stamped on paper newsletters as expiration dates approach. Recently, we 'softened' the language in our membership renewal notices as suggested by Bill Henderson.

Over the past few years, our membership numbers have been slowly decreasing. This is not as bad as it sounds, as our email lists of motivated customers and participants has been steadily growing. We believe this is partly due to past inefficiency at sending renewal notices, and largely due a cultural change in public attitudes towards joining and membership (as described in the book 'The End of Membership as We Know It' by Sarah Sladek, which is currently being shared around our FP Board). However, in 2013, our membership numbers were stabilized, with totals of 353 current memberships representing 535 persons, almost exactly duplicating our membership position at the beginning of the year.

In September, we held a membership development meeting that produced a set of six concrete proposals that we hope will help the Folk Project become a more welcoming environment to do better at attracting and retaining members.

Membership revenues increased significantly year over year, with dollar receipts of membership dues increasing by 13 1/2% in 2013 over 2012. This is largely due to our improved renewal notice communications.

Carl Croce continues to bring copies of FP Newsletters and printed materials to several open stages that he attends each month, talking up the value of participation and membership in the Folk Project.

Respectfully submitted,

Eddie Roffman and Carl Croce, Membership Co-Chairpersons