Membership Blog

Comments on Membership Stats – Oct, Nov 2018

YEAR-TO-YEAR COMPARISON
This compares how we are doing this year compared to the same month last year.  The trends for both October and November are almost identical.  New member recruitment is DOWN by about -14% even though the number of New Prospects is UP by 34%.  In fact, the overall Prospect Conversion Ratio for the VFN as a whole is <9%, which suggests that more efforts should be made to contact the New Prospects.

Reinstatements are down by -44%.  However, the number of non-renewing members was also down by -44%, which means that there were fewer members who needed to be reinstated.  In addition, second notices were down by -43%, so more members are renewing without being “nudged”.

Deaths are down by an amazing -45-47%.  Transfers Out are down by -68%, and Transfers In are also down by -70%.  (Both of these figures are heavily skewed due to HQ’s transfer in 2017 of the legacy National members OUT of Chapters, and the large number of Chapter members who mistakenly transferred OUT of their Chapter and then transferred back IN.)

MEMBERSHIP STATS (for the Year to Date)
For the year 2018 to date, Virginia National Division membership is UP by over 8%, and now comprises over half of the total VFN membership.  Chapter membership is DOWN by -12%.  As a result, total VFN membership is down by -3%.

Some of the Area statistics for both of these months were affected by the re-assignment of Chapter 2080 Piedmont from Area V, and Chapter 2065 Louisa from Area VIII – to Area III.  For both months, Area III showed a net gain in Membership (some of this due to the inclusion of two more Chapters).  Area VII had the smallest decline in membership (-6%) and  Area I lost -9%.

Chapter 1757 Middle Peninsula INCREASED membership by 8%.  14 Chapters lost less than 10% of their members:
682 Peninsula,  685 Colonial Wmsburg,  66 Tidewater,  1727 Tuckahoe, 2265 Midlothian (-4.5%),  1068 Bedford,  135 Charlottesville,  164 Harrisonburg,  180 Winchester (-4%),  1793 Page Valley,  2358 Shenandoah Cty,  595 Colonial Beach,  2112 Caroline (-3.3%),   2343 Falls Run,  1159 Annandale,  7 Arlington.

PROSPECT CONVERSION RATIO
Areas VI and VII had the highest Prospect Conversion Ratios – at 25% to 26%.  However, the average Prospect Conversion Ratio for the VFN is only 8.8%.  Only 6 Chapters had Prospect Conversion Ratios of 40% or better:
685 Colonial Wmsburg,  1757 Middle Peninsula,  1134 New River Valley,  135 Charlottesville (86%-100%), 595 Colonial Beach,  1549 Fauquier.

Many, many Chapters had conversion ratios of 0, or less than 5%.  As noted above, this is an area where more work is needed.

REINSTATEMENT RATIO
We are doing better on Reinstatement efforts.  Area VII had the best Reinstatement Ratio (51%), followed by Area II (40%).  For the VFN, the average is 35%.  16 Chapters had Reinstatement Ratios of 40% or better:
682 Peninsula,  1757 Middle Peninsula,  66 Tidewater (71%),  1827 Seaside, 1727 Tuckahoe,  1837 Wilderness Trail,  135 Charlottesville,  180 Winchester (75%),  1793 Page Valley (100%),  1549 Fauquier,  2343 Falls Run (75%),  232 Alexandria,  1159 Annandale,  1270 Woodbridge,  737 Fairfax,  1665 Metro North’n (73%).
On the other hand, there are numerous Chapters with ratios of 10% or less.

Comments on VFN Member Stats for June-Sept 2018

TRENDS
The Year-to-Year comparison for September shows that last year’s HUGE increase in Transfers Out (some of which were transfers of legacy National Only members to the new National Division) has turned around.  Transfers Out are now DOWN by 63%.

Reinstatements are down by -43%, but this is balanced out by non-renewing members also being down by -43%, meaning that there are fewer members to “reinstate”.  In addition, Second Notices are down by -41%, so fewer people are needing to be “nudged” to re-up.  Deceased members are down by -46% (good news).  However, New Members are down by-16% (not so good news).

All of this suggests that we need to focus more on recruiting new members, from the Prospects and otherwise, AND on re-instating those that have lapsed.

MEMBERSHIP TOTALS
For the period Jan-Sept, Virginia Chapter membership declined by -11.4% .  Area VII had the smallest decline in membership (– 5.7%), followed by Area III (-8.8% ).  Chapter 1757 Middle Peninsula is still showing an increase – of +6% now, and 2112 Caroline still shows a 0% decline!
Two Chapters had a decline of less than 5% – 2265 Midlothian and 180 Winchester.  Eleven others had a decline of less than 10%:
685 Colonial Williamsburg, 1727 Tuckahoe, 1068 Bedford, 135 Charlottesville, 1793 Page Valley, 2358 Shenandoah Cty,  595 Colonial Beach, 2343 Falls Run, 1159 Annandale, 7 Arlington – and 164 Harrisonburg (-5.5%).

The increase for 1757 Middle Peninsula was due in part to people who Transferred Out to the National Division and then Transferred back In to the Chapter (three people did so TWICE).  This indicates that people are still confused by the re-up process.  In my own Chapter, one member re-upped by phone, and was not asked if he wanted to re-up into our Chapter.  He subsequently had to call and RE-TRANSFER back into our Chapter.  I would suggest that the Area VP’s ask their Chapters to bring up the problem at their meetings, AND include info in their newsletters explaining that members who want to re-up should check ONLY the Chapter re-up box on any re-up forms.  HQ when taking re-ups by phone, should also ask if the member belongs to a Chapter and would like to re-up in that Chapter.

PROSPECT CONVERSION RATIOS
Area VI had the highest Prospect Conversion Ratio (26%), followed by Area VII (22%).  Only 4 Chapters had Prospect Conversion Ratios of 40% or above:
685 Colonial Williamsburg  55%,  1757 Middle Peninsula  60%,  135 Charlottesville  100%,  and 1549 Fauquier  50%.

The overall Prospect Conversion ratio for the VFN was 8% – even though the number of Prospects referred by HQ was up by 20%, indicating that more work needs to be focused on recruiting Prospects.

REINSTATEMENT RATIOS
Area VII had the highest Reinstatement Ratio (53%).  Area II was second (41%).  11 Chapters had Reinstatement Ratios of 50% or higher!

1757 Middle Peninsula  50%        66 Tidewater  71%
1827 Seaside  50%                        1727 Tuckahoe  100%
1837 Wilderness Trail   67%      180 Winchester   79%
1793 Page Valley 150%                 1549 Fauquier   50%
2112 Caroline   50%                        2343 Falls Run   75%
1665 MetroNorth’n VA   80%

The Reinstatement Ration for the VFN overall was 35%.

Comments on Member Stats-Mar-May 2018

Membership Totals: For the first five months of 2018, while Virginia Chapter total membership has DECLINED by almost 8%, this was somewhat offset by an INCREASE of 7.4% in National Division members in Virginia.  As a result, overall NARFE membership in Virginia is down by only 1%.  National Division members now comprise 49% of total Virginia NARFE members.

Area VII had the smallest decline in membership (-3%), followed by Area I (-6.7%).  Chapter 1757 Middle Peninsula is even showing a 10% INCREASE in membership, and 2112 Caroline had a 0% decline!  Seven other Chapters had a decline of less than 5% – 1727 Tuckahoe, 2265 Midlothian, 180 Winchester, 1793 Page Valley, 2065 Louisa, 2343 Falls Run, and 1159 Annandale.

(The increase for 1757 Middle Peninsula was due primarily to Transfers To the chapter From the National Division, which would seem to indicate that people are still confused by the re-up forms and process.  Several people in my own Chapter 1823 showed up as having transferred out to the National Division, but when asked, were not aware that they had dropped Chapter membership, and said they wanted to remain in the Chapter.  Another member said he re-upped by phone and wasn’t sure whether he stated to re-up into our Chapter; he was not asked about re-upping in the Chapter.)

Prospect Conversion Ratios: Area VI had the highest Prospect Conversion Ratio (27.3%).  Area VII was second (26.9%).  Only five Chapters had Prospect Conversion Ratios of 40% or above:
685 Colonial Williamsburg 125%
1757 Middle Peninsula   50%
135 Charlottesville 133%
1549 Fauquier 100%
2065 Louisa 100%

Reinstatement Ratios:  Area VII had the highest Reinstatement Ratio – almost 53%.  Area II was second with a 48% ratio.  AND 14 Chapters had Reinstatement Ratios of 50% or higher!
682 Peninsula   50%            66 Tidewater 100%
1827 Seaside     50%             1743 Suffolk   50%
1837 Wilderness Trail 100%   180 Winchester 88%
1549 Fauquier    75%            2065 Louisa    50%
2112 Caroline    50%              2343 Falls Run    67%
1159 Annandale    53%          1270 Woodbridge    50%
489 McLean    50%                1665 MetroNorth’n VA    71%