Clubistry’s Club Membership Renewal Workflow Makes Administration So Much Better

Introduction

Today you woke up and realized that your club’s membership dues deadline is coming up, and your stomach is full of butterflies.  You’re short with your coworkers and your husband, and you have a headache that won’t go away.  As much as you love your club, you dread membership renewal season, because it means hours and hours of sending emails, combing through replies, dealing with that dreadful spreadsheet that someone made approximately 375 years ago.  Everyone is relying on you to keep the club’s roster updated according to your PayPal activity, and remind them again who to make their checks payable to.

If any of this sounds familiar, there’s good news!  At Clubistry, we believe that running your club should be as fun as being a part of it.  Anyway, as close as we can possibly make it.  That’s why we developed a club membership renewal system that minimizes stress and “hands-on” time and keeps you from having to wrangle your members for endless weeks during the renewal period.

Your Club’s Membership Renewal Schedule is Unique

Clubs and enthusiast organizations come in all shapes and sizes. At Clubistry, we understand the varied renewal schedules that clubs adopt. In our quest to simplify the intricate process of membership renewal, we've crafted a system that not only accommodates the diversity of clubs but enhances the entire administration experience.

Club renewal schedules are as diverse as the clubs themselves. Some renew annually, others monthly or quarterly, and some even on unique timelines.  Membership might renew on the member’s anniversary, or on a specific day of the month or year.  Every club may have different rules governing when someone can begin their renewal, and how long they have as a grace period when they’ve not paid up after their renewal.  Recognizing this diversity, we set out to create a system that could handle the distinct needs of virtually every club.

Your Club’s Membership Renewal Schedule Works with Clubistry

Despite the varying renewal schedules, all clubs share common ground in their membership lifecycles. Just as discussed in our article on "How We Approached Club Membership Renewal Automation," understanding and visualizing this lifecycle formed the basis of our approach. It ensures that Clubistry is not just a tool but a tailored solution for every club, regardless of their renewal frequency.

Think you’ve got a unique member renewal schedule that no software could ever support?  Tell us about it!

Let’s Define Some Common Terms

To eliminate any ambiguity, we've provided clear definitions of process terms used within Clubistry. Terms like "lapsed" are explained to ensure that administrators have a comprehensive understanding of the system, fostering smooth and informed decision-making.

• Active member
  The state of membership most are in, most of the time.  This is the “normal” state for a member, meaning they have paid their dues and are enjoying access to the club.

• Due date
  At the risk of stating the obvious, this is the day when a member must pay their dues to renew membership in the club.  Some clubs have the same due date every year for all members; others might have different dates depending on levels of membership.  Still other clubs might have rolling renewal, like your subscription to Netflix or other your phone bill—it comes up on your “anniversary,” either monthly or yearly.  

• Renewal period
  The period in which a membership can apply for renewal.  For example, for annual renewal, the renewal period might come up 30 days before the due date.

• Paid and unpaid renewal
  For members eligible for renewal. Once the renewal period starts, a member has an unpaid renewal, and it’s their responsibility to renew (most often by paying dues).

• Grace period
  The time after the due date during which a membership is still active even if they haven’t yet paid their dues.  For example, an annual renewal might have a 30 day grace period.  This period may last some number of days (could be zero). 

• Late member
  The state of membership after the due date for dues payment has passed, if they have not paid dues.  During the grace period, a member with an unpaid renewal is considered late.

• Lapsed member
  The state of membership after the grace period, if they have still failed to pay their dues.

Configurable Options to Fit Your Club

Clubistry's strength lies in its flexibility. Administrators have the power to configure the membership renewal process to align with their club's unique structure and policies. From defining renewal intervals to setting up notifications, the list of configuration options empowers clubs to tailor Clubistry according to their rules.  Here are a few of the customizable options:

• Membership type (on anniversary date, or regular calendar date)

• Membership period (monthly, annually, etc.)

• Length of renewal period

• Length of grace period, if any

Keep Everyone Up to Date with Notifications

Communication is key in club administration, especially during renewal periods. Clubistry keeps everyone in the loop by providing robust (and configurable) notification features. Whether it's reminding members about upcoming renewals or alerting administrators to lapsed memberships, our system ensures that crucial information is delivered in a timely manner.  This keeps more members renewing more easily with less hassle every year.

Manage Any Number of Members on Your Schedule

Whether your club has a handful of members or a bustling community, Clubistry scales effortlessly. Our system is designed to manage any number of members efficiently, ensuring that administrators need only help those folks who are having unique challenges.  Focus on being a part of your vibrant community without getting bogged down by administrative hurdles.

Best of all, because all of this is automated with Clubistry, you just “set it and forget it.”  Configure your memberships in Clubistry, import your member roster, and let Clubistry take care of the hassles that computers are so good at!

(Coming Soon) Collect Payment for Your Dues

In an upcoming feature, Clubistry will further elevate the renewal experience by introducing a streamlined payment collection process. This addition will not only simplify financial transactions but also enhance the overall efficiency of the renewal workflow.

In the meantime, you’re free to embed payment forms in your Clubistry website or communicate the proper way to submit payment in the customizable messaging around membership renewal.  We allow you to embed Stripe, PayPal, and various other payment methods.

Why isn’t this available now? Read more about the decision to separate payment collection from renewal in the “Our Approach” article.

Conclusion

Tomorrow you will wake up and realize that your club’s membership dues deadline is coming up.  Then you’ll remember that your club uses Clubistry for membership renewal, and you’ll give a huge sigh of relief.  Your coworkers will wonder about your gentle smile, and your husband might even compliment you on dinner.  

You love being a part of your club.  With Clubistry, maybe you’re even able to love helping to administer your club!

Whatever your membership renewal schedule looks like, Clubistry has got you covered. With a commitment to flexibility, clear communication, and a comprehensive set of features, our system transforms club administration, making the renewal process a breeze. No matter the size or structure of your club, Clubistry is here to empower you, ensuring that your members' renewal experiences are seamless and stress-free.

If all this sounds too good to be true, give it a test drive today—it’s free!