Dana Hines

Your members — you know, those folks who belong to your association, your zoo, your art museum or your public radio station — want to support you. They really do. But if your organization is like many that rely on membership relationships for the bulk of their funding, you probably aren’t giving them the proper opportunities to do it. Dana Hines, president and CEO of St. Louis-based Membership Consultants, says she sees lots of organizations that simply are afraid to ask members — who already are giving by virtue of their membership fees — to give above and beyond those fees. Many don’t want

Direct-mail Tips for Membership Organizations Dec. 6, 2005 By Abny Santicola Membership organizations, such as zoos, museums, botanical gardens and arboretums, have a unique set of concerns when it comes to direct mail, says Dana Hines, president and chief executive of St. Louis, Mo.-based Membership Consultants, a full-service marketing firm that serves membership organizations. Some of these concerns include: 1. Seasonality. Hines says her company has found success mailing acquisition pieces heavily -- two or three mailings in a very short time span -- at the specific times of the year that relate to the membership organizations they serve. For example, the strong season