Running any organization takes a lot of effort and work, most of which goes into managing a membership. There are a number of moving parts, from marketing to event planning and database management, to name a few. 

While in the early stages of your organization, this can be easy to overcome, with growth, it becomes rather tough. If you are reading this blog, you may be already looking for a solution to that problem. 

Managing your membership can make all the difference between a successful non-profit and one that barely makes it. If you have a growing organization, you need membership software for nonprofits. That said, there are several options that you can find in today’s market when it comes to such software. 

Being able to choose the right one requires certain basic things you need to keep in mind. This blog is further aimed at helping you learn everything about such software and make the right decision while choosing one. 

What Do You Mean By Membership Management Software?

Also known as association management software, it is a multi-faceted tool that can help non-profits:

  • Allow networking among your members
  • Collect and share materials with them
  • Track and collect all membership dues 
  • Store and collect any information you want about your members

This kind of software works very closely with donor management software. While donor management software focuses more on building a good relationship with your volunteers and members for fundraising, this helps you understand them better and cater toothier specific needs.

However, much different software exists that allows you to combine such elements. With it, you can cultivate donors and track donations while managing your memberships. 

What Do You Need Management Software For?

A non-profit has several different tasks they have to juggle in a day. especially managers, from tracking payments and reminders for events to running reports and more. However, with capable membership database software for nonprofits in place, you can ensure all such tasks are automated. 

This can help reduce human errors while increasing efficiency and ensuring such tasks stay organized. To get an idea, it can help you with tasks like:

  • Record keeping
  • Data collection
  • Member communications
  • Payment processing
  • Reporting
  • Subscription management
  • Reminder for due collection, events, and more

Most non-profits run on limited resources, and membership management software can work wonders for you in such a scenario. Apart from the initial investment, it can help you save resources like time, money, and effort. With a free workforce, you can later use them to grow your non-profit and focus better on the main cause.

Which Membership Management Software Is Perfect For You?

As already mentioned, there are several different options you will find when it comes to purchasing membership management software. To make the most out of your investment, you should understand which one you should choose, and that can vary depending on the non-profit you are running. To make a more suitable choice, you might want to consider

  • The number of contacts you will manage
  • The kind of events you run
  • The services your members often require, especially online
  • If you want the software to help with donor cultivation

Answering these questions can help you make a better choice and ensure you have purchased the right software. If you have a small staff, it is likely that each person is working on many different things. In that scenario, membership software can help you simplify the processes and bring down the time you have to spend on administrative tasks. 

What Features Should You Be Looking For?

No one knows your organization better than you, and when looking for the aptest software in the market that is something you should factor in. try listing out your non-profit’s specific requirements to ensure that the software you choose suffices them. 

However, from a more general perspective, you should look for some necessary features in each software. The key features you would want in your software include the following:

  • Online Member Database:

With this, the software will allow you to track all information about the members online. This can further allow you to build and strengthen more personal relationships while also being able to track their movements and donations. 

  • Membership Renewals:

Membership renewal reminders are often the last thing on the manager’s mind. However, they are very important. With software, you can automate these reminders by sending invoices and allowing your members to make recurring payments. 

  • Membership Applications:

Making the membership application process easy and accessible is of prime importance. This further allows you to attract more donors and ensure you are taking advantage of all good opportunities. The right software will let you simplify this process and come with a customizable, mobile-friendly online application form. 

  • Members-only Pages:

Not all members of a non-profit donate the same amount of money. However, to drive up the donations, you need to incentivize higher donations. This is when a solution with a members-only page can help. There you can show exclusive content that only high-paying donors of your non-profit can access. 

  • Website Builder:

Any good software will always come with a website builder. It will include certain drag-and-drop abilities that allow you to build your non-profit’s website easily. More so, if you already have a website, it might come with certain membership widgets which you can easily embed into your website. 

How to Make the Right Decision?

Now that you understand what you should be looking for while purchasing a membership management program for your non-profit, you should learn how to proceed. When you get new membership management software, your goal should be to purchase a long-term solution. 

This way, you do not have to relearn all the software basics and, over time, can get a better grasp of it. Further mentioned here are a few points to remember before you pick any software. 

  • Evaluate Your Needs And Budget:

A non-profit organization only sometimes has much capital to spend on itself. This is why you must set your budget straight first. Once done, you can then consider what your organization truly needs. For instance, how long is it struggling with tasks, what kind of tasks are you having a problem with, and so on. This will ensure that whichever software you spend your money on can suffice your needs aptly. 

  • Look Through The Different Options:

A common mistake most managers make while choosing such software is to look around more. You should take your time with such a significant decision and take ample time before you finalize your choice. One quick search on the internet will present you with many different options. 

However, you must find the best one out of all of those. Try looking through reviews and for features that suit your organization the best. With that in mind, shortlist about three options and then pick the one you think is best. 

  • Get A Trial:

Any membership software can look fancy on paper. However, knowing if it functions similarly or even fits your organization is important. You can try out a demo for such software before investing. 

This is when you should test all features and see how it fits your organization. You can also try out all the options you have shortlisted and only then decide. This will ensure you have made the right choice and allow you to learn the software. 

  • Ask Your Volunteers:

Lastly, always ask your team what they want and like because they are the ones who are going to be working with the software. Sometimes things might seem easy to you, but harder to them. 

This is when you should always prioritize their needs before yours. You can also ask everyone on your team to list a few features they think they require. This can further make your decision easier. 

With this information, you now know how important membership software is to a non-profit and how to find the best one. Rest assured, with this one, you do not have to worry about the fundamental tasks of your organization.