How to Write Membership Renewal Letters and Emails

Every year there comes a time when you'll need to remind your users to renew their membership. It's important that you update this email or letter every year so you can provide your customers the most up to date information about your business. Remember this letter is critical to keep your members engaged and motivated to renew again. It's basically the most important reminder you'll send so you need to try to be as much personal as possible.

Below you can find some tips on how to write your membership renewal letter or email:

Be personal

Be as more personal as you can when writing that renewal letter or email. Being personal makes members feel that they have a connection and are an important part of the organization. It should also have a powerful message that makes them feel good about the value that the organization brings to their personal or professional life and it also reinforces the commitment the company has with it's members and why it needs their support.

One way of being personal is to think about how you'd like to be approach when receiving a renewal letter or email from the company. What aspects would make it feel more welcoming and that your members will also feel the same.

Custom message

This is also part of being personal but in this area you'll try to include information that is specific to the member. For example, you might categorize the membership level like for example: active, retired or student. You could reach your student members highlighting the benefits they get by being a member and you could include some kind of offer for all members in the retired category to encourage them to come back and renew.

If you also have other information about them like if they participated in a certain activity or used certain services that you offer, you could also include this in the reminder email so the customer again feels is coming with a personal touch and that they can get this same kind benefits during the next year if the renew.

Salutation is important

The introduction in your letter or email is one of the most important things as this is the first line your members will read. Try again here to as personal as possible. Avoid using "Dear member" or using "Mr. Ms. Mrs, etc" as most of the time this information isn't valid as it changes through time. A safe bet you can always use is "Dear [first name]". It's personal and it always works.

The benefits

The benefits is the most important part of the reminder letter or email. In this section you'll explain why the member should renew again with your organization and what are the benefits they get in their life for being part of the company. Be sure to outline which they are but don't make it too long either as some benefits might not apply to everyone.

One thing to also keep in mind is to focus on what the outcomes are of being a member. No only mention that they have access to the pool and the gym. You can mention that by renewing they'll be able to continue to stay fit by practising swimming and by running in the gym. Clearly states what it is they're getting out of the organization by staying as members and it'll make it easier for them to figure out why they signed up in the first place and how they'll continue to receive them by renewing.

The sense or urgency

After the welcoming and stating the benefits of renewing then you need to ask for the sale. You need to remind them that the next step now is to renew and how to do it. One tactic you can use to encourage the renewal faster is to include some kind of discount if they go ahead now and renew before a certain date. You can inform them that prices will increase after the expiration date.

Make it easy to renew

Now that they know that they need to renew, the next step is to provide them with the way to do it. If it's an email, the easiest way is to provide a link that drives the user to a page where they just enter their credit card information and their email and you just charge them. There are a number of ways you can do this automatically on Internet without having to incur in big costs. One way is to use Wufoo forms + Stripe payments to get every thing rolling.

You can find more information about this here

Automatic renewal

If you have customers enrolled in a process where they're automatically charged for the renewal fee, then at least try to send them a renewal notice or their renewal invoice so they know that they were charged. Also take the time to remind them about the benefits about staying as a member. Take the opportunity to connect with them and don't just charge them and continue with the next one.

Say thanks

Don't forget to says thanks at the end of your renewal email and for their valued support. You could mention future activities and events coming up in the organization that they could take advantage of. Also mention what you were able to accomplish with the funds you received from them during the past year.

Use the closing to offer a genuine thank you and try to personalize it with their name or same other information. Remember to keep that personal connection alive.