Parent Club Membership

1
Parent Club Membership

• -Survey Results-
• July 2007

2
Survey Purpose

• Gain better picture of Parent Clubs
• Gather input on membership regarding views and
  trends
• Determine recruitment actions
• Ascertain the AKC tools Parent Clubs use
• Determine additional tools/resources AKC can
  develop and offer

3
Survey Methodology

• Sent email with survey link and explanation to
  Parent Club officers and delegates
• Asked each club to submit one response

4
Survey Methodology

• Timing
• Survey launched 4/05/07
• Survey closed 5/01/07
• 87 Response Rate

5
Survey Results

• Club Demographics
• Membership
• AKC Tools

6
Club Demographics
What office/position do you hold in your club?
76 were Presidents and Secretaries
7
Club Demographics
How long has your club been in existence?
Majority of clubs 20-75 years old
8
Club Demographics
How many committees does your club have?
Half of clubs offer 10-20 committees
9
Membership Offerings
What benefits does your club offer its members?
10
Membership Applying
What requirements for membership does your club
have?
Majority of clubs require sponsorship and signed
Code of Ethics
11
Membership Applying
What barriers do you feel exist for potential
members?

• 56 indicate no membership barriers
• Biggest barriers
• Sponsorship (31)
• Specified time in breed (7)
• Clubs wanting to increase membership more likely
  to identify barriers

12
Membership Age
Has the average age of members changed over the
past ten years?
63 experienced increase in the average age
13
Membership Age
What is the average age of your current members?
Average age of members most likely to be 35-50
14
Membership Age
If you think your members are getting older,
youre right!

• US birth rates 2.1 children per female
• Median age 36.4 in 2006 and rising
• over age 44 will continue to grow
• Worlds fastest growing age group 80
• Average age at death 77

15
Membership Experience
A typical members years of experience in the
breed has
2/3 indicate increase or no change in member
experience
16
Membership Experience
My club is satisfied with the experience and
expertise of our members.
70 satisfied with the expertise of club members
17
Membership Experience
My club is confident that many of our club
members could
Confidence in members is high
18
Membership Dues
What are the standard annual dues for an
individual member?
Most clubs (85) charge between 20-45
19
Membership Types
What types (or levels) of membership does your
club offer?
Many clubs offer multiple types of membership
20
Membership Types
How many members are in your club?

• Few clubs have fewer than 100 or more than 2000
  members
• More than half of clubs have 100-500 members

21
Membership Levels
In the last 10 years, the total number of club
members has
Almost 75 experienced increases in or maintained
the same membership levels
22
Membership Levels
Regarding number of members, what is your clubs
goal?

• Larger clubs more likely to want to maintain
  membership levels
• Smaller clubs more likely to want to increase
  membership

23
Membership Levels
By club membership goal, what has been the
membership trend?

• Of the 62 wanting to increase membership, 47
  had increases
• Of the 37 wanting to maintain membership, 25
  stayed the same
• Of the 1 wanting to decrease membership, 100
  had increases

24
Membership Levels
What is the average number of new members
approved annually?

• 79 approve more than 10 new members
• 32 approve more than 35 new members
• Number of members approved proportional to club
  size

25
Membership Levels
On average, how many members annually do not
renew membership?
Almost 40 of clubs lose more than 20 members per
year
26
Membership Levels
Rate how influential these factors are on
membership.

• In order of most to least influential
• Breed popularity
• National media coverage of AKC events
• Breed in media, TV, or film
• Experience requirements
• Trainer and veterinarian influence
• Media coverage of club
• Membership restrictions

27
Membership Levels
Rate any steps that your club has taken to
increase membership.

• In order of most to least utilized
• Soliciting at shows
• Including club flier with AKC registration
  mailing
• Using AKC New Titles of Record Report
• Utilizing local media resources
• Using AKC Stud Book report

28
Membership Levels
Summary of effective actions taken to increase
membership

• Having forms available on an updated web-site
• Recommending membership to and sponsoring puppy
  families
• Notifying all potential lapsing members to
  renew
• Having a top 10 search engine breed
• Advertising regularly with Dog Fancy and Dog World

29
Tools New Titles of Record
Does your club use the New Titles of Record
Report?

• 64 of clubs use the report
• 33 of clubs do not use the report of those,
  over half were not aware that it was available

30
Tools New Titles of Record
Of those using the report, which describe your
clubs use of the report?
Most clubs use it for statistics
31
Tools New Titles of Record
Of the 13 soliciting with the report, how many
joined in the last year as a result?
Most clubs solicited fewer than 10 members using
the report
32
Tools New Titles of Record

• This report lists all titles earned by a breed in
  a given month
• AKC emails the report free to a Parent Club
  designated recipient monthly
• The online subscription form is available at
  www.akc.org/new_titles_of_record.cfm
• Report contains Title, breed, dog name, sex,
  registration number, DOB, date titled, color,
  stud book date, sire information, dam
  information, owner name and address, and breeder
  name

33
Tools New Titles of Record
Sample of New Titles of Record Report (not all
fields shown below)
34
Tools Stud Book
Does your club use the Stud Book?
Half use the Stud Book (not necessarily for
membership purposes)
35
Tools Stud Book

• Stud Book documents the first time any
  AKC-registered dog (male or female) is used to
  breed
• Report contains information on dog,
  owner/breeder, dam, and sire
• Contact Gina Lash, Asst. Vice President/Asst.
  Executive Secretary at gml_at_akc.org to obtain it
• One or two members of each Parent Club can
  receive it after signing an agreement

36
Tools Stud Book
Sample of Stud Book in pdf format
37
Tools Stud Book
Sample of Stud Book text file converted to
Microsoft Excel format (not all fields shown
below)
38
Conclusions

• Decreases in membership experienced by 26 of
  clubs
• Clubs view member abilities in positive light
• Member experience same or increased (66)
• Confidence high in members to serve/fill roles
• Aging of members in line with aging of general
  population

39
Thank you!