For over 25 years, Mark Levin, CAE (Certified Association Executive) and CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), has been helping organizations throughout the world grow and prosper. When Mark talks (or writes!) about membership development or volunteer leadership, he speaks with the voice of experience.

Mark's years of experience in not-for-profit organizations include staff positions as a membership director, local chapter director, and chief staff officer of three organizations. In addition, he's an active volunteer in several local, state, national, and international societies.

Mark's reputation isn't just based on experience --- it's based on his talent, too. He's served for over 20 years on the faculty of the Institutes for Organization Management, a continuing education program sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Tens of thousands of volunteer and staff leaders have attended his programs worldwide, and they all can attest to his ability to present his topics in a unique, humorous, and interactive style.

Since starting his own company in 1986, Mark has learned the challenges and rewards of owning a business. He combines his talent and experience to help organizations in the areas of membership development; volunteer and staff training; strategic and long-range planning; and marketing products and services.

An award winning author, Mark's first book "Membership Development: 101 Ways to Get and Keep Your Members" has been a hit on five continents. His second book, "The Gift of Leadership," has won universal acclaim for its ability to train -- and inspire -- volunteer leaders in virtually every type of organization. Mark's third book is "Millennium Membership: How to Attract and Keep Members in the New Marketplace." was on the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Best Seller list for more than four years, and his latest book, "Retention Wars: The New Rules of Engagement," has received unanimous recognition as a valuable tool in the ongoing fight to keep members coming back year after year

A graduate of the University of Maryland, Mark's clients range from the American Medical Association to the Australian Society of Association Executives. Perhaps most importantly, Mark is not a "former" anything. His presentations are based not only on his previous experiences, but also on his day-to-day role as Executive Vice President of the Chain Link Fence Manufacturers Institute, an international trade association.

MOST REQUESTED TOPICS:
Millennium Membership
How to Attract and Keep Members in the New Marketplace
(This program is based on Mark's book that remained on the ASAE Best Seller list for more than four years!)  The importance of membership recruitment and retention to an organization's success won't change in this new century -- but the members and potential members will! How well organizations deal with this new generation of members and prospects will determine if, and how much, those organizations can grow. Mark will help your organization's leaders:

• learn how to identify the "new marketplace"
• find ways to use technology to recruit and retain members
• determine how to enhance your organization's image
• understand the need to create a membership "experience"

Membership Development
101 Ways to Get and Keep Your Members
Based on Mark's best-selling first book, this program takes attendees through a step-by-step approach to getting and keeping members in today's marketplace. Topics include:

• Identifying reasons to join
• Targeting the best prospects
• Delivering the message
• Putting the member back into membership
• Overcoming objections and closing the sale
• A 5 step approach to keeping the members you've worked so hard to obtain

The New Face of Membership
(Note: This program can be adapted for use as either a Membership Development program or a Leadership Development program) With multiple generations now actively involved in all organizations, there needs to better understanding of, and better communications among, these various generations if the important work of each organization is going to get done. Just as importantly, understanding what motivates these various generations will be the key to attracting them to membership in the first place.

In this interactive, fast-moving program, Mark talks about the characteristics of each generation and how that impacts their desire to join and participate in voluntary organizations. He then gives specific suggestions on what leaders and organizations can do to reach this multi-generational target market.

Topics include:

• understanding the challenges
• the impact on voluntary organizations
• dealing in the right "currency:' using technology effectively
• meeting the needs of each generation.

Retention Wars
The New Rules of Engagement
(based on Mark's newest book of the same name) While attracting new members will always be important, the greatest challenge in today's membership world is definitely membership retention. In this program, Mark identifies 13  "RULES" that organizations must follow in order to be successful in member retention.

Among the topics covered are:

• Learning to Value Every Member
• Taking the Mystery Out of Membership
• Technology "Rules”
• Making an Accurate Gap Analysis
• and eight additional subject areas.

This program is ideal for organizational staff, volunteer leaders, and/or a combination of both. Recent organizations that have requested this program include the National Association of Home Builders, Executive Women International, and the New England Chamber of Commerce Executives. 

The Gift of Leadership
EVERY volunteer and staff leader will be inspired and energized by this program that helps make the leadership experience a rewarding and exciting one. Mark covers subjects such as:

• how to get people to give up their valuable time
• understanding (and giving) the "gift" of leadership
• getting together and getting something done
• keeping the volunteer spirit alive in the 21st century

Leaving a Legacy (New Program!)
Sometimes a leader is measured not so much by what he or she did while in a leadership role as much as by what he or she left behind for the organization to build on after leaving that leadership role. This program is ideal for incoming leaders, as well as for existing leaders. The topics covered include:

• Leaving a Legacy of Organizational Growth
• Leaving a Legacy of Leadership
• Leaving a Legacy of Member Involvement
• Leaving a Legacy of Quality
• Leaving a Legacy of Continuity

Is Your Net Really Working? (New program!)
Every organization talks about the “networking” benefits of membership, but what does that really mean in today’s world? Networking is no longer an event – it is truly a skill. In this session, Mark walks attendees though a series of (customized) examples of how members can get the most out of their organizational membership. Topics including:

• maximizing your resources
• Identifying networking opportunities
• "working” the room
• getting the most from trade shows (as an exhibitor or attendee)
• raising your “closing ratio” through one-on-one networking
• using technology – how to network without showing up!

The Board Retreat
Taking the Lead in Leadership
In order to keep moving forward, organizational leaders need to “get away” every once in a while to assess where they are and to determine where they want to go. Mark has worked with hundreds of organizations in various settings throughout the world to help them set the path for success. At Board retreats, Mark can serve as facilitator, presenter, idea-giver, and program developer. He’ll call on his extensive background and experience in areas of membership and leadership development, strategic and long-range planning, and member/staff training to make your Board or Planning retreat meaningful and effective.

Over the Top Member Service
In the association/non-profit world, every staff person has to realize that he or she is a part of the membership experience. In order for that experience to be all that it can be for members, the organization’s staff has to deliver top-level member service every day to every member. In this idea-filled, interactive program Mark will help staff members to:

• understand what members want from us
• evaluate current member service activities
• create a member service “culture” in the organization
• identify ways to improve member service and satisfaction
• develop a list of specific activities they can implement now, and in the future

Leading the Organization and Helping It Grow
This program highlights the need for staff members to be aware of the fact that even though the Membership Department is not the entire staff, the entire staff is the Membership Department. This staff development program covers both membership and leadership from the staff’s perspective. Topics include:

• building a strong team
• understanding why members join
• working together to increase the organization’s efficiency
• knowing the staff’s role vs. the volunteer leader’s role
• bridging the “gaps” in staff performance