When it comes to your renewals, it's important to get Clubmate configured and ready in advance of when you want members to log in and purchase the new season's membership.
You'll need to update your membership plans to match your fees, refresh your club rules, refine your email templates, update any ID card requirements and communicate with your members to ensure they know how to buy their membership.
Below are 6 key points that you will want to make sure you have covered in order to be ready for for renewal time.
If you have any questions or would like us to walk you through how to update Clubmate, please do not hesitate to get in touch and we will be very happy to help you.
1) Membership Plans
The most important update you need to make is to your memberships plans so if you only read one of these key points then please make it this one!
To prepare your plans for next year, you need to make sure that you have both your New member plans and your Renewal membership plans configured correctly.
Remember, New Member plans will only be served up to new members and Renewal plans are the membership types that will be served up to your existing members when they log in to renew.
Typically, the name of the plan stays the same and you do not need to sell next years memberships whilst still selling the current years memberships. It's best to update the details of your existing plans rather than create brand new ones each year.
*If you are updating existing membership plans, make sure you only do this once you have stopped selling memberships for the current year.
You should update all of your membership plans to ensure that they meet the needs of your new membership year. This includes both online & offline memberships as well as any free plans that you offer.
We've highlighted the key details that you should update below:
Review & update the membership plan Name, Summary & Description.
*Tip 1: There is no need to create a brand new plan every year, you can just edit the existing plan dates & details as outlined below.
*Tip 2: The Summery should just be the price of the membership
*Tip 3: avoid using years in your membership plan names, summery or descriptions. This will reduce your admin if you you only have in the description EG "Season starts on 16th June to 14th March"
Click in the Details tab & update the Fixed End Date (Contract Length). Make sure you update your plans with next seasons expiration date!
Update the Easiest Start Date to show the start of your season
Renewal Window - ensure your renewal window is configured correctly for this plan. For example, how many days in advance of this plan expiring do you want to start offering allowing members to start renewing. This is adjusted via the "Renewal" tab.
Days before = How early a member can start renewing before their expiry date.
Days After - How many days after the expiry date a member can still renew
Payment Schedule - if you've changed your pricing, remember to update the payment value too. This is the value that will be prompted for payment so if you do not update this, members will continue paying last years fees.
When you are ready to start selling memberships online, remember to check the 'Can be bought online box'. As soon as this is checked, members will be able to purchase the membership so only do this when you are ready.
Once you've updated all of the plans, we recommend one final check to make sure that the plans have been set up as New or Renewal plans correctly, the associated fees are correct and that you've set the relevant plans to be available online.
For a more detailed overview on managing Membership plans check out this article. And if in doubt, please get in touch and we'll help you configure your plans.
2) ID Card templates
If you are using our ID card service, you will need to update us with any changes you wish to make to your ID card personalisation templates. You'll also need to re-confirm which Membership types you want us to send cards for. Please click the button below to be taken to an online form to complete.
Please complete this form at least two weeks before you want to start selling Memberships. If we do not receive a new ID card template, we will continue sending out cards using the previous years template & rules.
3) Update Club Rules & Privacy Policy
If you've made any changes to your club rules or privacy policy, you should update these via Club Info. Scroll down to Privacy Policy / Terms & Conditions and update the text accordingly. See this article for more detail on updating T&C's.
4) Update Member confirmation email template
It's also a good opportunity to review your current Member confirmation email template to ensure that it is suitable for the new season.
For example, if you have hyperlinks to documents (maps, handbooks etc) you may want to replace them with up to date documents.
⚠️ Please do not delete any details from the system templates, only add to them.
For help on customising the templates - check out this article:
Customising Standard Email Templates
4a) Update Automated Message email template
If you use Automated messages for your renewal reminders? Now is a good time to check the details, any gate codes are correct for the new season.
You can find these from Settings - Automated Messages.
For help on customising the Automated Messages - check out this article:
Customising or creating Automated Messages
5) Send a communication to members advising that memberships are now available to purchase
(For those not using Automated Messages or have only Just set one up)
When you have completed all of the above, you are now ready to send a communication out to your members to let them know they can purchase their membership.
For members who have an email address, you can do this via a bulk email from within Clubmate. For members without an email address, you will need to communicate with them outside of Clubmate - via your AGM, a printed Newsletter, Social Media, Website, Outlets etc.
Once logged in, navigate to the Members list page.
Then filter/select who you wish to send a message to.
You can do this by selecting any of the filters along the top of the member list area including groups, gender, membership type, active/inactive/prospective member etc.
Once you have selected the relevant filers, ensure that only contacts that meet the filters you've chosen are displayed.
Once the selection of recipients has been set click the 'Selected Member Options' button in the top right corner. This will add the selected group to the recipient list which means that all those selected will receive the message.
Click on Send a message
You will then need to choose how you would like to send your message.
Marketing Agreements
This can only be agreed by someone with an Owner level access. This is a one off process, if the marketing agreement has already been viewed and accepted the user will bypass this step
If the agreement has not been agreed & you are not a owner level. you can not carry on until it has been
Please read the agreement carefully as this can affect how you send emails in the future & you can loose your ability to email if not adhered to
Click if its a new message or just a draft *
*Draft facility is only available on: Advanced and Plus software packages
You can save a draft email & go back it it later on
You can select the relevant consent option for sending this message.
To protect email deliverability and comply with data protection regulations:
Club Mailing (essential communications) doesn't require specific consent.
Marketing Mailing (promotional content) requires configured consent options.
Without consent options, you cannot send marketing emails.
Members can manage their own preferences through their online account.
To find out more about consent settings, setting your clubs consent options up (before you send anything) & email blocking.
Please click ➡️ Email and message consent options
With emails you are able to add a subject line and can customise the look and feel of the message.
Once you are ready, click GO (bottom right corner, you may need to scroll to find it) and the message will be delivered.
When you click on send, you will be shown how many will be sent the email in the green area, how many are excluded in the amber area
Remember to include the dedicated Clubmate link for your club as this is what members will need to log-in.
You can find this link by going to Settings - Fishery Info & click on the Apps tab and copying the link in the tab in the top left 'Online Login & Registration'.
For more detailed guidance on sending a Group Email see this article: Sending a bulk Group Message
6) Website
Whether you have a Clubmate website or have your own, we recommend updating your site with your updated membership fees & dates plus any changes to club rules & policies as appropriate. If you have a Clubmate website and are unsure how to do this, please get in touch and we'll help you do it.
Get in touch if you'd like us to help!
The Clubmate team are on hand to walk you through each of these steps so please do not feel you are alone, if you'd like us to help you, just get in touch at least two weeks before you want your renewals to go live and we will ensure you are ready in time.
You can contact us via your owners dashboard - Bottom right & click on the green circle to start a new support ticket, hello@clubmate.co.uk or 0333 987 4677.