Make Your Case: Triple Your Membership article for Main Street NOW

From the “what I did on my summer vacation” file:  a feature article about MainStreet Libertyville (MSL) which chronicles their  stunningly successful 2007 residential membership campaign that tripled their base in four months to 1116 new members. Despite the drive’s evident success, it is a cautionary tale.

Born from a rained out fundraising event and sharp drop in village support, MSL mounted a finely honed public relations campaign to engage residents to support the 55 days of events held in downtown.  The article discusses how the MSL Board rallied behind a comprehensive public relations campaign to tell their story to the residents of the community about why MSL deserved the community’s support.

We review the many interesting ways they told their story, while making the case that many well-loved community events put on by the 18-year-old organization and 1997 Great American Main Street Award winner, could continue, but only with community buy in and support.  I enjoyed interviewing Randy Nelson (former Executive Director), Pam Hume (current Executive Director) and Rick Pyter for the article and had access to Les Galo’s reminiscences.

The article talks about how MSL volunteers have done a remarkable job of retaining more than 90% of those members in the last two years through a comprehensive renewal campaign that brings in $90K yearly

Look for this amazing story called Make Your Case: Triple Your Membership in the September/October issue of Main Street NOW, the bimonthly journal of the National Trust Main Street Center. We will send another eblast when the article is published. Join our mailing list to get notified.