How IAVMA Moved From Paper Checks to Automatic Renewals as Its Membership Doubled

The Indo-American Veterinary Medical Association was running its membership on paper checks and volunteer time. We moved renewals online and made them automatic. Today about nine in ten paying members renew on their own, and membership has roughly doubled.

The Challenge

IAVMA is run by volunteers: practicing veterinarians giving up their own time. They had an old, broken website, and membership ran on check payments handled by hand. Every renewal meant collecting a check and updating a record, and when volunteers were busy with their own clinics, things got delayed, which only created more problems. A system like that is hard to manage, and it gets harder with every member who joins.

What We Did

• Moved the entire renewal process online. Members join and pay online, and renewals happen automatically, so volunteers aren’t chasing payments.
• Built a member directory that makes it easy to find other members, and for members to contact each other.
• Made continuing education easy to publish, so the board can post new CE programs without needing technical help.
• Added surveys, so the board can ask members what they think on important topics and get real answers.
• Set up instant notifications, so nothing submitted through the site sits unnoticed.

The Results

• Membership has roughly doubled since the move online.
• About nine in ten paying members now renew automatically.
• A directory that gets used, opened about 2,000 times a year.
• Volunteers got their time back, to spend on the association’s mission instead of paperwork.
• A growing network. Veterinary practices including Bullard Marks and Selma Pet Clinic came to us through IAVMA connections.

What This Means for Your Business

Any process that depends on someone remembering to do it will eventually slip, and it gets worse as you grow. Whether you run an association, a club or a small business, automating the routine work is often what makes growth possible. If you’re still chasing payments by hand, that’s where to start.

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