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  • Partial Client List

    KY Georgetown Scott County Chamber
    WA NUCA of Washington
    FL Greater Fort Myers Chamber
    MA Associated Builders and Contractors
    FL Greater Sarasota Chamber
    TX El Paso Home Builders Association
    FL Suncoast Utility Contractors Association
    FL Charlotte County Chamber
    TN Tennessee Home Builders Assoc.
    FL Hispanic Chamber of West Palm
    OR Bend Chamber of Commerce
    FL Christian Chamber of SW Florida
    MD Maryland National Capital BIA
    FL North Florida NUCA
    FL Carrollwood Area Business Assn
    FL Hardee County Chamber
    TX Texas Home Builders Assoc.
    NJ ACCA of New Jersey
    NH HBRA of New Hampshire
    OH PHCC of Ohio
    OR Oregon Home Builders Assoc.
    FL Central Pinellas Chamber

  • Recent Comments

    • Michael Sipe, President, CrossPoint Capital

      “Thank you for the Chamber Membership Drive Training with Oliver Group DIRECT. What I saw unfold as Rob and Kate Oliver worked their magic  on the room was one of the finest deliveries of fun, learning and practical marketing tools that I have seen from any platform anywhere in the

    • Anne Hotte, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce

      Rob & Kate, No way!  These flowers are just beautiful!  Is this another example of “shock and awe”?  It works!  We are sharing the timeline and new approach to retention at the staff meeting tomorrow!  I am so excited about it!  Thank you for ALL that you did!  You make

    • Maria Patterson, Carrollwood Area Business Association

      Dear Rob & Kate, Thank you many times over for facilitating the most successful Membership Drive in the history of CABA!  We appreciate all you have taught us and all the expert information and advice you have generously shared.  You are both a joy to work with and thank you

    • Patricia Crowley, Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce

      Dear Rob and Kate, On behalf of the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, thank you for presenting your “DIRECTDrive” to our membership committee.  The teachings you shared certainly were a result of our successful Membership Drive.  We appreciate your support to the Chamber and look forward

  • Read All Comments

    Read All The Comments Here

    • “Little Hinges Open Big Doors”

    I’ve always been kind of a “big picture” guy. Sometimes it pays off really well, but often times it slows me down and puts us in a ready, aim, aim, aim situation while I wait for everything to be perfect. Although, there’s nothing wrong with being a little cautious and having all my “ducks in a row”,
    I have learned, at least for me, just getting a project started gets it over halfway completed.
    What I’m getting at, is in most cases it’s not the big things that create successes, but a series of small ongoing activities that create the most value and biggest successes – “little hinges open big doors”.
    Here are some tips on increasing membership, retention and non-dues revenue using “little hinges”:
    Call one current member a day (not only when their membership is past due) with no other agenda other than interest in their business.
    1. It may be as simple as asking this question – “As your Association we would like to know what your biggest challenge is the current business climate?” Let them answer and note the response. If just one call is made per day that’s five per week and about 250 per year – just one call a day.
    2. Send a catered lunch to the sponsor of your last Trade Show or other special event “just to say thank you”. That catered lunch will pay for itself 100 times over.
    3. Call one committee member a week and just say “thanks for all your help and support”. Follow it up with a simple thank you card signed in advance by the entire Board of Directors.
    4. Prior to your next Membership Meeting personally invite by phone or email just five members that you haven’t seen for awhile, if at all. It doesn’t matter if they come or not – it’s the personal contact they will remember at renewal time – contacting five just isn’t that hard.
    5. Once a week pick an industry like “insurance” and then go to the internet and “Google” something like “insurance marketing”.  You will find dozens and dozens of articles online. Pick one and forward to all of your insurance members with a note that says “ran across this on the internet and thought you might find it interesting”. You will be amazed at the responses you will get – just one industry a week.
    6. Add just one new sponsor category to each of your events. This could be as simple as the “dessert sponsor” for a Membership Meeting. For $2.00 per attendee they can be listed as the dessert sponsor in the program, recognized from the podium and announced one more time as dessert is served. Cost to you – Zero. Value to them – Huge.
    7. Write a good new member “invitation” letter (not stuffy and stiff). Make one hundred copies and take them to your next board meeting. While the meeting is going on send the letters around the table and have them personally signed by all of the board members. Each week pick ten companies you would like to join the Association and hand address ten envelopes, use real stamps and include a “brief” member application (you can follow up later for all the other information) and a stamped return address envelope.
    What if you only sign up 2 or 3 in 100? The math does work.
    8. At your next Membership Meeting have everyone that has been a member for less than two years stand up and say their name and what company they represent. That little bit of recognition will go a long way at renewal time.
    Ok, I know these are all simple, easy, and mostly cost free “little hinges” that individually don’t seem like they will amount to much.
    Here’s a quick reality check and how the little activities really add up:
    250 personal member calls per year – one per day
    Two catered “thank you” lunches for sponsors – one renewal is worth thousands of dollars
    50 Committee Member “thank you’s” and a follow up card – one call and card per week.
    60 Membership Meeting personal invitations –  just five per meeting
    One “industry news” email per week – reach 50 member industries per year
    Adding one new low cost – high return sponsor per event – thousands of dollars annually
    500 new member invitation letters personalized by the board members – just 10 per week
    Recognizing one group (by tenure) at each general membership meeting – you decide the value
    There are hundreds and hundreds of “little hinges” out there. Get staff, board and committee members together for a casual lunch and brainstorm more. I hope the ones that I just listed will simply be a catalyst to dozens more.

  • Recent Blog Posts

  • Recent Comments

    • Michael Sipe, President, CrossPoint Capital

      “Thank you for the Chamber Membership Drive Training with Oliver Group DIRECT. What I saw unfold as Rob and Kate Oliver worked their magic  on the room was one of the finest deliveries of fun, learning and practical marketing tools that I have seen from any platform anywhere in the

    • Anne Hotte, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce

      Rob & Kate, No way!  These flowers are just beautiful!  Is this another example of “shock and awe”?  It works!  We are sharing the timeline and new approach to retention at the staff meeting tomorrow!  I am so excited about it!  Thank you for ALL that you did!  You make

    • Maria Patterson, Carrollwood Area Business Association

      Dear Rob & Kate, Thank you many times over for facilitating the most successful Membership Drive in the history of CABA!  We appreciate all you have taught us and all the expert information and advice you have generously shared.  You are both a joy to work with and thank you

    • Patricia Crowley, Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce

      Dear Rob and Kate, On behalf of the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, thank you for presenting your “DIRECTDrive” to our membership committee.  The teachings you shared certainly were a result of our successful Membership Drive.  We appreciate your support to the Chamber and look forward

  • Read all comments link

    Read All The Comments Here

  • New Member Companies

    2005 - 2015

    37,997

    New Member Companies
    Recruited Using the
    Oliver Group Direct Drive

    Process as of December 2015

  • phone and email

    p. 941.235.2202
    f. 509.769.0204
    email Rob Oliver
    email Kate Oliver