Add Group (New Group)

The “Add Group” feature in the Contacts module of Retention CRM allows Associations, Chambers and Nonprofits to create new groups to categorize your contacts. These groups help Associations, Chambers of Commerce and Nonprofit Organizations in segmenting their contact database/list for targeted communication and effective contact management.

General Functionality of ‘Add Group’ Feature

• *Public Group Title and Public Group Description (Optional): This defines the name and description displayed publicly. Consider it a label for members themselves.
• *Group Title and Group Description (Optional): This is the internal name and description for reference by administrators. Use clear names to identify the group’s purpose.
• Group Type: Choose a predefined category for your group, like “Chapter”, “Membership Level”, or create a custom type.
• Access Control: This determines who can add/remove contacts from the group:
  • Public: Anyone can add themselves.
  • User/User Admin: Only authorized Retention CRM users can manage membership.
  • Hidden: Only admins can see and manage the group.
• Mailing List: Check this box if you intend to use the group for email communication.
• *Visibility (Required): This controls who can see the group on various interfaces:
  • Public Pages: Visible on public-facing forms for user signups.
  • User and User Admin Only: Only visible to authorized users within Retention CRM.
• Reserved Group?: This restricts editing/deletion to users with special permissions, ensuring critical groups aren’t accidentally modified.
• Is active?: Check this box to make the group functional for adding contacts.
• Parents: Assign a group as a parent to create a hierarchy within your group structure.
• Associated Organization (Optional): Link the group to a specific organization within Retention CRM, useful for managing regional chapters within an association.

Using “Add Group” Feature in Association Management

Let’s see how a nursing association can utilize this feature:

1. Create a Group Type: If not already available, create a custom group type called “Membership Level” to categorize nurses based on their membership status (e.g., Student, Registered Nurse, etc.).
2. Add Membership Level Groups: Create individual groups within the “Membership Level” type, like “Student Nurse” and “Registered Nurse,” each with a clear description.
3. Set Access Control: Choose “User/User Admin” for access control to ensure only authorized association staff can manage group membership.
4. Mailing List: Check the “Mailing List” box for each group to enable targeted email communication based on membership level.
5. Public vs. User Visibility: Decide on visibility. You might choose “Public Pages” for the “Membership Level” group type to showcase membership options, while keeping individual membership level groups (“Student Nurse,” etc.) visible only to authorized users.
6. Parent Groups (Optional): Consider creating a parent group called “All Nurses” to encompass all membership levels for specific reports or communications.
7. Associate with Organization: If your association has regional chapters, link each membership level group to the corresponding chapter organization within Retention CRM.

By utilizing these options, Associations, Chambers of Commerce and Non-profits can effectively manage and communicate with its members/donors/stakeholders based on their specific membership level and other affiliation.