Membership Resources
In this section you can link through to a variety of resources on membership. If you would like to add a link please email nfpn@nfpn.com.au
Trends, Statistics & Perspectives
Association Trends And Issues For 2004 And Mid-Decade - Association Management and Marketing resources has produced a list of mid-decade trends evident from their clients observed over the past year. Findings are reflective of their client database of over 500 trade and professional associations and the trends tracking they do with them. Some are tongue in cheek, but most speak to the ever-changing management and practices of our community. This listing combines “in’s and out’s,” which are relevant to the practice of association management now, and in the future…read more
Association Members Ask, "What's In It For Me?" - By Ed Rigsbee, Marketingsource
Chicken or Egg: Why Are Our Professional Associations Weak? - By Susan J. Ellis from the Energize Website - There are some sterling examples of strong professional networks in our field, but they are sadly few and far between. Why? And which came first: weak professional associations or a weak profession?...read more
Clubs for the boys? - From UK Association Manager Magazine - We present the key findings, and examine the main issues arising, from Citigate Dewe Rogerson’s recent survey on how the modern trade association is perceived by its members…read more
Customer Analysis and Demand-Driven Association Strategies - By Richard C. O'Sullivan (with a commentary by Ann Oliveri) - According to Richard O'Sullivan, many associations fail to achieve true economic sustainability because they fail to understand what truly makes their members successful. To be self-sufficient, associations need to position themselves as partners with their members in serving the same customer base and not simply as policy advocates providing limited, bundled services to members. Ultimately, to help their members succeed, associations must understand how to satisfy their members' customers…read more
Early Data Suggest the Power of Generations in Driving Association Membership - The William E. Smith Institute for Association Research today released initial findings for a research project entitled “A Generational Profile of Association Participation”. The study focuses on how generation affects association membership, studying how different population groups participate (or do not) and suggesting appropriate messages for reaching these groups…read more
Missing Conversations: What Associations Should Be Talking About But Aren’t – By David Gammel, Betsy Boyd-Flynn, Jay Younger, and Kristi Graves in Journal of Association Leadership - JAL asked four emerging leaders to write short essays on the following question: What critical conversations should we as a profession be having, but for one reason or another, are largely not taking place? Their answers, ranging from a need to exercise greater social responsibility to the necessity to adapt more effectively to a competitive business environment, were both insightful and surprising…read more
Please Stop the Bleeding – By Joseph Grant, The Canadian Association - Please stop the bleeding! These four words are being uttered by associations throughout the US and abroad. In a recent Listserver posting by a large society in the US, membership directors from a variety of associations shared the same sentiments over and over - declining membership, lackluster recruitment, and shrinking retention rates. The world has certainly changed for associations. Associations are working overtime to prove their relevance to their membership community. The Internet, self-help books, listservers, bulletin boards, and for-profit organizations providing traditional association services are all examples of forces competing with associations today…read more
The Case of Overlapping Markets - Case by Linda Shinn with responses by Kris Cook, CAE and Sharon J. Swan, CAE in The Journal of Association Leadership - An association founded in 1922 quickly grows in scope and diversity of practice. By the 1970s, several SIGs and practice areas have formed, and by the '90s, nearly a dozen national associations and hundreds of state, regional, and local associations have sprung up to serve the same profession. In JAL's first ever case-based article, two association leaders are asked, “Is all this overlap a good thing?”…read more
Will Demographic Trends Transform Association Membership – By Michael Faulkner in the Journal of Association Leadership - If current U.S. demographic patterns continue, our multiethnic, multiracial, multicultural population will increase from its present level of 30 percent of the populace to a level of 70 percent by 2050. Michael Faulkner looks at the possibly profound implications of these trends on association membership over the next several decades…read more
Articles - General
Making the Decision - By James Dalton and Monica Dignam. Some people join associations, and some people don't. But why? It's a puzzle that association executives have longed to solve—and a survey of more than 16,000 association members, nonmembers, and former members may have the answers they've been looking for… read more
An Alternative Membership Model - By Steven Worth, Association Management - Twenty to thirty years ago the majority of associations typically derived more than half of their revenues from membership dues (Association Operating Ratio Report, ASAE, 1973). However, this scenario began to change in the past two decades…read more
Are You Maximising Your Membership - By Arlene Farber Sirkin - By researching the reasons your prospects fail to join, you can often identify specific actions necessary to increase your closure rate and membership. Closure rate equals the percentage of prospects who actually join after requesting information on your organization…read more
Case Study - The Society for Human Resource Management - How to develop services and benefits that attract and retain members? How to bolster non-dues revenues? - By Plexus Consulting Group on the ASAE and the Centre for Association Leadership website - The Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) membership is comprised of 490+ US chapters; 165,000 + members (professionals). SHRM is the largest nonprofit organisation of its kind in the world and the global voice of the Human Resource profession. Two thousand of its 145,000 members are from outside the United States. These members joined SHRM despite there not being any direct marketing or recruiting effort outside the US. The largest number of non-American members comes from Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe. In all, SHRM's international membership covers 105 countries…read more
Membership.com - By Mark Levin - I'm sure you've seen all of the headlines about those hotsy-totsy internet companies going out of business. Some of you are probably thinking, "Good. They were never REAL companies anyway. They just created a lot of wealth for some computer geeks and took a bunch of venture capitalists down the tubes." Others are probably thinking "See, I told you so. This e-commerce thing was just a fad. People still want to do business with real, live people and companies, not a bunch of computers. I'm glad our organization didn't fall into the trap of getting into a bunch of expensive 'portals' and 'hyperlinks'."…read more
The Value of One Member - Author Unknown
Strengthening Your Benefit Program - by Jay Younger originally in Associations Now
Turning Members into Champions: Recruitment, Retention and Renewal in the Twenty-First Century - By Albert Wener, Canadian Association - Wouldn't it be wonderful if the stream of membership applications made your association's staff work overtime? Wouldn't you like to see a "full house" at all your events? What if your bookstore was sold out and you had to decide whether to double your order for reprints?...read more
A Relentless Focus on Providing Value to Members (Philip Lesser) Many experts agree that associations are facing a crisis in member confidence and support. The struggling economy, rising unemployment, and the increased competition for members' time and dollars are all robbing associations of membership renewals and dues revenue. "Time poverty" among volunteer leaders ...read more.
Members or Mission - Which Comes First? (Wayne Amundson) At one time I might have let a client Board get away with a reference to their members in their mission statement. Now, I will rarely let it pass without challenging them. So if your mission statement refers to doing something for your members, then hear me out ...read more.
Developing a Membership Marketing Maturity Model (Tony Rossell) In the software world, there is a methodology to assess the level of sophistication an organization has achieved. It is called a Capability Maturity Model... read more.
The Membership Department Working with Others to Accomplish Goals (Sheri Jacobs and Sara Miller) Members are the lifeblood for all associations. Their contributions are vitally important to the creation and distribution of all products, programs, and services. Likewise, good employees in the membership department will tremendously affect your recruitment and retention efforts... read more.
Keep it Simple (Maureen E. Thompson )With compelling research indicating that a member’s level of engagement with and sense of loyalty to an organization increases exponentially when that member is an active volunteer, getting and keeping volunteers involved is crucial. Leading the way—and showing you how—is the American Speech-Language-Hearing-Association... read more.
Membership Marketing - It's More than Magazines (Shira Linden) Membership marketing is not new. The American Medical Association was founded in 1847, while the Marine Corps Association was formed in 1913, to cite a few examples.... read more.
Picking Markets That Matter (Noel Capon) You’ve heard it before: You can’t be all things to all people. But you can put your organization ahead by carefully picking markets that matter, then gaining the competencies you need to serve your members more effectively than your competition can…read more.
Articles – Member Service
Member Service: Not to be confused with Membership Services - By Dana Cooper, CAE. I am surprised at how little is written about customer service in the not-for-profit sector. I recently asked a customer service consultant what she thought the difference was between customer service in the for-profit sector and the not-for-profit sector. The reply: “It is much more important in the not-for-profit sector.” How true! There are few better examples of being in a people business than the not-for-profit sector. The criticality of service to members (donors, clients, etc.) in the not-for-profit sector is vital to organizational success… read more
Ask and It Shall Be Given: Member Association Surveys - By Lawrence P. Howorth - Member associations, while extremely diverse in the make-up of their memberships, share one common goal: attracting new members and retaining present members. Associations truly serving members constantly strive for awareness of the concerns and issues faced by membership, as well as ways for strengthening values of members and guiding members' development. But, how does an association promote membership if management lacks understanding about what the members want? … read more
Generational synergy - By Sue Froggatt - Everyone's view on life and expectations are shaped by early years. Sue Froggatt shows how to accommodate different experiences and build an association where all generations are welcomed and valued. It is acknowledged that there are four defining generations. A better understanding and appreciation of the different needs, aspirations and drivers from them can help association leaders engage more members and motivate staff. The opposite is also true, so without this you can create frustration and disengagement…read more
How Happy Are Your Association’s Members? - I've been listening in to an e-exchange among some meeting planners today who are worried about the retiring boomers leaving associations who are not being replaced by the next generation. There does seem to be some hope in a so-far-unsubstantiated rumor that those just leaving college now will be more boomer-like in their association membership habits…read more
It's the Experience That Counts - By Mark Levin - If there is one thing I've learned in 25 years of work in volunteer organization management, it's the fact that you never know where your next good idea is coming from. I was at a trade show recently, staffing the information booth and sharing some "down time" with one of my members who was in the booth with me. While I was eating (my usual down time activity) he was reading an article. I noticed the smile on his face, then I saw him take out a pen and start highlighting something in the article…read more
The Buying Cycle - by Paul Ward - Members Hate to Be Sold To, but They Love to Buy. When is the last time you had a long, pleasant conversation with a telemarketer? Don’t you love buying a car from a pushy sales guy in a bad suit? I thought as much. Your members are just like you. They hate being sold to. So why are you still selling like mad to your members? Here’s why, and how to fix it…read more
Articles – Segmentation, Targeting & Creating a Value Proposition
Allegiance For Associations - For Associations is the original segmentation and target-marketing program that was specifically designed for associations. The original program enables you to identify nine types of members and enter these codes into your database. This provides a powerful marketing tool that enables you to spend money more efficiently, improve member services, and create opportunities for your organization. The Nine Allegiance Categories…read more
Customer Analysis and Demand-Driven Association Strategies - By Richard C. O'Sullivan, The Journal of Association Leadership - According to Richard O'Sullivan, many associations fail to achieve true economic sustainability because they fail to understand what truly makes their members successful. To be self-sufficient, associations need to position themselves as partners with their members in serving the same customer base and not simply as policy advocates providing limited, bundled services to members. Ultimately, to help their members succeed, associations must understand how to satisfy their members' customers…read more
Getting through to your members - By Sue Froggatt - How can segmentation help membership associations with recruitment and retention? In this article Sue Froggatt shows how associations can work more effectively in both these areas by applying a series of techniques. Intuitively we know that not everyone in the pool of prospective members is likely to be equally interested in joining. So how do you decide who to focus on?…read more
Membership Demassified - By Apryl Motley, CAE; Associations Now - Participants in the Executive Foresight discussion group explore demassification--the breakup of the mass market--and its effects on membership recruitment and retention as well as leadership styles…read more
Meeting the challenge – By Grenville Allman in the UK’s Association Manager magazine - In a marketplace that has become overcrowded with the formation of new bodies, trade associations are having to face up to the challenge of justifying their existence and maintaining (or re-establishing) their position as the leading representative body for their sector…read more
Partners in kind – By Sue Froggatt, Association Manager UK - Are you asked to provide new member benefits but are short of people or expertise? Sue Froggatt suggests forming strategic alliances. The benefits of developing alliances help you to develop new services faster and they give you access to experts and specialists with skills or knowledge that you do not have, for example in IT, manufacturing or technology. Also new partners may be prepared to carry the financial risk of a new project or bring you instant credibility in an area where you do not yet have any presence or credibility…read more
People (Not Organizations) Join Associations – By Michael Faulkner in Association Executive NY - Why do we continue to market as though organizations and not individuals are making the decisions? It may seem a bit banal to remark that individuals join associations, even company–based membership organizations. However, a scan of promotional materials for trade associations and individual membership based business/trade associations leaves one wondering just how simplistic the statement really is…read more
Taking A Walk In Your Prospective Members’ Shoes – By Denise Tarka, The Canadian Association - We see the world, and our membership recruitment efforts, through our own eyes. The reality of this became blazingly apparent as I was acting as a secret shopper for a client. Hired by a national association to find out the perceptions of prospective members contacting the organization, I decided the best way to begin was by taking a walk in the prospective members’ shoes...read more
The Key to Survival is Value – By Sarah L. Sladek, MSAE Association Management - Just as there is a calm before a storm, there is an eerie calm among America’s membership associations. Some realize that the brunt of the storm is yet to come; they are scrambling to prepare and ward off the worst of it. Others are resting on their laurels – sitting ducks – that believe this shall pass, and they will survive it…read more
Articles – Member Recruitment
Freemasons to boost youth membership rates through universitites - (Alex Newte Hardie, Membership Today) The Freemasons are targeting UK universities in a bid to boost the proportion of its members aged 25 and under, which currently make up less than 1 per cent of its membership…read more
Case Study - National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) - The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) is an individual membership organization serving more than 28,000 elementary and middle school principals in the U.S., Canada, and around the world. The primary goal is to increase membership by 1,000 new members, and the secondary goal is to increase the retention rate by reinforcing the value of membership…read more
Grow Your Chapter: Membership Recruitment, Care & Retention - The essence of IEA Chapter work is to provide local opportunities for people wanting to learn about or enhance their knowledge of the Enneagram. In addition, Chapters provide people with the opportunity to meet other Enneagram enthusiasts and teachers. And finally, Chapters can offer people a support system as they explore ways to incorporate their learnings about the Enneagram into their personal and/or professional lives…read more
How much should I spend to recruit a member? - By Sheri Jacobs, Association Now - You're by no means alone if you don't have a pat answer to the question "What is the lifetime value of a member at your organisation?" In fact, if you picked up the phone and asked five colleagues at different associations, in all likelihood, you would receive the same answer "I don't know. Is it important?"…read more
How to Increase Your Club Membership - District 26 Toastmasters - If you're a member of a struggling club with less than 12 members, you probably believe that increasing membership in your club is difficult, if not nearly impossible…read more
Members By The Dozen - By Denise Tarka - Associations and other membership organizations face the challenge of increasing membership with limited resources available to accomplish that goal. When approaching membership development, organizations often adopt initiatives that bring in new members one at a time. These initiatives prove to be time consuming and costly and while they sometimes achieve the desired results, more often than not, they underachieve. By making slight changes in their focus, associations can invest the same resource and achieve greater results…read more
Overcoming objections (when recruiting new members) - By Sue Froggatt, Membership Today - When recruiting new members you might face objections, so it is useful to have a process for handling them…read more
Tips for Generating Membership Leads (Belinda Busoli) Generating new membership leads and building a relationship with prospective members is a vital part of the member recruitment process. Done well it can make the actual sales process much easier. Following are some ideas for you to consider... read more.
Objections & How to Overcome Them. (Sue Froggatt) When recruiting new members you might face objections, so it is useful to have a process for handling them. In this article, membership development expert, Sue Froggatt, highlights how to handle them… read more.
Cast the Net Wider(Tania Mason) Many membership bodies are boosting their numbers by reaching beyond their traditional membership base… read more.
Six Steps to Building a Member Loyalty Plan. The average club/association/professional organisation loses 10-20% of its members each year. Well executed membership marketing and sales programs are essential in today's competitive marketplace. Here is a brief outline of six stages to winning and keeping members… read more.
Articles – Member Retention
Successful Membership Marketing. (Jerry Kaup, MemberLink) The best way to grow membership is to retain more members. While this paper includes ideas for new member acquisition, most of these suggestions will help you boost retention by testing new offer, copy, segmentation, creative and sales model approaches. You’ll also discover new ways to integrate online with traditional media.... read more
Focus On … Retaining Members – Model Relationships. By Ian Dalzell. Retention is all about keeping your members for the long-term. If you fulfil their expectations they will remain loyal and committed and, as a result, are likely to renew their membership without question. So a high retention rate is not only good business sense, it is a true measure of your organisation’s effectiveness and as such you should manage it with care and dedication.
Go Beyond Stage One When It Comes to Retention - By Douglas Talmage, Fitness Pro - What makes one company retain its customers at 90 percent and another at 50 percent? Maybe it's because it is an organization of like-minded people that know their roles with leadership that goes beyond Stage One thinking…read more
New Member Orientations That Work - By Cynthia D'Amour from the AXI Website - If you get new members involved and experiencing value within 60 days of joining your chapter, you dramatically increase the odds of them renewing at the end of their first year of membership…read more
Ten Tips to Improve Member Service - By Mark Levin - Everyone knows that good member service is the key to increased membership retention. The problem is, how do you know what "good" members service is? Remember, it's the member - the customer - who determines good member service, not the organization…read more
What is membership retention? - By Arlene Farber Sirkin and Michael P. McDermott from the Keeping Members Website - Some consider it a synonym for the annual invoicing of membership dues. Others think of it as the secondary part of recruitment and retention, where recruitment often gets the lion’s share of resources. In fact, successful retention goes far beyond these functions. Research we conducted on behalf of the ASAE Foundation points to membership retention as a strategic process that is implemented daily. In that context, membership retention ties together all the elements of an association’s strategic and operating plans, and is essential to overall success…read more
Providing Backbone (Sue Froggatt) Why is retention so important? What is at the heart of membership retention? What can you do about improving your retention? In this article Sue Froggatt highlights all these issues... read more.
45 Ways to Recognise Volunteers. With National Volunteer Week fast approaching, many organisations are tossing around ideas on how to recognise and thank their volunteers. An excellent document from Bank of I.D.E.A.S. lists 45 suggestions of how you can do this... read more.
Volunteer Burnout. An interesting book focusing on volunteer management is Keeping Volunteers: A Guide To Retention by Steve McCurley and Rick Lynch. The authors suggest that burnout among volunteers is most likely to happen when... read more.
Articles – Dues Setting & Changing
Dues Restructuring - By Jay Younger - During a presentation at ASAE's annual meeting, I was struck by the number of association executives currently analysing their membership dues structure. In a room of 100, nearly three-quarters indicated that they're currently revisiting their dues models. This begs the question, "Why is there so much interest in this topic?"
Make Defensible Pricing Decisions, Not Political Pricing Decisions - By Donald Belfall - Setting the annual dues level in Canadian associations is most often an exercise in political pricing, not economic pricing. It is easy for Boards of Directors to make defensible decisions based on keeping dues to a minimum. Honour is served. However, the explicit short-term benefits from political expediency usually have implicit long-term costs. Opportunities dissipate. Quality declines. Objectives are not met. The association becomes increasingly less relevant…
Related Links
Keeping Members Article List
McKinley Marketing Membership Articles (US)
Sue Frogatts’ Membership Hints & Tips page (UK)