Two of the most pressing issues facing associations today are attracting and retaining members.
Needless to say, the economy is a major factor when it comes to supporting current membership needs. But many association leaders are wondering, “Will membership return to previous levels once the economy turns around?” The issue goes beyond getting the dropouts back. Will there be sufficient new members in the future is the bigger question.
Fifteen years ago, “Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital,” by Robert D. Putnam hit the bookstores. Using bowling as an example, he pointed out that there were more bowlers in 1995 than in 1975, but there were far fewer leagues. In other words, social interaction was in decline. While Putnam’s point can be argued, it’s interesting that 1995 was the point when the Internet was just beginning to take hold.
Today, it’s unnecessary to point out that social media are playing a growing role in helping people connect, not only personally, but in business. While LinkedIn is currently the most obvious business venue, there are new ones popping up every week, and they are changing the way we think about belonging.
No one really knows where social media will take us, but one thing is sure: Many of us no longer need to go to get what we need, whether it’s to a bank, college, library, pharmacy, department store, bookstore, auto dealer or thousands of other venues, including work. We communicate with co-workers 10 feet away via e-mail, or just as likely, by texting. We are not only bowling alone, we are working alone.
That brings us squarely to the question that’s on the minds of association executives, boards of directors and yes, members: “What is the future of associations?” Despite the tsunami of change that the communications revolution has spawned, associations can be a valuable resource for helping their members meet serious business challenges.
• Accumulate accurate data. Associations have long conducted surveys in the same way that many businesses have gone about them. In a word, poorly. First, when an organization conducts its own survey and receives the responses itself, no one should expect to obtain accurate information. Who wants to be candid (i.e., truthful) when the answers to the questions go directly to the group conducting the survey?
If you want helpful, informative and reliable survey information that can serve as a basis for moving an association to the next level, then obtaining outside help in preparing and conducting a survey is essential.
• Develop an entrepreneurial posture. Members can spot a “revenue enhancer” from afar. They know when a program, a directory, a seminar, a newsletter or an event has one overriding purpose – raising money.
How often are seminar speakers chosen because they are free, rather than their ability to deliver value to the participants? Is it any wonder that so many activities are poorly attended?
The entrepreneurial approach doesn’t start with what an association wants to accomplish; rather, the focus is on what will benefit the members the most.
• Conduct member entrance and exit interviews. Those who become members of an association have their own individual expectations. How can a group meet a new member’s needs without interacting with them in a serious way? A member’s enthusiasm is often at a high point when joining an organization, and the entrance interview can help shorten the time it takes for a new member to become involved.
The exit interview is equally important. A business associate reported that his company had resigned from the local chamber of commerce. “It wasn’t until six months later, the executive director called to say they were sorry they had dropped out,” he said. “Even then he didn’t ask why we were leaving. I had the feeling he didn’t want to know.”
• Provide recognition. Far too many associations miss one of the most significant ways to serve their members – and that’s providing recognition. Business and professional people are generally eager to seize every possible opportunity to be known, whether it’s in an association newsletter, in an e-Bulletin or on a Web site. Having your name in a trade publication, mentioned in a daily newspaper or in the columns of a city business journal, goes a long way to help raise visibility.
• Offer certification. This may be a lively issue with some associations, primarily because they want to be sure that what they offer their members has significant value. But since this is a difficult and arduous task, it should be more than a revenue enhancer. For those who quality, it can be an opportunity to professionalize their businesses even further.
There is, of course, more to the story of carving out a future for associations. But these ideas can be useful in helping to shape that future – a task that’s certainly too important to leave to chance or to the next group of officers. •
Steven M. Labbe is program manager for Your Association Insurance Plan, a division of Wieczorek Insurance of Manchester, N.H. He can be reached at steve@wizinsurance.com.
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