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What are the key elements to successful exit research? Find out how to keep and win back members be disigning effective member exit surveys.
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Going. . .Going. . .Maybe Not Gone:The Power of Exit Surveys
Alexandria Brown Bag Networking Lunch
Wayne W Carley, PhDWWC Associates, LLC
20 August 2009
Why Do Members Leave Your Association?What do they tell you?
What do they really think?
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 2
WHAT ONE ASSOCIATION’S LAPSED MEMBERS TELL US
Responses to Exit Survey Questions From One Large Association, Conducted as Part of a Large Member Needs Assessment
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 3
“Other” Reasons for Leaving
Category of RationalePercent of Respondents
Answering “Other”
Cost/Expense 23%
Forgot/No Notice/Unaware of Lapse 18%
Retired 13%
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 5
Reasons to Join Association
• 38% Join for Professional Development Opportunities
• 26% Join to Receive Professional Resource Materials
• 9% Join to Attend National Conference
• 6% Join to Support Advocacy and Public Policy
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 6
Barriers to Participation
• 60% Do Not Have Enough TIME to Contribute to Association
• 16% Do not KNOW How to Get Involved• 12% Say Association Makes It Difficult to
Participate• 54% Say Cost of National Conference Is Too
High• 17% Say Distance Prevents Conference
Attendance
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 7
BUILDING YOUR EXIT SURVEY
Begin with the End in Mind
What ONE Question Would You to Answer?
Value Proposition vs. Value Perception
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 8
What Do You Want to Learn?
• Demographics—Who Joins and Who Leaves• Reasons for Joining• Reasons for Not Renewing• Correlations and Cross-tabulations• How to Get Lapsed Members Back• How to Attract New Prospective Members• How to Better Serve All Members and the
Professional Community
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 9
How Can You Gather Information?
• Data Mining
• Focus Groups
• Interviews
• Surveys– Online
– Telephone
• Social Media
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 10
Design Your Exit Survey
Remember: You Are Surveying People Who Left Your Association
• Who to Survey—How Long to Wait
• KISS 1—Keep It Short, Smarty– Shortest = 2; Longest = 12; Mode = 5
• KISS 2—Keep It Specific, Smarty
• Fixed Response vs. Open-Ended Questions
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 11
Add Content to Your Exit Survey
• What Is Your Goal Question?
• Remember Value Proposition and Value Perception—The Starbucks Conundrum
• Elicit Specific, Useful Information
• Questions about Satisfaction vs. Dissatisfaction
• Hint: Keep Responses Parallel for Comparison and Cross-tabulation
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 12
WHAT MAKES A GOOD EXIT SURVEY QUESTION?
Evaluate each of the questions—taken from real exit surveys—on the next several slides. Determine the strengths and weaknesses of each question for an exit survey and how you might include it in your survey.
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Rate the Following Questions, 1
1. Your Employment– __I am no longer in the profession– __I am no longer employed– __I have retired
2. Please Give Us Your Candid Comments– __I moved to a new area– __I achieved my personal goals– __I was not comfortable with the club– __Time/location of meetings proved difficult– __My Job requirements/family situation changed
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 14
Rate the Following Questions, 2
1. To what degree has the association met your expectations? (Scale of 1 to 5)
2. Check the description below that best describes your current professional setting (List of 3 options)
3. When did you originally join the association?4. Another Association is more focused on my
specialty (Check box and name association)5. Choose the statement that best describes where
you see yourself professionally in five years (7)
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 15
Rate the Following Questions, 3
1. Dues– __Dues are too high
– __Employer will not provide support for dues
2. Annual Meeting– __Annual meeting costs are too high
– __Lack of educational programs
– __Too busy to attend meetings
• What is the primary reason you did not renew your membership this year? (open-ended)
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 16
Rate the Following Questions, 4
1. Name one thing that would cause you to reconsider joining the association
2. If you would like a staff member to contact you, please fill in the information below
3. I consider the association1. __My primary professional association
2. __One of several I rely on to support my success
3. __A resource I go to when I have a specific need
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 17
Rate the Following Questions, 5
1. Wait. . .there’s been a terrible mistake! Please reinstate my membership immediately
2. Is there anything the association could have done differently that would have resulted in your continued membership? (Open-ended)
3. As for the future. . .1. __I will rejoin within the next ___ months2. __I may come back in the future. Keep me on
the mailing list20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 18
Exit Survey as Marketing Tool
• Rule: Never pass up an opportunity to market the association
• Lapsed members respond at much higher rates than other prospects (often twice as high)
• Remember that lapsed members often intend to renew
• But: Keep focus on survey, not sales
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 19
What Are the Challenges?
• Sample Bias
• Maximizing Response Rates– A Good Cover Letter/Invitation Is at Least as
Important as the Survey Design Itself
• Decreasing Contact Availability/Accuracy
• Identifying Goal of Survey
• Generic vs. specific questions and responses
• ALWAYS ACT on results of your survey!
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Summary: Steps to A Powerful Exit Survey
I. Define the Goal and Desired End Result
II. Identify the Right Target Audience
III. Determine the Best Research and Delivery Methods
IV. Determine the Design, Length and Structure of the Survey
V. Write a Set of Specific, Goal-oriented Questions
VI. Act on the Results!
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Your Lapsed Members Are Your Best ProspectsBring them back and you’ll be swimming in a rich pool of diverse members!
20 August 2009 WWC Associates, LLC 22
Thank You!
Wayne W Carley, PhD
WWC Associates, LLC1813 Old Post Terrace
Woodbridge VA 22191-3809www.wwcassociates.com
http://twitter.com/wwcassociates http://www.linkedin.com/in/wwcarley
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