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The Value Proposition: Attracting and Keeping

Members

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Indian Society of Association Executives

July 16, 2009

Gregory J. Fine, CAE

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Why Join An Association?

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We Are About “ASSOCIATING”

• Shared interest, cause or need

• Influence, access and prestige

• Knowledge/targeted information

• Tangible services provider

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Individual Motivations

• Collegial Members: being part of a fellowship or a cause

• Checkbook Members: economic gain• Referral and business contact opportunities

• Power Members: personal or professional influence• Most volunteer leaders come from this group

• Resume Members: image, credibility, retaining certification/designation

• Service Members: specific, tangible needs• Education• Publications• Research, statistics & specialized information• Other services and discounts

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Question:

Identify the TOP 3 reasons why your members join your organization.

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Presentation Information

• Survey of 16,944 individuals who are, were, or could be but never chose to become members of an association

• 18 diverse organizations

ASAE & The Center for Association

Leadership - 2007

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FINDING:

All respondent groups think the benefits for the good of the order are just slightly more important than personal benefits.

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A person’s decision to join is not a cost-benefit analysis. It goes beyond

that.

• Personal benefits make a compelling case for return on investment (ROI) reasons that an individual may use to justify membership

• The good-of-the-order benefits to the field raise the tides under everyone

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Affiliation and Volunteerism

FINDINGS:

• Governance-level members rank benefits differently than rank-and-file members

• Probability of being a “promoter” of the association increases with level of involvement

• Advocacy, networking and leadership opportunities become more important as level of involvement increases

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Discussion Questions:

• Do your leaders have a different perspective on challenges facing the industry than rank-and-file members? • Do your volunteer leaders seek regular feedback from the overall membership?

• Is there a difference in what the ED, Chapter Leadership and Member see as the primary reason to join?

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The Big Question:

Are your top three reasons still the same?

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The Value Proposition

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FEATURES vs. BENEFITS

Features: Give a description of what your organization does. Unfortunately, most don’t care. “So what?”

 Benefits: Provide an account of “how”

and “what” the product or service will do for the individual.

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Identifying Value

Activity Feature(s) Benefit(s) Value

AnnualConvention

President’sReception

NetworkingBusiness ContactsIncrease Revenue

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Discussion Questions:

1. List all of your Features2. Then…identify the Benefit3. Then…state the Value

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Recruitment and

Retention

• SILENT GENERATION (1926 – 1945)

• Stable, joiners, doers, retiring• BOOMERS (1946 – 1964)

• Change the world, “us,” second career, generational guilt• GENERATION X (1965 – 1975)

• Cynical, deliberate connections, “me,” change the neighborhood• MILLENNIALS (1975 – 1985/1990) – Largest Generation

• Connected, “we”, informal, scheduled, strong parental connections • GAMERS (1985/1990 - )

• Uber-connected, technological social interaction, children of Gen X

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

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ASAE & The Center for Association

Leadership - 2007

VALUES DIFFER BY CAREER LEVEL (GENERATION)

• Networking and connecting

• Professional training

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What do you think are the most important functions of an

association?Networking with Peers

41.0%

37.7%

35.3%

31.1%

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0% 45.0%

Millenials (under 30)

Gen X (30-42)

Boomers (43-59)

Pre-War (60 or over)

Are you saying the same thing to both audiences?

What do you think are the most important functions of an association?

0123456789

10

Millenials (under 30)

Gen X (30-42)

Boomers (43-59)

Pre-War (60 or over)

What do you think are the most important functions of an association?

0123456789

10

Millenials (under 30)

Gen X (30-42)

Boomers (43-59)

Pre-War (60 or over)

What is your

message gap?

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• If there is a meaningful difference between Gen X professionals and Baby Boomers, it is not in the propensity to join associations.

• Association is about community; Gen X may achieve this community using different means than Boomers.

• The associations that understand the value sought by younger professionals – and deliver it – will prosper.Arthur C. Brooks, PhD - 2006

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Associations = Winners

Association Members:

- Earn More

- Are Happier

- Are Leaders

- Are Winners

Arthur C. Brooks, PhD – 2008

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Recruiting New Members

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Segment and Target

• One Size Doesn’t Fit All• Tap into the unique reason for the individual to join

• Target and Deploy Resources Deliberately • Choose your prospects: ROI + Ability to Serve• Not everyone can and should be a member

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Identifying The IDEAL Prospect

STEP 1 - Market Attractiveness: Does the prospect have the:

1. NEED?2. DESIRE?

3. ABILITY?

STEP 2 - Ability to Deliver: can you meet the expectation?

Strategic Position Analysis

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Medium

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400

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400 700 1000

• Prospect

• Prospect

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• Prospect • Prospect

• Prospect

•Prospect

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Ability to Deliver - Step 2Step 2

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• Motto: Think like a prospect • Personalize: Prospects and members want to be

treated as an individual • Customize: Offers must be feel unique• Empathize: Prospects and members must believe

that your organization can help them do their jobs more effectively

• Be Honest: If your organization can’t deliver, don’t say you can! Say what you do and do what you say!

Recruitment

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The Message• Create a Story to Describe the Value

Proposition

• KISS• Keep It Short & Single

• Target –• Don’t send a Wingtip message to a Flip Flop

prospect

• Value Message Overload • Say it once, then again, once more and then one

more time!

• Use MANY channels• Social Media – Facebook and LinkedIn• Traditional Direct Mail• Member Get-a-Member

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Purchasing decisions are often NOT rational!

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TECHNIQUES FOR RECRUITING

Membership Committee - referrals, phone-a-thons

Personal Selling - visit prospects

Member-Get-A-Member Campaign – Word of Mouth works, tap into the loyalty and passion your members have for you

Membership Campaign/Drive - usually at a specific time of the year, incentives to join, incentives for recruiters, provide volunteer training and good recruitment materials

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Discussion Question:

What recruitment techniques are working for you?

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Retention

Membership Lifecycle

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1) Orientation 2) Participation / Utilization

3) Influence4) Leadership

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The Strategic Retention Of A Member Begins The Day The Recruitment Process Begins

New Member Orientation• Make them feel part of the club

Get Members Involved Early• Committee involvement, leadership positions, task

forces, writers, speakers, sponsors or hosts, attendees, purchasers, callers

Recognize Those Who Get Involved• Thank members for attending, renewing, speaking, etc.

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Remember that Decision to Join Finding…

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Affiliation and Volunteerism

FINDINGS:

• Governance-level members rank benefits differently than rank-and-file members

•Probability of being a “promoter” of the association increases with level of involvement

• Advocacy, networking and leadership opportunities become more important as level of involvement increases

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Word of Mouth…Get people

PROMOTING!

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There is only one thing worse than being talked about,and that is not being talked about.

- Oscar Wilde

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WORD OF MOUTH MARKETING

• Definition: • Giving people a reason to talk about you• Making it easier for that conversation to take place• Never stealth or deception

• BE REMARKABLE!• Preferably good, although remarkably bad can

work

• Winners want to be with other Winners

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Start Simple…Find Your Evangelists

Our Membership Council is made up of cool, hip, passionate, fire breathing advocates of our profession and our organization. Members that are so jazzed about what we are doing, that people expect to see their picture next to the definition in the dictionary. Members who want to see their organization grow and prosper.

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THANK YOU!

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Gregory J. Fine, CAEDirector of Communications &

MarketingExecutive Editor, FORUM Magazine

312.924.7030fine@associationforum.orgTwitter: @gfinecae