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By Nick Koerbin
Do you need to grow your membership –it may have declined for some time.
You need to have a membership drive.
So, where do we start?
First, these membership drives should always be part of a strategic direction from the Board delegated to the CEO and staff. I have
witnessed many a membership drive that ends up as a failure because the project is not aligned with the strategic goals and objectives of
the organisation.
Here are my six tips to consider before you commit any resources to your next membership growth project:
😎 Ensure your Association's strategic plan has a defined goal or objective for membership growth. Make the strategies supporting member
growth clear and well communicated to the rest of the organisation and what resources are available and allocated in the budget.
😎 Included membership as part of your Board meeting agenda; ensure enough time to receive regular reports on recruiting new members and
what initiatives are working. Reports should detail the performance of the membership growth program based on key performance indicators,
trends and challenges.
😎 Create a dedicated Board Committee member with overall responsibility for membership growth. Make sure there is a Board Job description
for the membership portfolio with the tasks and responsibilities for this role.
😎 Bring together a membership committee, a great idea is to get volunteers recruited from the membership base keen to be involved in the
Association's activities. This could be part of your succession planning
😎 Ensure the Board member responsible for members clearly understands their membership portfolio and how they can mentor and guide the
membership committee to achieve their goals.
😎 Make sure to celebrate when the membership targets have been achieved. Ensure the organisation celebrates the success and recognises
everyone involved, including the Board Director and all staff involved in this project.
We’re seeing a growing trend. More and more groups are reaching out to start new associations.
In most cases, the reason is the same: "Our current association isn’t delivering."
That may well be true. Starting a new association is a serious commitment, not just a reaction. Let me be clear:
One of the most common — and often unexpected — challenges faced by association boards and leaders arises when a member develops a grievance against the organisation. In the association sector, this is not unusual. Most grievances begin with a concern or disagreement, but if not handled appropriately, they can escalate into a prolonged and disruptive issue.
Insights from the AES Technology Survey and Special Interest Group Discussion
Artificial Intelligence is now part of daily work for many association professionals.
Association Executive Services (AES) are soon to release its
annual report on technology in Australian Associations and recently facilitated a special interest group discussion on the use of AI in
participants' organisations.
How we help membership based, not-for-profit associations now and into the future.
