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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.
The association sector is in the middle of a leadership handover.
Across Australia and New Zealand, CEOs and Executive Directors are moving on. Some are retiring. Some have gone to larger organisations.
Some have left because the relationship with their Board ran out of puff. The reasons vary, but the movement is noticeable, and Boards are
appointing replacements.
The encouraging part is the calibre of the people coming in. Many are genuinely well suited to the job — capable executives with strong
records behind them. A good number are stepping into an association CEO role for the first time.
Most associations can provide a long list of membership benefits. They may include professional development, advocacy, networking, industry information, events, resources, accreditation, discounts and access to specialist advice. However, a list of benefits does not necessarily explain why someone makes the decision to join.
While every Board is different, the same governance issues appear time and again. One of the most common is allowing one person’s behaviour
to dominate the Board table.
Almost every Board has experienced it at some point. One director who seems to consume more time and energy than everyone else combined.
How we help membership based, not-for-profit associations now and into the future.
