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By Nick Koerbin
I had been coaching an Association Board for months and was recently invited to their Board meeting.
During the meeting, several reports were presented which supported the organisation's overall strategic direction.
The last report was the member manager, who proudly announced that membership had grown by 20% over the last three months. The Board seemed
delighted with the result until one astute Board member asked the question. “ Well, that is a great result, but how many members have
renewed their membership subscription? "We have lost about 18% of those who joined last year" he replied
Service to members is different from service to customers. All reports by member managers on member performance must include two key
performance measures: membership growth and retention.
To achieve the best outcome, the importance of effectively onboarding and offboarding members cannot be overstated. Upon joining your
association, it's paramount to immerse new members in the value you offer swiftly.
Promptly engage them, ensuring they grasp the breadth of benefits available, are encouraged to participate, and understand what their
membership entails.
A comprehensive welcome packet merges essential information with joining instructions, such as navigating your online portal.
Equally crucial is the process of offboarding members. When a member chooses to discontinue their affiliation with your association, it's
imperative not to let them depart unnoticed.
Thoughtful offboarding maintains a positive rapport and opens the door for potential return. Offer a respectful farewell, express gratitude
for their membership and contributions, and extend wishes for their future endeavours.
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.
