How Your Association Can Improve Membership Retention
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Does your association measure up when it comes to membership retention?
71% of associations reported membership retention rates increased slightly between 2015 and 2016, according to the 2016 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report from Marketing General Incorporated.
Even though your association may be welcoming new members every day, retaining current members is crucial. Why?
Out with the old?
When your association is focusing most of its attention on recruiting new members, it sends a message to current members – “out with the old, in with the new.” Growing your member base is important, but you should be putting the needs of current members ahead of the ambition to see new member numbers rise. Paying close attention to the satisfaction and engagement of current members also helps maintain your reputation and gives you valuable advocates in recruiting new members!
Bottom line
It costs more money to recruit new members than it does to retain the members already on board.
If you deal with declining member retention numbers, it’s important to understand why members might leave:
- Your association does not have a formal plan to retain members
- Relationships have not been adequately build and maintain with members
- There are difficulties conveying the value of membership to current members
How do you engage your current members?
Ask them how you can be of more value to them! That’s right, a survey. When properly prepared and distributed, member surveys can not only tell you what you need to know to get current members more involved, but can also help you collect member data.
When you have specific data on your current members, it can give you insights into how to better communicate with them, engage more frequently and identify and avoid some of the reasons members step away.
Useful data of this caliber can be collected by partnering with a third party such as Survey & Ballot Systems. We know the right questions to ask and how to elicit the information you need to maintain your members and get them to help grow your base.
Want more information on member surveys? Contact SBS we’re here to help.
Since joining SBS in 2011, Tony has led company communications, branding, and product launches, maintaining SBS as the go-to for governance solutions. He regularly hosts educational webinars and speaks at national trade association events across the United States. Tony’s expertise has earned him media recognition, with features in outlets like Rural Electric Magazine, The Association Adviser podcast, Associations Now, and NBC’s King 5 Mornings in Seattle.