Association Q&A: Member Benefits

How do you sell advocacy as a valuable association member benefit?

Advocacy can be one of your most valuable association benefits.  (Advocacy is also referred to as lobbying, governmental affairs, or public policy at times.) A great example of strong association advocacy can be found in the malpractice compensation limits in various states.  Regardless of whether you agree with them, the limits did not magically appear. They were the […]

How do we know if we have a strong association value proposition?

Many associations are beginning to wonder if they have a strong value proposition. Not too many years ago, associations assumed that they did have an outstanding value proposition: membership was growing, recruitment was easy, retention was simple, and times were good.  Then the economy hit a bumpy stretch, and membership declined.  More concerning, the economy improved, but […]

What is the best benefit to attract more association members?

The best membership benefit is one that is unique to your association or membership organization. Too often, associations offer “member benefits” that can easily be found outside of association membership.  Car rental discounts are the classic example.  But if you look closely at most membership benefits, you’ll find that nearly all benefits could be replaced […]

Why should our association display member links?

Associations that have converted their member information from a plain text listing into a searchable database can rightly claim that they have provided their members with a new, sophisticated member benefit. Ironically, in doing so, they may have also removed an important old member benefit. How can this be so? After all, moving the association […]

Should our association save our failing newsletter?

Newsletters are probably the most common association publication. Ironically, and unfortunately, newsletters are also the association publication most likely to carry little information that is of great interest to the average member. The reasons are myriad, but often boil down to a lack of timely, relevant and interesting articles. This is especially true if: – […]

Can our association build a directory that protects member privacy?

Networking among your members is arguably one of the most important benefits your association can offer. However, balancing access to other association members with the members’ right privacy is something many associations struggle with as they consider offering this benefit. The greatest casualty in the struggle over access versus privacy is often the online association […]

How should our association conduct new member orientation?

Getting new members involved is critical to helping them feel part of the association. It’s also an important factor that will influence their decision to renew their association membership. Associations have offered new member orientations for many years – it’s not a new concept. Typically, the new member orientation will take the form of a […]

Should our association offer a certification program?

The question of whether your association should offer a certification program is tremendous in terms of scope – there are many areas that need to be discussed. However, there is a quick test that can be applied to see if it seems to make sense. Ask this question: Could a consumer/employer fairly judge the merit […]