Near the end of 2022, GrowthZone surveyed over 300 association professionals across the U.S. and Canada.
The survey results show growing membership, member engagement/retention of members, and revenue/budget/funding are what worry your association peers most. (Can you relate?)
Here’s a preview of more of the 2023 Association Survey findings:
Member Engagement Leads to Member Retention
Why do you think members don’t renew their membership with your organization? The majority of those surveyed cite a lack of engagement with the organization as the reason members don’t renew.
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- 57% say that member engagement was about the same since last year
- 58% say they do not have a written plan for increasing member engagement
Different members will value different things. While you can’t please everyone, it’s important to understand their preferences. If you don’t already, survey your membership to determine what they value in your organization.
Ask specific questions about their preferences in regard to your programs, opportunities for involvement, what they would like to see handled differently, how they prefer to be involved, etc. Also, be sure to ask about their preferred method of communication.
Read the survey results to see what methods of communication are most effective for your peers.
How to Reach Young Professionals for Growth
The survey also asked, “What are your organization’s biggest challenges to growing membership?” The top results were difficulty reaching prospective members, attracting younger members, and difficulty communicating our organization’s value as the roadblocks to growing membership.
All new members, but especially younger ones, need to learn about the association system itself. They should know how membership works, how various activities complement and reinforce one another and, most importantly, where they fit and what they can do to benefit from their membership in your organization.
Integration of young professionals can be done in a couple of ways:
- Provide events/meetings just for younger members to give them a “safe space” to interact and identify with one another.
- Provide an opportunity to engage with all members, regardless of generation – it’s likely one of the reasons they joined your association.
Engaging with young professionals is important because they are energizing, creative, and innovative. They delight in making positive systemic and organizational change. Which begs the question: Can you afford not to engage them? Learn more in our young professionals ebook.
See more interesting trends impacting today’s associations in the 2023 survey results report, covering the topics of:
- Challenges/Concerns/Worries
- Non-Dues Revenue Sources
- and More!
