Fifty-five affiliate volunteer leaders learned about how to attract and keep members in troubled times during the Affiliate Volunteer Forum on June 13 during the Summer Meeting. The speaker for the workshop was Greg Fine, the Director of Communications and Marketing at the Association Forum of Chicagoland. Fine conducted an active workshop on how state affiliates can define their value proposition to members.

Fine’s presentation covered the following areas: the current economic situation, why people join associations, the impact of generational differences, creating a value proposition, membership recruitment and retention, word-of-mouth promoting of your association and closed with things to start the next day.

The presentation highlighted the fact that a person’s decision to join an association is not a cost-benefit analysis. Also, personal benefits to the existing and potential member make a compelling case for the return on their investment reasons that an individual may use to justify their membership. To address this, participants were asked to name the top 3 reasons why members join their organization.

The discussion on the value proposition of membership focused on features vs. benefits. Features are what association leaders usually give as what the organization does for members [e.g. continuing education and networking]. But, this does not resonate with most members. Meeting participants developed a value proposition for their association.

Associations should focus on the benefits or value proposition of what members get. Benefits provide an account of “how” and “what” the product or service will do for the individual member. From the benefit, an association can quantify its value to members.

The presentation then addressed how associations can recruit new members by thinking like a prospect; treating the prospects and members as individuals; offering prospects and members unique, customized services; empathizing with members and recruits by showing them that your organization can help them do their job more effectively; and being honest about what their organization can offer.

Finally, Fine discussed how to retain members by saying that the strategic retention of a member begins the day that the recruitment process begins. Organizations should offer a new member orientation to make them feel a part of the “club”. The organization should develop a variety of ways to get members involved early, and also have a plan to recognize those who get involved.

The Association Forum of Chicagoland is the "association of associations" for more than 1,500 businesses, charitable, civic and professional organizations headquartered in the Chicago area. The Forum's 3,000+ members are the CEOs and staff professionals of these national, state and nonprofit organizations, plus vendors of goods and services to these businesses. The Forum provides essential learning, compelling experiences and powerful resources that advance the professional practice of association management.
The next Affiliate Volunteer Forum will be held at the Midyear Clinical Meeting in Las Vegas.