People only contribute time, knowledge, and ideas when they perceive an opportunity to impact the outcomes they seek. Keeping and winning higher engagement levels happens when Associations create ongoing opportunities for their constituencies to contribute knowledge and collaborate with other members. Assess your Association’s constituency segments within the following 4 level framework. For example: Disconnected…
Category: Strategic Member Engagement
Member Value Drivers?
Member Value Drivers? Too often an association’s internal discussions are about tweaking “outputs” and not creatively driving the “outcomes” that members really care about. This only fuels the “we/you” culture that exists in so many associations. Associations can get into trouble when internal discussions infer “we know what’s best for our members”. If members don’t…
Knowledge Based Solutions
Knowledge Based Solutions. In today’s knowledge economy, an association’s competitive positioning requires a differentiating “experience” that treats each member as having a piece of the knowledge puzzle. Members are seeking knowledge based solutions which require both “push” and “pull” approaches. “Push” and “Pull” Approaches Most association executives recognize that the challenges their members face today…
Stimulating Connectedness
Stimulating Connectedness. Many association executives still yearn for member “loyalty” and have traditionally sought to measure it by retention rates. What does membership loyalty mean? There are very few examples of one-stop shopping. In a knowledge economy, members proactively seek information from many sources. People most value the things in which they personally participate. They…
ROI TO R.O.M.E.
ROI TO R.O.M.E. (Return on Member Engagement) At the majority of associations, member engagement takes a back seat to fighting fires and meeting budget expectations. Over time, member dissatisfaction, poor retention, or weak membership growth can prompt boards to ask the tough questions. Proactive In several instances executives are demonstrating the direct linkages between their…
Selling or Engagement?
Selling or Engagement? Engagement drives the association’s business model, while enhancing the association’s influence, prestige, and competitive positioning. Discussions like these can completely change the conversations away from: “what do I get for my dues?” Associations looking to grow revenues and membership and improve engaging instead of selling could better position their organizations for longer…
Aligning Infrastructure
Associations are the ideal organizational model to leverage a culture of “we”. But this requires a shift from today’s association structures and processes that are primarily built to push out offerings. Today, staff are reinforced for their efficiency, not for working innovatively with members to create better solutions. Strategic Member Engagement requires aligning infrastructure at organizations…
Game Changing Accelerator
Game Changing Accelerator. How do you build a connected community that positions both your organization and your constituencies for long term success? Having a strategic board to help Associations connect and maintain the member outcome focus can be a game changing accelerator. Strategic Boards Thom Dammrich, President & CEO of Chicago, Illinois based NMMA (National…
Competitive Positioning and Engagement
Competitive Positioning and Engagement. As domestic and international for profit competitors attempt to eat into services and product offerings once only delivered by Associations, Competitive Positioning (http://bit.ly/1g8g1J2) is a must. However, a key first step forward is knowing and understanding member “up at night” issues. Up at Night Issues Whether obtained in surveys, focus groups, interviews,…
Knowledge Sharing And Engagement
Knowledge Sharing And Engagement. In a knowledge economy, it’s all about having just in time sources that help members drive their business and professional outcomes (http://bit.ly/1g8g1J2). With more information and knowledge sharing sources, corporate and individual members can vote with their feet and connect somewhere else. New Norm With today’s new norm, how do Association’s differentiate…