For professional membership associations, the word “value” gets used a lot. Many management committees talk about “adding value” and “demonstrating member value”, but what does this actually mean in practice?
It’s tempting to assume that bigger and glossier always equals better, but often what members appreciate most are the simple, reliable things that make their workday a little clearer and easier.
Online Resources
Whether it’s a policy template or how-to guide, a well curated collection of online resources remains as one of the best and most used benefits within professional membership associations. For members, when the pressure is on, having a go-to hub of practical information and guides will help them to feel more confident and supported at work.
The hard part is keeping your pool of resources up to date and easy to navigate. It’s important to ensure that the resources are reflective of member’s daily needs, and relevant to the common problems they may face.
Community
It’s wholesome to be part of a group of people who are on the same wavelength as you. Professional membership associations should offer a space to share wins, troubleshoot challenges and learn from others with similar experiences.
Consider setting up a social media group or creating an online forum as part of your website. It doesn’t just have to be used as a space for career development, but instead as a means to reduce isolation and build up a professional network.
Real People, Real Answers
Never underestimate the value of fast, friendly, and knowledgeable responses to member queries. Clarification on professional standards, advice on a complex issue, or simple signposting provides vital support to members and builds trust.
It reminds member that the association isn’t just a big corporation, but an organisation built up of likeminded professionals who care about the industry.
Training
Professional development is still a huge driver of membership. Bite sized online learning, role-specific training, or CPD that provides a concrete benefit is exactly what members are after. Frequent, relevant and practical upskilling, that doesn’t eat up an enormous amount of time, is something that will attract new members, and help existing ones stay around.
Events
A strong events calendar doesn’t have to rely on large scale, high-cost gatherings. A healthy mix of face-to-face and virtual events often works best, offering flexibility, accessibility and a more inclusive experience for members with different needs.
Face-to-face events can create valuable opportunities for networking, while online sessions allow for frequent, lower-cost engagement that can easily fit into a busy schedule. The key is ensuring every event, regardless of format feels relevant, and is shaped by the needs of the members.
Webinars: Quick Wins, Big Reach
Webinars are a perfect blend of accessible and impactful. A well-timed hour-long session with a relevant expert is a convenient and useful online event to attend over lunch. So no members miss out, as an added bonus ensure the session is recorded and any slides are published online later, for on-demand viewing.
Seminars: Space for Deeper Thinking
Unlike webinars, seminars offer space for nuance, discussion, and real time learning. These sessions tend to be more interactive and are great for knowledge exchange, challenging new ideas and taking a deeper dive into work practices. They’re also an excellent way of gathering member insight and feedback without the need for a formal survey.
Value
Value isn’t about throwing everything at your members and seeing what sticks. It’s all about relevance, timing and follow through. When a member clicks on your website, joins a meeting or asks a question they’re building a relationship with your association, so the experience needs to feel human and provide benefit.
How We Can Help
Association governance and development can take up a lot of time for management committees and boards. It’s extremely helpful to be able to delegate the setup of events, training courses and other behind the scenes work to an administration team.
At Cygnul we work in partnership with our clients and are seen as trusted advisors to the Board. We can undertake the full range of membership, secretarial and bookkeeping services as well as offering advice and support to associations around the UK. If you want to explore how these services could help your organisation, please get in touch with us.