Membership associations usually offer a range of opportunities for their members to help enhance their skills and develop knowledge within their given industry. There is most certainly a membership association available for any professional industry you can think of, from dance teaching to bathroom fitting and everything in between.
When on the Board of an association it is important to ask yourself who your members are and what they need from you. Define your mission statement and develop fundamental values around it. Once you identify this, you can start to move forward.
Who are your members?
What industry do your members work in, and are you providing the best support for them? Empathy is key. If you were in their shoes, what would you like to get out of your membership? If you’re unsure, it may be worth sending out a questionnaire. Feedback can be very useful to help set your association on the right track to grow.
It is certainly worth researching your demographic to find out just what kind of people you are catering your benefits towards. It may be that your association is outweighed by members who are new to the industry, whose focus will be a need for training and helpful guides. Finding out your demographic will also help you tailor your communications and increase online traffic. If email updates aren’t engaging well with your audience, then perhaps social media is a more suited approach.
What your membership means to each individual will differ immensely. It may be the case that people have signed up through their job and don’t quite understand what the association is, whereas others will have been with you from the beginning. It is your responsibility to communicate with your member base, and clearly explain what is on offer to them.
Potential benefits you could provide:
Training
Specific industry related training will provide an enormous benefit to all members. Offering training gives new starters within your industry incentive to become a member of your association, while refresher courses can be offered so that longstanding members can keep up to date with new legislation or trends.
Mentoring programs
Mentoring programs are a fantastic way to embed new members, especially those new to the industry, into your association. While this provides guidance to those who are new, it also gives more experienced members the chance to develop professionally as they help others.
Member directory
A member directory allows your membership to network and reach out to each other. Useful contacts can be made by both your members and the Board.
Job advertisements
Offering members the chance to advertise and apply for jobs through your association is an easy, yet important benefit, especially in niche industries. It’s extremely easy to upload advertisements to your website, and depending on the size of your association, it may be viable to charge a small fee for the privilege. This way the money can be reinvested back into your association.
Networking opportunities
Networking opportunities such as trips, members meetings and conferences provide your membership with the chance to develop their professional relationships and build beneficial connections within their industry.
Your member benefits need to be clearly marked on your website. Make it as obvious as you can, so that potential new members can see the value of joining your paid association.
Make sure that you offer a mix of benefits to your members. It may be the case that members sign up for their training through you, and then choose not to renew the following year. Varying what you offer will help retain your membership numbers when it comes to renewal time.
Let us know what your membership association does, and what benefits you provide in the comments.