How to offer the right member benefits to grow and retain membership

Introduction

Changing your association’s member benefits takes time and effort. So why bother? Here’s why it can be well worth it and how to update benefits to grow and retain your membership.

Your association is a membership organization. So, it makes sense that your association must stay relevant with your members.

Today’s members have come to expect the same type of tailored experiences that they get as general consumers. So, if you haven’t updated your membership benefits in a while, they might be falling short of member expectations.

When your association has a small staff, changing your member benefits might seem like a project you just can’t get around to. You might ask yourself, “Is it really worth the time and effort?”

Let’s look at why it’s well worth it to update your member benefits and how you can update them to make them more attractive to your members and prospective members.

What are member benefits in the first place?

Member benefits are products, services, and perks. It’s what members receive when they join your association.

The benefits you offer members help you to:

• Attract new members so that they join your association
• Engage current members and deepen your relationship with them
• Improve member loyalty so that members stick around for years to come

Why it’s important to update your association’s member benefits

The things that members care about change over time. Consider these points about member expectations:

• Technology – As technology continues to evolve, members are becoming accustomed to convenient and streamlined online experiences.
• Personalization – In addition to wanting modern online experiences, members also expect the types of tailored benefits, content, and recommendations they get from their other experiences as general consumers.
• Career stages – Members want different resources and support as they move through their careers. For example, those who are students or new graduates have different needs from those who are later in their careers.

And here’s another thing: Association trends research shows that associations sometimes undervalue the benefits that are most important to members – especially when it comes to helping with career advancement. These findings make an important point: To support member acquisition and retention, associations must monitor the changing needs of their membership and focus the right amount of time and budget on the benefits that members value most.

By rethinking and reworking your member benefits, you can offer more tailored experiences — ones that better align with individual’s needs and ultimately lead to greater member acquisition, engagement, and loyalty. For example, you can offer flexible membership options with benefits that support various career stages and learning preferences. Using modern association management software (AMS), you can easily manage a variety of membership benefits and provide a more streamlined and convenient membership experience.

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It’s the same with membership levels. Updating your membership levels involves adapting benefits, pricing, and technology to appeal to your members’ expectations. Here are some of the ways that your members and your association can benefit from updated membership models and modern technology:

• A familiar online experience – Members can easily find and select the membership level that best suits their needs, and then sign up easily and quickly online.
• Convenient installment payments – Members can pay dues annually or via budget-friendly installments.

• An easier membership renewal process – Members can have the option to set up their membership to automatically renew each year.

• An increase in membership growth and retention rates – Modernizing your membership levels and member experience leads to happier members who stick around longer.
• A way to appeal to younger members – Students, recent graduates, and those early in their careers – your next generation of members – see your organization as current, not outdated.
• An opportunity to focus association staff on more critical initiatives – Online and automated membership processes can free staff members’ time for projects and programs that deliver greater member value.

How to update your association’s member benefits

So, what do you need to do to make your member benefits more attractive? Here are three steps to help you review and improve your association’s member benefits:

1. Consider the member benefits that might need improvement.

The 2024 Association Trends Study provides insights into member benefits from both member and association viewpoints. Review the study’s findings.

Be sure to note the data about gaps between what members want and what associations think members want. Members place a greater importance on areas including job opportunities, keeping up with the latest industry technology, help with career advancement, professional standards, certifications, and training. Meanwhile, associations place greater importance than members in other areas – especially meetings/conferences/tradeshows.

Also, pay attention to the positive impact of technology on member loyalty. As in studies from past years, members who view their professional organization as an early adopter of technology are more satisfied and connected with the organization. They are also more likely to promote the organization. These findings point to the need for modern technology to deliver member benefits.

2. Evaluate your association’s member benefits.

Next, consider areas the study points to as important member benefits. Think about how your organization stacks up in these areas and what you can do to make improvements. For example:

• Is your organization regularly sharing industry information to members via your association’s online community and other channels?
• How about your association’s code of ethics: Is it updated and relevant?
• What about training: Are you addressing members’ preferences for learning in a variety of ways – both in-person and online?

• How about job opportunities and help with career advancement: Are you providing members with an online job board and career development resources?

3. Listen to your members about the benefits that are important to them.

While it’s important to do a self-assessment of your organization’s benefits, there’s no better way to know which benefits are most important to your members, and how well you’re delivering them, than to ask them.

Here are some ideas for gathering and assessing member feedback:

• Regularly read their comments on social media and your online community.
• Send a member survey at least once each year to ask them about their experience. Ask if they’re getting everything they need and expect from your organization. Ask what benefits are most important to them. Ask them to rate the member benefits your organization provides. Include questions about what you can do to improve the benefits that are most important to them.
• Set up a member advisory group and meet with them (in person or via web/phone conference) once or twice each year to get their input on how to improve member benefits. Be sure to include members who are newer to the organization as well as longer-term members.
• Establish a team that meets regularly to review member feedback and determine how to fine-tune your benefits to provide a better member experience.