12/04/2018

Daily Buzz: Four Essential Membership Questions

Getting a pulse on members' needs is far from simple

It’s no secret that members are the core of your association, and having the pulse of what they’re thinking can be the difference between success and failure. But that’s not always possible, which is why you have to be vigilant in your member communications.

For a better understanding of where members stand, the MemberClicks blog asked guest blogger Neha Tandon of the software firm TechnologyAdvice to offer her take. Tandon says to ask these four questions:

What’s our consensus? By design, associations bring together people of common, often niche, interests—which means it also garners a certain level of expertise on the subject. “When current events arise, the public (even outside your organization) may look to you for a reaction, or your input, on it,” Tandon says. Before you respond, ask members to provide input on how to react in these situations.

What membership benefits are the most valuable for you? Compare these answers to what benefits are actually used—or not used—and how you can continue to revamp those programs and tools for maximum value.

What are your biggest challenges right now? Knowing what problems your members are confronted with can put your association in a spot to help solve issues, and therefore increase its benefit.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of membership? “Understanding why your members think involvement is worthwhile will always be important,” Tandon says. “But knowing what (if any) disadvantages they think would exist by  not affiliating with your organization is important too.”

Please select this link to read the original article from Associations Now.