My Go-To Association Growth Strategies

 

Year after year, association leaders face consistent pressure to expand membership, increase meeting attendance, and grow product sales. Without growth, their association may face stagnation and decline.

Having consulted with organizations on growth strategies, I have relied on the insights of several outstanding writers and thinkers to guide me. Here are some of the strategies I find most helpful in establishing and maintaining association resiliency.

Remove Growth Barriers with Systems Thinking

I have encountered associations over the years where warning signs are evident. Perhaps new member input is decreasing, or attendance at meetings is dropping. Peter Senge's insights on systems thinking address these issues. In his book The Fifth Discipline, he states that growth naturally occurs; however, when it slows down or stops, identifying and taking targeted actions to remove a specific barrier to growth offers a high-impact opportunity for change.

When it comes to an association, Senge recommends that an organization step back from addressing symptoms and instead focus on the bigger picture. For example, rather than reacting to a drop in new member numbers by pushing harder, Senge advises examining the entire system to identify one or two specific obstacles causing the decline. The systemic barrier to more new members might be an unclear value proposition, a lack of testing new messages, or an overreliance on email rather than other channels. A systems-thinking approach emphasizes identifying and addressing a specific obstacle to create meaningful change.

In my book, The Seven Deadly Sins of Membership Marketing, I identify the common systemic obstacles that prevent associations from increasing their membership. 

Foster Continuous Innovation

Unlike groups facing declines, many associations continue to grow steadily. Their challenge is not primarily to address obstacles but rather to foster a culture that encourages and sustains innovation. 

Matt Ridley provides practical advice on innovation in his book How Innovation Works and Why It Flourishes in Freedom. He shares guidance that I follow for the process of ongoing improvement. Here are three Ridley-inspired innovation principles that directly relate to associations.

1.      Innovation arises from trial and error. A strong foundation in marketing involves maintaining a continuous testing strategy. Some tests will succeed, while others may flop. Innovation requires accepting a certain level of failure. For example, Thomas Edison conducted 6,000 tests before discovering the right filament for the lightbulb. For membership, this might mean regularly adjusting and improving your renewal system or experimenting with a new marketing channel.

2.      Innovation often occurs by combining existing components. Mixing and matching can be one of the most effective ways to create new solutions. For example, associations might establish a tiered membership structure by adding existing products or services to create a new gold-level membership category that enhances member value and increases revenue for the organization.

3.      Innovation depends on teamwork. Collaborating and gathering input from others with specialized knowledge and skills fosters new ideas. Ask your customer service team what they are hearing from members. Get the latest tech solutions from your IT team. And go beyond your organization to connect with other membership professionals, consultants, and suppliers to gain fresh ideas and insights.

Follow a Proven Growth Playbook

Checklists help ensure you cover all growth opportunities. That's why I use the list provided by Michael Treacy in his book Double-Digit Growth. He outlines five specific disciplines that an organization can follow to establish and accelerate growth. These include:

1.      Preserve the growth you've already achieved. For an association, this involves retaining the members you have worked hard to attract through engagement and an effective renewal system. Associations generally excel at this. The median renewal rate reported in our 2025 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report stands at 84 percent.

2.      Capture business from your competitors. Associations now face increased competition from other associations, for-profit companies, the internet, and even AI. Treacy’s point is that it may be time to actively pursue sales from these rivals. Associations can differentiate themselves through effective marketing and by serving member needs as information curators and conveners of professionals and businesses.

3.      Show up where growth happens. In nearly every industry, some individuals and companies are pioneering new ideas and innovations. Associations that can identify and connect with these key players can benefit from their ideas and successes. Find and engage the innovators and leaders in your industry or field.

4.      Expand into nearby markets. Market expansion has long been a proven growth strategy. In my book, Membership Recruitment, I share examples of associations that use this approach to grow. A notable example is AARP, which shifted from being a teacher-focused organization to serving all retired adults and eventually opening to everyone 18 years of age or older.

5.      Invest in new lines of business. Product line extensions—adding exciting new resources and services—boost the usefulness and appeal of an association. An example of a highly successful one is the American Association of Airport Executives, as highlighted in my book, Membership Recruitment. It has grown to a $100 million budget largely through introducing new products.

These three thinkers—Senge, Ridley, and Treacy—continue to influence my approach to association growth. Their ideas serve as a reminder that lasting success isn’t achieved through quick fixes but through systems thinking, fostering a culture of experimentation, and maintaining a disciplined growth mindset. Whether your association faces challenges or is experiencing a wave of success, applying these principles can help ensure you stay relevant, resilient, and prepared for what’s ahead.

The Membership Renewal Checklist for Uncertain Times

Reports from clients and our recent Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report check-in survey point to a growing concern—renewal rates are showing signs of softening for many professional and trade associations.

While you can’t control economic shifts or budget tightening among employers and individuals, you can control how prepared your renewal program is to retain as many members as possible.

Here’s a renewal readiness checklist to help you safeguard membership against the headwinds of change.

[ ]  Know Your Numbers – The most critical first step to improving your renewal efforts is to accurately track your renewal rates to identify and solve a decline. Here is the formula to calculate your renewal rate:

Calculation: Total Number of Members Today (minus 12 months of new members) / Total Number of Members in the Previous Year
Example: (105 – 15) / 100 = 90% Renewal Rate

[ ]  Understand the Problem – You cannot solve a problem that you do not understand. So, before making significant changes to your renewal program, talk to the members who have lapsed to find out why they left. Was it engagement, cost, or did they forget to renew? Insights from lapsed members will guide where to focus improvements.

[ ] Start Efforts Earlier – Budgets are being scrutinized more closely than ever by employers and individuals. This review period has extended the decision timeline. Initiating renewals sooner allows members to obtain approval and make adjustments to their personal budgets.  

[ ] Offer Payment Options – Most AMS systems now support a variety of payment methods, including installment payments and automatic credit card renewals. Members who use these options often have renewal rates up to ten points higher than those paying annually.

[ ] Increase Frequency and Channels – One of the main reasons members don't renew is because they say, “I forgot." Recent client research indicates that many lapsed members believed they were still active members. Increasing the number of touches will get attention for your renewal message. Using multiple touches, including email, print, phone, and digital ads, will make your message impossible to miss.

[ ] Conduct Renewal Tests – A changing environment requires a focus on continuous improvement and agility. Your renewal program serves as an ideal testing lab to determine which messages, timing, payment options, and offers will maximize response.

In the short term, prioritizing renewal efforts is more cost-effective than recruiting new members. Most studies show it costs five times more to acquire a new member than to keep an existing one. Future growth still depends on adding new members; however, focusing on your renewal strategy during uncertain times helps you maintain your current membership levels. 

Check out these additional resources: The Membership Renewal Guide provides more insights on renewal solutions, and the book, The Seven Deadly Sins of Membership Marketing, helps associations overcome membership growth barriers. 

From Growth to Caution: Mid-Year Membership Trends

 

Traditionally, association membership totals and renewals are a lagging indicator of economic and social shifts. Members join for a full year, so reporting changes typically are delayed from more real-time indicators.

However, this year could be different. In response to questions from association executives shared on social media and discussions with membership staff, we heard concerns about their membership numbers. To gain more clarity, we conducted a mid-year survey based on our regular questions from the annual Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report. We wanted to see if these anecdotal experiences were becoming a trend.

In our July survey, we asked how membership has changed over the past six months. Specifically, we inquired whether membership numbers increased or decreased and whether renewal rates went up or down.

The data that came back surprised us.  

Total Membership: A Noticeable Drop in Growth

When comparing responses from January to July, we see a notable change. As the chart below shows, the percentage of associations reporting increases in membership dropped from 45 percent to 36 percent, while those reporting a decline rose from 26 percent to 36 percent.

Renewal Rates: Fewer Gains, More Losses

We see similar patterns in renewal rates from our 6-month survey. As the chart shows, associations reporting an increase in renewal rates dropped from 25 percent to 14 percent, while those reporting a decline went up from 27 percent to 37 percent.

New Member Acquisition: Fading Momentum

Another concern is the decline in new member acquisition. Only 38 percent of survey respondents said their new member input had increased, down from 47 percent in January. And, as the chart indicates, 23 percent noted that new member acquisition has decreased.

How Should We Interpret the Data?

When comparing data from any research, it's important to include qualifications and context. First, our July survey involved fewer participants and had a shorter response period compared to our large annual benchmarking study. Second, the time of year can affect responses, as some associations experience a decrease in membership during the slower summer months. Still, the overall trend across three key indicators—total membership, renewals, and new member input—suggests that something significant may be happening.

Looking Ahead and Planning

The numbers don’t yet indicate a crisis, but they do raise valid concerns. We can all speculate about the potential causes behind these declining membership numbers, but more importantly, associations might want to consider how to address these possible challenges highlighted by the data by exploring some supplemental membership strategies. Some options could include:

•        Revisit recruitment messaging and offers based on new challenges to the industry or profession.
•        Re-engage lapsed members to highlight the support available from the association.
•        Create new content such as articles, reports, and webinars to help members navigate industry-specific challenges.

Most importantly, this is a time to research and listen closely to members and prospects to better understand their concerns and evolving needs.

 

“I Forgot”, Confusion about Membership Status

 Research results often contain a big surprise for association executives. Usually, in surveys, we ask respondents to share their membership status, even though we know from the client’s files who is and is not active.

We find that current members often don't realize they are members, and former members and prospects usually mistakenly believe they still are.

Here is not an atypical outcome for one association when asked in a survey about their membership status.

•    85 percent of current members identified themselves as members of the surveying association. 
•     23 percent of former members maintained that their membership was current.
•    15 percent of never members reported that they were current members of the association.

On a larger scale, we also observe some confusion with members regarding renewals. According to results in the Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report, one of the top reasons that members do not continue with the organization is that they “Forgot to renew.”

These challenges hinder growth opportunities by allowing current and potential members to slip out of a relationship with the association.

How to Overcome Member Status Confusion?

There is a tendency to believe that members lapse, and prospects do not join because they have evaluated your organization and found it lacking. However, there is some good news in this confusion about membership status. Because it also means that a significant portion of members and prospective members are willing to identify with your organization and want to be viewed as part of the community.

What may be missing for associations that encounter this type of challenge is a lack of clarity and frequency in communications.

Clarity of Communications

In any communication effort, the most critical question to answer is “What do you want me to do?” The call to action must stand out, whether you're asking a prospect to join or a member to renew their membership. For example, when it comes to clarity in communication, one of our most effective messages used to reconnect with former members in reinstatement marketing clearly defines their status. The opening line for many of our Winback communications is, “We compared your name against a roster of current members and found that your membership was no longer active.”

Frequency of Communications

An insufficient frequency of contact can also lead to misunderstandings about membership status. Relying solely on emails for renewals, which may end up in spam folders or be ignored, can result in members missing their expiration dates. Instead, increasing the frequency of contact by using additional channels, such as direct mail, online ads, and telemarketing, helps ensure that members are more likely to make a decision about renewing their membership.

Telemarketing, for example, as a final touchpoint, can break through the clutter and motivate members to decide whether to join or not. In one recent program, the association found that after all their renewal efforts, a call convinced over 35 percent of lapsing members to renew.

Life for most of us is hectic and complex. Many find it hard to keep track of their connections, responsibilities, and deadlines. Members of an association are no different. As the data shows, many members do not realize their membership status and often neglect to take the necessary steps to stay members. Understanding member behavior and adjusting communication strategies accordingly will reduce confusion and help grow membership.

Highlights from the 2025 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report

The 2025 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report—now in its 17th year—has just been released, offering a fresh look at the opportunities and challenges facing associations today.

Key highlights include membership growth trends, uncertainty surrounding association’s value proposition, generational shifts, dues increases, and successes in innovation.

Sustained Membership Growth Trends

The report’s headline highlights that we continue to see many more associations with an increase in membership counts than those with a decline. This year, 45 percent of association executives report an increase in membership over the past year. In our nearly two decades of reporting, we have witnessed only two years with more associations experiencing membership declines than increases.

Nevertheless, despite continued gains, these results show a moderation in the percentage of associations reporting growth, down from 47 percent in the 2024 report and 49 percent in the 2023 report.

Value Proposition Uncertainty

Defining and communicating their value proposition remains a challenge for some associations. This year’s data highlights that only 11 percent of respondents believe their association offers a very compelling value proposition. This percentage represents a decline from 13 percent in the previous two reports. Still, 46 percent of associations offer a compelling value proposition. 

Generational Shifts

The necessity and opportunity to reach younger generations remain a priority for associations. The good news is that we have tracked generational changes with IMOs over the past five reports. The data continue to show that younger generations are gradually becoming a larger portion of the membership, while Baby Boomers are in decline.

·       Millennials now represent 25 percent of members (up from 21 percent since 2020)

·       Baby Boomers have declined to 27 percent (down from 32 percent in 2023)

·       Gen Z holds steady at 11 percent

These shifts signal both a challenge and an opportunity for associations to retool their offerings and engagement models.

Dues Increases

A total of 49 percent of associations raised dues in the past year. This outcome represents a slight decrease from the 51 percent increase in dues reported in the 2024 report. Trade associations led the way, with 59 percent increasing their dues rates.

The decision process on when to raise dues varies. Many associations only raise dues as needed (38 percent), although this percentage has dropped considerably compared to previous years (51 percent in the 2024 report and 55 percent in the 2023 report).

A total of 47 percent of associations automatically raise dues on a regular schedule.

Innovative Successes

Association executives shared many innovations they have implemented over the past year to strengthen their organization. Approximately two in five associations say innovations come from developing new membership benefits to create more value for members and prospects.

Additionally, associations report increasingly relying on digital marketing tools. The most popular tools used by associations include:

·       LinkedIn Ads (41%)

·       Google/Bing Search Ads (36%)

·       Facebook Ads (35%)

Associations also noted an increased usage of AI in their marketing efforts.

·       18 percent are actively using AI (up from 11 percent in 2024)

·       13 percent are in the process of implementation (up from 7 percent)

These are just a few of the insights from the full 80-page report. You’ll find deeper analysis, trends by association type, and actionable ideas to strengthen your recruitment, retention, and engagement efforts. 

You can access the report with this link.

 

Total Quality Marketing: Launch Fast and Learn Fast for Membership Growth

Edwards Deming is recognized as the father of Total Quality Management (TQM) owing to his significant influence on quality manufacturing and management practices. Deming's principles focused on continuous improvement, which he defined as Plan, Do, Study, and Act (PDSA).

The concept of PDSA also has the powerful potential to influence marketing. Many organizations face two challenges when marketing their membership or products and services. The first challenge is getting started. As I have met with associations struggling with their marketing, I have found that, in some cases, they lack a plan or a clear strategy. The second significant impediment is that they spend so much time planning and attempting to build consensus or create a perfect plan that it delays or prevents marketing from happening. I refer to the last issue as the paralysis of analysis.

I remember chatting with a friend at an association event whose organization struggles with perfection. She served as marketing director at a trade association and shared her frustration with getting approval for a membership recruitment program. After several plans were turned down, she proposed buying pizza for her colleagues and having them call prospective members. However, the CEO shut down even this effort because he worried a staff member might not say the right thing to a prospect.

Adopting a PDSA framework for marketing can provide a solution to avoid some of these pitfalls. Much like its application in process improvement, this structured approach to planning, testing, and refining efforts encourages action while lowering risk through incremental phases and learning.

Here is how a PDSA approach can effectively be implemented in an association marketing context.

The Plan Phase

The "Plan" stage involves creating a concise yet well-defined marketing plan to expedite program deployment. Some organizations limit their plan to one or two pages. This format is especially appropriate because it allows the organization to be agile and rapidly adjust based on the results. The plan should answer the following questions.

•            WHO is the target market?

•            WHAT is the membership offer?

•            HOW will membership be promoted?

•            WHAT is the message?

•            WHY does the plan make economic sense?

The Do Phase

After completing the Plan phase, it's time to "Do" – to deploy the marketing effort. The Do stage represents a testing phase that gathers feedback from the marketplace using a limited budget. A/B testing of offers, messages, and channels will enhance the learning outcomes from this step. The promotions are targeted at a subset of potential prospects in the association's database who have an existing or previous relationship with the organization. Because of this relationship, the association can utilize most marketing channels—email, direct mail, digital ads, and telemarketing—for these initial tests.

The Study Phase

With the next step of "Study," each executed action is evaluated to see what worked and what did not perform well. The Study phase allows you to optimize the plan and strategies for the future. At this stage, some critical questions are:

•            WHAT was the Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)?

•            WHICH prospect segments performed best?

•            HOW did messages resonate with the audience?

•            HOW MUCH is the Lifetime Value of respondents?

The Act Phase

Finally, in the "Act" phase, the plan is updated and adapted based on the findings from the Study phase and then redeployed. Since the initial testing mitigated some marketing risks, this step will likely enable a larger budget and a broader audience reach. However, PDSA does not end at the Act stage. Instead, it supports a continuous loop of testing, evaluation, and execution. Marketing is an iterative process, and an embedded PDSA structure forces this orientation.

Why should an association adopt a PDSA model? Utilizing the PDSA methodology enables organizations to achieve maximum learning with minimal effort and expense, reducing time to market while gathering feedback quickly. It helps alleviate the fear of failure and turns the focus to learning. By embedding PDSA into your marketing, you can overcome hesitation, launch more innovative campaigns, and continually refine your approach. 

Many Associations Continue to Struggle with Value Proposition

 

A weak or undefined value proposition represents one of the most significant barriers to membership growth. As I reviewed the responses to this year’s Membership Marketing Benchmarking Survey, the challenges associations experience with their value proposition jumped off the page.

We asked respondents what the most significant impediments were to growing membership counts. Here is a sampling of responses to our open-ended question.

·       “Our value proposition sorely lacks the ability to capture and maintain attention.”

·       “Need a better value argument.”

·       “Perceived Value vs. Cost.”

·       “Perceived Lack of Value – If potential members do not see a clear, tangible ROI from their membership, they will seek alternatives that better meet their needs.”

·       “Need a stronger value proposition.”

My recently released book, The Seven Deadly Sins of Membership Marketing, outlines practical methods for helping associations define and communicate a powerful value proposition. However, I would like to examine the underlying theory of the human desire for community and how associations can harness this need to craft and present their value to members. The concepts for connecting at this basic human level come from Seth Godin's book Tribes.

The premise of Godin’s book is that "one of the most powerful of our survival mechanisms is to be part of a tribe, to contribute to (and take from) a group of like-minded people.”[1]  He defines the two ingredients for establishing and maintaining these tribes or communities.

The first is defining the compelling areas of shared interest by understanding the wants and needs of your marketplace. The second is creating a structure to project how the community can serve these needs through communication and marketing efforts.

Compelling Shared Interest

The good news for associations is that they were likely founded around a shared interest. Passionate practitioners started the association with a vision to give to and receive from the profession and industry and change the future. However, the original value breaks down over time unless continuously reexamined and enhanced. Members are not inspired by knowing that the association started in 1900. People do not want the same products, services, or delivery channels that previously worked. As a result, Godin says, “new ways of doing things, new jobs, new opportunities, and new faces become ever more important.” [2] Associations can continue connecting with their market's ever-changing passion by taking the pulse of members through conversations and research.

Effective Communications and Marketing

Godin discusses the second ingredient to building the tribe: implementing effective communications or marketing. At this step, the power and benefits provided by the tribe are translated into a narration or story that explains who the organization is and how it builds a positive future for both the group and each member. In his book, Godin underlines the power of using marketing to build the tribe. He says, “Marketing changed everything. Marketing created leverage. . . Most of all, marketing freed and energized the tribe.” Marketing empowers the organization's reach to expand and increase the community's talent pool. As more people are inspired, these connections create even more connections.

Seth Godin’s Tribes offers a compelling framework for associations looking to strengthen their membership value proposition. Associations can cultivate a more powerful value proposition by passionately committing to the community’s shared interests, staying attuned to members’ evolving needs, and communicating through effective marketing. As Godin emphasizes, marketing doesn’t just promote the tribe—it energizes and expands it. By applying these principles, associations can redefine their value proposition and build lasting, thriving communities of members who feel genuinely connected.

Explore the just-released book, The Seven Deadly Sins of Membership Marketing, for more guidance on overcoming barriers to membership growth.

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[1] Godin, Tribes.

[2] Godin.

New Book Release: The Seven Deadly Sins of Membership Marketing

I wanted to share the news: my latest book, The Seven Deadly Sins of Membership Marketing, is now available on Amazon!

Over three decades of working with professional and trade associations, I’ve been invited to countless meetings with one recurring question:

“How do we turn around our declining or stagnant membership numbers?”

While working with nearly 100 associations, I’ve observed a familiar pattern: the challenge isn’t due to a lack of effort. Association leaders and membership teams tirelessly listen to member feedback, manage chapters, deliver board reports, send renewals, and much more. Yet, despite their dedication, the results often don’t match the effort.

As one association staff member put it:

"Our biggest impediment to growth is telling our own story. We get so bogged down in day-to-day operations that we forget not everyone knows what we do, how we benefit them, and why they need to be a part of it."

This frustration is like the child in the classic story who frantically plugs leaks in a dam, only to have new ones appear.

Why The Seven Deadly Sins of Membership Marketing?

In my consulting experience, I’ve found that a better solution exists. It’s not about fixing every leak. It’s about pausing to identify what’s causing the leaks in the first place. Once the root causes—or barriers to growth—are clear, you can create a strategy to address them and achieve sustainable membership growth.

My previous book, Membership Recruitment: How to Grow Recurring Revenue, Reach New Markets, and Advance Your Mission, provided a comprehensive framework for building membership programs. However, many associations struggle with specific challenges that weren’t covered in depth.

That’s why this new book focuses on identifying and solving the core obstacles preventing membership growth. These obstacles, or “deadly sins,” are the recurring issues I’ve seen over decades of consulting and supported by over 16 years of research with data from thousands of participating associations from Marketing General Incorporated’s Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report.

What Are the Seven Deadly Sins?

Remarkably, the barriers to membership growth have remained consistent over time. Many associations fall into the trap of quick fixes, such as:

·       Rushing to send emails to boost short-term membership numbers.

·       Resigning themselves to believe that “we’ve tried everything, and it didn’t work.”

Instead of applying temporary solutions, associations must address the systemic roadblocks holding back their programs. This concept, drawn from systems thinking, focuses on identifying high-leverage points in the membership system where targeted action can unlock meaningful growth.

In the book, I identify and explore seven core barriers to membership success, including:

·       Failing to define a compelling value proposition.

·       Neglecting consistent recruitment efforts.

·       Overlooking the power of omnichannel marketing.

·       Underfunding critical membership initiatives.

Each chapter includes practical strategies and actionable takeaways to help associations overcome these obstacles. Real-world examples and bulleted steps will guide you and your team to focus on solutions that deliver results.

A Roadmap to Sustainable Growth

The membership model remains one of the most effective ways to build a thriving, engaged community. However, common “deadly sins” often prevent organizations from realizing their full potential.

Focusing on the root causes of membership challenges—not just their symptoms—can help create a strategy that drives meaningful and lasting growth.

Order your copy of The Seven Deadly Sins of Membership Marketing today and take a step toward transforming your membership program.

Order Now on Amazon.

Can Associations Adapt to the Revolution in Marketing?

 A marketing revolution is transforming today's advertising agencies, as highlighted in a recent Wall Street Journal article. The piece focused on the diminishment of marketing's creative aspects and the ascendence of the science of marketing. As one agency executive shared, “Whether we like it or not, the ‘Mad Men’ era is receding in our rearview mirror while we drive at full speed into the age of the ‘Math Men and Women.’”[1] 

While this shift occurs in agencies, associations are experiencing similar changes that demand new strategies and approaches. And the pace of change is accelerating. The article shared that the emerging roles in marketing will focus on expertise in digital marketing and data analytics. It noted that today, “the hot hires instead crunch numbers, run experiments, and use algorithms to analyze data and predict what kind of message will resonate, where it should appear, and even when someone is most likely to click ‘buy.’”[2]

The research findings in the latest Association Outlook Report support these trends. Respondents told us that their goals in 2025 are to increase operations effectiveness and marketing efforts through technology innovations. Some of the changes they noted include adding data visualization and dashboards to improve marketing campaign reporting and doing member and customer engagement scoring.

Additionally, the research highlighted the emerging use of AI technology. Almost two-thirds (63 percent) of respondents either use AI technology, plan to use it in the coming year, or will explore implementing it.[3] Some of the proposed uses of AI include supporting marketing, creating content, delivering more personalized member experiences, and automating responses to inquiries and support requests.

What does this ongoing marketing revolution mean for your marketing efforts? How will you need to change and adapt to remain relevant and effective?

Here are some areas that associations will need to evaluate going forward.

Staffing and Expertise: Building a Skilled Team

The first area to address will be staffing and expertise. Associations will increasingly need staff with abilities in digital marketing, data analytics, and AI. Traditional roles focused on creativity and general marketing strategy may diminish. New staff will need to be added with specialized skills. The new hires may require higher compensation because of more competition, as the private sector will also seek to fill these roles. Associations will also want to invest in training and professional development to ensure existing teams are equipped with more technology-focused skills.

Partnering for Success: Using External Experts

A second strategy will be leveraging outside experts: Associations may need to rely more heavily on consultants, agencies, and technology providers. This approach could allow them to access specialized knowledge without hiring full-time staff to accomplish some advanced technology and marketing functions. Associations might want to explore flexible, hybrid collaboration models with these external partners to implement digital marketing, data analytics, and enhanced reporting. At the same time, internal teams could focus more attention on strengthening member engagement and content development.

Harnessing Data: Personalization and Microtargeting

Additionally, association marketing must evolve beyond traditional segmentation and personas to focus on personalization and microtargeting driven by data analytics for prospect and engagement scoring. This analysis can identify the prospects to join, which members are likely to lapse, and what products and services are most relevant and engaging. The good news is that data will strengthen marketing effectiveness through testing, analyzing, and optimizing, empowering the association's responsiveness to market feedback and changes.

Budgeting for Innovation: Investing in the Future

No one wants to hear this, but budgets may need to substantially increase to keep up with these marketing and technology shifts. Marketing that relied on inexpensive email sends kept costs low. However, to maintain growth in this new era, the strategy must be upgraded with media spending for digital advertising and the accompanying data analytics tools to optimize campaign results. Planning for AMS enhancements and data integration tools will also be required.

Continually adapting to changes and innovations in marketing has been and will remain constant. For example, as early as the 1920s, marketing pioneer Claude Hopkins wrote in his book Scientific Advertising that in the past, “advertising was then a gamble – a speculation of the rashest sort. One man’s guess on the proper course was as likely to be as good as another's.”   In contrast, he asserted that “the time has come when advertising has in some hands reached the status of a science.”

Today, the science of marketing will continue reshaping how associations connect with their audiences, transforming the skills, tools, and strategies they require to succeed. By embracing this revolution—through strategic hiring, external partnerships, data analytics, and smart budgeting—associations can stay ahead of the curve.

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[1] Suzanne Vranica, “Sorry, Mad Men. The Ad Revolution Is Here.”

[2] Suzanne Vranica.

[3] Wasserman et al., “The 2025 Association Outlook Report.”

Membership Marketing in a Digital Age: Evolving Tools, Unchanging Principles

Imagine transporting a membership marketer from 1988 to 2024. They would marvel at our digital tools—email, websites, social media. However, looking closely, they would realize that the core challenges and opportunities are unchanged. The foundations of membership marketing have remained remarkably consistent over the decades. The core principles of providing value, planning effectively, and testing remain the levers for growth as they did in the past. 

The Evolution of Marketing Technology

Here is a short list of the most significant marketing technology developments over the decades. 

• Email. This ubiquitous marketing tool did not come into common usage until the mid-90s. Today, the median number of weekly emails sent to members is three, and associations rate email as the most effective recruitment channel.
• Internet. The ability to make purchases and conduct financial transactions began in the late 1990s, with the first recorded secure transaction in 1994. Today, virtually all associations allow members and customers to purchase through their websites. 
• Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Google founded its AdWords program in 2000, focusing on keyword-based advertising and pay-per-click (PPC). Today, 32 percent of associations have search engine marketing as part of their marketing mix.
• Social Media. The ways we now commonly connect online developed in the early 2000s, with LinkedIn in 2003, Facebook in 2004, and YouTube in 2005. Today, 68 percent of associations use social media for their membership recruitment marketing campaigns.
• SMS. Companies began to use text marketing in the mid-2000s. Today, 13 percent of associations use texting in their marketing efforts.

This evolution of marketing technology is a crucial aspect of our field, and staying informed about these changes is essential. However, let’s also look at examples of how leading association marketers in the past have described the core aspects of membership marketing. They remain relevant to us today. By combining the opportunities presented with technological innovations and actively addressing the foundational principles of membership marketing, we can make significant progress in building a powerful membership program. 

The Enduring Need for Membership Value

Decades ago, the critical need to maintain a powerful value proposition was at the forefront of association challenges. In the 1995 publication Keeping Members: The Myths and Realities, Arlene Farber Sirkin and Michael P. McDermott highlighted the critical requirement of a powerful value proposition. They wrote, “Simply put, members will want to retain membership in your organization if they believe it’s valuable to them.” 1

ASAE’s 2007 landmark study, The Decision to Join, affirmed the critical nature of membership value. The study's data confirms, “As you might expect, the failure to deliver the expected value is by far the most prevalent reason for dropping membership.” 2

The value issue also dates back to the earliest Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report. The 2009 Report noted that the number one reason members did not renew was the “perceived lack of value.” Focusing on a powerful value proposition continues to serve as a priority to establish and sustain membership growth.

The Ongoing Challenge of Effective Planning and Sustained Outreach

Planning challenges were also present decades ago. Even in a somewhat less complex period, the paralysis of analysis plagued the implementation of marketing efforts. The ASAE book Membership Marketing highlighted this challenge. In the chapter on planning by Lauren L. Corbin and Rick P. Whelan, they explained to readers that “Doing something is better than doing nothing. Don’t let the process of producing an annual marketing plan take the place of marketing. Marketing must be a continuous process in today’s marketplace.” 3

The Continued Importance of Tracking, Testing, and Analysis

The critical requirement for market testing and tracking goes back to the 1920s. Claude Hopkins, one of the first direct marketers, maintained that “Mail order advertising is traced down to the fraction of a penny. The cost per reply and cost per dollar of sale show up with utter exactness. One ad is compared with another, one method with another . . . So no guesswork is permitted.” 4

For years, the need for these practices held a critical place for many associations. In the 2008 edition of ASAE’s Membership Essentials, we see the essential nature of market testing and tracking. “Perhaps the most important but most overlooked discipline in membership recruitment is testing and then tracking the results of marketing tests. Effective testing and tracking point you to where you can best deploy your resources most effectively and economically among the vast array of marketing options available.” 5

Without testing and tracking, we cannot discover the best approaches and offers to acquire new members.

The landscape of membership marketing has transformed dramatically with the rise of digital tools like email, social media, and search engine marketing. Yet, despite these innovations, the core principles—delivering a solid value proposition, sustained recruitment, and regular testing—remain as crucial as ever. As association marketers, we must embrace the latest tools while staying grounded in the principles that drive growth.

This article is an edited excerpt from the forthcoming book, The Seven Deadly Sins of Membership Marketing.

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[1] Sirkin and McDermott, Keeping Members.

[2] Dalton and Dignam, The Decision to Join.

[3] Nicholais, Membership Marketing.

[4] Hopkins, My Life in Advertising & Scientific Advertising.

[5] Jacobs and Assante, Membership Essentials.