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Current Newsletter - February 2008
As an association management industry veteran, I was intrigued by the data from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Center for Association Leadership's recent study that is included in this issue along with an executive summary by my colleague, Sue Pine. It provides invaluable information on why some people join and some don't, and of those who join, why some decide to play an active role as a volunteer leader while others simply pay their dues. The findings show conclusive evidence that members choose first to affiliate with an organization and then to engage with them.
The reasons are varied. Some feel an obligation to "give back"; some do it to learn from the success of others within their field; while others use their affiliation with a non-profit organization to position their company for growth. We all know that networking is one, if not the, reason that many of us join associations.
Your job as a member of a Board is to decipher all of this information and understand how to use it to meet the growth initiatives of your organization. One thing I know for certain is that an association’s brand promise is vital in recruiting and retaining members. What is your brand promise today? What are you doing to reposition your non-profit for the future? What is the perception of your brand by members and prospective members?
Attracting members is vital. That's a given! Equally important is attracting individuals who will then step up to the plate and serve in leadership roles . . . at a point when our time and business pressures are at a premium. I heard someone say recently that we have entered into a "leadership void." Identifying and training a pool of qualified volunteers within non-profits today continues to be a challenge for us all. If you can start with a greater understanding of why individuals choose to join your association, you will have a better chance of recognizing future leaders.
Remember, this quarterly publication was developed for you, the volunteer leader. If you have an idea for a future topic, a comment to share, or a specific question that you would like to speak with a member of our executive team about, contact us, it’s easy. Simply go to our web site http://www.fernley.com/contact/default.asp and fill in the Ask Our Experts box or contact our editor directly at info@fernley.com.
I hope that you find this publication valuable and informative. If so, please share it with a colleague, if not, you may select to opt out and we will respect your request.