associations and the future of membership; members versus customers
TRANSCRIPT
ASSOCIATIONS AND THE FUTURE OF MEMBERSHIP
MEMBERS VERSUS CUSTOMERS
TUESDAY 8 DECEMBER 2015, 08.30-10.00
-THE ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP MODEL IS STILL VERY TRADITIONAL -
IS THE APPROACH TOWARDS MEMBERSHIP AND DUES STILL RELEVANT?
DOES IT FIT IN A WORLD RULED BY THE CUSTOMER?
Some questions…
How did your organisation define the value of the membership package?
Outside your membership, individuals and organisations also buy your services:
Why are these “customers” not interested in becoming a member?
Do you know the potential size of your “community” if you were to count in all your “customer relationships”?
What would it mean for your organisation to build community rather than membership?
IFACI 2
IFACI 3
ON THE AGENDA TODAY
In the connected and customer driven world, the rules of engagement have changed
What does this mean for associations and the way they relate to their (prospect)members and customers?
The opportunities of changing from a closed membership model to an open community model
Nowadays, corporations build community and associations serve customers…
The new “membership” model will be menu-based and offer different engagement levels
Individuals and organisations choose and apply their perception of value, and purchase what they need
IN THE CONNECTED AND CUSTOMER DRIVEN WORLD, THE RULES OF
ENGAGEMENT HAVE CHANGED
IFACI 4
The age of the customer – People and organisations
have a huge choice and independency in deciding when
and how they engage with providers of knowledge and
services
Most associations still have a “rigid” membership
engagement model
Many associations have large numbers of “customers”,
willing to pay for specific services, but not interested in
current membership
Why would these customers not be considered as a
valued member of the community?
One Size DOES NOT Fit All
The rules of ENGAGMENT must change
IN THE CONNECTED AND CUSTOMER DRIVEN WORLD, THE RULES OF
ENGAGEMENT HAVE CHANGED
IFACI 5
For example, your association has 2000 members.
What about the 5000 people who attend the congress
but are not a member under the current model?
Your corporate members expect you to actively
defend the industry interests. What about those
companies outside your membership who only want to
be kept in the loop with policy updates and statistics?
If an individual or organisation wants to pay for specific
benefits or services, why not consider them as part of
your membership?
The mind-set of associations needs to shift from closed
membership organisations to open professional
communities
One Size DOES NOT Fit All
The r of ENGAGMENT must change
Members, Customers or Community?
THE OPPORTUNITIES OF CHANGING FROM A CLOSED MEMBERSHIP MODEL TO
AN OPEN COMMUNITY MODEL
IFACI 6
Customers are interested in association offerings and
willing to pay for it. But they are not interested in the
“bundled package” that we call membership
For example, the customer base of Apple is in fact a huge
community of users who feel very strongly about the value
they obtain from buying and using the product
The loyalty programme of an airline makes you part of
their community, and is an incentive to buy more of the
airline services
The Next Gen Associations should allow members
(customers) to choose their point of entry, to buy what
they want, get involved and be considered as part of the
community
THE OPPORTUNITIES OF CHANGING FROM A CLOSED MEMBERSHIP MODEL TO
AN OPEN COMMUNITY MODEL
IFACI 7
The open community model works like a funnel,
where customers purchase a service or product that
fulfils their need.
At any time, the customer/member can purchase
other products and programmes, become more
involved and eventually become a “full member”
The new rules of engagement serve in fact as an
extended recruitment strategy whilst at the same time
expanding the outreach and member base of the
association
It allows customers to engage with the association
according to their definition of value or their needs
THE NEW “MEMBERSHIP” MODEL WILL BE MENU-BASED AND OFFER DIFFERENT
ENGAGEMENT LEVELS
IFACI 8
An association needs members: expertise, content,
representation, advocacy, governance, leadership…
In the menu-driven model, members will have different
rights of vote or influence; e.g. only full members have
voting and governance rights
Members choose from a menu of pre-defined
products/benefits, and compose their own package
You could have:
Congress members
Training member
Policy newsletter member (digital member)
Special Interest Group member
…
THE NEW “MEMBERSHIP” MODEL WILL BE MENU-BASED AND OFFER DIFFERENT
ENGAGEMENT LEVELS
IFACI 9
Community platform technology allows associations to segment and
manage multiple levels and types of members
Many members will not be interested in becoming involved in
governance, but purely benefit from services and programmes, and still
feel part of the community (Apple example)
Extending the engagement model will allow associations to profit from
a broader member base and enhance the voice of authority of the
association; e.g. the association will be the trusted source of choice of
50,000 instead of 5,000 members
The core of the association remains the full voting members, who want
to pay for the full package and contribute to the strategy and
leadership of the organisation
THE NEW “MEMBERSHIP” MODEL WILL BE MENU-BASED AND OFFER DIFFERENT
ENGAGEMENT LEVELS
IFACI 10
• Electronic
• Online services only
• Product Driven
• Via product purchase
• Customized
• Menu-driven, self-select
• Corresponding
• Data submission
Some examples of membership entry points
THE NEW “MEMBERSHIP” MODEL WILL BE MENU-BASED AND OFFER DIFFERENT
ENGAGEMENT LEVELS
IFACI 11
• Committee/SIG/COP Driven
• Limited to specifics
• Enterprise/Corporate
• Bundled & customized
• Joint/shared Membership
• Emerging economies
• Traditional but Multi-year
• Reduction for long term investment
Some examples of membership entry points
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MCI BRUSSELS| BOULEVARD DU SOUVERAIN 280, 1160, BRUSSELS BELGIUM 14
SANDRA VELEMA-HIJNEN
Association Relations Manager
ALICE DIEDEN RICHTER
Association & Corporate Relations
JEROEN VAN LIEMPD
Director Association Management &
Consulting
MCI BRUSSELS
T: +32 (0) 2 743 15 40
M: +33 (0) 787 201 764
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