Executives American Society of Association - Membership Essentials: Recruitment, Retention, Roles, Responsibilities, and

SHERI JACOBS, FASAE, CAE

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Copyright 2016 by The American Society of Association Executives. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Names: Jacobs, Sheri, author. | American Society of Association Executives, sponsoring body.
Title: Membership essentials : recruitment, retention, roles, responsibilities, and resources / Sheri Jacobs.
Description: Second edition. | Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., [2016] | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015041787 (print) | LCCN 2015046248 (ebook) | ISBN 9781118976241 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781118976265 (pdf) | ISBN 9781118976258 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Associations, institutions, etc.Membership. | Membership campaigns.
Classification: LCC AS6 .J333 2016 (print) | LCC AS6 (ebook) | DDC 060dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015041787

Writing a book is a collaborative effort. First and foremost, it could not have been accomplished without the hard work and dedication of our chapter authors. This group of thought leaders generously shared their expertise, experience, and time to the association community. We extend our deepest gratitude.

We also wish to acknowledge our friends and colleagues who were interviewed for this book and generously shared their examples, insights, and experiences: Mark Dorsey, FASAE, CAE; Stephanie Mercado; Sue Pine, CAE; Molly M. Hall, IOM, CAE; Barbara Kachelski, CAE; Jamie Moesch; Lori Hatcher; Carolyn Brennan; Lori Gracey, CAE; and Bonnie Koenig.

We would like to express our gratitude to the reviewers provided by ASAEs membership section council who challenged, guided, and helped ensure that we covered the topics essential to membership by reviewing the first edition or early drafts of this edition: Lowell Aplebaum, CAE; Susanne Connors Bowman, CAE; Denise Brown; Ozair Esmail; Andrew S. Goldschmidt, CAE; and Tony Rossell.

To Baron Williams, CAE, who kept this project on track and provided the feedback we needed to ensure we truly captured the essence of membership, thank you for your dedication, wisdom, and professionalism.

Sheri Jacobs, FASAE, CAE

All titles in the ASAE-Wiley Series are developed through a publishing alliance between ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership and John Wiley & Sons to better serve the content needs of member-serving organizations and the people who lead and management them.

By Greg Fine, CAE

Membership, or the act of affiliation, remains a core pillar of many, if not most, associations today. How an individual or entity engages in this act of affiliation can differ widely, and even the lexicon of membership (member, customer, stakeholder, etc.) can vary based on the mission and focus of the organization. Yet, one common characteristic is frequently present... a desire on the part of an individual to belong. This should come as no surprise. Humans are, by our very nature, highly social beings and thrive in being part of pack or group. This instinctive desire to form groups has been well leveraged by associations throughout history. In fact, many associations first mission were simply to provide membership to like individuals. Often around a profession. Think guild. Over time, association professionals realized the power of the group could do much more than just affiliate, and this gave rise to common association programs of today like professional development, certification, and advocacy. Yet, all of these still relied on the traditional concept of membership. It was members who created the content that the association then monetized by selling back to members and nonmembers alike. A great model that served both associations and society well. But things are changing!

In todays world of informal connections (Facebook and LinkedIn), information overload (email and SPAM), instant communication (text messaging), and an overwhelming flood of news, data, and noise from all sources, associations are increasingly challenged to cut through the clutter to provide value in all areas, including membership. Gone are the days when simple affiliation was enough to sustain a membership base alone. Like all industries, associations are grappling with changing customer demographics, rapidly shifting market conditions, globalization, disruptive technologies, competitive pressure from new sectors, and a distracted and overwhelmed customer base. All of this is enough to make even the most positive association professionals consider throwing in the towel as they declare: Membership is dead.

Not so fast there. While the word membership may have a different meaning today than in the past, the idea and value of affiliation remains a powerful concept that associations are uniquely positioned to leverage. For-profit organizations have long sought to create a level of loyalty and affiliation with their customers that associations historically begin with. Rachel Botsman, an expert on The Collaborative Economy has identified characteristics in the sharing economy that are quite similar to those of membership. Her thinking around the ability to harness a missing market opportunity through disruption and innovation should strike fear and inspire hope in us all. So membership is not dead; it is, like everything else, evolving.