The one lesson every association leader learned in recent years is the need to be flexible and agile with plans because there is no way to predict what’s around the corner. Planning, however, is necessary so it is important to be aware of notable association trends for 2023:
- Rely on more specific member data to make decisions on services to add or delete.
- Make retention a top priority by soliciting member feedback, analyzing current offerings and evaluating what other, similar associations provide to see what is right for your members.
- Review your dues structure to see if an annual, monthly, auto-renewal, or other type of program works better for your members and the association.
- Increase dues if necessary to support needed initiatives. See July 2022 article for tips on how to communicate with members when dues go up.
- Engage with members on a more personal level – opt for mobile apps, online communities, event follow-ups, and short questionnaires.
- Review your members’ experience. Look at your website from their perspective. Can you easily find information and resources?
- Develop a communications strategy that incorporates multiple channels – online, social media, email, etc. – to reach members of all ages and experience levels.
- Offer a year-round mobile app, similar to conference-based apps, to engage members 365 days a year versus conference timeframe only.
- Provide bite-sized segments of webinars or conferences so members without the time to watch an entire session can benefit from education and let them determine if they want to see entire webinar.
- Remember the importance of storytelling to engage members and demonstrate the mission of the association.
- Partner with other associations to host events as a way to pool resources, extend reach, and add value to all members.
- Create leader succession plans to engage new members early, identify potential leaders, and give them the experience to move into leadership positions.
See the following articles for more detailed lists of general trends, technology trends and membership trends for 2023.
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