A person s decision to join an individual membership organization is not a cost-benefit analysis a conclusion of this study that does not fit the conventional wisdom. After all, the membership appeal should be what s in it for them, or so many think. Turns out, it isn t that simple. The reality of this finding opens the door to insight, refined strategies, and a new look at what s valuable to association members.
 The Decision to Join compiles data gathered from 18 individual membership organizations and nearly 17,000 survey responses to paint a clearer picture of what people value about membership in an association. The strategic implications of the study include abilities to
<li>improve an association s value proposition 
</li>
<li>create and execute more effective strategies 
</li>
<li>target member and prospect segments and tailor offerings to appeal to those segments.</li>
 Comprehensive data and analysis paint a clear picture of topics such as affiliation and involvement, generations and career level, gender, employer type and level of support, and world location, offering insights that can lead associations to focus on the programs and initiatives that matter to members and thus improve their overall value proposition. Bonus features of this report are practical guides to discussing and adopting the findings of the report and conducting similar studies to identify specific topics of importance within individual organizations.

The Decision to Join: How Individuals Determine Value and Why They Choose to Belong

James Dalton and Monica Dignam

Association Management Press

Volunteers are the lifeblood of associations and membership organizations. They allow these organizations to achieve far more than they could if they relied on paid staff alone, bringing new energy and expertise, providing credibility to educational and certification programs as field experts, actively recruiting new members, and filling essential governance roles. Yet little has been known about these volunteers until now. The Decision to Volunteer presents the most extensive survey data to date to explain who volunteers are and why they do what they do. This book examines the volunteering behaviors of association members, answering questions such as
<li>Where do they perform their community volunteering? </li>
<li>Where do they perform their professional (association) volunteering? </li>
<li>How were they recruited and what do they do? </li>
<li>What motivates them to volunteer? </li>
<li>If they don t volunteer, why not? </li>
<li>What would motivate them to volunteer in the future?</li>
 In addition to several key findings about volunteers based on data from more than 26,000 respondents, this book presents recommended approaches to getting to know your own volunteers and practical suggestions for applying the information to create mutually satisfying volunteer relationships.

The Decision to Volunteer: Why People Give Their Time and How You Can Engage Them

Monica Dignam

Beth Gazley

Increasing the value proposition of programs, activities, and initiatives presents an enormous opportunity for associations that wish to increase membership and further their missions. The problem is, the perception of value can be hard to recognize, define, and transmit. Supporting the Decision to Join sifts the research published in The Decision to Join (ASAE, 2007) to identify specific lessons that association leaders and board members must know to enhance their members perception of the association s value. The book provides answers to these questions: What kinds of benefits do members most highly value? Do they care more about personal benefits or benefits that accrue to the entire membership community? How does member involvement translate into members likelihood to stay and recommend the association to others? Do association leaders really know what rank-and-file members value about an association? If not, how can leaders emphasize the programs and initiatives that rank-and-file members perceive to be most valuable and thus engender greater commitment and loyalty?  Are the younger generations really less likely to join an association? If not, what can associations do to bring those people into the fold? How will international expansion affect the value perception of domestic members? In addition to interpreting and teasing out the critical points of the underlying research, the book makes it actionable by providing specific recommendations and an exercise to stimulate board discussion of the main points of the book.

Supporting the Decision to Join: What Association Boards Should Know and Do About Membership and Affiliation

James Dalton

Do you have a great non-profit group, but no members? Learn from the pros about best practices, methods, and simple solutions to recruit and keep members. It s really as easy as 1-2-3! In this practical new book by the #1 non-profit publisher of membership resources, you'll learn how to: find new members in your own backyard attract prospects that will pound on your door demanding to get in, and keep those members once you have them. 
 The 199 sure-fire ideas presented here is your best bet for attaining membership growth and greater income to support your organization s valuable mission.

199 Ideas: Membership Recruitment and Retention

Business & Money

ASAE & The Center's Membership Section Council

Business Development & Entrepreneurship

From time to time, new technologies completely rewrite the rules for how we do business. In the last several decades we have seen global changes resulting from general adoption of computers and the Internet. Now, social networking specifically online social networking is once again transforming everything. If organizations want to stay competitive and avoid replacement by online rivals, they need to learn and adopt social technologies. In his book, Andy Steggles addresses two main audiences: those with little or no understanding of social technologies and those who are quite familiar with the general principles but want to take it to the next level. As it turns out, both parts are valuable for both audiences. Section I, Social Consumers, addresses that more basic audience, the ones who want to know answers to such questions as, What is the social web? Where do you find it? What are the core components? How do you use it? How do you attract users, retain members, and build on community? It also addresses legal concerns and liabilities. What makes it valuable for those who already have some experience with social technologies is that it reminds you of things you might not think of, such as listening to what people are saying about your organization (because the conversation is happening whether you hear it or not). Section II addresses organizations that have already built a significant social presence and want to bump it up a few notches by becoming social providers, or in other words, setting up their own social networks. Although this section may seem pretty advanced, it provides a vocabulary and understanding of concepts that are useful to know on many levels, including sections on search engine optimization (SEO), how to make money, and using mobile technologies.

Social Networking for Nonprofits: Increasing Engagement in a Mobile and Web 2.0 World

Andy Steggles

Non-profit groups and organizations are business just like any other, and like other businesses, they have to maximize resources and marketing dollars. Charities, foundations, and fast budding nonprofits don t have time to hire high-priced marketing firms, but they can learn from those who practice in the trade. Published by the premier resource for associations and nonprofits, this gem chock-full of ideas and suggestions will help you get your nonprofit group marketed and promoted.   Here are just a few ideas of how you jumpstart some marketing initiatives from 199 Ideas Learn how to write an email subject line that helps guarantee it will be read Price your products and services competitively Build an online fan base and use social networking capabilities  ASAE is a membership organization of more than 22,000 association executives and industry partners representing more than 11,000 organizations. ASAE members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the United States and in nearly 50 countries around the world. ASAE is the preeminent source of knowledge, learning, community, and advocacy for the field of association management. ASAE s publishing imprint, Association Management Press, reflects the ASAE mission by publishing relevant, reliable content focusing on helping professionals tackle their organizational leadership and management challenges.

199 Ideas: Powerful Marketing Tactics That Sell

Sheri Jacobs

Any look inside an association reveals challenges that require change in governance systems. These challenges include shifts in the balance of power, in policy making, and in measures of success. Associations must understand increasingly complex member segments and need to be able to respond to specialized needs. Increased demands for tangible benefits and bottom-line measures mean that associations need to think differently about how they create value for their members and how they measure success. The Will to Govern Well presents research into associations that have shifted from more traditional governance structures created with the intent to predict performance and replicate past successes to knowledge-based governance systems, which can more reliably function in a world characterized by rapid change. This book is about developing strategies for change in governance. It rejects the idea of wholesale revolution in favor of rapid evolution, which has the added benefit of decreasing resistance among members and stakeholders, who similarly reject such terms.
 The book presents three critical themes that have emerged as key to developing the will to govern well knowledge, trust, and nimbleness providing definitions and strategies for incorporating them into governance. This second edition updates the original edition with information and insights that have been gleaned in the 10 years since its first publication. Furthermore, it includes a whole new chapter on the intelligent association, providing an evolved process for associations that have been using knowledge-based governance so routinely it has become part of the fabric of their operation. Another new feature of this edition is an emerging theory about the value proposition of associations in the 21st century.

The Will to Govern Well: Knowledge, Trust, and Nimbleness

Glenn H. Tecker

Paul D. Meyer

Bud Crouch

Leigh Wintz

Perception is Reality. How is your non-profit group or organization treating members? Remember, your members equate to shareholders in a for-profit company so if members perceive your organization as non-responsive or unable to support their needs, they ll sell their membership and buy somewhere else. Now, from the publisher best equipped to support membership organizations Association Management Press comes a brand-new book full of ideas and methods for engaging members, increasing membership revenue, and sustaining growth in your non-profit organization through your most important asset your MEMBERS.  Take a look at just a few great ideas you can put to use right now: Develop a member-centric mindset Provide front-line staff with resources and tools to assist members Distribute Member alerts about breaking news important to members Personalize the value of learning and the services you provide.To learn more, get your personal copy of this vital new release!

199 Ideas: Member Service and Engagement

ASAE Membership Section Council

All non-profit groups have this goal in common raising revenue to support your mission and objectives. But how do you do this in tight economic times when many donors and dues-paying members are difficult to find. Meet the non-profit budget s new best-friend. Encapsulated in a simple to read and easy to execute style, here are the best and brightest ideas to help you raise revenue for your non-profit business. It s time to put best practice to work you ll learn how to: 
- get the most out of your website - manage operational expenses so you re in control - find and nurture corporate sponsors - identify and deliver only those programs that support your goals - tweak conferences and meetings to maximize attendance and revenue 
With this book, you ll find 199 incentivizing ideas that work and you know can believe in because this is brought to you by the number ONE publisher serving non-profit member groups.

199 Ideas: Raising Revenue

ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership

Certification is a complex topic and the ramifications from poor decisions made by a certification board or staff can be costly. Don't expose yourself to program failure, angry customers, lost certificants, or legal battles. Inform yourself and your board members with this engaging, conversational resource. Learn:the difference between certificate and certification programs, licensure, and accreditationwhat is involved in developing a certification programthe key legal issues and how to avoid themimportant certification concepts and testing terms that you need to knowThe essentials of certification are in this reader friendly, easily digestible book. Read it and use it as a reference, and your certification learning curve will be shorter.

Certification Simplified: A Primer for Staff and Volunteer Leaders

Mickie S. Rops

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