Membership
How to Cultivate a Sense of Belonging
Early in my career, I was recruited to sit on a board of directors and asked to spearhead a priority initiative for the association. I was both humbled and ecstatic to take on such an influential role. Imagine my disappointment when I attended the first meeting and the initiative was tabled. During the next several…
How to Deal with an Organization in Denial
A year ago, President Trump was under fire by experts and pundits for being in denial about the seriousness of the pandemic. In the early weeks, the President referred to the virus as a hoax, refused to issue a federal stay at home order, and hesitated to fully utilize the Defense Production Act. Unfortunately, leadership…
How Cancel Culture Will Change Your Organization
Given the opportunity to time travel, would you choose to visit the past or the future? I was participating in a virtual happy hour when this question popped up. Some experienced professionals jumped in, sharing moments in history they wanted to visit. The conversation was bubbly; people were happily caught up in their imaginations of…
Why They Quit: How To Retain Young Talent
As vaccines are being distributed, there is hope the worst of the pandemic is nearing an end. But if research is any indication, another kind of crisis may just be heating up. As SHRM defines it, a “turnover tsunami” is brewing, with more than half of employees surveyed planning to look for a new job…
The best incentive for membership growth
I’ve been asked this question many times in the past few months and my response is always the same: Incentives don’t work. During pandemic, associations focused on being accessible and supportive. When the going got tough, members appreciated access to free professional development courses and dues extensions. This was important and necessary. Members needed support, and associations provided it. Incentives…
Should your association consider adding a Gen Z membership tier?
With a recession, a pandemic, and a tough job market, some associations are looking to target Generation Z with new member offerings. It can work if you prioritize their engagement, Sarah says in this interview with Associations Now.
The End of Membership As We Know It
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the writing of my best-selling book, The End of Membership As We Know It. As ominous as it sounds to say we’re at “the end” of membership, there is no denying we’re at the end of an era. Especially now. There was a resurgence in purchases and interest…
Membership Diversification: THE strategy for growth
There has never been a more critical time to develop a diversified membership strategy. What the heck is a diversified membership strategy and why do you need one? Diversification is a strategy designed to foster relevance via new deliverables and expansion into new markets. According to our research, when social change occurs, it influences value shifts, which…
Membership growth in a time of crisis
How to measure your association’s value Research shows membership is more likely to grow in times of crisis. This is because people are seeking solutions that a membership would typically provide. So if your organization is struggling to engage and retain members or drive revenues in this pandemic, it’s likely because the membership strategy isn’t showing the value. Value…
Focus on what matters
Strategies to rely on in a time of crisis The pandemic, like every crisis, is unfolding over an arc of time. Beginning, middle, end. What was, is, and will be. For nearly two decades, I’ve researched and observed organizations in crisis situations. What I’ve learned is that while crisis requires executives to both lead and manage…
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