Association membership is changing. Many leaders express concern about attracting and engaging with a younger membership while keeping the pulse on the needs of their long-time members. Association leaders have a sense of who their members are –the average age, trending demographics and even their likes and dislikes. But perceptions and the value their members place on the association can change quickly, making it more important for association leaders to tap into their members mindset from time to time.
At CS-Effect, we often work with associations to capture insights from their diverse membership base through focus groups and surveys. Gathering a small group of members representative of all corners of membership, can lead to extraordinary learnings, which can lead to anything from a change in website content to a shift in strategic direction, new programming, marketing initiatives and more. Founding partner Candice Warltier had the opportunity to speak with the following three executives at AIHA (American Industrial Hygiene Association), LGC (Leadership Greater Chicago) and NBCRNA (National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetist).