AuSAE - Sue Froggatt’s 2013/2014 Membership Benchmarking Research Report

Sue Froggatt’s 2013/2014 Membership Benchmarking Research Report

07 Mar 2014 5:24 PM | Louise Stokes

With retention rates averaging 91% around the globe, members of professional institutes, trade bodies and other organisations, continue to see value. They are also staying longer – with the average number of years in membership rising to 9.5 years. These are just some of the findings in the latest 90+ page Membership Research Report compiled by Sue Froggatt Consulting, which attracted input from over four hundred associations.

“Trends seen in the UK are echoed in the US and Australia and the news is good, with 71% of membership organisations predicting growth,” Sue said. “There are many positives to report, and not unlike the enduring popularity of chocolate and coffee, people and organisations continue to turn to associations for sustenance.”

In other findings:

Personal recommendations for membership are key to boosting numbers
Personal (staff) visits, websites and events are complementary drivers, but
A question mark hangs over the impact of social media.

“The survey also highlighted the role of having partners to help you secure membership,” said Sue. “In terms of association attractions, networking and events, insights and best practice top the list. No surprises there, or in the fact that members remain overwhelmed by the amount of business information they constantly need to process.

That’s why we advocate content curators as distinct from content creators. Organisations that can step up to the role of distilling and presenting all relevant data in a timely and concise manner will shore up their prominence. Content curators are vital to on-going organisational success.”

Having analysed association dynamics for over a decade, Sue remarked that the positive findings in the latest survey are a pat on the back for associations.

“Clearly members value belonging to associations. This tells us that associations are getting better at identifying and delivering what members want,” she said. “They are well placed for the future.”

For more information or to order a full copy of the 2013-2014 Membership Research Report, contact Sue Froggatt Training & Consulting on 0870 747 9185

E: sue@suefroggatt.com W: www.suefroggatt.com

With a background in business marketing and analysis, Sue Froggatt is one of the world’s foremost authorities on association dynamics. She presents seminars to thousands of associations, chambers of commerce and other business groups across Europe and Australia.

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