By Nicki Hauser, Director, FineHaus

By definition, membership associations exist to serve their members – so ensuring your members are satisfied and engaged is a key strategic priority for every association.

It seems obvious that, in order to deliver on this strategic priority, you need to know how just how satisfied your members are with what you are doing. As the saying goes, if it’s not measured, it’s not truly managed.

Even more importantly, you need to understand what makes your members satisfied. Understanding the relationship between your members’ satisfaction with what you are doing and what your members value most is critical if you want to develop a strategy to improve member satisfaction and engagement.

If you can’t answer these questions definitively, you are not certainly alone!

So what can you do to find this out?

1. Satisfaction Indicators

There are a number of indicators that can be used to infer member satisfaction and engagement. These include:

- Renewal rates: If your membership renewal rates are declining, this is a good indicator that something is going wrong with your association. Conversely, if they are increasing, this indicates you are doing something right. However, the big question that tracking renewal rates doesn’t answer is ‘what’ – what are you doing that is right or wrong – and what do you need to do to improve your renewal rates?

- New member growth: Likewise, if your new member numbers are growing, this tells you that you are doing something right and are offering something that members’ value. Again, the unanswered question is – what?

- Participation rates: Participation rates for your individual events and other programs show whether members are engaging with your offerings. - If you also survey member satisfaction with each offering, this data can provide valuable insight into member engagement. The missing piece then understands the relative value of your key programs to members – and how this impacts overall member satisfaction and engagement.

- Open rates on newsletters and emails, website visitation, engagement with social media etc: This data can provide useful insights into how engaged your members are with your communications. What it doesn’t tell you what they value most.

The other thing to remember is that these are all lag indicators of satisfaction (for example, after your unsatisfied members fail to renew) – which is often too late to do much about it.

2. Ask your members!

Perhaps not surprisingly, the best way to determine member satisfaction and to understand what is important to them is to actually ask your members!

The key areas to cover in your member satisfaction research include:

- Member satisfaction with your services, communications touch-points and governance

- What are the key drivers for member engagement

- What do members value and how do they perceive membership value for money

- What are member’s renewal intentions

- How likely are they to recommend your association to others

- Why new members join.

How to ask

You can survey member satisfaction via qualitative research (for example, by running focus groups with representatives from key member segments) or by conducting quantitative membership satisfaction surveys, where you survey all members and analyse the responses to provide insights.

Quantitative research has the advantage in terms of time and effort to conduct, reach to your whole membership, statistical reliability of results and the ability to compare results over time.

A word of warning - think carefully if you are planning on saving money by whipping up your own research in-house and sending it out using a tool like survey monkey – particularly if you do not have access to in-house research expertise.

Designing membership satisfaction surveys that provide sound data that you can rely on for decision-making takes expertise and experience. It can be hard to know what questions to ask and how to ask them to get the insights you need. You also risk perceptions of - or actual bias - in the survey design or results analysis.

A badly designed and conducted satisfaction survey can actually do more damage than conducting no research at all.

There are a number of respected companies that can conduct independent membership satisfaction research for your association. And it doesn’t have to cost the earth. As an example, the cost to participate in the beaton/FineHaus Member Satisfaction Benchmarking research, to be conducted between October and November 2018, is just $1,500 (ex GST) for small associations.

Overcoming the common excuses about member research

Finally, don’t let these common excuses prevent you from understanding just how satisfied your members are and what makes them happy – and then developing data-driven strategies to improve your results each year:

- Excuse # 1 – Member survey fatigue: Some associations argue that their members are over-surveyed and that they don’t want to burden members with yet another survey. If you think this is the case for your association, then it is time to step back and ask how these surveys support the achievement of your strategic priorities. If one of your strategic priorities is to have satisfied, engaged members, then you simply have to make room for this research in your member survey program. And, by the way, research amongst association members that beaton has conducted over the years, shows the vast majority of members when asked whether they are surveyed too much, about the right amount or too little, answer the right amount or too little! No association should listen to a few squeaky wheels.

- Excuse # 2: ‘We know how our members feel’: Sometimes boards and committee members take the view that a member satisfaction survey is unnecessary because their level of satisfaction is indicative of how all members feel. This is patently untrue – your board and committee members are your most engaged members and potentially the most biased about their experience! They are not a representative sample of your membership.

- Excuse #3: Lack of money and expertise: Access to independent, expert research doesn’t have to cost the earth (see beaton/FineHaus Member Satisfaction Benchmarking program as an example!).

- Excuse #4: We surveyed members recently and don’t need to do it again: Even if you are offering exactly the same programs, to exactly the same members, member satisfaction with and expectations of your association can (and do) vary year to year for a whole range of reasons - and you need to be on top of this. It is important to track satisfaction and engagement each year to measure your performance and so you can continuously tweak your strategies. No association is perfect – there will always be room to improve.

- Excuse #5: Fear of the results: Sometimes, association leaders are concerned that results of the member satisfaction research might be poor and reflect badly on them and their team. If you are afraid this might be the case for your association, then this is actually a very strong indicator that you need to bite the bullet and undertake independent member satisfaction research forthwith! Only when you definitively know what is going on, can you develop robust strategies to improve your association’s performance moving forward.

Performance boosting

Finally, member feedback to an association is like oxygen is to the body.

Without enough, performance is compromised. With a good supply of oxygen (member feedback), the body (your association) can be trained to function at the highest level. Makes you think, doesn’t it!

If you would like to learn more about participating in the 2018 beaton + FineHaus Member Satisfaction Benchmarking, download the information kit now or contact Nicki Hauser.

The Australasian Corrosion Association (ACA) has appointed Richard Reilly to the position of Chief Executive Officer for the organisation.

Based in Melbourne, Reilly was CEO of the Federation of Automotive Products Manufacturers for over six years. He also spent nine years at professional services firm Deloitte in the Global Investment and Innovation Incentive group, delivering tax services to clients.

“Corrosion is an enormous cost to the national economy. I’m looking forward to working with members to help address this challenge and ensure that the association continues to meet the needs of it’s members and of the industry through training, membership, communication and governance,” Reilly said.

Reilly has experience working with stakeholders in a membership-based organisation, providing advocacy and liaising with key industry and government bodies. His professional background and experience are an excellent fit for the organisation, according to ACA chair, Dean Wall.

“Richard will be responsible for delivering key outcomes contained in the ACA’s strategic plan and I am sure you will enjoy working with him to further the interests of companies and individuals in the Australasian corrosion mitigation sector and related industries," Wall said.

Reilly has Bachelor Degrees in Arts and Commerce from the University of Melbourne and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne.

He is also a graduate of the Company Directors’ course from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

To view the original news story, click here.

The Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE) is calling for nominations from members interested in serving as a Director of the Board.

Following the recent vote of members to change the constitution there are currently 4 positions available. Members are invited to express their interest in appointment to fill these vacancies for a two-year term commencing in May 2018.

The culture of the AuSAE board is one of a working board with a current focus on supporting organisational growth. Our current Strategic Plan can be found here.

The board is seeking candidates with the following technical skills and attributes:

• Leadership – Knowledge and experience in leadership including the management of change and providing leadership as part of a governance team. An understanding of leadership in associations and an appreciation of the board / CEO relationship.
• Corporate governance – knowledge and experience of the governance function.
• Commitment - A demonstrated commitment to AuSAE
• Strategic ability – The ability and experience to understand the needs of members and to envision a range of future actions and opportunities to further the interests of AuSAE and its members.
• Financial management – an understanding of the financial analysis and management necessary to provide appropriate stewardship of AuSAE.
• Risk Management – knowledge and experience in understanding and managing risk.
• Commercial experience – experience in the business activities of associations.
• Knowledge - A sound knowledge of association management issues.

In addition to the above technical skills and attributes, the board are also seeking persons with personal qualities of Integrity, highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, a passion for Associations, Acumen and the willingness to contribute.

The board of AuSAE value and seek diverse leadership as defined by gender, ethnicity, age, role and level of experience and encourage applications from all eligible members.

Appointment to the board will be determined by election from the membership. Please note that the nominee must be a current financial member, in an eligible category of the association on application.

To express an interest for the Board position you will need to provide:

• a completed nomination form, which includes a declaration of eligibility
• a completed candidate statement addressing key questions for circulation to all members.
• A current headshot

All nominations must be received by 5pm Australian Eastern Standard Time on Monday, 23 April 2018.

Please click through for a copy of the AuSAE Constitution, By-Laws and Governance Manual.

Warm regards,

Graham

GRAHAM CATT

President

Australasian Society of Association Executives

E president@ausae.org.au W www.ausae.org.au

T +61 1300 764 576 F +61 (0) 7 3319 6056

Suite 19, 101 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill QLD 4000 Australia

The ASA Board is delighted to announce the appointment of their new Chief Executive Officer Jodie Long, effective Monday 26 March 2018.

Jodie is a highly accomplished executive healthcare leader with over 25 years’ experience in the allied health sector. She has the ideal mix of both business and clinical experience, plus the drive to take the ASA to the next level of growth and operational excellence for our members.

In announcing this appointment, The ASA President Dr Jennifer Alphonse has said “I am personally very pleased that we have been able to attract someone of Jodie’s calibre to this role. I look forward to working with her in advocating for the sonography profession.”

Her experience includes the role of Interim Managing Director for the ASA as well as over 10 years’ experience in senior management roles. Previous roles include Principal Management Consultant, Business Manager Ultrasound and Business Manager Service for Siemens Healthcare across Australia and New Zealand, where the emphasis was on strong strategic direction, leadership and customer service.

In addition, Jodie is a qualified sonographer and has been a member of the ASA for over 14 years.

Independent recruitment specialists were engaged by the ASA to assess many high calibre candidates. Jodie’s strong in-depth healthcare knowledge and executive business leadership were considered invaluable to the ASA, in achieving continued operational excellence and growth as the peak body and leading voice for sonographers.

In accepting this role Jodie said “I am passionate about sonography and understand the challenges faced by Australasian sonographers. I look forward to working with the team to lead the ASA into the next stage of its strategic development."

Redback Conferencing are offering AuSAE members exclusive deals on their services for a limited time only!

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Entries are now open for the 2018 Women in Governance Awards.

The Women in Governance Awards recognise and celebrate innovation, excellence, creativity and commitment to diversity by both organisations and individuals.

Women on Boards believes that greater gender diversity at the executive and board level will enhance business excellence in New Zealand. We are dedicated to developing the next generation of board-ready women by providing empowerment to assist women to achieve their governance career goals.

Many New Zealand organisations have diversity as a key strategic imperative and are doing far more than merely ticking the box for corporate social responsibility.

For organisations, the 2018 Women in Governance Awards offers three separate categories to recognise gender diversity programmes and initiatives.

As a nation, we are well represented by individual women making a contribution to improving our governance capability.

For individuals, the 2018 Women in Governance Awards offers four categories to recognise our women gender diversity champions.

Finalists are invited to the Awards Gala Dinner at the Pullman Hotel, Auckland on Thursday 10 May where the winners will be announced.

Entries close 6 April - click here to apply. 

Women on Boards NZ and Governance New Zealand Incorporated

"In the past, for reasons I try to explain, I’ve often felt I had to be careful in public, like I was up on a wire without a net. Now I’m letting my guard down."

Hillary Rodham Clinton

AuSAE is delighted to partner with The Growth Faculty in bringing Former Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton to Australia and New Zealand for the very first time.

Limited Tickets - Book Now

Free from the constraints of running, Secretary Clinton will share the intense personal experience of becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major party in an election marked by rage, sexism, exhilarating highs and infuriating lows, stranger-than-fiction twists, Russian interference, and an opponent who broke all the rules.

"From lawyer and activist, to first lady, senator, secretary of state and presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton’s extraordinary career and story of resilience is one that fascinates and inspires business leaders and people everywhere.”

Karen Beattie, Managing Director, The Growth Faculty

Don't miss one incredible evening with Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Melbourne - 10th May 2018

Sydney - 11th May 2018

BOOK MELBOURNE | BOOK SYDNEY

Topic: Marketing Strategies and Tactics for Increasing Member Acquisition and Retention

Associations must recruit, engage, and retain members to survive and thrive. Yet many fall short, lacking the knowledge and tools to market membership effectively. We invite you to this full-day workshop that gives what you need to know to grow your organisation’s membership: proven strategies and tactics that have worked for hundreds of associations.

Guest Presenter – Elisa Joseph Anders

Our guest presenter Elisa Joseph Anders brings over 30 years marketing, management and consulting experience in the nonprofit and for profit sectors. Elisa serves as a Senior Account Director at Marketing General Incorporated (MGI) in Alexandria, Virginia. She provides clients with integrated marketing solutions to help them grow membership and market their products and services. Her ability to quickly assess opportunities and develop solid marketing programs based on those opportunities has resulted in tens of thousands of new members for her clients.

Melbourne | Tuesday 10th April 9:30am - 4:30pm

Register Here

Sydney | Wednesday 11th April 9:30am – 4:30pm

Register Here

The IPCA Chairman and Board members would like to take this opportunity to announce that effective February 1, 2018 Mr. Ron Lawson CEO has decided to retire after nearly 50 years in and around the Industry.

Ron has spent the last 8 years as IPCA CEO. He has done an outstanding job in bringing the Code of Practice to the forefront of our industry’s manufacturing and installation processes.Ron has also made an outstanding contribution for our Industry with his significant involvement and contribution to several Australian Standards committees.

Ron has worked incredibly hard for all of the IPCA members in maintaining a vision and taking us on the journey to ensure that our Industry was ahead, or on top of, all the issues that were thrown at us.

The Board is very honoured and proud of the wonderful job that Ron has done for both IPCA and our Industry and would like all members to join us in congratulating this Industry Icon on such a successful career and wish him all the best on an even more fruitful retirement.

Ron will not be lost to our Industry as he will still be supporting both IPCA and the new CEO in a consulting role.

At this time the Board would also like to announce the appointment of the new IPCA CEO as Mr. Allen Mitchell.

Allen has 30 years of Manufacturing Industry experience and has worked in the Panel Industry for 5 years. He brings a wealth of commercial and general management experience to the position and is committed to continuing the significant achievements of IPCA to date.

So, please join us in welcoming Allen to his new role and supporting him in his efforts to continue on the journey of making our Industry a thriving and prosperous one.

Thank you for your continued support.

IPCA Chairman and Board

‘Tis the season for event planning! And whether your event is in the spring, summer, or even early fall, chances are, you’ve already started prepping.

But as much time as you spend on event-related activities prior to the actual event, how much time do you spend on post-event activities, really driving it home?

You’ve heard it before, but we’ll say it again: The event isn’t over when people leave the room. To really ensure success - both with your current event and those in the future - several “next steps” have to be completed. In fact, here’s a little checklist:

Thank your attendees for coming - First and foremost, you NEED to thank your attendees for coming. They took time out of their day and/or night for your association (and likely paid), so a little gratitude is most definitely in order. Send them an email either the day after your event or two days after (but ideally, no later). Let them know you sincerely appreciate their attendance and involvement and hope to see them again in the near future.

Send your attendees a post-event survey - Along with the aforementioned email, send a survey to your attendees asking for feedback on your event. Did they like the location, the speakers, the overall schedule, etc.? Don’t worry too much about getting negative feedback. Think of it as constructive - it can only make you better! (Not sure what to ask your attendees? Here are nine questions we HIGHLY recommend.)

Write a handwritten thank you note to your sponsors AND presenters - Your event wouldn’t be possible without your sponsors and presenters. Send them a handwritten thank you note as quickly as possible following your event. And tip: Personalize these notes as much as you can. Reference their specific session, their specific sponsorship tier, or even a particular conversation you had with them. You want them to feel special - because they helped you (and your association) out tremendously!

Send your sponsors a post-event survey - Just as you should send your attendees a post-event survey, you should also send your sponsors a post-event survey. Were they satisfied with what they got out of the event? Did they find it valuable? What changes would they like to see in the future? It’s crucial that you obtain this type of feedback, because ideally, you want those sponsors involved year after year. (And note: If your event involved exhibitors, you’ll want to send them a post-event survey as well. The more feedback you can get, the better!)

Post pictures/video on social media - Keep the excitement and engagement going after your event by posting pictures and video on social media. Create an album that members and non-members can see. If non-attendees and prospective members can see what types of events you hold and how fun those events look, that’ll make your association (and future events) all that much more appealing.

Recap the event in your newsletter and/or on your blog - Just as you likely promoted your event in your association's newsletter, recap it there too! Include a few pictures, mention how many people attended (if it was a high number), reference a few takeaways from the keynote speaker(s), etc. Not only is this good for non-attendees to see, but it helps your attendees relish in that fun. (Bonus points if you can go ahead and include a “Save the Date” for next year!)

If you had an event app, make sure all the presentations are uploaded and accessible - This depends a little bit on the type of event you had, but if it was educational in nature and featured a variety of breakout sessions, make sure those presentations are available and accessible, at least for a little while (especially if you told attendees they would be). Go through and try opening all of the presentations yourself. Once everything works correctly, let your attendees know. (You want them to obtain max value from your event!)

Schedule a debrief with your team - Last, but certainly not least, you need to schedule a debrief with your team (preferably once all of the above have been handled). People tend to push this one off 1) because they need to get back to work, and 2) because they don’t typically like talking about “all the things that went wrong.” But debriefs don’t have to be (and shouldn’t be) so negative. Unless your event was a total flop, chances are, you had some successes. Talk about those so you can duplicate (and revise) as needed.

Now we’re serious about the importance of debriefs. Not sure what to discuss with your team? Here are a few questions/topics of discussion worth bringing to the table:

Was the on-site registration process efficient?

• What about online registration prior to the conference? Did members call in/email with problems?
  

How was the location?

• Did you have enough space (for people, sessions, etc.)?
  
• Was parking adequate?
  
• Were the room layouts effective?
  

How were the speakers?

• Did you have enough of a variety of topics?
  
• Did attendees say they got good takeaways (via the post-event survey you sent out)?
  
• What were the most popular sessions? Could those be duplicated (or those speakers reinvited) in the future?
  

If you had exhibitors, how did that aspect go?

• Did you have enough exhibitors?
  
• Was booth traffic up to par?
  
• Were your exhibitors satisfied (via the post-event survey you sent out)?
  

Was your sponsorship program successful?

• Did you have enough sponsors?
  
• Were your sponsors satisfied with the event and the package they chose (via the post-event survey you sent out)?
  

Did you stay within budget?

• What could’ve been cut/negotiated better?
  

Debriefing may mean more work, but it’s worth it if it means increased attendance and engagement in the future!

Originally published in MemberClicks