Why Member Feedback is the Secret Sauce of Successful Associations

When members think about your association, which word do you think is more likely to pop into their heads:

Meh?

Or Marvellous? 

Your association might have all of the key ingredients: leadership, resources, organization, focus...but does it have the secret sauce that spells the difference between a good association and a great one?

I’m talking about member feedback. 

Here are some of the reasons why seeking member feedback is so important:

1. Who’s the Boss?

Here’s a hint: It’s not your board of directors and it’s not your executive director. It’s your members. Your association wouldn’t exist without their support so you had better make sure you stay in-tune with their needs and priorities.

2. Your Members Need to Feel Ownership over Your Association

If your members are the boss, they should feel like the boss. People like to be consulted.  It makes them feel important.  When you ask your members what they think and take this a step further by implementing their suggestions, they start to feel a sense of ownership. When people own something, they want to take care of it. In an association setting, this can lead to an increased tendency for members to want to roll up their sleeves to help the organization to achieve its goals.  This, in turn can boost members’ sense of loyalty and satisfaction. The list goes on...

3. Your Members are Your Most Powerful Weapon

You undoubtably know a lot about the profession, trade or industry your association represents. But your members probably know a lot more.  They are in the ‘trenches’ so to speak and are in-tune with what’s going on, what is changing and how these changes are affecting them and their organizations. Tapping into this insight and using it to target your programs, services and strategic planning can be an extremely powerful tool.

Check in with us tomorrow where we show you some of the things you can do to improve the member feedback loop in your association.

ARC has conducted member needs and satisfaction surveys for more than 60 associations across North America.  Not only can we benchmark your results against similar organizations, but we design our research to help your association create a strategy that is truly member-driven. Contact me for more information on how ARC can help your association achieve its full potential.