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Membership growth relies on both new acquisitions and renewals–not one or the other. An organization can’t grow solely off of member renewals. And if your membership modely relies soley on recruiting new members but fails to retain existing members, there’s likely something broken in the member lifecycle journey.

The “lifecycle journey” we’re referring to is the five stages a prospect goes through before and after they become a member of your association:

1. Awareness
2. Recruitment
3. Engagement
4. Renewal
5. Reinstatement

This article explores the five stages of the membership lifecycle journey and what they mean for you as a membership organization.

Member Acquisition

Member Acquisition is an ongoing effort that…

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By Tony Rossell, Senior Vice President

Associations Evolve: 2022 and Beyond was just released under the editorial leadership of Belinda Moore. The publication includes articles from  50 leaders in the global association community. I was honored to be included in the group. With over 100 pages of content, I thought it might be helpful to share some selected quotes from the publication. Of course, you can download the entire document with this link. 

Here are some highlights from Associations Evolve.

"Associations who embraced the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to innovate are already seeing benefits. Many are reporting increased engagement, higher retention rates, and overall membership…

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By Tony Rossell, Senior Vice President

The past year and a half has presented associations with significant economic challenges. Many have realized lower revenue from meetings and less dues revenue.  

One association executive summed up the situation this way.  “It’s a lost year (and maybe two). . . The impact on our financial health may extend well beyond the pandemic as it takes years of careful financial stewardship to build reserves and we’re spending it now.”

To help offset the reduced revenue, associations are exploring increasing dues. Based on data and experience, here are some best practices to consider when implementing a dues increase.  

How often do associations raise dues?

Data…

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By Tony Rossell, Senior Vice President

With the proliferation of virtual meetings and new membership models, getting the price right is a hot topic. Proper pricing has a significant influence on an offering's viability and profitability, and should be part of the conversation from the start of the development process. Here are some of the ingredients that go into establishing a successful approach to pricing.

Pricing Strategy

For almost any product or service, there is a wide range of pricing options. For example, a quick internet search for a pair of sneakers shows a price range from $6.99 to $795. There are vastly different strategies between these two ends of the pricing spectrum.

So how does…

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By Tony Rossell, Senior Vice President

“Why isn’t my membership growing?” We hear this question often in our consulting with associations.  When we investigate the concern, a consistent theme emerges. In most instances, the root of the problem comes down to issues with the membership recruitment program.

That is why in the book, Membership Recruitment: How to Grow Recurring Revenue, Reach New Markets, and Advance Your Mission, Tony Rossell explores the impediments holding back associations’ membership.  Here are the most consistent challenges we find in developing a successful membership recruitment program.

1. Abandonment of Membership Recruitment– Perhaps the most significant problem holding…

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