Membership Essentials: Recruitment, Retention, Roles, Responsibilities, and Resources

THE ASAE′S LANDMARK GUIDE TO MEMBERSHIP FUNDAMENTALS

Membership remains a core pillar of many, if not most, associations today. It is a fundamental area central to the role of membership directors and association leaders and one of the nine areas to master when preparing for the Certified Association Executive (CAE). The Second Edition of Membership Essentials is the American Society of Association Executives′ practical and comprehensive guide to membership development, recruitment, and retention.

Step by step, Membership Essentials reviews all aspects of membership such as engagement theory, membership functions, infrastructure, global membership, delivering value, the role of volunteers, and much more. The text draws on the experience and expertise of a wide–range of consultants to the association community and thought leaders from associations (small, large, local, regional, national, and global) and represents the ASAE′s essential body of knowledge on membership topics.

Revised to include the most current and effective practices in the field today, the second edition contains expanded coverage of value proposition, strategic planning, model development, staff leadership, and legal considerations. Reflecting changes in technology and globalization, the text also offers updated information on environmental factors and sustainability, governance, online communities, and the role of volunteers.

Membership Essentials covers the basic concepts, strategies, and techniques that association leaders must grasp in order to fulfill their duties effectively and offers a guide to membership fundamentals when prepping for the CAE.

Acknowledgments vii

About the ASAE–Wiley Series viii

Introduction ix
By Greg Fine, CAE

Chapter 1 The Evolving Environment for Membership and Engagement 1
By Kenneth A. Doyle, FASAE, CAE, and Scott D. Oser, MBA

Chapter 2 Strategic Planning as It Relates to Relationship–Building, Engagement, and Affiliation 13
By Kristine Metter, CAE

Chapter 3 Defining Value 21
By Jay Karen, CAE

Chapter 4 Governance as It Relates to Membership 33
By Charles W. L. Deale, FASAE, CAE

Chapter 5 Membership Is a Team Sport: Working with Other Departments 47
By Sara Miller, MBA, PMP, CAE

Chapter 6 Managing a Global Membership 61
By Andrew Calhoun, CAE

Chapter 7 An Overview of Membership Research 75
By Dean A. West, FASAE

Chapter 8 Mission Impossible: Using Data to Drive Organizational Excellence: Collecting, Managing, and Using Member and Prospect Data 93
By Wes Trochlil and Sherry Budziak

Chapter 9 Organizing and Developing the Membership Function to Deliver Value 111
By Sara Miller, MBA, PMP, CAE

Chapter 10 Membership Categories and Dues Structures 125
By Sheri Jacobs, FASAE, CAE

Chapter 11 The Role of Volunteers in Membership/Volunteer Management 139
By Miriam Wolk, CAE

Chapter 12 Recruitment and Renewal Strategies 153
By Tony Rossell

Chapter 13 Member–Get–a–Member Campaigns 175
By Melanie J. Penoyar, CAE

Chapter 14 Digital Engagement: Online Communities, Web Delivery of Benefits, and Social Networking and Media 191
By Benjamin Martin, CAE

Chapter 15 Membership Communication 207
By Christy Jones, CAE

Chapter 16 Financial Metrics, Management, and Budgeting for Membership 231
By Susanne Connors Bowman, CAE

American Academy of Pediatrics: Rebuilding Our Membership Dashboard 239
By Melissa Walling, IOM, CAE

Chapter 17 Legal Considerations 251
By Jefferson C. Glassie, Esq., FASAE

Chapter 18 Innovations and Potential Directions for Membership–Based Organizations 263
By Lowell M. Aplebaum, CAE, Greg Melia, CAE, and Melody A. Jordan–Carr, MS

About the Executive Editor 279

Index 281

SHERI JACOBS, FASAE, CAE, is President and CEO at Avenue M Group, a full–service association and marketing agency with in–depth expertise in member behavior, engagement, and retention. She is the author of The Art of Membership from ASAE/Wiley.