A Marketing General survey has taken a look at why people join professional associations - the results may surprise you. It turns out that 57% of those surveyed did it for networking and 26% joined for continuing education and to learn more about their industry.
So, why then do some struggle with association member retention? And what is the best way to fix that? That's exactly what we're going to explore in this article.
Leading associations have set up specific ways for their members to remain relevant and informed. The main method for this? Education programmes and association member training. Not only does this provide members with the knowledge they'd like about their industry, but it also allows for professional development.
If you're an association executive and looking for ways to give your members access to high-quality educational content, keep reading. Here are 4 ways education programs can increase value for members.
Professional Development and Certification
Offering the opportunity for your members to improve their personal development - especially if they will be certified for it - is a fantastic way to get members to renew their membership. This is one of the key ways in which education programmes can add value for your members.
Being part of association certification programmes will give your members a leg up in their professional industry. It will make them stand out among their peers and competition. And as for you? Getting a reputation for providing great professional development and certification will be an advertisement in itself.
Ensuring you have a good learning management system (LMS) will mean your members will have full control of their professional development. It also means they'll be able to access their certificates and see the results from their prior learning. All without much work from your side - it's a win-win!
And if you can arrange personalised learning for your members then even better!
Networking Opportunities
The subject matter experts who contribute their knowledge and expertise to professional training courses are usually from the same profession as the members of an aligned profession. By participating in professional development it exposes members to experts within their field and members who are likewise interested in the content.
Furthermore, it might encourage members to contribute to other professional development courses themselves in the future. This could be in the form of a face to face seminar or may be a webinar that can later be converted into a training course.
Furthermore, it will naturally lead to instances where your members start taking on mentoring roles. Maybe even without realising it. Putting education at the forefront will encourage your more experienced members to help out where they can. If you can make becoming a mentor incentivised, who knows where that could lead you!
Keeping Up-to-Date With Industry Information
Do you know what makes your association membership incredibly valuable and sought after? Having your members be up-to-date with all current affairs and news stories within your industry. Do you know what can help them (and therefore you) achieve this? A stellar education programme.
As for the members themselves, ensuring they have access to relevant industry information will be a big incentive. Whether that's to stay or to join. By utilising an education programme, you can ensure modules are constantly being updated to fit with new regulations which will then be passed on to the members.
You can also utilise webinars in your education programme. If a news story has broken and it's time-sensitive, getting the recording equipment out and posting the webinar will be very much appreciated by your members. Not only will they be able to learn about whatever piece of news has come out, but they'll also have you there to ask any questions they might have.
Access to Resources and Support
Perhaps more than any of the other benefits, giving members access to resources and support will be a top-tier reason members stay. If you're providing access to materials they could otherwise not get themselves (or at the very least it would be hard for them to), you're making yourself invaluable.
And as with each of the above points, if you're doing it right, not only will your members stay, but they'll 100% be telling their friends and colleagues about you, too. Retain current members and onboard new ones.
This one might potentially be a bit tricky for you though. Creating resources is a skill in and of itself. It can be hard to know what to include and even where to start, but there are solutions! Using an experienced content production team can give you the results you're looking for as well as make your life a lot easier.
Take the Step Towards Association Member Training Today!
So, if you're looking for ways to increase your member retention, look no further than education programmes. Enhancing your association member training will make you invaluable to your members. Providing them with development, networking, industry news, and resources will have you the talk of the town.
If you're interested in this option, a great place to start is by reaching out to an LMS provider. Meet with us now to see how Intuto can help you.
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