NO, “MV plus MX equals ME” is not a mathematical nor a physics formula. But yes, it is nonetheless a formula for an effective association membership engagement strategy. Let me explain.
As a background, I wrote about Marketing General Inc.’s association membership lifecycle in my column of April 9, 2021, “The ‘Science’ of Membership Marketing.” The lifecycle consists of two main aspects: member acquisition (under which are the areas of awareness and recruitment), and member retention (engagement, renewal and reinstatement).
As a follow-through on this topic, I’m sharing my takeaways from a webinar that my organization, the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE), organized last week entitled, “Stickiest New Member Engagement Program Revealed!”
The webinar was presented by member engagement specialist, Amanda Kaiser of Kaiser Insights Llc. (USA), who showed how associations can improve their new member renewal rates as well as strategies on the most effective new member onboarding programs to rely on. These and more were based on the research she undertook with Dynamic Benchmarking which explored new member connecting, welcoming, and orientation habits of over 160 associations.
To describe what membership engagement is, Amanda put out a simple formula: member value (MV) plus member experience (MX) equals membership engagement (ME).
MV represents the tangible benefits that a member expects in joining an association. In finance lingo, it is the return of investment (ROI), i.e., the annual membership dues that a member pays to the association.
Based on studies by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), there are at least four membership values: learning (on and off-line educational and certification programs for career advancement), knowledge (technical and problem-solving information such as case studies, journals, research, etc.), community (involvement in special interest groups, networking and volunteering opportunities, others), and advocacy (formulating position papers, rendering testimonials or public policy statements).
MX consists of actuations on how the association engages with its members like providing a sense of belongingness (e.g., during a first event attendance), a welcoming posture (upon joining), and means for connectedness (like networking sessions with peers and other members). More concrete member experiences can be created in writing engaging emails, planning first impressions, curating networking and, of course, making calls.
Another example of member engagement tool given was preparing a “problem-solution matrix” which maps out and anticipates (a) a new member’s situation, e.g., new to the profession or business, new to the career or to the organization vis-à-vis (b) identifying their specific problem at particular situation then (c) providing a specific solution to the identified problem.
In the end, Amanda said, there is “brain science” behind this membership engagement formula since the human mind has an emotional left lobe which takes note of the experiences’ part and a rational right lobe which registers the values part.
So try this simple formula to engage fully with your members: MV+MX=ME.
The column contributor, Octavio ‘Bobby’ Peralta, is concurrently the secretary-general of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific, Founder & CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives and President of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Association Organizations. The purpose of PCAAE—the “association of associations”—is to advance the association management profession and to make associations well-governed and sustainable. PCAAE enjoys the support of Adfiap, the Tourism Promotions Board, and the Philippine International Convention Center. E-mail: [email protected]
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