A Rising Tide Lifts All Associations. Take the 2018 Association Communications Benchmarking Survey

Like the ocean, the association community is always in motion. Novel ways of communicating with members develop while outdated channels fade away. New generations of potential members arrive on the scene eager to participate but with communication preferences different from the old guard. New technology makes communicating with members easier in some ways, but more difficult to master in others.

If you could face these waves of change with a life buoy in hand, would you take it? Our annual Association Communications Benchmarking Report aims to be your association’s lifeline – the tool that will help your communications staff, board of directors, C-suite and any other stakeholders in your communications cadre see the main successes and challenges across the association communications horizon and chart a course that fits your resources and fulfills your mission.

Last year, for the first time in survey history, a new challenge emerged as the biggest one association communicators face: Communicating member benefits effectively. Without the help of our survey participants telling us about this growing concern with making sure people see the value in association membership, we would still be lost in the sea of information overload.

The associations who know how to successfully execute thoughtful and integrated communications strategies tend to see better member engagement and retention. When you’re armed with the right information, you can respond to the relevant challenges at hand. A report like the Benchmarking Report contains valuable knowledge about creating effective integrated communications practices, content planning, responding to member communication preferences, and the communication platforms with the largest return on investment.

The 2018 Association Communications Benchmarking Survey will provide this type of data. Now in its eighth year, the survey presents an ever-evolving set of questions to reflect the ever-changing association communications landscape. But we need your help gathering your experiences as a professional involved in your association’s communications. Based on the survey participation of association professionals like you, this comprehensive study will highlight overall communications best practices within the association marketplace while revealing areas where associations can make improvements.

A few benefits of association professionals like you taking the survey include:

• Early access to customizable reports (June 2018)
• Seeing how your responses compare to your peers in similarly situated associations
• Receiving a unique best practices score that allows you to easily evaluate your performance and provides information to help improve your communications efforts
• Receiving a $10 Amazon gift card (Must be a current association employee and take at least 50 percent of the survey for gift card eligibility)

There are many perspectives and experiences on the front lines of association communications and management, and it’s important to us to gather all those perspectives to gain a clearer picture of the trends associations are riding and the challenges they face. Your individual input matters! Participating in the survey is important because the results can help you strategically improve your association’s communications. In other words: A rising tide will lift all boats.

Help us raise the tide for all association communicators and take the 2018 Benchmarking Survey. Click here to begin.

Brianna Martin is a corporate marketing specialist with Naylor Association Solutions.