Smooth The Path

JANUARY 28, 2020

Do staff regularly conduct member research? Are listening tours, welcome calls, or member interviews on your list of to-dos? When testing new benefits, do you ask for member feedback? But member insights are hard to come by. Members are busy, and likely they will continue getting busier in the future.

Member Research 88

Member Research Member Insights Survey Member Engagement 88

Smooth The Path

MARCH 5, 2020

When it comes to member research, and maybe even feedback, your board is not a reliable source. Board members may: Remember the good old days and want to return the association to that time. Come from a few enormous organizations with extensive resources. Be much more advanced in their careers than the average member.

Member Research 88

Member Research Member Insights Resources Organization 88

Smooth The Path

AUGUST 30, 2016

This is great advice but it is awfully hard to do when we don’t know our members’ why. For every action (or inaction) members (and non-members) take there is a why. As established organizations, knowing our member’s why helps us develop and communicate our why.

Las Vegas 79

Las Vegas Member Insights Member Research Newsletter 79

Smooth The Path

APRIL 7, 2016

They believe the mission or the promise of the organization is critically important and they know the association needs to improve. They are going through some massive cultural shifts as they reorient the decades old organization toward the future with a new focus on rapid innovation. How does this apply to member insights?

Member Insights 60

Member Insights Member Research Survey Report 60

Smooth The Path

JULY 31, 2017

While conducting member research new members and long-time members share why they engage with their association (and why they don’t). Because they are ready to switch organizations and they know networking can help them secure a better job faster.

Member Engagement 68

Member Engagement Member Research Project Organization 68

Smooth The Path

NOVEMBER 6, 2016

In preparation for other strategic planning processes the association conducted quantitative member surveys but found the results were not all that actionable because there continued to be so many unanswered questions. With this in mind they decided to test out a qualitative research methodology as input to this strategic planning process.

Case Study 104

Case Study Project Member Insights Association Value 104

Smooth The Path

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Often from the board, sometimes from members, periodically from volunteers, and maybe from staff. Most of the time, the feedback is directed at the organization. We want to be responsive to our members, but wouldn’t it be great if we knew if the feedback was correct or not? Sometimes the feedback is personal.

System 103

System Process Project Member Insights 103