How to Choose a CRM for Associations + 9 Top Providers

There are over 66,000 trade and professional associations in the U.S. alone, and each one has a different way of managing its membership base. For example, a small association in its first year of operating might just use a few simple spreadsheets to track member engagement while a large, established organization will need something more robust.

The first step toward building a comprehensive and effective tech stack is understanding your association’s options. For example, would you be able to describe the differences between a CRM and an AMS? Which is better for your organization, and why? Or, should you invest in both of them?

In this guide, we’ll explore the differences between a CRM and an AMS and some key considerations for associations looking to optimize their operations:

What is the difference between an AMS and a CRM for associations?
What are the benefits of using a CRM for associations?
How do associations use CRM systems and association management software?
What are some top CRM systems for associations?

It’s common for the terms “CRM software” and “association management software (AMS)” to be used interchangeably. To clear up any confusion, let’s start by defining each term and outlining the core features related to each type of software.

What is the difference between an AMS and a CRM for associations?

Because there is some overlap between the roles a CRM and AMS play in association management, understanding the difference between the two can be challenging. To use each one effectively, it’s important to understand the purpose and use cases for both types of software.

Explore the differences between an AMS and CRM for associations.

With customer relationship management software (CRM), your association can track interactions with current and prospective members to deepen your relationships with them. This type of software is more broadly used than an AMS, and it is employed by businesses, nonprofit organizations, and, of course, associations.

The general purpose of a CRM is to logically organize member information so your staff can use this data to develop personalized communications and engagement opportunities. To do this, CRMs have features like:

Data tracking and storage
Reporting
Member profiles with contact information, engagement history, etc.
Planning for marketing campaigns
Dues payment information

On the other hand, association management software (AMS) is designed specifically for associations and helps association leaders manage day-to-day operations. Because this type of software serves a more niche audience, it isn’t used by other types of organizations.

AMS software usually has:

Event planning tools
Online member communities/forums
Membership directories
Learning management systems (LMS) for continued education and upskilling
eCommerce platforms for selling merchandise, event registration, etc.

If your organization already has some kind of management software, many of these features might sound familiar. But if you’re managing your organization without the help of data and technology, it’s easy to see how both a CRM and AMS could dramatically improve your operations and reduce staff members’ workloads.

What are the benefits of using a CRM for associations?

Now that we’ve covered the difference between the two terms, you might be wondering: why use a CRM for your association? While it’s true that an AMS will be more specialized to your needs as an association, CRMs have advantages as well.

Here are the top benefits of incorporating a CRM into your association management tech stack:

You can improve your relationships with members when you use a CRM to centralize member data and visualize actionable insights.
Your association can send out more targeted, personalized communications that resonate with members, maximizing the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
Your decisions will be backed by data—instead of guessing about what might appeal to members, you can instead develop strategies based on concrete data.
CRMs can be more affordable than other software solutions because they have fewer specialized features (like an eCommerce platform, for example).
Because CRMs are widely used, it’s easier to find insights from experts on how to best use them.

Conversely, there is one important disadvantage of CRMs to keep in mind. A CRM is not as robust and all-inclusive as an AMS, and it may not have association-specific features your organization needs (e.g., providing an exclusive professional development course through your AMS’ learning management system).

Instead of relying on a traditional CRM alone, choose an AMS with additional CRM capabilities.

How do associations use CRM and association management software?

Now that we’ve defined each term, it might be helpful to see what each one looks like in the context of your day as an association leader. Keep in mind that these two kinds of software don’t have to be mutually exclusive. In fact, your association will see the best results by leveraging them together.

Here are two example scenarios that illustrate how a CRM and AMS would fit into your daily operations:

CRM for Associations

You begin your day as an association leader checking the dashboard in your CRM to get a quick overview of your organization’s key performance metrics like membership growth and registrations for your upcoming conference.

Later in an afternoon meeting, your team uses the CRM to prepare for the conference. You reference the total number of registrants and compare it to member engagement levels from your last event. Because more people registered for the conference, you conclude that your new outreach strategies are more effective.

Finally, you complete the month’s marketing campaign calendar so you can quickly send out campaign messages via your AMS later that week. Using your CRM, you identify any members who are at risk of lapsing so your association will send these members more frequent, customized messages to potentially increase their engagement.

Association Management Software

To get started, you check the most recent report from your association’s eCommerce website. Your organization is carefully tracking everything from merchandise sales to conference registrations.

Next, your team meets to strategize ways to secure more exhibitors and sponsors for the conference. Using your AMS, you calculate the revenue you’ve received from exhibitors and sponsors so far, determining how much more you would need to reach revenue goals. From there, your staff discusses how to push the deals in your sponsorship pipeline through.

Before ending your day, you reference the marketing campaign calendar designed in your CRM. You segment your audience to target any members who demonstrated low levels of engagement and may be at risk of lapsing. Then, you draft a few emails and schedule them to be sent to these members over the next month. Finally, you see that your AMS automatically sent welcome emails to the five new members who joined over the weekend, and automatically loop them into your monthly newsletter.

What are some top CRM systems for associations?

CRM systems and association management software both offer important benefits. But how can your association blend these two types of software to gain the advantages of both? By investing in a CRM-based AMS.

Here are our top recommendations:

Protech: The #1 CRM-based AMS for Organizations that Use Microsoft

At Protech, we offer software that combines the capabilities of both CRMs and association management software. When everything is on one unified platform, your organization won’t need to spend time navigating between different programs or integrating with other systems. Because all of your association data is housed in one place, it’s easier to keep it accurate, up-to-date, and secure.

Protech is built specifically for Microsoft Dynamics 365. It works seamlessly with other Microsoft tools, connecting your association to the numerous technologies available in the Microsoft ecosystem. This partnership extends your association management capabilities with:

Microsoft’s intelligent business applications, which combine your data with business intelligence (BI) technology to automate and enhance organizational procedures
Built-in connectors to the leading third-party apps
Microsoft Office tools that support increased productivity and efficiency
Thousands of native apps you can easily implement into your association management processes

Our partnership with Microsoft makes Protech the ideal solution for any association that currently uses or is familiar with Microsoft products. Like other association management software, it includes tools for:

Membership management
Event planning
Event sponsorship and exhibit management
Education and professional development
Fundraising
eCommerce
Marketing
Financial management
Reporting and analytics

Because we offer a CRM-based AMS, choosing Protech allows your organization to leverage both the data-tracking benefits of a CRM and the association-specific tools in an AMS.

Fonteva

Software Overview

Fonteva offers association management software built on the Salesforce CRM. Because it is fully native and integrated with Salesforce, Fonteva is an excellent choice for large associations that already use Salesforce to manage their operations.

Fonteva offers almost every tool your association will need to effectively manage members, plan events, hold fundraisers, and more. Create collaborative online communities with virtual forums and user-friendly membership directories. Generate real-time reports about members’ behaviors and preferences to better understand them and foster connections. Additionally, your association can maximize non-dues revenue through Fonteva’s eCommerce tools and the ability to customize join and renewal flows.

Our Favorite Feature

Our Favorite Feature

By working with ToucanTech’s support team, associations can create logical workflow automation that fits their needs. These workflows are created by humans and accommodate everything from custom memberships to reporting.

Pricing

ToucanTech provides custom quotes upon request.

Additional Resources

There are a few core differences between a CRM and AMS that you’ll need to understand in order to use each one effectively. However, it’s critical to understand that you’ll need to leverage both tools to streamline your association’s operations, give members valuable opportunities and experiences, and create strong member relationships.

To get the best of both association management worlds, invest in a CRM-based AMS like Protech. Contact us today to book a demo and learn more!

For more information on CRMs and association management software, check out these additional resources:

AMS vs. CRM: Integrating Strategy and Software. For an in-depth look at the relationship between a CRM and AMS, read this guide.
20 Top-Quality Association Management Software Providers. Considering a new association management solution? Browse our list of the top eight AMS providers.
Association Software 101: How to Find the Best AMS Platform. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with lists of features and integrations, take a look at this comprehensive guide to find the best AMS for your organization.