Communicating Your Value to Your Members All Year Round

One of the questions Associations are asking themselves right now is: how can we communicate the value of our membership? When so much has changed due to the pandemic, the cost versus return of Association membership is being brought into sharp focus. 

We know the perceived value of membership is key to why organisations become members, renew or stay engaged. However, how we describe and communicate value is a common challenge for all Associations.

A good place to start when communicating value is to ask: ‘What does value mean to our members?’ and ‘How is that reflected in our business model?’

What is value?

            The definition of value includes: “the worth of something in terms of the number of other things for which it can be exchanged or in terms of some medium of exchange” and “equivalent worth or return in money, material, services etc”. Value is something in comparison to something else, it is subjective, and it fluctuates. What is your membership value being compared to?

• It might be financial: “I get insurance with my membership. My insurance is normally $2,000, my membership is $1,800 – therefore it’s a done deal.”
• It could be time: “I get access to relevant industry and government information quickly, saving me time finding it myself.”
• It could be exposure to market: “Our membership gives us access to more people at two networking events than my Business Development Managers can meet in six months.”  
• Or it could be educational: “The industry-tailored educational opportunities help make me an employer of choice.”

So, people’s perception of what is valuable will determine how your membership value is perceived.

What is your value story?

How can you communicate your membership value so that it is perceived as important, justifies ongoing commitment, and delivers a strong return on investment of money and time?

Associations need to finely tune the stories they tell about their value in ways that make sense within the context of their member’s world. 

The below Value Storytelling Framework provides four spectrums to reframe how you talk about your membership.

Spectrum One: FINITE TO INFINITE

Do you speak to your members about the tactical work you have done, e.g., We completed 12 newsletters, 300 social media posts, one conference and six webinars?

Or could you talk to the goal you’re working towards for your industry and members?

An infinite conversation is about the goals you are working to achieve: the advancement of your profession, raising awareness of your issue or profession, etc. Then, you can outline how you have done that, including your marketing and events.

Spectrum Two: MATHEMATICAL TO MONEY CAN’T BUY

Some Associations talk of the mathematical value of membership. i.e., they add up everything that they offer and then minus the cost of membership. This isn’t value, it is an equation of monetary exchange.

Or could you talk to the ‘money can’t buy’ experiences you provide such as the networking opportunities, the learning you provide and the exponential gains? Your member should be excited about the possibilities of membership.

Spectrum Three: FEATURES TO BENEFITS 

Your Association is talking in features if you print a matrix of ‘things’ you deliver and tick the relevant columns e.g., if you’re gold, you get A, B and C, etc. This is important, to outline the inclusions of membership, but don’t lead with it.

Or could you lead with a benefit conversation, which is typified by talking to the net outcome of being involved with your Association, and the impact you will have. What is the benefit of what we can do together that we can’t do separately? What are the benefits you provide for your member’s brand, sales, staff experiences and culture that they can’t get elsewhere? Features talk about you; benefits talk to your members.

Spectrum Four: PRODUCTS TO PURPOSE  

Like the features and benefits flip, products, such as training, are important to communicate but it might be time to switch up your communication and talk to your purpose first. 

To galvanise a community and inspire loyalty, the conversation needs to turn toward purpose – the higher reason for coming together or the goal we collectively wish to accomplish.

Your purpose is what will attract the right members; your products will keep them paying. Sometimes your products will attract people, however your purpose will keep them connected. You can dial these up and down depending on the current context.

Once you understand what your members need and what your value is, you can choose the right tools to communicate your real value. Here are some tips:

• Tell people why it mattered what you did, as well as what you did and what would have happened if you didn’t
• Talk to the benefit of the membership first, not to the feature / product / service
• Demonstrate evidence of the value you have provided through storytelling and quantitative evidence. Lead with stories
• Sell on the possibilities of the collective vision
• Answer explicitly: what is the contribution members can make?

Finding this value and communicating it can be challenging, but once found, you’ll see a real impact to your membership.