Membership Development: Why ‘why’ is always the most important question.?

Associations who can help members understand ‘why’ have a competitive advantage in recruitment and retention.

Think about it. It happens every day. From whatever your favourite source, you learn of news or events that not only surprise you, but, often, shock you.?

Why on earth, you ask, would someone do such a thing? Or, why would people want to participate in that type of action or activity?

And, it also happens every day that your question goes unanswered.?

More often than not, the ‘news’ report doesn’t offer you anything concrete in terms of motive, or objective, for what has happened.?

Simply that the event has taken place, and what we know to this point.?

Sometimes, it seems, the news isn’t really news, but somehow vaguely descriptive content, structured to avoid reaching some conclusion.?

We are left unsatisfied, if not frustrated.?

Trying to understand

After all, life, work, is about making sense of things isn’t it??

Trying to understand why things happen, so that we can work to make them happen again, or make sure they never happen again.?

Clearly, content is important. But, just as clearly, some content is more important. And? content is more content, in fact, valuable, if it tells us, or offers a consideration of ‘why’ things happen.

Content is everywhere. And, unfortunately, more often than not, reused and recycled, with little or no revision or updating.

Associations have a major purpose, and responsibility, to their Members. To help them understand their cause, or profession, or industry better.

People who are attracted to your Association, decide to join because you can help them interpret, anticipate, assess and influence the future.?

Where to start

Being able to tell Members ‘why’ is an important starting point.?

Do you have access to information, or talent, on staff, or by way of consultant relationships, that can explain ‘why’?

Or are you simply scanning content, and sharing content, no matter how visually compelling, or strategically formatted, that never quite ever answers the question of ‘why’ certain events and issues are surfacing.

Do you have an expert, or experts available, who can offer on a member-only basis, access to such insight??

If not, it’s time to go out and get that, and then, to market that, as privileged, value-added information, that simply is not available, outside of your providing it to them.

Getting to the answer we want to hear

After all, what we all strive for, is for people to answer the question,?

“Why are you a Member”??

by saying:

“Because my Association, the association to which I belong, helps me understand ‘why’ things are happening. I find that incredibly helpful. Don?t know what I?d do without them.”

Our purpose is to help members manage their futures better, to make better decisions about their product and service offerings, and, to set themselves apart from others, demonstrating their competence and leadership.

So, while you may present generic content, routinely, which offers the who, what, when and where, the only way we can get content users and consumers to become Members, is to offer them the opportunity and privilege of understanding ‘why’.?

To develop membership, we need to offer (not give away) unique insights, ‘advantaged’ information, value-added services, contingent on Membership.?

We need to offer Content that is not only Memorable, but Meaningful.?

And, people need to become and remain Members to access it.

Paul McKay CAE, Senior Advisor, McKay Associates.
Feel free to get in touch with Paul through?LinkedIn