For everyone from independent business owners managing their own book of business to employees of established brands, Individual Member Organizations (IMO) membership provides access to communities of like-minded professionals, and other exclusive benefits. How can associations cater to the needs of modern service professionals to drive sustainable member engagement?
Prior to the Internet and digital social media platforms, associations had a monopoly on information access. Digital technologies have changed the table stakes for dues-paying members of these communities. Why pay association dues to access content when similar content is available online for little to no cost?
While lack of engagement ranks consistently as a top-three reason for members to not renew membership, associations have been slow to act, their delayed response likely due to their incomplete (or distanced?) understanding of their younger members’ needs. Any benefits or programs that do not speak to the distinct needs of their members suggests that associations’ offerings are not in sync with the demographics of the workforce.
With their economic model under duress, associations need to reconsider the value of membership. As they do so, they need to address not only changing attitudes but also changing demographics, changing member expectations, and their own responses to these changes. The opportunity for associations is to communicate a value proposition to Gen Z and Millennials that speaks to these challenges.
We created an exclusive tool that appeals to the needs of modern service professionals, by building best practices from several leading industry associations into PocketSuite’s robust business management software. The resulting “Partner Editions” of PocketSuite increase member retention through expert curation of the PocketSuite platform, actionable business intelligence, and in-app content publishing.
By combining our features with templates and recommended workflows from trusted industry experts, the pro knows that they are getting the best possible guidance to run a successful business. To create the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP) Edition, for example, PocketSuite incorporated ABMP’s existing resources and massage industry knowledge into a custom app for their members.
An IMO’s ability to offer members advice only increases with their use of the Partner Edition. The breadth of PocketSuite’s data acquisition allows for in-depth reporting on ways in which diverse practices impact a business’s bottom-line. This access to summary trends of PocketSuite activity transforms readily into actionable business intelligence for the IMO’s members.
By providing an association with an in-app content publishing capability, the Partner Edition becomes a vehicle to deliver relevant and timely information to members. Association branded content delivered in the Partner Edition has the dual benefit of providing members with informed and actionable insight, while also keeping the association top of mind with its members.
The storm clouds were gathering well before COVID 19 struck, but the convulsion in the workforce caused by the Pandemic tested the ability of associations to retain existing members and attract younger service providers entering the workforce. While perhaps too early to declare that the storm has passed, there are rays of light to suggest that associations are adapting to the “new normal.”
