Expanding Online Relationships

Leaders from more than 1,000 associations — including Association Forum — offered their plans and projections in the face of the pandemic for Association Laboratory’s “The Strategic and Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Associations” report. Conducted in late March, the survey revealed the community’s desire to expand online member relationships. Of responding association leaders:

57% indicated their association was expanding investment in online education

52% are investigating virtual conferences

62% plan on shifting content to digital form

72% anticipate increased use by members of online tools to participate

As cancellations have increased and associations continue navigating their options, the report offered key considerations “to inform the development of goals, strategy and the eventual digital membership value proposition”:

• Include Diverse Voices. How do you incorporate the diverse voices of critical audiences (within resources) into your strategy so that they are embraced by leaders and members within the profession?
• Validate Decision-Drivers. What are the motivators influencing decisions and the features of a digital membership with the greatest influence on the decision to join?
• Configure and Price Wisely. What is the optimal configuration and pricing strategy for a new or revised digital membership that meets the association’s mission-based and business objectives?
• Test. How does the association conduct a pilot test so that the conclusions identified in the research stage can be validated in the real world?

SOURCE: Association Laboratory Inc., “The Strategic and Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Associations™”