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Member Value Propositions:Creating and Conveying Member Value

in a Time of Change

7.19.12

Jodie Slaughter, FASAE President and Founding Partner

McKinley Advisors

Membership is dead!

Long live membership!

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Is the annualized trend in full, paid memberships for your association over the past 5 years:

Flat

Lower

Higher

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

23%

28%

44%

18%

38%

44%

37%

26%

34%

27%

29%

44%

CESSE 2012 EIA 2011 EIA 2010 EIA

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Flat

Lower

Higher

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

23%

28%

44%

18%

38%

44%

37%

26%

34%

27%

29%

44%

12%

15%

67%

Estimate CESSE 2012 EIA 2011 EIA 2010 EIA

Same trend with 5 year forward-looking estimate

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What concerns you most about membership in your association over the next 5 years?

"Open" Journals / Info

Lack of Employer/Govt funding

Competition

Membership Model

Providing/Communicating value

Aging Membership/Attracting Youth

4

4

4

6

11

14

6

?

Volunteer participation

Product sales

Advertising

Attendance at other educational seminars

Annual meeting attendance

Sponsorship

Membership recruitment

Membership retention

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

29%

58%

74%

74%

83%

88%

86%

88%

36%

66%

80%

74%

79%

88%

78%

84%

42%

50%

59%

68%

69%

76%

78%

77%

36%

46%

49%

58%

59%

65%

72%

72%

Concerned 2012Concerned 2011Concerned 2010Concerned 2009

How concerned are you with the following issues

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Typical age distribution of an association’s membership TODAY

Under 25

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65 or older

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

1%

3%

18%

30%

39%

6%

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Forecast age distribution for the same association in 2025

Under 25

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65 or older

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

1%

3%

9%

18%

30%

39%

IN FOCUS

The Membership Value Proposition

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Your Value Proposition

It’s more than what you say.

It’s also what you deliver.

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How we look to some…

Pay us in advance so that you’ll have lots more to read and the ability to pay us again for access to things that may or may not be relevant for you…

…because it’s the “right thing to do” and you’ll feel guilty if you don’t.

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Customer Value Proposition

Job to be done: solves an important problem or fulfills an important need for the target customer

Offering: satisfies the problem or fulfills the need. This is defined not only by what is sold but also by how it’s sold.

Adapted from Reinventing Your Business Model; Mark W. Johnson, Clayton M. Christensen, Henning Kagermann; Harvard Business Review, December 2008

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Customer Member/Value is Subjective

•Demographics can matter• Career stage• Job setting• Level of engagement…• And sometimes they don’t

Q: What affects value in your Society?

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Variable Value

Good of the Order

PersonalBenefits

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So how do you know?

You have to be curious• Look at behaviors• Ask the right questions

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Sample Value Propositions

With variances based on career stage

Q: What audiences should you consider?

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Sample Value Proposition

  

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Career Stage Value Propositions

ResidentsAs you embark on a career in anesthesiology, you likely have many questions: Who will help me settle in to a long-term employment situation? How do I keep up with my CME requirements? How do I keep up with changes in my specialty? The answer to all of these questions is the American Society of Anesthesiologists. As a member of ASA, you have access to the ASA Career Center, the member directory, comprehensive education opportunities and a number of publications to help you stay informed. From now until your retirement, ASA will ensure that every step is a successful one.   

Late CareeristsAs a veteran in anesthesiology, you have probably seen it all. Through your membership in ASA, you can share your experiences and your knowledge with your colleagues and help prepare the next generation for a satisfying future. Don’t just be a member of ASA –volunteer with a committee or task force, support our advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill or mentor a young anesthesiologist. Let ASA help you share your passion and give back to the profession.

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Your Value Proposition

It’s more than what you say.

It’s also what you deliver.

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Living with a mature model

We typically try build our member value proposition around our existing processes and resources…

…this has acute impact on the membership value proposition.

Think about:

Conference committees

Website navigation

Presidential initiatives

Chapter meetings

e-newsletters

Some of our processes and decisions that erode the MVP:

Product development Pricing Brand strategy Incentive compensation Promotional mix Technology platforms Service levels R&D investment

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Deconstructing the MVP

What within your membership offer:

• Is available EXCLUSIVELY to members?

• Addresses ONE job to be done, not ten?

• Is CHEAPER, FASTER or EASIER to obtain?

• Is relevant to nearly ALL of your target audience?

What do you that fits the bill?

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The “half full” argument…

• There WILL be markets and potential members to serve in the future.

• Certain membership drivers are ETERNAL.

• Membership growth is a LAG INDICATOR of a viable customer value proposition.

• Our challenge is to create a BALANCED AND COHERENT value proposition for membership.

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Strategies to Enhance the MVP

• REWORK internal structures• Seek BALANCE in the MVP• Focus on the USER EXPERIENCE• Determine what can be made EXCLUSIVE• Test low/no cost CONTENT alternatives• TARGET communications (REALLY)• Invest in MOBILE• Increase FLEXIBILITY in membership policies

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Let’s talk…

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Really?

Really?

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Not if you offer unique value and have the tools to make it compelling.