Build a better value proposition
What will your organization look like in five years? If your association stands still while the world changes around it, you may miss opportunities to increase membership, reach, engagement and revenue.
Membership Studies
We build sophisticated mobile-responsive surveys using advanced methodologies and techniques (e.g., Max Diff, latent class analysis, discrete choice modeling) to get at the heart of how your audience thinks and behaves. We leverage our industry expertise to develop customized surveys that allow us to provide associations with actionable steps based on data. Optional benchmarking data is available based on hundreds of surveys we’ve conducted with other associations. Moreover, the power is in the cross tabs: we highlight the significant differences between your key member and customer segments. In addition to surveying, we also speak with members and non-members through interviews (phone and in-person), focus groups (online and in-person) and online discussion boards to dig deeper into what your members and customers need. Our analysis and recommendations provide strategies and tactics to recruit, engage and retain members.
Membership Modeling & Dues Restructuring
A one-size-fits all membership model may no longer meet the needs of the community you serve. Associations need to be responsive and nimble, adapting to their dynamic environments. We’ll examine your portfolio of offerings and current dues structure and build potential membership models and benefit bundles that best fit the audiences you serve. Informed by research, our financial forecasts will help you make data-driven decisions on expanding research and increasing engagement.
Strategic Marketing
Building value is only part of the equation; developing the right messaging to communicate your value is just as critical. Our team will perform an audit of your digital and print marketing communications and provide short- and long-term solutions to get your organization on track. Our message maps provide easy-to-use messaging specific to personas or key audience segments. Drawing on examples from the association and for-profit world, our marketing reports provide a mix of strategies and tactics that translate into increased recruitment, retention and engagement.
Strategic Guidance
Our reports don’t just sit on a shelf—they motivate action. We have experience communicating the research findings to board members, volunteers and staff through in-person and online presentations and facilitations. Avenue M’s executive leadership, Sheri and Elena, frequently consult with boards and committees and lead group facilitations, synthesizing a multitude of perspectives into a cohesive strategic plan. Our team’s presenters have years of experience in executive positions and serving on boards, so they’ve been in your position and know how to encourage boards to think strategically and act efficiently. Our CEO, Sheri Jacobs, shares her expertise through speaking engagements annually at ASAE as well as numerous other marketing and association conferences and frequently is a featured guest for association publications and podcasts.
Market Research & Analysis
What are your association’s strengths and opportunities for differentiation? Avenue M’s in-depth research provides a better understanding of your association’s market and audience. A competitive analysis will identify your organization’s strengths, weaknesses and threats and will find potential opportunities for your organization to differentiate itself–from pricing to distribution to brand positioning. Our marketplace assessments examine the fields, professions and other key segments to measure the size and subsets of the target markets. Environmental scans provide an in-depth look at the current and anticipated environment and help assess how your organization can remain relevant in a changing landscape.
Member & Customer Experience
The member journey begins prior to an individual joining an organization. Learn more about how your members and customers interact with your organization through in-depth mystery shopping and data analysis. Our analysis, strategies and tactics will provide you the information you need to influence the channels and behavioral patterns of your prospective and current members. Using first-hand experiences and data analytics, we’ll provide the common pathways members use to engage with your association, and we’ll provide solutions to increase engagement. Our data mining visualizations displaying low, medium and high program and product usage are designed for easy interpretation.
