In planning for 2026, association leaders and other executives are choosing where to invest their time, effort, and investments. Do we win by building something new, by pricing smarter, by entering new markets, or by being more efficient with AI? According to this month’s Avenue M poll, the answer for many is to start with what you make and then decide how to package, price, and become more efficient back at the office.
A recent Avenue M quick poll with 59 executives asked: Of those listed, which lever will drive the most growth for your organization in 2026?
Here’s how respondents voted:
- New offerings: 44%
- New markets/segments: 24%
- New pricing/packaging: 17%
- AI-driven efficiency: 15%
At first glance, it’s tempting to read this as “growth comes from offering something new.” But, the story is more nuanced. For example, one executive shared, “There’s tremendous interest in our discipline from the Middle East. We have seen greater-than-average growth there over the past 18 months. We will now take an intentional approach to better serve the market to gain further increased market share.” While another shared, “We are lowering chapter dues and offering customized membership packages.”
Why New Offerings Lead (44%)
New offerings create fresh demand. They give members, clients, and customers a clear reason to choose you or your organization by solving a problem in a distinctly better way—through utility, simplicity, or differentiation.
Try this next quarter:
- Conduct three 30-minute problem interviews per week with non-members or non-customers; synthesize patterns into a 1-page concept brief.
- Prototype a Minimum Lovable Offering (MLO) and test it with a small target audience before you invest fully.
- Add one adjacent feature or format (e.g., micro-course, roundtable) tied to a proven job-to-be-done.
New Markets/Segments: Expansion With Fit (24%)
Expansion works when your advantage maps cleanly to an underserved audience. The pitfall is copying and pasting the same story into a different segment. Winning usually requires adapting the narrative, channels, and proof points to the buyer you’re trying to reach.
Try this next quarter:
- Choose one new segment and write a one-pager of their pain points, triggers, and must-have proof.
- Localize the “why us” in two assets (landing page, webinar, or event session) and run a small paid campaign.
- Recruit two in-segment champions to co-host intros and lend credibility.
Pricing & Packaging: Capturing Value (17%)
How you position and sell what you’ve built matters. Thoughtful tiers, outcome-based pricing, and clear upgrade paths unlock revenue without adding features. Validate value first, then align pricing to it. As one respondent shared, “Our sponsors have signaled they would welcome a more consultative approach to our packaging, so we are confident that if we do something intentional, we can make real progress.”
Try this next quarter:
- Map features to three clear tiers (Good/Better/Best) with one obvious “Goldilocks” choice.
- Create a deal-accelerator – a time-bound bundle with onboarding support.
- Add to expansion levers: add-ons, premium support, or sponsor-plus options.
AI-Driven Efficiency: Speed as a Strategy (15%)
AI isn’t only about cutting costs; it amplifies learning speed. Teams use AI to summarize member input, test variables, and personalize experiences at scale. One executive shared, “I talked to my team about increasing efficiency by 10% by using AI.”
Try this next quarter:
- Stand up a two-week AI sprint. Pick one bottleneck (member support, content tagging) and measure cycle time before and after.
- Build a feedback flywheel. Automate 2-question surveys and use AI to analyze the data to make recommendations around changes that would create a more frictionless experience.
- Launch micro-personalization. Create dynamic recommendations in emails or on the website based on behavior, not demographics.
Finding Your 2026 Growth Mix
Growth rarely comes from pulling just one lever. If you’re aiming for revenue growth:
- Validate opportunities for product expansion or new offerings.
- Package and price so members, clients, and customers can adopt and expand.
- Use AI to accelerate learning and delivery.
- Enter new segments once your story is repeatable and operations are ready.
Bottom line: In 2026, growth will favor organizations that build something customers can’t ignore—afterwards, capture and scale that value with smart pricing, targeted expansion, and faster learning cycles.
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Contributors: Sheri Jacobs, FASAE, CAE
Image: IStock photo image