To keep a competitive edge, your association needs a powerful value proposition. This will not only attract new members but also retain existing ones. Remember, every organization is unique; there’s no one-size-fits-all statement.

Our 6-step process below provides a clear framework for crafting an effective statement. Follow these steps to develop a value proposition that truly showcases the excellence of your association.

The Proven Process for Creating a Member Value Proposition

We've worked with thousands of member-centric organizations worldwide and have identified six key steps you should follow.

1. Assess Your Members’ Needs

You need to do your homework first. Your entire value proposition centers around your members’ needs — so you need to be clear about what they are. There are many ways to do this:

• Surveys: Ask your members about the obstacles they’re facing — not about “nice to have” benefits. You need to drill down to truly understand the pain points they’re experiencing so you can help them.
• Forums: Ask trusted members to pose questions in your forums about current member concerns.
• Mobile App: If you have a year-round mobile app, send quick polls to your members to gather insights.
• Social media: You can post questions and ask for feedback.
• Personas: If you’ve created member personas, look at each one and consolidate their pain points.

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2. Clearly Define Your Target Member and Industry / Sector / Community

You might think this is obvious, but many times it’s not. Your value proposition needs to specify the market you serve so members can truly see themselves in your organization. You may focus on a particular industry, profession, region, etc. And while it might be tempting to say: “We serve everyone,” it’s not a great strategy for several reasons:

• Taking a shot-gun approach to recruiting dilutes your resources and keeps you from focusing on the members that are most likely to join
• Members want to feel like they’re part of an exclusive group
• Members want to know you have the knowledge/expertise they require

3. Articulate the Pain Points They’re Facing

This is the meat and potatoes of your value proposition. Using the research you did in step 1, lay out exactly what you’ve learned about the members’ needs. Then prioritize the 3-5 most pressing pains they’re experiencing.

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4. Explain How Your Organization Understands and Addresses Their Issues

Now that you’ve identified the key pain points, you need to articulate how your organization addresses these pains. Start with a list of your services and map them to the pain points. Then summarize them until you have a short, powerful response to each one. Think about:

• Resources (membership directories, publications, etc.)
• Website/member portal
• Knowledge base
• Professional education, certification, and regulation
• Subject Matter Experts
• Advocacy efforts
• Conferences/seminars
• Networking opportunities

Mission Statement vs. Member Value Proposition:

While both are important, they serve different purposes.

Mission Statement

The mission statement explains your association's purpose. You'll only update this when your association makes significant changes to your overall objectives.

Member Value Proposition

The member value proposition demonstrates the benefits of membership and clearly communicates why members will want to join. Regularly update this to reflect changes within your association.

5. Highlight What Makes You Unique

This is your chance to shine. Tell them why you’re different, better, more cost-effective, more responsive, more respected, etc., etc.

Membership in your organization should be so obvious to your sector that they can't imagine not joining. The best way to do this is by pointing to specific benefits and resources they absolutely need and can’t get elsewhere.

6. Craft a Concise Statement That Embodies All the Above

You've ✔ defined your target market, ✔ identified pain points, ✔ mapped your services to pain points, ✔ and established your differentiators. Now it’s time to weave this together into one cohesive statement.

There is no exact science to the length, but it should be approximately 2-5 sentences. It’s not a tagline, but it’s not an entire page, either.

Now that you've written your statement, you’ll want to:

After writing your statement...

Test. Refine. Rinse and Repeat.

What to leave out is just as important as what to leave in.

Massage it. Test it out on your board, then make edits. Share it with committee members, then edit. Show it to trusted members and continue to whittle it down and make it leaner and more focused.

Crafting your first value proposition statement will take some time — but it’s worth it. It will have an enormous impact on recruiting and retention if you get it right.

Consider Your Digital Member Value Proposition

As you prepare to share your value statement, consider how you’ll deliver on it. Audit your member benefits and services to identify which you offer in traditional, hybrid, and digital formats. This assessment will highlight where to focus to ensure your value proposition is digitally optimized.

Roll it Out — and Make it a Big Deal

This is your pledge to your members — so share it with everyone and ask them to hold you accountable. Post it everywhere, including:

Public website

Member portals

Event sites

Email communications

Newsletters & publications

Mobile app

Invoices & renewal notices

Measure Your Impact

While your value proposition may not have quantifiable goals, there are many ways you can (and should) measure its effectiveness:

• Member satisfaction rates
• Engagement rates
• Retention rates
• Related metrics (conference attendance, resource downloads or purchases, certifications achieved, advocacy wins, etc.)

Keep it Updated

Revisit your member value proposition once a year, or more often if you significantly change your resources and benefits. This is an excellent exercise for your Membership Committee. Let them take responsibility for reviewing the statement each year and adjusting it according to changing member needs.

The Bottom Line

Your member value proposition says a lot about your organization, and it needs to be well-constructed, compelling, and achievable. Creating this statement shows that you are committed to providing exceptional services and benefits to your association membership.