Associations continue to command respect, but many struggle to translate institutional credibility into value that members feel personally, according to a new decade-spanning study from MCI.
The Association Engagement Index: A 10-Year Retrospective draws on responses from more than 40,000 members and customers across 119 associations. While 56% rate their association’s reputation as excellent and 51% say the same about its expertise, only 24% believe it excels at meeting their individual needs. Just 25% give an excellent rating for value for money.
“Being a respected association is not enough. Members need to see how their association makes a difference to them personally,” said Erin Fuller, Global Head of Association Solutions at MCI.
The ten years of data point to three immediate priorities:
- Make value personal. Strong reputation and expertise must translate into benefits reflecting individual needs, career stages and ambitions.
- Create reasons to return. Monthly participants recorded an Engagement Index score of 104, compared with 70 among those who rarely or never engage.
- Make contribution easier. Although 31% would like to become more involved, only 15% believe contributing is easy—revealing an opportunity to invite members into collaboration and co-creation.
The study also finds that younger members are less likely to recommend their associations, increasing the pressure to offer more flexible and meaningful forms of participation.
MCI will explore the results during a live webinar on 27 October.