American Express used to tell the world, “Membership has its privileges.” Does yours? Do the benefits you offer members provide value to them, or only to your organization?
Members of your non-profit, whether individuals, corporations, or organizations, commit their resources to you because they support you. They want you to be successful. They want their contributions to generate success, for you and for them.
When you provide them with benefits that provide them with resources, access, expertise, services or products that are valuable to their organization, they will feel privileged to be members.
Providing privileges may be easier than you realized. Who, for example, gets to sit with your board members, introduce the panelists at your events, welcome the guests to a networking session, or be profiled in the members area of your web site? Which members are invited to recommend speakers? And then asked them to make the call to invite them to speak? Those opportunities to engage with executives your members want to know better and want to hear from can have very high perceived value.
Which members are invited to provide note pads with their logo and yours; at your annual or monthly meetings? Which members are identified as having expertise to share through your directory or at one of your events? Which companies are invited to host meetings or events in their conference rooms at the beginning or end of their day?
Your organization has many opportunities to provide your members with privileges. Ask them what’s on their wish list of membership benefits.
Last question: What are some exemplary benefits of organizational memberships you know of, or would recommend an organization offer?
