Q: We’re a small professional society, under 1,000 members. In the past year we lost between 20 and 25% of our members due to COVID-19 and employers not paying for membership dues. We’re a small staff of 4. Our fiscal year begins August 1 and pretty soon we have to start thinking about our dues renewal cycle and the communications we want to go along with it. I’d like to reflect on the past year’s accomplishments, and I’d like to keep the communications positive. It is not easy when we still don’t know if our annual meeting in October will be in-person or virtual once again. When the future is still unpredictable, any recommendations on positive communications and how to get our members to renew?

A:  Providing a 'year in review' message of accomplishments at renewal time is an excellent move; you definitely want to communicate your successes!  Here are our suggestions to help boost membership:

• Emphasize that you are there to support them, not only in good times but in tougher times too. Illustrate how your association has pivoted during a challenging year to 'keep on truckin'. Highlight the pluses: number of events, valuable topics most relevant for today, popular benefits, what's new. 
• Members seek value and a feeling of belonging. Emphasize the benefits of your association  community as a place where they can hear from and share with their peers and the subject matter experts who speak at your programs, while advancing their own associations. 
• Thank the member volunteers; they have been an important part of your success this past year. In doing so you may also attract new volunteers.
• Include member testimonials in your communications; members enjoy reading and sharing them.
• Offer installment plans if members are paying their dues out of pocket. It may be more work for your staff but it will earn goodwill from your members. If you can offer a 'hardship' program, do so.
• There are several months before your renewal season begins. It's a perfect time to launch new or 'in the works' programming, events and other benefits that support member value.
• Continue to contact lapsed members for a year or more after they expire, and include a summary of your accomplishments in your communications to them. Some may come back, or refer others.
• Provide extra TLC (touchpoints) to first year members especially in their first several months; they are the most likely to leave. Help them to feel welcome, oriented, and become involved.

The 'new reality' will look different than our past.  You want to demonstrate optimism and excitement for what is ahead, and show that, together with your members, you will look forward, lean forward, plan forward and move forward. Best wishes!

This is a collective response from the members of NYSAE's Membership Engagement Committee.