Guest Author: Tim Ebner, Associations Now
Think of how powerful such a simple strategy can be for a membership organization. The National Association of Home Builders, for example, used it to spot members’ pain points when joining or renewing.
NAHB has more than 700 components that operate on a federated model: Each chapter is an independent association with its own membership experience. That means there are hundreds of different ways for members to join, pay dues, and renew, all of which can be difficult to navigate. At one local chapter, it took 60 days for a membership application to be reviewed, approved, and processed.
“When was the last time you waited 60 days for anything?” William “Rusty” Deiss, NAHB’s assistant vice president of membership development and support, asked MMCC attendees in a session on membership impediments. After listening to members and chapter staff, NAHB began offering new choices that meet people where they are.
“We asked affiliates and our members what they really wanted,” Deiss said. “And we looked to level the playing field by offering a wide array of options.”
