A recent topic dealt with e-membership.
With the proliferation of interconnectivity
and social interactions on the Web, the
idea of Web-based “e-memberships”
seems to be the next step for many associations. The challenge is how to incorporate this option into your membership
benefits. It is an attractive option in one
way because it supports green initiatives.
Fewer printed pieces mean less mailing
costs, and less energy used in the production and delivery of these items.
But there will still be those members
who don’t have easy access to a computer or simply prefer printed items sent
via U.S. Postal Service. Associations
have to continue to service those members in the manner in which they are
accustomed. Not only are they probably
the association’s leadership pool, they
most likely are the primary source of
dues revenue. Associations have to recognize these members’ reticence to
accept the new technologies affecting
not just the association but their industries as well.
Beth Weinstein, director of member-
ship marketing at the Society of Tribolo-
gists and Lubrication Engineers, began
the discussion. She wrote:
“We are considering lower priced e-memberships or Web-only memberships.
Has anyone had any experience with
these? Have they been successful? What
do we need to consider?”
Here are some of the replies she
received:
“What we at the American Nuclear Society have done is put our publications
online. Non-U.S. members still pay full
dues plus postage to receive our main
publications in print, BUT they now have
more immediate access to them online
and don’t have to wait for the print publication to arrive.”
— Gloria Naurocki, marketing and membership
development director, American Nuclear
Society.
“We are just starting to get our employees on LinkedIn and trying to figure out
how we can use this to market, increase
our number of contacts (and prospects
for membership) etc., so it is too new for
us to judge whether or not it is effective.”
— Joy Silverman, PHR, HR services advisor,
The Management Association of Illinois.
“When I was job hunting, I was a candidate for executive director for an association that had a policy of giving any
member, including those who drop paying membership, a free electronic membership. I thought that was nuts —
probably one reason I didn’t get the job!
About 80 percent of their ‘members’ if I
recall are free e-members, and they wonder why paid membership isn’t going up!”
— Robert A. Hall, MEd, CAE, executive director, American Association of Hip and Knee
Surgeons.
EASY ACCESS
Further research into e-memberships
showed that it was a way to offer vital
information to professionals in developing countries at a substantially reduced
cost. E-members no longer have to wait
for international mail to deliver their
publications. They can access them on
their association’s Web site the same
day that they’re posted.
The American Academy of Dermatology developed an International Fellow –
Electronic Membership option for individuals in developing countries. The electronic option provides access to Academy
membership benefits at almost half the
cost of the regular International Fellow
membership dues. This membership offers
the member rate for meeting attendance
and product orders, and allows access to
all online information, including the
members-only section of the AAD Web
site and the online Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. In addition,
e-members receive any member benefit
that can be provided electronically.
Debra L. Kroncke, manager, AAD
membership programs and policies, shared
her experience with e-memberships:
“The AAD currently has 2,917 International Fellows, and of this number,
713 ( 24. 4 percent) have selected electronic membership. At the time that we
first offered the membership, we projected that approximately 50 percent of
the eligible members would take advantage of the program.
“The Academy’s electronic membership program is only offered to individuals in developing countries as identified
by the World Bank. We had about 1,500
members who were eligible for the program at the time it was initially offered
and about 250 selected electronic membership at that time. Over the years, the
number has increased both due to current members changing their status and
new members selecting the electronic
option.
“Electronic membership is a very
attractive option as you can see by the
current membership statistics. We find
that the only reason more international
members don’t take advantage of the
program is because they want to continue receiving the printed Journal of the
