We have compiled this series of Challenges for Membership Bodies based on research and feedback from over 80 trade associations and membership bodies in the US, UK and Ireland. While we don’t profess our findings as gospel, it is certainly indicative for many membership associations – plus it’s better than anything else we could find [...]
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The simplest definition of e-Tendering is the process of managing a tender or Request for Proposal (RFP) electronically. Traditionally e-Tendering has been most commonly used by government agencies and the public sector rather than by the private sector. However, with increasing numbers of both business customers and consumers turning to the internet to research goods [...]
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Choosing technology to run your membership site or improve your membership subscription management is no easy task. Before any decisions are made, you should consider what you want to achieve as a result of the software implementation. Some objectives for membership organisations considering a new membership management software implementation are to: - Achieve higher renewal [...]
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The Royal Institute of Architects Ireland (RIAI) today officially launched “Architect Connect” on its website, www.riai.ie. Architect Connect is a service for members of the public and property owners who are seeking architectural services. It provides an online platform to help them find a suitable architectural practice for their specific project. Architect Connect allows members [...]
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In a recent survey of over 80 trade associations, professional bodies and membership organisations, participants acknowledge that they are now operating in a very different economic and business environment to that of 3 years ago. Many participants spoke about the challenges that they are facing in today’s tough environment; membership numbers have fallen, subscription revenues [...]
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The main advantage of the subscription-based business model commonly used by membership organisations is that it helps to ensure a constant revenue stream and reduces certain business risks such as cash flow uncertainty. However, many associations recently surveyed have experienced a decline in subscription revenues over the past 3-4 years. Due to the tougher economic [...]
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During this series, we have so far focused on challenges that are driven by members. In the first article, we looked at the topic of supporting members by providing relevant services. The second of the series focused on maintaining membership subscription revenues. This week we are going to shift focus away from members and look [...]
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ONLINETRADESMEN.COM CHANGES HOW CONSUMERS CONNECT TO SERVICE PROVIDERS GLOBALLY 21 July 2011: Onlinetradesmen.com, Ireland’s largest marketplace of qualified trade professionals, today announced the launch of a world first marketplace solution called MemberTender.com. The MemberTender.com service will create global online marketplaces, enabling consumers to receive competitive online quotes for every conceivable service. The MemberTender.com service is [...]
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Last week, we touched on the issue of declining revenue streams for membership bodies in the wake of a distinct change in the way members perceive Value or ROI (Return On Investment) from their subscription fees. We saw that members are now looking for tangible benefits from their trade association, not just the traditional services [...]
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Welcome to our new series on the current challenges facing membership associations worldwide.
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