The following articles and columns by Forbes Group Principals are an excellent resource for information about the business of governing and managing trade and professional associations and nonprofits. We are rapidly becoming an information -based economy. Associations are basically information resources by their very nature. Any association that has not figured out how to stay on top of the flood of knowledge will fall behind in its ability to satisfy the needs of its members and constituencies. The CIA has a venerable system that has stood the test of time.
Most members join an association to meet specific needs they can identify.
Launching membership drives without solid information on what members want and need may only perpetuate or aggravate member turnover. Only by undertaking a survey with a statistically reliable sample can your association's leadership be assured that the feedback they are getting is truly the voice of the membership. Your Members Want The right kind of member needs analysis serves both as a report card for the association and as a road map for the future. There is an appropriate place for both in your research design. In this award-winning article, the authors explain the basic guidelines for producing association surveys that work.