Part of every non-profit’s goal is to grow the organization. But growing up—in terms of adding new members—is not the same as growing out, or keeping the members you have. And retention isn’t always given the spotlight it deserves. Associations might want to take a page from commercial businesses, who know that it’s easier and less expensive to retain a customer than to go out and find a new one.

How best to retain members? Create a feeling of passion and fierce loyalty toward your organization and its goals.

Focus on the Bigger Picture

To be loyal to a non-profit is to show support and allegiance— the key word being show. According to Jill Griffin in the book Decision to Join, “a loyal customer is someone who makes regular repeat purchases; purchases across product and service lines; refers others to the non-profit, and demonstrates an immunity to the pull of the competition.”

In other words, collecting annual dues from a member doesn’t automatically prove loyalty. If a member renews this year but doesn’t take advantage of member benefits, they’re not necessarily loyal. That member may be searching for individual benefits like networking, instead of non-profit-oriented benefits like continuing education and community.

Non-profits should always focus on the bigger picture. Ask, “What do we offer that keeps people renewing their membership?” As Sheri Jacobs explains in the book Membership Essentials, "For non-profits, the total share of a customer is not just about whether members renew. It takes into account the other benefits and offerings you have for your membership and the member’s level of participation."

Some questions to consider when it comes to member loyalty: Do members participate in grassroots activities? Do they attend your conferences? Do they contribute to online communities or special committees? By taking into account the full member experience, you’ll get a better idea of the person’s motivations for continuing to renew as opposed to relying on headcounts.

Create the Ideal Member

Picture the ideal member in your mind. Imagine the utmost engagement and passion; think about participation and connection. From there, build a roadmap of what would enable the ideal member to exist by creating a list of all the activities and benefits the non-profit can offer. This exercise can yield insight into your non-profit’s strengths as well as suggest opportunities for change.

For example, say the ideal member goes above and beyond for continuing education credits. If so, it would behoove the non-profit to see if their offerings line up with that level of expectation.

The ideal member is a tool to measure against the average member. If the ideal member goes above and beyond for continuing education, the average member will likely do only what is required. Still, offering a benefit for the ideal member is more likely to make average members feel more loyal, because they’ll become aware of the advanced levels at which they can participate.

A good non-profit will aim for retention. But a great non-profit will aim for loyalty.