Quality market research is essential to any business, including not-for-profits. For membership organisations, there is the added dimension of understanding and representing the opinions of members on a range of policy and industry issues and for which the key types of market research fall into the following groupings: membership profiling, competitiveness, member opinions and research based products.
Types of market research for membership organisations
| Research categories |
Examples of studies |
| Mostly strategic: | |
| Membership profiling |
|
Competitiveness |
|
| Mostly tactical: | |
| Member opinions |
|
| Research-based member products |
|
Research products can engage members at strategic and tactical levels
How can market research help to engage members? In three key ways: firstly, from a methodological perspective, surveys conducted online are hugely popular, especially among cash-strapped not-for-profits and over time this has proven to be an equally valid method of collecting data as telephone surveys. Secondly, from a strategic planning perspective, understanding the profile, needs and product usage of your members, as well as their opinions of your organisation in a competitive context, will enable the organisation to effectively plan for the future needs of members, and steer them when needed, for example, to online product/service/qualification provision. Thirdly, from a tactical perspective, tailored research outputs can be made available to members via downloadable reports, editorial online content, paid-for reports, data widgets, specific micro-sites/portals/landing pages and of course, through representation on the issues prioritised by members.
"Tactical research-based products offer a tangible way to engage members online, in tandem with overall organizational strategy; and help to demonstrate representation of members' issues in the wider world."
Tactical research-based products offer a tangible way to engage members online, in tandem with overall organisational strategy. CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) has recently launched a landing page for their annual global salary surveys (analysis and reporting by Spotlight Market Research), based on evidence from member satisfaction studies which place the salary survey reports within the top 10 member products. In a bid to encourage full membership in-line with organisational strategy, the landing page emphasises the key message – membership boosts salary – and signposts members to relevant reports and jobs-based content. This is a prime example of joining the dots between membership satisfaction studies, strategy, engagement tactics and product portfolio. At another similar institute, opinion surveys have been effectively used as launch-pads for themed regional and national events, thereby building in the all-important networking and ‘face-time’ opportunities with members and policy-makers.
Research outputs can also be converted to engagement opportunities through invitations to online comment/discussion forums at the end of research synopses. Other engaging outputs include podcasts of interviews with a senior spokesperson on the key findings, provision of media coverage, free or pay-for reports and so on. All of these activities can demonstrate representation of members’ issues in the wider world and increase online interaction.
In the next blog: measuring outcomes – art or science?