Top 3 Membership Practices of Successful Associations
By Mike Swan: Membership Manager & Executive Director, Management HQ
An association’s top responsibility is to serve its members while operating strategically and sustainably. Here are three essential membership practices of successful associations:
(1) Know Your Metrics—and Keep Them Consistent
Clean, consistent data empowers strategic decision-making. But clean data over time is what reveals trends—and trends tell stories. Associations should consistently track year-over-year:
- Total members
- New joins
- Renewal rate (direct renewals from the previous year/total members from the previous year)
- Membership dues revenue
Too many metrics can muddy the waters. Be intentional: Know what each data point is meant to tell you.
(2) Stabilize Your Renewal Rate
Growth often begins with retention, not recruitment. If your renewal rate is unstable, bringing in new members won’t create long-term gains. According to Marketing General Inc.’s 2025 Benchmarking Report, the average renewal rate is around 80%.
Stabilizing the retention rate not only sets a solid foundation for growth but inherently creates more value and engagement from the member community. When an association comes to us with stagnant membership, the retention rate is the first thing I look at.
(3) Listen to Your Members
Members consistently tell you what they value—if you know where to look. Before jumping into brainstorming sessions, consider:
- Surveying members about current benefits and unmet needs
- Reviewing website analytics to see which content and services matter most
- Exploring partnerships and non-dues revenue streams to offer new benefits while keeping membership affordable
The MHQ Example
This past winter, the Association for Federal Enterprise Risk Management (AFERM), demonstrated how the practice of listening to your members can result in a membership success story. An MHQ client since 2023, AFERM found that its members were hungry for more training and educational opportunities. A smaller association in their industry, they successfully partnered with a larger association to create AFERM University, a prep course for a leading industry credential. This new offering has managed to bring AFERM’s members value beyond the resources of their own association.
To close, when associations focus on reliable metrics, steady retention, and listen to their members, they position themselves for sustainable growth. Small, intentional improvements can create powerful momentum toward a thriving membership community.
About MHQ
Driven by the vision of a thriving, vibrant community, MHQ is a woman-owned, world-class management company that delivers customized services. Founded in 2013, MHQ has provided association management services since its inception, as well as infrastructure to organizations in a range of industries. We serve professional and trade associations, as well as government and public sector entities. For more about MHQ, visit https://www.management-hq.com/.
