Membership Management

Membership Management is the cornerstone of most dues-related organizations. Chambers of Commerce are no different. Recruiting, tracking, and retaining members involve many processes and staff. The membership department has many cross-team responsibilities including accounting, communications, and events. There are two major components of membership management: development and sales. The membership professional is often the face of the chamber and gives the first impression of the organization to the prospect. ACCE's Membership Development Division offers more networking and learning opportunities and all ACCE members are welcome to join.

Standard Membership Formulas
- Retention = (Total number of member accounts last year - total number of cancelled member accounts current year) / Total number of member accounts last year
- Calculate Net Gain/Loss in % of New Member Dollars (current year) = (Dollar value of the total new member accounts current year - Dollar value of the total cancelled member accounts current year) / Dollar value of the chamber's total member accounts last year
- Calculate Net % Gain/Loss New Member Accounts (current year) = (Total new member accounts current year - Total number of cancelled member accounts current year) / Total number of member accounts last year

For more on membership calculations, read 8 Critical Equations for Membership Recruitment and Retention by Cathi Hight and see Operations/Membership statistics with calculations in Dynamic Chamber Benchmarking.

Specific Membership Topics

• Communicating Value
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Dues Models
• Fair Share Dues
• Tiered Dues
• Multiple Membership Discounts
• Membership Billing
• Membership Database Management
• Membership Groups:
• Ambassador Programs
• Peer Advisory Groups
• Young Professionals
• Membership Orientation
• Membership Policies and Procedures
• Membership Recruitment
• Membership Retention
• Membership Sales
• Brochures & Marketing
• Membership Drives (aka Member Campaigns)
• Referral Programs
• Member Surveys
• Sales Department Management

ACCE Membership Resources

• Learn more about ACCE's Membership Development Division
• Download Membership Statistics from ACCE's Operations Survey
• Participate in ACCE's Operations Survey available 24/7 through Dynamic Chamber Benchmarking and access free, customized reports for your chamber, including the Membership Statistics report and comparisons, showing retention, market penetration, and calculations of dues investment, revenue per member, tiered dues information and more. Results are shown with your chamber's percentile compared to the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles.
• Membership Statistics in Dynamic Chamber Benchmarking for the Membership Development Division - ACCE Webinar (9/16/15)
• The Nature of Belonging and Gathering, full text article - Part of the Horizon Initiative: Chambers 2025 Project
• Emerging hybrid membership models (PPT) by Mick Fleming, ACCE and Greg Melia, ASAE for the Chambers Congress, June 2015
• See also Greg Melia's presentation on 10 Lessons for Cultivating Member Commitment (PPT)
• ASAE published a study on "Exploring the Future of Membership" (2014), available to ASAE members. Contact HERO@acce.org for help obtaining a copy of this study.
• ACCE's Chamber Revenue Models Whitepaper - How Membership Management fits in with revenue models and translates into revenue streams for your chamber (December 2013)

Convention & Seminar Resources

• 60 Membership Ideas in 60 Minutes - Audio recording from the ACCE 2017 Annual Convention in Nashville is available for purchase in the ACCE Store.
• Build a Community, Cultivate Memberships - Presentation from the 2017 ACCE Annual Convention in Nashville.
• For Members, By Members - From the 2017 ACCE Annual Convention in Nashville.
• Resources: Presentation (PowerPoint) | Worksheet (Word) | Ambassador Adoption Checklist (Word) | Ambassador Committee Job Description (Word) | Join a Committee handout (PDF) | Member Outreach Interview Guide (PDF) | Membership Cycle graphic (JPG) | How to use your membership (PDF) | Weekly Work Plan (Excel)
• A Fresh Model for Different Membership Styles - Session recording from the ACCE 2017 Annual Convention in Nashville is available for purchase in the ACCE Store. Presentation is also available for download.
• Journey Mapping and Automation: Keys to Robust Member Experiences - Session recording from the ACCE 2017 Annual Convention in Nashville is available for purchase in the ACCE Store. Presentation also available for download.
• Membership and Events Track Pack (4 Sessions). Captured live from the 2016 ACCE Annual Convention in Savannah. Duration: 2 hours, 21 minutes. Cost: $30 for 1 year of unlimited access for all your chamber staff. Sessions include:
• Social Media for Chamber Events
• A Winning Membership Transformation
• 60 Membership Ideas in 60 Minutes
• Chamber Membership Database Face-off

Videos, Webinars & ACCE U Resources

• Chambers 2025 Video: The Nature of Belonging and Gathering
• HERO Webinar on ACCE Membership Management Resources‬ - This 30-minute demo reviews ACCE’s free resources specifically for chamber membership professionals. Learn how your job can be made easier with online resources for membership management, including information and samples on member orientation, retention, recruitment, sales, referrals, dues models, and more.

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Last Updated: 2/7/2018