March 25, 2020 – Personify, Inc. (“Personify”), the market-leading provider of technology solutions for associations, nonprofit and event professionals, today released findings from its new research, New Decade: New Experiences, New Challenges, which focuses on the role of experience in shaping the constituent relationship with an organization and the challenges that organizations face in the market today. The research is based on survey questions that were fielded throughout 2019 with more than 1,000 members in the United States.  

Personify explored key questions about the role of experience and discovered:  

• The critical role of a compelling, and relevant, experience in acquiring new constituents; 
• how experience continues to drive evolution of trusted engagement methods and propel new ones forward; and 

• experience ecosystems and how an organization’s technologies must provide value independently but also together. 

Personify’s findings also found that:  

• 70% of Generation Z prioritize stability and security in a job over passion and flexibility. 
• Millennial members were 16 percentage points more likely to say being part of an association is growing in importance. 
• African American members surveyed were significantly higher than average to agree that being part of an association is more important than it used to be, at 66%. 
• Across all groups, constituents report that email is an effective way to reach them, with a large majority (82%) of those surveyed ranking email first or second. 

• 80% of constituents told Personify that they like or love personal emails from their association and three-quarters have a favorable opinion of e-newsletters. 
• When asked to indicate whether an individual’s social media usage had grown in the last two years, Facebook (40%), Twitter (39%) and Instagram (44%) all saw adoption grow. 
• Overall, 45% of members told us they liked or loved receiving a phone call from their association, with 51% showing the same level of appreciation for text messages. 

However, the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) has presented an entirely new challenge to individuals, families, organizations and governments around the globe. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused systematic change across all aspects of society, with association and event professionals being among the most impacted.  

While essential to maintain global health and safety, event cancellations and extreme social distancing have limited engagement efforts for many organizations. Personify’s research finds that there’s an opportunity for organizations to provide digital connections and touchpoints that can supplement the lack of interaction that would typically take place at work. 

“The findings of the research, which were fielded before Coronavirus became the global pandemic we’re seeing today, suggest that delivering an experience to constituents is the path to long-term success in the 2020s and beyond,” said Amanda Myers, Vice President of Product and research author. “Our survey respondents told us time and again that a mix of digital channels was important to keeping them engaged with an organization. Now, as we look to navigate these uncertain times, delivering an omni-channel experience isn’t just important—it’s critical.” 

An on-demand webinar, hosted by Personify, explores the findings of the research in more detail. Association, event and nonprofit professionals will leave with an understanding of how to apply these findings to the challenges they face today.  

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This morning I found myself staring at the paper calendar hanging in my office. It was still on January.

In reviewing my email, my phone and in speaking with my coworkers, I was able to confirm that today is in fact March 17th.

It’s hard to believe that we’re already two plus months into the year, with 2020 well underway. While a number of exciting projects are in still progress from the 2010’s, I find myself thinking about this year and the new decade we find ourselves in as a project itself. How can we adapt and innovate to drive continued growth throughout another decade of fundamental change?

For example, Marketing General Incorporated’s 2019 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report saw 45% of associations surveyed reporting that their membership increased, down three percentage points from last year’s report and in contrast to what had been a decade-long trend. McKinley Advisors’ annual Economic Impact on Associations Study shows membership retention is at an all-time high with nearly half of association executives surveyed (47 percent) reported a retention rate greater than 90 percent. Yet as strong as that number is, it’s largely unchanged from years past with no real movement.

Then there is the volatility we’re starting to see in the financial markets and the potential economic fallout from COVID-19.

Navigating short-term challenges takes skill, but longer-term success requires strategy and a wider perspective.

Organizations who fail to recognize the potential storms gathering face the prospect of a slow decline, replaced by more innovative, resilient competitors. Those willing to embrace change may find themselves broadening their horizons, with renewed purpose, greater value and additional relevance. As Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis once noted, “We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds.”

I suspect more than one of you would agree that membership is not dead, but it continues to evolve. The relationship between organizations and constituent, and all the interactions encompassed within, has transcended membership to become an experience, defined by the Harvard Business Review as “the sum-totality of how customers engage with your company and brand, not just in a snapshot in time, but throughout the entire arc of being a customer.”

Instead of focusing on an individual transaction, program or interaction, recognize that the delivery of an experience requires organizations understand the totality of those parts make up a greater narrative. As an industry, associations have talked about experience for what seems like years. But as we step over the precipice of the new decade, what does this really mean? What practical steps can we take towards bringing a true experience to our constituents and ensuring it supports – and does not distract from – strategic goals and the short-term, daily operations that keep our collective lights on?

We had questions and wanted answers.

Personify’s soon to be published New Decade, New Experiences study seeks to expand our understanding of the role that demographics, engagement and technology are poised to play as we enter the 2020s and a new era of experience. We will look both to the past and future to develop a clearer picture of:

• The critical role of a compelling, and relevant, experience in acquiring new constituents
• How experience continues to drive evolution of trusted engagement methods and propel new ones forward
• Experience ecosystems and how an organization’s technologies must provide value independently but also together

Interested in learning more? Join us for a free webinar where we share key learnings from the report and practical tips to help you put these trends into practice (and earn a CAE credit along with it).

Watch Now

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