Membership Models & Strategy

Membership Model & Strategy Development

We Can Help You Build A Successful Membership Program that Creates an Powerful Impact.

Whether you're looking to update your membership model, attract new members, retain existing members, or enhance member engagement, we have the expertise and support you need. With our help, you can build a membership model and strategy that drives value for both your members and your association.

The digital age has ushered in unprecedented transformations, profoundly altering the way we interact, communicate, and operate. Just 20 years ago, the social media landscape did not exist, Blackberry phones were popular, and the convenience of credit card payments was celebrated. Fast forward only two decades, and the iPhone had revolutionised our world, with platforms like Twitter becoming household names. The past five years have seen a meteoric rise in the sharing economy, powered by trailblazing apps like Spotify, Airbnb, UBER, and Airtasker. And now AI has entered the room.

These seismic shifts have profound implications for associations. The rapidly evolving landscape mandates swift adaptation. Otherwise, associations risk obsolescence, overshadowed by agile competitors. But with challenge comes opportunity. Associations stand at the threshold of unparalleled potential, provided they adeptly navigate technological and generational shifts, grapple with competition, mergers, and consolidations, and pivot to tangible, personalised, and community-centric offerings.

To thrive, associations must shed outdated models and embrace innovation and entrepreneurship at their core. They need robust operational enablers in place, from visionary leadership and governance to effective strategy, staff, financial health, technological prowess, and compelling branding. The tumultuous times ushered in by COVID-19, though fraught with challenges, have also been a catalyst for positive change, urging associations worldwide to adapt, evolve, and envision a brighter future.

At SMS, we're committed to guiding associations through this transformative journey, ensuring they're well-equipped to thrive in the modern age. We have a wide range of ways we can support your membership journey. Here are just a few:

Membership Model, Category & Component Reviews

Navigating the nuances of membership models can be intricate. Whether you're examining your membership categories or diving deep into your entire membership model, understanding the distinction is vital. While the processes for each type of review are similar, the outcome and outputs will be different.

A membership category review is determining if there is a better way to structure your current membership options. You are still delivering the same value (potentially with some tweaks). It is about refining how you offer that value to different market segments. It is a better way to do "business as usual" and ensures your membership categories to ensure they better align with your purpose and market.
A membership model review is more complex. It accepts that associations do not exist to recruit members. And that membership is one of many tools that enables an association to advance its purposes. The review process seeks to ensure the “tool" you are using aligns better with your purpose. It considers who "could" be a member vs who "should". It clarifies the value to the member in joining - and the value to the association in having that member. It is a deep look into the foundations of who the association is and what it delivers. And may result in the organisation evolving as a result. It's looking for a better way to do business.
A Component Review is quite different from both the above. The term “components” is used to denote the various subgroups that exist within an association. These may take the form of branches, specific interest groups, or communities of practice. There are four types of components that can coexist within a single association. Each type is designed to help different members realise the unique value they seek from the association. A component review seeks to understand the best component mix for your organisation and provide recommendations for positive change.

The purpose of these review is to create a compelling case for positive change. This includes reviewing the current situation, articulating the reasoning for change, and developing a concept for the idea state that is aligned to your purpose. This project is a great option for associations who want to better understand and clarify the future direction of their membership model – and build a case for change.

The output of this project is PowerPoint Pitch Deck that is clear, logical, and visually compelling – and the presentation of this to your Board. The Pitch Deck can be used to communicate the concept to your Board and other stakeholders. The process of developing this Pitch Deck ensures concepts are reviewed from many perspectives which provides a robust mechanism for assessing future opportunities.

Membership Strategy Development Facilitation

The purpose of this project is to assist you to develop a Membership Strategy that contains practical ideas to recruit, retain, and engage members more effectively. In addition to generating the membership strategy, the coaching format ensures those involved in the strategy finish the process with the ability to create their own membership strategies in future. This process will have a positive impact on your organisations’ membership performance by supporting you to identify your membership goals, clarify the strategy behind your membership program and map the pathway to achieve these goals.

The output of this session will your finalised Membership Strategy-on-a-page with priority areas highlighted and operational notes incorporated where appropriate.

Membership Health Check One Day Workshop

This one-day strategy session provides an independent review of your current membership program and provides insights you can apply immediately to improve your membership results. This process is ideal for people who are just looking for ideas and inspiration, rather than a formal planning process. The goal of this session is the identify and prioritise practical opportunities to quickly improve your membership performance.

The output of this session will be a prioritised list of ideas and projects. Conducting this independent review of your current membership strategies and practices will:

Identify immediate opportunities to improve your performance.
Identify issues in need of rectification.
Provide your team with practical skills, tools and insights that will assist with implementation.
Bring fresh ideas, inspiration, and tools to your membership team through sharing the insights gained through my work assisting hundreds of associations with their membership programs.

Slide 1 of 8

“Engineers Without Borders Australia engaged Belinda to undertake an important and sensitive review of our membership model. Belinda’s deep experience and understanding of membership organisations helped us navigate the complexity that comes with this kind of review. Her approach engaged us, helping to socialise the emerging solutions early and we now have tangible next steps to carry on with. Thanks so much for your help, Belinda!”

Eleanor Loudon, CEO, Engineers Without Borders Australia

“Belinda worked with the membership services team at Philanthropy Australia to help us formulate a clear and strategic action plan to deliver our membership renewal campaign for 2020. Her key insights and strategy helped us achieve a nearly 90% retention rate, which was a huge success for us, especially in light of the COVID crisis which occurred before our campaign ended and significantly affected many of our members. It was a pleasure to work with you Belinda, thank you!”

Anna Marinovich, Membership Services – Vic & Tas, Philanthropy Australia

“Belinda is a driven and high achieving membership association specialist. Her enthusiasm and dedication to the sector is infectious. Strongly networked and a collector of the latest research and evidence, Belinda is a wealth of knowledge. Her role in the turn-around of AuSAE is to be highly commended and I look forward to her serving on the AuSAE Board as she continues to contribute to the for-purpose sector.”

Kirsty Kelly, CEO, Planning Institute of Australia

“Belinda has helped our industry association grapple with contemporary membership issues. She has worked through a range of complex issues to in the end help us identify the simple, practical steps we can take to bring vitality to our membership offering. Her enthusiasm and experience are paving the way for strong buy in by our industry.”

Dan Galligan, CEO, Queensland Canegrowers

”Working with the Executive Leadership Team, Belinda assisted us to navigate some innovative thinking and unpacking of what membership is about in the 21st century. Challenging the "way it has always been done" and allowing us head space to think and re-energise our approach, was worth all the challenges to meet "vie a screen" and work together. Our work is not completed yet, but Belinda’s dialogue with us was a boost to our thinking that we needed. Thank you Belinda.”

Debra Cerasa, CEO, Jobs Australia

“Belinda assisted our Council to reassess the value proposition offered by membership of our association, and to look more closely at the segmentation we had been using to identify enhanced opportunities for member engagement. She did this most effectively and helped Council to better define issues requiring our attention. Whilst challenging them, she moved them constructively into planning mode, and therefore helped to reshape our strategic position. Belinda is a great facilitator and a thought leader!”

Gary Pearson, CEO, Australian Dental Association Victoria

“I have known Belinda for a number of years in the association sector and have seen her present at various events. More recently I have been working with Belinda on membership strategy for our organisation diving deep into our data and context. Belinda’s deep knowledge of the sector and various providers allows her to understand our issues in the context of the wider changes taking place in our sector. Belinda provides strategic advice and support with an eye on the future, and both national and international trends. This has enabled us to make decisions and to gain advantage in relation to our future membership models including community building approaches. Belinda is easy to work with, thoughtful and enthusiastic about the changes ahead. I know that working with Belinda we will not be left behind!”

Peter Saffin, CEO, Mathematical Association of Victoria

“Our organisation has been working recently with Belinda and SMS to review our membership model, develop our member value framework and develop a plan to transition to a modern community-based membership model. Belinda has engaged strategically and purposely with our Board, Leadership Team, and operational staff to develop a strategy to evolve and transform our services, all whilst providing industry insights and learnings along the way. You get much more than what you pay for when engaging with Belinda and SMS. Yes, they actually deliver an output and outcome as part of their consultancy however they also connect with you a range of like-minded services and suppliers that will contribute to your success.”

Jason de Bakker, CEO, Family Day Care Queensland

“Engineers Without Borders Australia engaged Belinda to undertake an important and sensitive review of our membership model. Belinda’s deep experience and understanding of membership organisations helped us navigate the complexity that comes with this kind of review. Her approach engaged us, helping to socialise the emerging solutions early and we now have tangible next steps to carry on with. Thanks so much for your help, Belinda!”

Eleanor Loudon, CEO, Engineers Without Borders Australia

“Belinda worked with the membership services team at Philanthropy Australia to help us formulate a clear and strategic action plan to deliver our membership renewal campaign for 2020. Her key insights and strategy helped us achieve a nearly 90% retention rate, which was a huge success for us, especially in light of the COVID crisis which occurred before our campaign ended and significantly affected many of our members. It was a pleasure to work with you Belinda, thank you!”

Anna Marinovich, Membership Services – Vic & Tas, Philanthropy Australia

“Belinda is a driven and high achieving membership association specialist. Her enthusiasm and dedication to the sector is infectious. Strongly networked and a collector of the latest research and evidence, Belinda is a wealth of knowledge. Her role in the turn-around of AuSAE is to be highly commended and I look forward to her serving on the AuSAE Board as she continues to contribute to the for-purpose sector.”

Kirsty Kelly, CEO, Planning Institute of Australia

“Belinda has helped our industry association grapple with contemporary membership issues. She has worked through a range of complex issues to in the end help us identify the simple, practical steps we can take to bring vitality to our membership offering. Her enthusiasm and experience are paving the way for strong buy in by our industry.”

Dan Galligan, CEO, Queensland Canegrowers

”Working with the Executive Leadership Team, Belinda assisted us to navigate some innovative thinking and unpacking of what membership is about in the 21st century. Challenging the "way it has always been done" and allowing us head space to think and re-energise our approach, was worth all the challenges to meet "vie a screen" and work together. Our work is not completed yet, but Belinda’s dialogue with us was a boost to our thinking that we needed. Thank you Belinda.”

Debra Cerasa, CEO, Jobs Australia

“Belinda assisted our Council to reassess the value proposition offered by membership of our association, and to look more closely at the segmentation we had been using to identify enhanced opportunities for member engagement. She did this most effectively and helped Council to better define issues requiring our attention. Whilst challenging them, she moved them constructively into planning mode, and therefore helped to reshape our strategic position. Belinda is a great facilitator and a thought leader!”

Gary Pearson, CEO, Australian Dental Association Victoria

“I have known Belinda for a number of years in the association sector and have seen her present at various events. More recently I have been working with Belinda on membership strategy for our organisation diving deep into our data and context. Belinda’s deep knowledge of the sector and various providers allows her to understand our issues in the context of the wider changes taking place in our sector. Belinda provides strategic advice and support with an eye on the future, and both national and international trends. This has enabled us to make decisions and to gain advantage in relation to our future membership models including community building approaches. Belinda is easy to work with, thoughtful and enthusiastic about the changes ahead. I know that working with Belinda we will not be left behind!”

Peter Saffin, CEO, Mathematical Association of Victoria

“Our organisation has been working recently with Belinda and SMS to review our membership model, develop our member value framework and develop a plan to transition to a modern community-based membership model. Belinda has engaged strategically and purposely with our Board, Leadership Team, and operational staff to develop a strategy to evolve and transform our services, all whilst providing industry insights and learnings along the way. You get much more than what you pay for when engaging with Belinda and SMS. Yes, they actually deliver an output and outcome as part of their consultancy however they also connect with you a range of like-minded services and suppliers that will contribute to your success.”

Jason de Bakker, CEO, Family Day Care Queensland

“Engineers Without Borders Australia engaged Belinda to undertake an important and sensitive review of our membership model. Belinda’s deep experience and understanding of membership organisations helped us navigate the complexity that comes with this kind of review. Her approach engaged us, helping to socialise the emerging solutions early and we now have tangible next steps to carry on with. Thanks so much for your help, Belinda!”

Eleanor Loudon, CEO, Engineers Without Borders Australia

“Belinda worked with the membership services team at Philanthropy Australia to help us formulate a clear and strategic action plan to deliver our membership renewal campaign for 2020. Her key insights and strategy helped us achieve a nearly 90% retention rate, which was a huge success for us, especially in light of the COVID crisis which occurred before our campaign ended and significantly affected many of our members. It was a pleasure to work with you Belinda, thank you!”

Anna Marinovich, Membership Services – Vic & Tas, Philanthropy Australia

“Belinda is a driven and high achieving membership association specialist. Her enthusiasm and dedication to the sector is infectious. Strongly networked and a collector of the latest research and evidence, Belinda is a wealth of knowledge. Her role in the turn-around of AuSAE is to be highly commended and I look forward to her serving on the AuSAE Board as she continues to contribute to the for-purpose sector.”

Kirsty Kelly, CEO, Planning Institute of Australia

“Belinda has helped our industry association grapple with contemporary membership issues. She has worked through a range of complex issues to in the end help us identify the simple, practical steps we can take to bring vitality to our membership offering. Her enthusiasm and experience are paving the way for strong buy in by our industry.”

Dan Galligan, CEO, Queensland Canegrowers

”Working with the Executive Leadership Team, Belinda assisted us to navigate some innovative thinking and unpacking of what membership is about in the 21st century. Challenging the "way it has always been done" and allowing us head space to think and re-energise our approach, was worth all the challenges to meet "vie a screen" and work together. Our work is not completed yet, but Belinda’s dialogue with us was a boost to our thinking that we needed. Thank you Belinda.”

Debra Cerasa, CEO, Jobs Australia

“Belinda assisted our Council to reassess the value proposition offered by membership of our association, and to look more closely at the segmentation we had been using to identify enhanced opportunities for member engagement. She did this most effectively and helped Council to better define issues requiring our attention. Whilst challenging them, she moved them constructively into planning mode, and therefore helped to reshape our strategic position. Belinda is a great facilitator and a thought leader!”

Gary Pearson, CEO, Australian Dental Association Victoria

“I have known Belinda for a number of years in the association sector and have seen her present at various events. More recently I have been working with Belinda on membership strategy for our organisation diving deep into our data and context. Belinda’s deep knowledge of the sector and various providers allows her to understand our issues in the context of the wider changes taking place in our sector. Belinda provides strategic advice and support with an eye on the future, and both national and international trends. This has enabled us to make decisions and to gain advantage in relation to our future membership models including community building approaches. Belinda is easy to work with, thoughtful and enthusiastic about the changes ahead. I know that working with Belinda we will not be left behind!”

Peter Saffin, CEO, Mathematical Association of Victoria

“Our organisation has been working recently with Belinda and SMS to review our membership model, develop our member value framework and develop a plan to transition to a modern community-based membership model. Belinda has engaged strategically and purposely with our Board, Leadership Team, and operational staff to develop a strategy to evolve and transform our services, all whilst providing industry insights and learnings along the way. You get much more than what you pay for when engaging with Belinda and SMS. Yes, they actually deliver an output and outcome as part of their consultancy however they also connect with you a range of like-minded services and suppliers that will contribute to your success.”

Jason de Bakker, CEO, Family Day Care Queensland

Contact Us For More Information

We've love to speak further about how we can help you. Reach out via this form, letting us know a little more about what you are looking for, and we'll be in touch to set up a meeting. You can also email [email protected] anytime.