Like many organizations, professional associations have been under duress for members in recent years, even before COVID-19 and pandemic restrictions on gatherings and conventions cut membership in many groups substantially. According to Innovius Research, more than a third of professional associations surveyed reported flat or declining membership in 2019, and another 32 percent grew only marginally.
The pandemic did associations no favors, cutting membership and revenue, but recent statistics show things are looking up. A 2024 survey by Wipfli of 228 trade and professional associations showed 99 percent of those surveyed were optimistic about their financial viability, and 83 percent reported an improved financial position compared to five years ago. Nearly three-quarters of associations reported increases in membership over 2023, and 62 percent reported improved retention rates.
Stephanie Malone
The resurgence in association membership and engagement in programming are the result of efforts by these groups to reexamine their offerings for members, particularly as those offerings apply to attracting younger generations. Stephanie Malone, CEO at the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association, said acknowledging changes in the interests of different demographics within the 750-person membership has been key to the association’s success.
“There is a big generational difference in membership today,” she said. “We have adjusted the way in which we communicate with our members. For instance, younger generations, a lot of them don’t even email like older members did. We’ve had to look at different ways to connect with them, whether it’s text messaging or an online Facebook group to contact people and stay in touch with those younger members.”
Malone said the same thought and consideration has been paid to member benefits. ATLA, made up of personal injury attorneys, has traditionally enjoyed the membership hook of providing mandatory continuing education and lobbying on behalf of the industry but, in recent times, has had to reevaluate the benefits it provides in order to remain competitive in attracting and retaining people.
“I think the biggest switch we’ve seen is how do we provide that continuing education, and what benefit do we give to our members?” she said. “We don’t offer free learning, for instance, because that’s part of how the association is funded, so to compete with the free learning that’s out there, we have had to be responsive. We offer a lot more online education to our members than we did pre-COVID-19 as a result.”
Technology has figured into those changes in a big way. While the ATLA still sponsors an annual convention, it has engaged in more webinars and other remote learning to meet members’ expectations.
“Sometimes you can’t get away from the office and spend 24 or 48 hours away from your office,” she said. “For that reason, we are doing a lot more online education and have cut back on in-person events.”
Katie Beck, CEO at the Arkansas Hospitality Association, said her group has adopted a more regional approach when it comes to gatherings, as opposed to a big annual convention, an approach touched off by COVID-19.
Katie Beck
“That’s actually a trend that we saw within the association world. That kind of trade show model has started to phase out. That was even a little bit before COVID-19,” Beck said. “We’re always looking for new opportunities for new events and new ways to bring our membership together, and the trend right now is to move toward networking-based smaller events. We have different chapters set up throughout the state, and those chapters are really getting up and running with these. It’s such a great opportunity to go to each part of the state for those meetings.”
Beck said while face-to-face interaction among the 850-person membership is as important as ever, gatherings are taking a different approach than in the past. In May, the AHA will host its first statewide event since the pandemic, built around a format that is much different than the traditional conference-room-and-presentation format.
“Nothing replaces that in-person contact, and we’re really excited and looking forward to bringing that back,” she said. “We have an event coming up this May, and it’s actually the first time that we’ve been able to have an event like this since before COVID-19. It’s called Stars of the Industry, and it will recognize folks within the industry that are the true front-line workers. We have about 15 award categories, and we’re using them to highlight those who are in the industry every day, making the guest experience better.”
Such moves by the AHA and ATLA are in step with national trends. According to a 2023 white paper by Tronic, organizations that show a willingness to innovate programmatically reap the rewards of more members and member retention. The survey found 64 percent of Gen Z and millennials stated networking opportunities were among their top three reasons for joining an association, but networking did not have to always be in person. According to the survey, more than seven out of 10 associations experienced increased levels of engagement through sponsored online communities, which matters because those who enjoyed three or more high-value engagements through their membership were 100 percent likely to renew, the survey found.
Mastering the elements of engagement and participation is particularly important for groups made up of professionals who themselves work for organizations seeking to grow headcount and provide valued benefits, such as Arkansas Economic Developers & Chamber Executives.
“AEDCE members value relevant professional development, strong peer-to-peer networking and a powerful collective voice in matters affecting economic development and local business communities,” said Candice Lawrence, executive director. “I regularly connect with our members to discover the challenges they’re facing and what resources they need. This allows AEDCE to tailor conferences, training programs and resource materials to the real-world issues economic developers and chamber executives are encountering.
Candice Lawrence
“AEDCE is continuously engaging with its members and adapting our offerings to meet their changing needs, whether that’s through new training modules on emerging economic trends, expanded opportunities for professional networking or intensified advocacy efforts. Our commitment is to remain their go-to resource for driving economic vitality and community success throughout Arkansas.”
Lawrence said keeping up with the pace of change within the economic development arena is one challenge faced by the membership, and AEDCE works to help equip them accordingly to meet those goals.
“Our main challenge in the coming year is staying ahead of the rapidly changing economic environment and creating programming that stays relevant for each of our diverse members across the state,” she said. “We also keep a pulse on industry trends, such as shifts in workforce development, emerging technologies and best practices in community engagement, and translate those insights into timely seminars, workshops and online resources.
“An economic developer in Hope, Arkansas, may have different training needs than a chamber of commerce in northwest Arkansas, and we also have members who focus on supporting entrepreneurs. That said, at the core, all AEDCE members share a common goal — growing and cultivating thriving communities in Arkansas. By providing targeted training, advocacy and a supportive network, we hope to make their work just a bit easier.”
