A comprehensive new book covers the art of membership recruitment, engagement, and retention.

by keith skillman, cae

In The Art of Membership: How to Attract, Retain, and Cement Member Loyalty, membership and marketing expert Sheri Jacobs, CAE, explains how the essence of membership is engaging people in such a meaningful way that they will tell your organization’s story to their colleagues and peers. The core idea is a simple one: Deliver what members need, when they need it. To get there, you’ll need a little more than a paintbrush, but that’s where Jacobs’ helpful book comes in.

The book, the first offering in the ASAE-Wiley publishing alliance, captures a set of principles that speak to the underlying causes of organizations’ membership challenges and, as Jacobs points out, “should form the basis of every membership program.”

Jacobs, president and CEO of marketing agency Avenue M Group, uses those principles as a framework for in-depth treatment of a full range of membership practicalities. It’s all backed by ASAE and Avenue M research, illustrative case studies from real organizations, and chapter-by-chapter “how-to” guides with checklists and worksheets that break down the concepts from goal to strategy to tactics and culminate in an actionable “to-do” list.

Keith Skillman, CAE, is vice president, publications, for ASAE. Email: kskillman@asaecenter.org