Article Membership 2 min read

Friday Buzz: Why Some Members Are Tuning Out

The MemberClicks blog shares a few reasons you may be seeing a drop in membership. Also: Last year, the Brewers Association introduced an indie seal for craft brewers. Let’s check in on the adoption rate.

Raegan Johnson

June 22, 2018

Heads up: this content is over 5 years old, so some information may be out of date.

If you’ve noticed a drop in your member retention rate lately, it may be time to address how you’re communicating.

“If your messages aren’t targeted and you aren’t addressing people’s specific wants and needs, they’re likely to start tuning your association out—and that’s the first step on the path to not renewing,” writes Callie Walker in a recent MemberClicks blog post  (opens in a new tab).

Walker also points out that members will feel they’re not getting their money’s worth if they keep reading about benefits that aren’t useful for them.

In addition, it’s important to keep up with technology and tools you’re using to reach them. “Remember, people are constantly comparing your association to companies like Amazon and eBay,” says Walker. “They’re used to free two-day shipping and personalized messages (’You may be interested in …’). Consumer expectations are rising, and to keep members, it’s crucial to evolve with that.”

Indie Label Adoption

The @BrewersAssoc  (opens in a new tab) Breaks Down Indie Seal Adoption By State. https://t.co/NKau4xPmS3  (opens in a new tab) pic.twitter.com/aCqGJRxGJu  (opens in a new tab)

— Brewbound (@Brewbound) June 21, 2018  (opens in a new tab)

Last year, the Brewers Association introduced a label that indicates a beer has been certified as an independent craft brew.

In a Brewbound blog post this week, the group shared a graphic illustrating the adoption rate of the label by state  (opens in a new tab).

“In California, where more than 900 breweries were operating as of December 2017, 59 percent of breweries had signed up to use the seal through June 6,” writes Justin Kendall. “Half or more of the breweries in the Pacific Northwest—Washington (50 percent), Idaho (50 percent), and Oregon (57 percent)—have adopted the seal.”