What Are Association Tools?

Association tools help automate the day-to-day operations of membership-based organizations. These productivity tools are part of association management software (AMS) and help streamline database management, financial administration, event planning, member communications, and more.

The primary goal of best-in-class AMS is to help business, trade, and professional associations and chambers of commerce grow revenue, productivity, and member value.

Association Management Tools for Revenue Generation

Patience is a virtue – except when it comes to increasing revenue. Today’s top-performing associations need practical tools to drive sales, streamline the billing process, and save money.

GENERATE NON-DUES REVENUE

Manage various member events, from happy hours to golf events to large expos. Increase member exposure and generate revenue with website advertising.

TRACK SALES WITH A SALES FUNNEL TOOL

Grow membership with the ability to create and track sales opportunities, sales stages, and lead sources.

AUTOMATE BILLING

Process one-time and recurring payments with integrated association payments and credit card processing.

CUT EXPENSES

Eliminate the need for additional software subscriptions (i.e., for membership applications, surveys, mass emails, landing pages, and project management).

Association Management Tools to Grow Productivity

It’s tough to grow when you’re spending time on the little stuff. Better software can help centralize data, streamline financial management, keep your website updated, and keep members and staff connected.

CENTRALIZE MEMBER DATA

Save time and money by centralizing member data for quick access. Easily provide value to new members by automatically adding directory listings and unlocking member-only content.

STREAMLINE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Seamlessly transfer transactions to your accounting software and eliminate the need for duplicate data entry.

MAINTAIN WEBSITES

Eliminate duplicate data entry with data syncs from the software. Plus, website updates are easy with a baked-in content management system.

KEEP CONNECTED WITH MOBILE APPS

Keep members and staff connected and boost efficiency with powerful association mobile apps.

Member-Focused Association Tools

You can’t grow unless you keep the members you have. By implementing member-centric association tools, you can give members what they want – a way to network and access the information that’s important to them.

IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS

Stay in contact using one system that allows you to create, send, and track branded and styled emails. Easily share files, videos, and documents with members or private groups.

MANAGE MEMBER EVENTS

Boost event attendance with online registrations and automatic reminders. Accept payments online or on-site with a mobile card reader.

ENABLE SELF-SERVICE OPTIONS

Allow prospective members to apply online. Active members can pay dues, update their profile, and access resources on their schedule.

AUTOMATE MARKETING ACTIVITIES

Build great-looking email campaigns that ensure each prospect or member receives the right information at the right time.

What to Consider When Choosing Tools for Your Association

If you are spending too much time managing the day-to-day operations of your membership organization, it’s time to look for a better set of tools. Not sure where to start? We’ve outlined criteria to look for in new association management software.

VENDOR SELECTION

There are many AMS vendors to choose from. However, each solution on the market is unique. Here’s how to begin your search.

• Ask around. Get referrals and input from other associations like yours. Ask what system they use, what they like, and what features are lacking.
• Find out how long the company has been in the business of providing membership management solutions to associations.
• Verify how many times the product has been updated in the last 12 months (monthly is ideal).
• Ask how many membership organizations the vendor serves (free trial users shouldn’t be counted as customers).
• Narrow down your selection to 3–4 vendors to further research. A free product demo should be easy to schedule, give an overview of the product functionality, and provide opportunities to ask questions.

ONBOARDING & INTEGRATION

While some associations are large enough to employ an IT team to handle the transition process (aka onboarding), most are not.

• Find out if the vendor follows an onboarding process and what it includes (and doesn’t include).
• Verify that someone is assigned to support you through the entire transition process.
• Ask how long it typically takes before an association of your size can be up and running with the new system.

TRAINING & SUPPORT

You’ll want good training and support options when you’re learning the new system and on an ongoing basis.

• Verify if there is a limit to or additional cost for support.
• Find out if customer support is provided by in-house account representatives or outsourced to a third-party call center.
• Ask about typical customer support response times, hours of availability, and communication options (i.e., online chat, phone, email, online FAQs, etc.).

COSTS

A written cost proposal is a must.

• Get a solid understanding of all costs, including:
  • What is included or not included
  • Terms of the contract
  • Initial setup cost
  • Training and support
  • Per-user charge
  • Per-member surcharge
  • Per-transaction charge (% or $)
  • Per-event-registration charge
  • Per-email-sent charge
  • Upgrades
  • Updates
  • Bandwidth
  • Storage space

Want to learn more? Schedule a tour of GrowthZone software to see for yourself how smarter tools can help your organization grow.