More than day-to-day management: using your AMS to support growth

The weeks after Christmas are usually the quietest of the year for associations. Fewer enquiries, fewer events, more time to think.

That makes January a rare chance to work on the bigger goals that can get pushed aside throughout the year. The associations that make the most of it start planning now, so they're ready to act when the new year begins.

This year, ask yourself, is our technology helping our association grow, or just keeping things running?

Efficiency matters, but it's a means to an end. 

Time saved on admin is only valuable if it goes towards the things that grow your association.

Whether your priorities for the coming year include growing membership, improving retention, increasing non-dues revenue or delivering greater value to members, your Membes AMS can play an important role.

Many teams use only part of what's available. January is a good time to review which modules you use, which you don't, and how you could use your Membes AMS to support your wider goals. For example,

• • Could you make it easier for members to discover relevant events, learning opportunities and services?

  • Could better use of member data help you understand engagement and reach out to less engaged members well before renewal time? 

  • Could an expanded education offering create additional revenue?

  • Could discussion forums or Special Interest Group portals increase engagement all year round?

  • Could a member only networking directory help members find other members of similar interest?

  • Could the newly launched website AI Assistant turn your website into an industry wide resource? 

and the list could go on…

Membes AMS includes built-in functionality to leverage these opportunities. If you’re not using all the capabilities relevant to your association, January could be a good time to explore them.

The goal isn't simply to do the same things more efficiently. It's to consider what your association could achieve with the tools and information already available to you.

Integrations can open up new opportunities

Every association has different priorities and resources. The built-in modules in Membes AMS are designed to meet a broad range of common association needs.

If your ambitions go further and you require additional capabilities, Membes AMS connects with specialist platforms. This means you can extend what you offer without replacing your system or managing member data in multiple places.

• • Learning and professional development: integrations with Learning Management Systems (LMS) such as Intuto and D2L Brightspace let you deliver online learning at scale, reach more members and create new non-dues revenue, while learning remains linked to each member's record.

  • Events: Membes has a powerful built in events module, however the EventsAir Smart Connector adds advanced capabilities for associations running larger or more complex conferences.

  • Content and education: WebcastCloud provides a searchable, central hub for videos, webinars, courses and other resources, helping members discover more of the education and knowledge available through their membership.

  • Your own tools: the Membes Open API lets you connect Membes AMS with the systems you already use or build custom extensions and plugins for opportunities unique to your association.

The right approach will depend on your association's objectives. You may already have everything you need within Membes AMS. In other cases, an integration could help you deliver new services or experiences

It's worth reviewing not only the tools you're currently using, but also the opportunities you may be missing.

Set aside time to refamiliarise and build skills

The quieter pace in January makes it a great time to:

• revisit Membes AMS functionality you haven't used for a while

• explore features you're less familiar with 

• bring new staff up to speed

• catch up on recorded Membes webinars and newsletters that announced new features throughout the year.

The Membes Online Training Course, User Guide and Live Support Sessions are all there to help.

Start now

The earlier you start planning, the sooner you can turn those opportunities into action. 

Membes customers: To learn more about which Membes modules or integrations could best support your 2027 goals, customers can book a Live Support Session or contact the Membes team.