Strategic planning and decision-making
The benefits of being able to tap into the insight gleaned from all of an association’s generated data are far-reaching. They pervade all areas of an organisation’s operation and they allow key decisions to be made. With a clearer understanding of member and stakeholder behaviour, associations can make informed decisions in a range of areas.
Budget allocation
Data insights can significantly improve budget allocation decisions for associations by identifying which programmes and initiatives deliver the highest value. As such those events, membership programmes or product sales that show consistently high engagement can be prioritised for investment while those that don’t can be scaled back.
Programme development
This is another area where data proves invaluable. Participation trends can be leveraged to enhance existing programmes or create new ones. For instance, if the available data shows a surge in interest in virtual learning, associations might decide to expand their online courses and certification offerings.
Advocacy efforts
It’s important for an association to reflect the opinions and needs of its community, and data also plays a crucial role in those advocacy efforts. Using member feedback and other engagement data, it’s possible to understand the most pressing issues within your community.
In short, leveraging data allows associations to make strategic choices that enhance their relevance, and ensure sustainable growth in what is an ever-changing landscape.
Boosting fundraising and revenue generation
Non-dues revenue enables associations to invest in technology, and member engagement tools, which can improve the overall experience everyone has with your organisation. Central to its generation is data analytics which can be used to identify potential donors, understand their giving patterns, and craft more effective fundraising strategies.
Data segmentation
Data segmentation can be particularly valuable for targeting specific donor groups with personalised appeals. By grouping community members based on criteria such as preferences and behaviour, associations can create tailored messaging that resonates with each segment to boost your campaigns.
Sponsorship package design
Event data and member demographics also provide valuable insights that can be used in designing sponsorship packages that appeal to potential partners. Associations can analyse attendee data from previous events to identify which demographics (country/region, seniority, years of experience age) are most engaged, then tailor sponsorship opportunities accordingly.
Overcoming data solution implementation challenges
Associations face several challenges when adopting innovative data solutions, such as data privacy concerns, limited budgets and a skills gap among staff.
Data privacy truly is a significant issue, as associations often have to handle sensitive personal information and as such, they have an obligation to comply with regulations such as GDPR or CCPA. Ensuring data security while obtaining the previously mentioned insights requires careful planning and investment in secure data management systems.
Data analysis and interpretation skills can also prove to be a barrier. This shortage can hinder your ability to extract meaningful insights from your data. Additionally, smaller associations often struggle with budget constraints, making it difficult to invest in advanced analytics tools or acquire these specialised skills externally.
The solution to the problem
To overcome these challenges, associations can focus on upskilling their existing staff in data analysis through workshops or online courses, allowing in-house expertise to be developed without the cost of hiring new employees or working with an external agency.
Choosing scalable, user-friendly data platforms is also crucial, as it allows associations to start small and expand their capabilities as their needs and resources grow. Running parallel is a need to build a data-driven culture within your association - which is essential when seeking to obtain the benefits of data analytics.
The platform your organisation chooses must integrate smoothly with your existing systems in order to minimise disruption. Over time, the focus must also be on adopting a culture where decisions are guided by real-world insights, rather than intuition.
Looking for expertise in innovative data solutions? We can help.
When an organisation can leverage the power of innovative data solutions, it allows for raw data to be transformed into real insights. This knowledge results in a better understanding of members and the broader industry landscape, as well as evidence-based decisions in the important areas of budgeting, advocacy and programme development.
Not only that, but trends can be more easily identified, empowering associations to boost their efforts in engagement, fundraising and attracting sponsorship. Overcoming non-negotiable challenges like data privacy calls for a level of expertise that can be taught to your existing staff. However, many busy associations turn to specialised agencies.
At MCI, we have the expertise you need to implement data-driven solutions. As such, if you need assistance in enjoying the advantages of a data-driven approach, our expert team is ready and waiting to give you the help you require. Getting in touch with us is as easy as filling out our contact form and entering the details of your association and your needs.
Alternatively, if you’d like to find out more about our full array of engagement services, be sure to browse our website where you’ll find many examples of our work.
MCI Content Team
