So you know you’re abnormally busy, and you know there’s technology out there designed to help you, but you keep putting off the idea of an association management system for one reason or another – time (or lack thereof), budget (or lack thereof), your board’s approval (or lack thereof), etc.
Well all of these are valid reasons, but at some point, you may just need to bite the bullet – for the sake of your members, your sanity, and of course, your organization. In fact, here are five signs it might be time to invest in an AMS:
1. You can’t find the information you want when you want and need it.
As an association professional, you have a lot of information on your hands – your members’ contact information, dues renewal dates, former leadership positions/committee roles, etc. But can you pull that information if and when you need to? And if you can pull it, is it up to date? If not, that’s your first sign that you might need some software assistance.
2. Your members complain that simple tasks are actually quite difficult to do.
This one’s huge because it directly affects your members. Do you ever hear members complain about seemingly small tasks? For example, registering for an event or renewing their membership online? If so, it’s crucial that these issues get fixed ASAP – with or without software. Unhappy members are likely to leave, and that’s the last thing you want at your growing association.
3. Email marketing is a straight up NIGHTMARE.
Do you ever cringe just thinking about the next set of emails you have to send out? You either send them in bulk and TRY to personalize them (though half the time the intro reads “Hi first name” – without the person’s actual name) or you try to send them one by one, which often takes days if not weeks. Neither situation is ideal, and you’re just plain fed up.
4. You want to explore different membership models, but the thought of it seems downright impossible.
Let’s say that your association is growing, and in order for it to keep growing, you want and need to introduce various membership models. For example, maybe you want to offer organizational memberships, premium memberships, and/or virtual memberships. But you can barely manage the one membership model you have now. Your lack of bandwidth is preventing your association from growing – and that’s never good.
5. You’re making too many mistakes…and your members are starting to notice.
Mistakes happen, with or without software. That said, software tends to help eliminate (or reduce) human error. Are you in so over your head that you keep making little mistakes? Are you sending emails with the wrong name or reminding members who’ve already renewed to renew? Mistakes like this, from time to time, are ok – they’re natural. But make too many mistakes and your members will start to notice…and may even become a little concerned/frustrated.
Do any of these pain points sound a little too familiar? If so, it might be time to invest in an association management system. Not sure what an AMS really is? Allow us to explain! Check out our free guide, What Is an AMS, below!
