Article - AMS

Case Study: Revamping Membership to Reignite Engagement and Stability

Posted on June 3, 2025June 6, 2025 by Association Management Solutions (AMS)

Background

A long-established professional association operating within a highly regulated and often stigmatized industry was facing a period of sustained difficulty. The organization had been grappling with declining board engagement, reduced member participation, financial instability, and outdated operational processes.

A significant barrier to progress had been the influence of a long-serving leader who was resistant to innovation and change, despite clear evidence that existing strategies were no longer effective. This resistance created a bottleneck that hindered the organization’s ability to adapt and thrive.

Following a leadership transition, the remaining board members seized the opportunity to re-evaluate their strategic direction. Recognizing the urgent need for revitalization, the Board made a decisive change in executive leadership—appointing a new leader equipped to navigate the challenges ahead.

To support this transformation, AMS facilitated a strategic membership session with the Board. Through this process, the team quickly identified key obstacles to growth: inefficient recruitment and onboarding processes, and increased industry consolidation that limited the pool of potential members.

With a renewed focus and a clear strategic plan, the association began implementing solutions to remove these barriers. As a result, the organization has taken meaningful steps toward rebuilding its membership base, strengthening financial stability, and re-establishing its relevance within the industry.

The Challenges

The association faced:

Decreasing membership and board participation
Lack of clarity on why potential members weren’t joining
Inefficient, labor-intensive approval and reporting processes
Limited representation from key segments of the industry
Low engagement in programs and volunteer committees

The Solution

1. Set Clear Goals

AMS collaborated with leadership to define key outcomes:

Broaden industry representation on the board
Increase member participation and attract subject matter experts
Lower barriers to entry (cost and complexity)
Streamline the application and approval process
Create long-term organizational stability

2. Gather Insight

Conducted one-on-one outreach to current, former, and prospective members
Interviewed subject matter experts to understand motivators
Researched comparable organizations and pricing models
Audited internal procedures and approval steps

3. Rebuild Membership Structure

Eliminated outdated “metal tier” categories (e.g., Gold, Silver)
Designed new, mission-aligned categories by industry segment
Focused on what members valued most, and simplified benefits accordingly

4. Communicate Strategically

Rolled out the new structure in phases
Delivered updates across multiple platforms to ensure clarity and buy-in

5. Update Governance

Revised policies, bylaws, and procedures to reflect modern needs
Removed outdated rules that hindered accessibility or growth

6. Streamline the Process

Consolidated membership forms and payment into a single platform
Replaced unused manually prepared custom reports with a dashboard of dynamically generated reports of key indicators
Automated approvals and notifications, cutting down on staff time

The Outcome

Active board and committee participation grew by 50%, with greater industry diversity
Membership engagement significantly increased, especially in underrepresented verticals
Bylaws and policies were aligned with strategic goals rather than legacy processes
The new system enabled 24/7 online applications and payments, reducing staff time and delays
The organization began tracking engagement and financial performance quarterly
Membership structure now supports long-term inclusion and stability

Key Takeaways & Recommendations

1. Don’t wait to adapt. Address early signs of decline with swift evaluation and response.

2. Ask the right questions—constantly.

a. Survey members, reach out to non-renewing members, and gather honest feedback from prospective members.

3. Challenge legacy systems. Don’t let outdated policies or politics hold your organization back.

4. Find a change champion. A supportive board member or leader can help build momentum.

5. Make continuous improvements. Small, consistent updates are easier to manage and often lead to better long-term results.

AMS can help!

Engaging Emerging Professionals

Posted on May 19, 2025June 3, 2025 by Association Management Solutions (AMS)

At AMS Event Services, one of our core objectives as professional event planners is to create meaningful experiences that resonate with emerging professionals—those typically between the ages of 22 and 35 who are new to the workforce or transitioning into new roles within their fields. This dynamic demographic brings energy, fresh perspectives, and a strong drive to connect, learn, and grow.

Understanding their motivation is key. Research consistently shows that emerging professionals attend events to learn, to network, and to have fun. With that in mind, here are some proven strategies to align your events with their expectations:

Tools to Enhance the Experience
Leverage event technology to streamline registration, provide real-time agenda access, and integrate social media. These professionals are tech savvy and value innovation, so utilizing technology to enhance their experience is key.
Targeted Programs
Secure inspiring keynote speakers—visionaries who bring industry insight and energy to the stage. Create sessions focused on career growth, skill-building, or leadership development. Topics like “building your personal brand,” “negotiating your first promotion,” or “navigating industry changes” – sessions that are an investment in their future.
Dynamic Design and Engagement
Craft a high-value agenda with a variety of session formats (small groups discussions, pre-recorded content for on-demand viewing, etc.) and a diverse speaker lineup. Better yet, let them moderate a panel, introduce a speaker, or contribute to a lightning talk session. Giving them the mic, even briefly, builds confidence and visibility—and helps them feel like contributors, not just attendees. This encourages engagement, sparks ideas, and fosters ongoing conversation beyond the session rooms.
It’s All Fun and Games
Introduce gamification elements to drive interaction and make networking feel more approachable. Try mobile scavenger hunts, trivia battles, networking bingo or create gamified goals tied to a cause your attendees care about (e.g., “For every 100 points earned, we donate to [charity]”). Track progress on a live leaderboard. This taps into their values and community-mindedness and playful incentives will boost participation.
The Yin-Yang of It All
Create neurodiverse-friendly opportunities, such as: quiet zones, sensory rooms, chair massages, and the like. Prioritize wellness by incorporating varied food and beverage options, stretch sessions,flexible scheduling and meditation sessions. A balanced environment helps attendees stay energized and engaged throughout the event.
Meet Your Mentor
Facilitate connections between seasoned professionals and emerging talent through casual but structured networking opportunities just for early-career attendees to connect with each other and with approachable mentors or leaders. Icebreakers, hosted conversations, and light programming (e.g., “ask me anything” sessions) can break down barriers.
The Afters
Extend the life of your event with social media, virtual networking platforms, or event apps. These help attendees stay engaged, reinforces learning, and builds long-term loyalty. Millennials, which make up many emerging professionals, are highly active on social media and value connection, authenticity, and community, so use hashtags, post questions, and launch a post event challenge. Encourage attendees to post, repost, interact and share their event experience.

As a leading professional meeting and event company based in Silicon Valley, AMS Event Services is committed to designing innovative, inclusive, and high-impact experiences.

Contact us at events@amsl.com to speak with one of our Certified Meeting Professionals (CMPs) and learn how we can bring your next event to life.

Successful Events are Built on Trust

Posted on April 7, 2025May 19, 2025 by Christine Corby

“It’s his ‘baby’,” said AMS Executive Director, Mike Parket, with a warm smile.

“It’s not that the events in the past were not successful by doing it all himself,” said Mike. “They were extremely successful and that is exactly why he needed our support.” The event had grown in scope and complexity to a level that required more resources in order to keep growing which was one of the client’s main goals. Mike and his team were hired to manage the event but the hand-off was slow and at times painful for both sides. “I quickly realized that we needed to clarify the scope of work, our respective roles and, really importantly, how the client preferred to communicate. Once we understood that and acted accordingly, we made major progress. Fitting all of these pieces together is what enabled us to identify what was helpful or if there was a duplication of effort. This was a first test for us because without that mutual understanding, the level of difficulty would have been much higher and potentially the event would have suffered.”

Mike created the project plan by assessing the event timeline from the earliest planning stages and building a detailed work breakdown structure. He identified areas where efficiencies could be employed, saving the client time and money, and just as importantly, improved the attendee experience. As part of his plan, Mike proposed feeding the registration data into a more versatile and nimble onsite badge printing platform utilizing a custom API. By incorporating the onsite badge printing process, Mike was able to successfully eliminate wait times for onsite attendees to register and shortened lines for attendees who had pre-registered. The attendee feedback was overwhelmingly positive and that first experience upon arriving at the event, set the stage for a successful event overall.

Using a combination of custom programming and registration software platforms as the building blocks, and establishing a friendly, supportive rapport with his client while sharing measurable outcomes, like increased attendee satisfaction, Mike established trust with his client. The client began to feel comfortable turning over more of the “nuts and bolts” event planning which created more time for him to focus on developing the agenda, recruiting speakers, and securing event sponsors to help finance his event.

“It’s been such a rewarding experience to provide our event expertise to support our client and his association. Our team has been asked to take on a greater role each year since we came on board and the event continues to grow year by year. That is a testament to the work that we and the client put in to make the event such a success. It’s definitely a win-win.”

Learn more about AMS Event Services offerings.

Experience and Expertise

Posted on November 26, 2024March 28, 2025 by Julianne Fitzpatrick

Successful events are created with equal amounts of strategic planning, artful design and budget management.

A careful eye on the budget ensures that the goals for the event remain in focus throughout the planning and execution. Mindful resource allocation combined with regular, clear communication are just some of the many benefits to working with an AMC Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) like those at AMS to plan your events. In fact, according to a report by the AMC Institute, in the first year under AMC management, associations realized an increase in gross revenue of 9.6% on average.

A CMP is an essential resource to ensuring association event contracts are created to reflect your priorities and protect your interests. Just as every event is different, so is every event contract. One of the core elements to an event budget is the contract for the event location. And the location contract is typically one the biggest line items in the overall event budget. Typically, an event contract includes language relevant to the event space, infrastructure, audio visual, food and beverage options. If an event is held at a hotel, the contract may also include sleeping rooms for attendees. Depending on the type of event, the contract may include requirements for décor and entertainment, use of external vendors. Each piece of the contract puzzle presents challenges and opportunities to allocate resources to creating an event that aligns with the clients goals. With expert contract negotiation from a CMP, your event and your budget are prioritized.

When it comes to professional event planning and especially when it comes to event contracts, contingency planning is everything. A contract that is negotiated by a CMP maximizes protections for the client. In recent times, for example, the AMS team of CMPs played a major role in significantly limiting liability exposure for our clients during the global health crisis and other unforeseen events. In this example, a clause was added to the client’s contract that enabled them to cancel and rebook their event only two months out from the event date. The thoughtful negotiation up front resulted in a savings of $50K in cancellation fees which was 35% of their overall event budget. Without that language in the contract, the client would have had little recourse. That example illustrates how expertise and experience protects our client’s interests foremost resulting in our client’s ability to maintain their budget stability and reschedule events when circumstances require. It’s a win win.

We’ll just say it. CMPs are everyday superheroes! But CMPs are not just about coming to the rescue in dire circumstances. In fact, our CMPs are busy working on our client’s behalf at all times because every event that we manage receives the same level of attention and care regardless of the size or scope of the event or budget. Our team has planned and executed every imaginable type of event from a full-scale regatta, with sailboats helmed by a captain and crewed by company teams, to large-scale installations at global industry trade shows to bespoke executive retreats. Our team has even created award-winning, fully customized virtual worlds for Fortune 500 companies, associations and academic institutions using leading edge technologies. Whether an event is in-person, virtual or hybrid, our team delivers memorable events with measurable results.

Our team of CMPs possesses a truly unmatched level of skills and expertise that they employ for our corporate, association and non-profit clients each day. They’re resourceful, flexible, anticipate challenges and create innovative solutions to meet those challenges. They understand that events are an investment and the ROI is always centered in their planning. They’re adept at juggling competing priorities to ensure workflow progression so that each benchmark is met throughout the planning and execution of every event. They are experts at clearly communicating with stakeholders before, during and after events. They understand the strategic goals for each event and act accordingly. And above all, they make it all look easy and fun. There’s a reason AMS has been named one of the top ten AMC and event planning firms. If you have an upcoming event, our team of CMPs is ready to help. Please contact us events@amsl.com.

Top 10 Tips for Effective Member Onboarding from Association Experts

Posted on June 6, 2024January 7, 2025 by Julianne Fitzpatrick

Onboarding new members can feel purely administrative but it’s one of the best opportunities to set the stage for the long-term success of your association.

Congratulations! You’ve recruited a new member to your association and they’re ready to work! Now what? Do you send them a password and wish them well? To ensure new members are prepared to effectively contribute their valuable time and energy, here are 10 strategies to not only get but also keep members engaged.

1. Welcome to the Team!

Offer a sincere greeting on behalf of the board, leadership, and staff. A high-quality initial interaction welcoming new members and thanking them for their interest and participation sets the stage for a productive and successful working relationship.

2. Provide Resources

Create a wiki with available resources from meeting schedules and dial-ins, event calendars, procedures, job descriptions, volunteer opportunities, sponsorship opportunities, and contacts. A well-organized resource library empowers members to become familiar with the organization and reduces staff time replying to repetitive questions.

3. Create Social Opportunities

No one wants to feel like the new kid in school. Schedule an informal social event, like a 30-minute newcomer welcome breakfast at your in-person meetings to create a low-pressure environment for new members to meet each other and to interact with leaders and staff. Another option is to have a mentor (board member, leadership, or a long-time member) partner up with the new member to make introductions, answer questions, etc.

4. Introductions

New members may be announced on the website and in a social media blast. Take it one step further by highlighting new participants in your opening statement at a meeting or in your online communications to foster a sense of community and growth as an organization.

5. New Member Check In

Is your new member attending calls? Are they volunteering? Are they downloading the latest materials? After initial onboarding, check back with new members to ensure they have the tools and information they need to engage so the ROI in your organization is evident.

6. Provide Tools

Providing easy-to-use online tools, such as an AMS, for meeting registration, document management, project management and member collaboration is essential to facilitate their work for your association. A good tool will also help with reporting to measure member engagement.

7. Approach With Mindfulness

Be mindful of time zones, communication methods and language to encourage a dynamic and diverse organization and increase participation. Do you need to provide closed captioning? Accessible friendly websites? What will make it easy for your members to participate.

8. Quality of Experience

To create the best experience for your members (new and existing) consider how different members prefer to engage. Do introverts need rest spaces or longer breaks at in-person meetings? Do members need translation services? Do they need more training on available tools? Know what works for your membership and incorporate elements that enable them to make the most of their time together.

9. Importance of Communication

Do your members only hear from you when their invoice is due? Highlighting new member profiles in newsletters, blogs, and email communications can foster connection between members and demonstrate growth. Communicate, communicate, communicate.

10. Request Feedback

Often new members are the best source of inspiration and ideas to make the onboarding process even better. A quick survey to ask for their honest feedback will make those members feel heard and improve the onboarding experience for the next new member. Why did they join? What is the compelling reason for their engagement? What do they wish we provided that we don’t currently?

A newcomer’s fresh perspective enables associations to assess, and where necessary, up-level the onboarding experience to ensure that new members feel that they are a welcome addition to the group and that their presence is valued.