2. Is “Free” Undermining the Mission?
“Without alignment to business goals, it’s impossible to justify investment.”
— John Nawn, association community strategist
Free articles, webinars, templates, and tools can help people discover your organization. The trouble begins when free offerings deliver so much value that paid membership, training, coaching, or support becomes difficult to explain.
Free should provide a useful starting point. Paid services should help people implement, customize, practice, earn recognition, or solve a problem faster than they could on their own.
The pressure to get this right is growing. In one recent association-sector survey, 63 percent of leaders expected non-dues revenue to increase, even as many associations reported flat retention and fragile revenue models.
Giving everything away may feel mission-centered, but it can leave the organization dependent on tired staff, grants, sponsorships, and one major event.
One Thing to Do
Sort every service into three categories: Attract, Convert, or Retain. Free resources should attract potential members. Paid offerings should solve larger problems or save significant time. Retention benefits should give members an ongoing reason to stay.
Anything that serves none of those purposes should be retired or rebuilt.
