• by Ray Schultz , August 21, 2017

Email is the channel of choice for professional association members, according to a study by conducted by Edge Research with Community Brands.  

Of 1,025 association members surveyed, 56% chose email as the medium easiest to consume and understand.

Email reigns supreme as the easiest to consume, most likely to keep members engaged and most powerful for telling the organization’s story,” said the study.

Direct mail is second, with 32% saying it is easy to consume and understand. Social media is third, with 26%.

In addition, email is deemed the most engaging channel among all age groups—41% of Millennials, 49% of GenXers and 48% of Boomers. However, at 40%, social media is a close second among Millennials.

Email also is the leading choice for super members (46%), rank and file (44%) and value seekers (44%).

The study also found:

• While retention hits an average level of 84%, only 55% feel a connection to their association.
• Almost half feel that their content is not personalized.
• There is no consistency is the types of information being collected.
• Millennials and GenXers want more frequent communication than Boomers. However, the biggest variable is the loyalty level, with loyal members preferring detail updates more than twice a month.
• The most critical factors are a code of ethics and consistent updates on industry information.
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