Membership market research: the lifecycle strategy
Most professional bodies across the UK collect feedback from their members on a regular basis. Methods typically include things like annual surveys, post-event questionnaires and course evaluations. Whilst these efforts provide valuable data, professional bodies can enhance their membership market research efforts by aligning their approach with the member lifecycle. We'll explore how in this post.
Understanding the member lifecycle
​Members naturally progress through distinct stages, with each one offering different opportunities for research. Recognising these stages allows you to tailor your research and gather more relevant insights.​​
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Awareness and Recruitment (0-30 days) represents the discovery phase when prospects evaluate how valuable membership is and have their initial interactions with your organisation. During this period, new members form their first impressions that then influence the entire membership experience.
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Onboarding and initial engagement (30-90 days) is an important period when new members decide whether to remain engaged or not. They're still discovering what membership offers and learning how to make the most of the benefits.
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Active membership (3 months—2 years) sees members actively engaging, participating in activities and developing relationships within the professional community.
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Renewal Decision (2-3 months before expiration) marks the period when members assess the value they've received and consider whether to renew. At this stage, they typically think about return on investment.
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Exit or reinstatement (post-expiration) encompasses members who either lapse completely or can be re-engaged through targeted efforts. Understanding why members decide not to renew can help you refine your offering.
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Membership market research depending on stage
New member research (0-30 days)
When conducting research with new members, focus on understanding decision-making factors and initial expectations. Send welcome surveys within 48 hours of joining to find out what ultimately convinced them to join, their primary membership goals, their communication preferences, and any initial concerns they may have. For organisations with the infrastructure in place, it's a good idea to track digital behaviour during the first month to observe how new members interact with your website and member portal.
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Onboarding research (30-90 days)
The 90-day mark provides valuable insight into new member satisfaction before initial enthusiasm wanes. Think about using a 90-day check-in survey to gauge how well your onboarding process met their expectations, which benefits they've discovered, what barriers they've encountered and their likelihood of recommending membership to colleagues.
Active member research (3 months—2 years)
Ongoing membership market research gives you an idea of how your members perceive the value they're getting. Things like quarterly pulse surveys can help you understand specific topics like events, resources, or networking opportunities, while annual questionnaires let you track satisfaction levels over a period of time. Surveying the same members over a period of years can also help you understand how their needs evolve over time.
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Renewal research (2-3 months before expiration)
At this stage, the focus should be on understanding what influences a member's decision to renew. You'll want to explore the value they've received from membership, what would increase their likelihood of renewing and whether there's anything that might stop them from doing so. The most effective renewal research starts at least three months before membership expires, as this allows you enough time to act on the feedback and address concerns.​
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Exit research (post-expiration)
Conducting research at this point in the member lifecycle gives you insight into why members chose not to renew and what would convince them to change their minds. Exit interviews or surveys should occur within 2-4 weeks of lapsing, with follow-up research 6 months later to see if needs have changed. Questions should probe their reasons for not renewing, when they made this decision, what would convince them to rejoin, and whether there are services they still need that your organisation provides.
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Tips for ongoing membership market research
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Automate stage-based surveys so members receive the right questions at the right time.
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Track stage-specific metrics—90-day engagement, first-year renewals, yearly satisfaction, benefit use, and renewal rates by segment.
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Compare retention gains against research spend to show your ROI.
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Keep a central research calendar with contact limits—for example, a maximum of one survey per member per quarter to avoid fatigue.
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Compare survey data with your membership system, portal analytics, and event attendance records to give you a full picture of member behaviour.
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Close the loop by telling members what you found and what you're changing based on their feedback.
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Getting started
For more than 12 years, we've helped countless professional bodies gain the data they need to understand their members' needs, develop new offerings and take effective business decisions. From timing surveys to wording questions, we understand how to get the best insights and conduct the most effective research. The member lifecycle research strategy is just one of the many ways we can help your organisation to better understand how your members perceive your products. Contact us today for a free consultation.
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How can we help?
If you would like to ask our advice, book a
no-obligation 30 minute consultation with us to discuss your research requirements or to simply have a chat and find out more about what we do.
Alternatively, use the briefing form to start discussing a new project, give Jill Elston a call on +44 (0)7703 462179 or email us jill@insightfulresearch.co.uk