Choosing Association Management Software A Quick Guide for Selecting the Best System for Your Organization

Why Should My Organization Have an AMS? Association Management Software (AMS) allow organizations to manage all aspects of their member operations in one place What exactly is Association Management Software and why should your organization consider using it? Unlike standard membership software an association management software or AMS generally implies a system with more support, offering a number of specific benefits to members. An AMS can be a great tool for tracking members, publication subscriptions, education, event management and more. You may think that this tool is only for large associations with abundant financial resources. Nothing could be further from the truth. Association management systems can be even more valuable to groups with limited staff and financial resources as it can potentially help your organization to run more efficiently.

Needs Assessment Determine what features/elements are critical for your organization Membership Management Event Management Education Products and Services Social Media/Online Community E-commerce/payment processing Mobile Ready Determine Initial and ongoing budget impact It can be a challenge to manage so many varied and often complex interactions. If money is no object, your association can custom build a database. But for most nonprofit groups it likely makes more sense to invest in one of the existing management tools available on the marketplace. Each offers a mix of features and customizations to fit your price range. Before choosing any system, carefully define your membership process to ensure you get the best system for your money. In particular, take time to consider the following: Membership Benefits and Structure. Match membership pricing to membership levels and to the discounts, access and services they receive. Event Management. If events are a critical part of your organization’s work, describe how they function and in what areas they depend upon membership structure. What member discounts do you offer? Are there multiple days, tracks or workshops? Do you need to manage vendor/exhibitor halls, speakers, sponsors and volunteers? Which member preferences play a role, and how do members register and pay? Member Communication. Describe how you communicate with members and how they will communicate with each other. Do you need to search a member list by certain profiles to create mailing lists? Do you have organizational chapters, and do they need access to manage their own chapter information? Does your association offer newsletters and other publications? Support. What type and how much support will be needed from the AMS provider? Most companies will offer basic initial training for staff/administrators. Be sure you are clear and comfortable with the type and amount of ongoing support will be provided. Once you’ve completed your basic needs assessment, determine how much money the association is willing to invest for initial and ongoing costs. This will serve as a useful guide when selecting the best system for your organization.

Selecting the Best System Complete needs assessment Do your homework: Compare at least three different systems against real-word scenarios Seek input from ASHP or other State Affiliates Consider hiring a skilled, experienced database consultant Time and effort invested in the beginning will pay dividends down the road. It is recommended that you not skip any of these crucial steps when selecting an AMS. Do your homework! Features that seem similar in vendors’ product and service descriptions often compare differently in real-world applications. Explore them thoroughly and put them through realistic scenarios in order to eliminate surprises. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if there is something you don’t understand. When talking to AMS providers, always ask for a list of clients, of similar size and scope, that you can contact for references. Make sure you identify any additional fees. This can have a huge impact on your budget. Make sure any contract is reviewed by an attorney before signing on the dotted line. If your budget allows, consider hiring a skilled and experienced database consultant. Be sure this person is not affiliated in any way with any AMS provider to ensure objectivity.

Options for State Associations MemberClicks (www.memberclicks.com) MemberMax (www.membermax.com) StarChapter (www.starchapter.com) Tendency (www.tendency.com) Yourmembership.com Wild Apricot (www.wildapricot.com) ASHP does not endorse any AMS provider but wanted to make available the names of a few companies who cater to small to medium size associations. Check out their websites to determine if any are a good fit for your organization.

Resources ASHP staff (Beverly Black, Kimberlee Berry) ASAE (www.asae.org) Idealware (www.idealware.com) reviewmyams.com Capterra.com Onlinecommunityresults.com These are just a few other resources that may be useful when searching for and evaluating association management systems.

THANK YOU! For more information contact: If you have any questions feel free to contact ASHP’s Affiliate Relations Division. For more information contact: Kimberlee Berry, kberry@ashp.org