1. “A customer is the most important visitor on our premises
“A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption to our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.”
- Mahatma Gandhi
This quote is painted on the wall of an IEEE Human Resources conference room at the Operations Center in Piscataway, NJ.

2. The Value of IEEE Membership
Joe Redfield, Membership Development Chair
Central Texas Section

3. So Why are We Talking About Member Value?
2018 Presidents Forum - Major Member Themes
“IEEE needs to deliver direct value to its members”
“Focus on member development rather than membership development”
“Members are an integral part of the mission of IEEE”
“Focus more on members not just all the various IEEE products”
From a Region 5 perspective –
Volunteers are asking for support
This is our charge
“IEEE needs to deliver direct value to its members”
This is especially true for the practicing engineer.
Members believe IEEE might need re-invention or reorganization.
“Focus on member development rather than membership development”
Members believe this would create membership growth and improve member retention.
Members believe IEEE does a poor job promoting the profession.
“Members joined IEEE as a professional organization, not a social service organization”
Members believe IEEE has shifted too far toward social service and do not think this is appropriate.
The recent Summary Annual Report only re-enforced this opinion.
“Focus more on members not just all the various IEEE products”
Speak more directly to members
Listen more, sell less. IEEE communications tend to be about selling IEEE, rather than addressing members needs.
Continue holding President Forums on an annual basis.
From a Region 5 Perspective – Volunteers are asking for support
We heard your request
This presentation will discuss both member value and how to communicate it

4. Let’s Take a Step Back Member Grade Career Stage
Understanding IEEE Members
Member Grade
Career Stage
Most think of membership in terms of:
Member Grades Career Stage
Student Entry Level
Graduate Student Middle Management
Member/Associate Executive level
Senior Member Retired
Life Member
Fellows

5. Let’s Take a Step Back IEEE Entry Point Length of Service Life Stage
Understanding IEEE Members
IEEE Entry Point
Length of Service
Life Stage
But there are up to three other considerations:
Member Entry Point: Life Stages
i.e. Did they Join because of: Fresh out of school
An Affinity Group? Married/No Married
A specific reason (continuing education, Children/No Children
humanitarian, buying into the IEEE members) Transient/Non-Transient (willing to move or not)
Technical Interest
Etc.
Region 3 refers to these as the member’s communities of interest
IEEE Years of Service
Simply Stated – how long have they been a member.
In Marketing terms this is reflective of the buying cycle
If we look just at retention rates:
1st year members are more likely NOT tot renew (27.7% Renewal Rate)
Paid their dues and it was a trial membership
As the length of time with IEEE increases, the likelihood that the member renews increases
2nd year members – 51.1% Renewal Rate
3rd year members – 62.6%
4th year members – 69.8%
5th year members – 90.3%
Given the time element, it is critical to remember our members needs will change over time.
At each stage we should communicate with them differently based on where they are with their life.

6. Let’s Take a Step Back Member Grade Career Stage Length of Service
IEEE Entry Point
Life Stage
All of these factors complicate the member’s relationship with IEEE and it is different for everyone
At each stage we should communicate with them differently based on where they are with their life.

7. Definition of “Value”
Webster’s Dictionary offers eight variations in the definition of “value”. We’ll focus on:
a fair return or equivalent in goods, services, or money for something exchanged
relative worth, utility, or importance
something (as a principle or quality) intrinsically valuable or desirable

8. Member Research Studies
Segmentation study
Every 3 years
Identifies key segments of membership
Latest survey is in process
See me for Region 5 Details
Non-renewing member survey
Relevancy based on the make up of the section
If you are interested in seeing the survey data, please let your IEEE Staff Support person know.

9. What We Learned… Five areas consistently rate as the most important:
Ability to Stay Technically Current
Networking
Continuing Education
Career Services
Discounts
These are very broad categories
Not all benefits are relevant to every Section or Member
For non-renewing members:
Too Expensive
The value did not justify the cost
For non-renewing members these are top two responses
Students see value but cannot afford the price
Professionals can afford IEEE membership but don’t see the value
How do we fix this?
We would assert that the issue at least for professionals is less about cost
More about finding what they came for.
We offer a lot of benefits and services, but how easy are they to find.
The Segmentation survey backs this up.
Both Higher Grade and Student members more likely to find the number of products and services overwhelming
General feeling that the products and services are difficult to use

10. So What is the Value of IEEE Membership?
This answer will be different for each member you engage
What do our Members value?
Deeper than the broad categories
Everyone’s definition is different
Plan around your members’ “communities of interest”
Every volunteer should have an answer to the following:
Why are you an IEEE Member?
What do you “value” from your IEEE membership?
There is no silver bullet answer to this question.
We need to understand and serve our members’ needs so they can grow and develop in the profession.
To do so will requires multiple strategies
What do our Members value?
Deeper than the broad categories
Everyone’s definition is different
Plan around your members’ “communities of interest” – This ia concept coined by Region 3 and their Section Support committee
Every volunteer should have an answer to the following:
Why are you an IEEE Member?
What do you “value” from your IEEE membership?
These are important questions to ponder because if you can’t describe what you value in IEEE how can you explain/deliver to your members?
Example: Steve Lien of the Southwest Missouri Section in Region 5 created a 35 min webinar titled “40 Years in the IEEE: Develop, Sustain and Grow Your Career”. It is available via IEEEtv at the following link:

11. Moving Forward… Member Value is an individual proposition
There are many factors that will impact this
The value will change for each member over time
Needs to be revisited frequently
Research has shown us the basic path to member value
We need to fine it tune based our members’ needs
As volunteers, our job is to support our members in navigating IEEE’s landscape
Help deliver the value to them
Let’s not make our members find it