When you survey members to gauge their satisfaction with their memberships, do you ask them to rate programs and services in terms of “usefulness” and “criticalness?”

Rather than striving stay relevant in this fast-paced society, aim higher. Be indispensable.

There’s a reason there’s an association for everything. Each one is designed to meet the needs of a special audience. Those of us at MemberClicks are reminded of this every day, as we serve many small-staff organizations specifically tailored toward their members’ unique needs.

It’s vital for association staffers to remember that there is no such thing as a typical member, so stop trying to cater your organization’s programs to fit an “average perception.” Don’t be average. Be extraordinary.

Even though members’ expectations can vary depending on their situations, it’s still possible to incite passion and commitment among them.

Does your mission statement reflect what makes your members special?

Does your communication drive the entire association?

Do the staff’s actions  create value “both within the marketplace and within an organization?”

Do you have a grander vision for your association?

Offer programs and services intrinsic to your members’ wellbeing. And don’t be afraid to get rid of programs that are highly rated as “useless.”

Just because your association has a high renewal rate doesn’t mean nothing should change within the organization. Make every effort to form a genuine sense and commitment toward indispensability.

Everyone in your organization should know how to best present the mission and energize members, volunteers and board members.

Once your team has a clear vision of the association’s mission, they will be able to more effectively demonstrate how and why the organization is irreplaceable in its members’ lives, which should be the all-encompassing goal.

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Once in awhile, I’ll read a blog post that particularly inspires me to contribute to the conversation. In this case, Bruce Hammond’s “Saving Your Job By Doing Something New” really struck a chord with me.

By training I’m a journalist, and I’ve written before about how I still have a soft spot for newspapers. Many of my friends work for newspapers, and as you no doubt know, that particular industry is in especially dire straits right now.

Because of that, I was so thrilled when my friend, a page designer, told me she was the unofficial Tweeter and “social media expert” at her newspaper. She’s also the fill-in sports editor and go-to travel editor. Although she was hired as a page designer, she used her social media know-how and interest in sports to make herself indispensable to the organization.

Stand out from the crowd

Association executives can do the same thing. The whole “that’s not in my job description” just doesn’t cut it anymore. It’s career suicide, especially in this economic environment. What other interests, hobbies or talents do you have that you can contribute to the organization?

Perhaps you’re a CPA who loves sports. Organize a March Madness bracket for your members. Although this may not help the “bottom line,” it engages members and fosters a sense of community, and — let’s face it — it’s fun.

Or maybe you’re a membership coordinator who loves to read. Could you contribute a book review to your organization’s newsletter?

This post was also inspired by Seth Godin’s newest book, “Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?”. In the book, Godin writes that everyone who does emotional, passionate work is an artist, and that doing so will make you irreplaceable to your organization, no matter which industry you area  part of.

We all have different interests and unique talents that we can apply to our professional lives. How can you cultivate your interests and talents to stand out from the crowd and help your association prosper?

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