Building Member Loyalty: Lessons from IMA’s Growth
Membership retention is something all associations strive for. The International Magnesium Association (IMA) has succeeded in increasing its member retention over the past few years. From the end of 2021 to the end of 2024, membership has grown by 45%, reflecting strong engagement and continued interest in the IMA community. Not only is this a great increase in membership, members are renewing earlier in the year.
What does IMA offer their members?
The IMA provides its members with industry resources and information regularly through newsletters, educational webinars, and committee meetings throughout the year. With an international reach, IMA has committees representing a variety of interests across the magnesium industry. It’s important to make your association members see value consistently all year long to ensure that they can view this membership as a necessity.
Annual Conferences
Like most associations, the IMA offers a registration discount to members for their Annual Conference. These conferences provide attendees with the opportunity to connect with other industry leaders from across the world that they may not normally get to interact with. Conferences like this can be a big drive for membership renewals and new potential members.
Membership Options
Cost can often be a deciding factor when individuals or companies consider whether or not to become members of an association. By offering a variety of membership options, your association can better meet its recruitment goals and appeal to a broader audience. Flexible membership categories can be an incentive to join such as those tailored for students, retirees, or other specific groups. In addition, having a discounted introductory membership option, similar to what the IMA offers, can be an effective way to engage potential members who may be hesitant to commit initially. To further encourage new members, IMA has just initiated a new member type for small businesses/start-ups.
A Strong Membership Committee Is Vital
IMA has an active membership committee. Committee members pay attention to industry trends and potential members to help identify new member segments and benefit options. IMA also has two regional staff representatives who network with members and non-members and conduct outreach to current and prospective members, including at events hosted by other organizations. Association staff also play an essential role in carrying out the day-to-day activities on behalf of the committee; staff can also recommend ways to make the membership decision easier for current members. In 2024, we introduced a direct payment link for dues — so members didn’t have to login and manually complete the renewal process. Our data show that a more seamless renewal process has contributed to improved retention.