Blog

By Michelle Peterson, Vice President, Client Strategy

For years, associations have defined membership value by listing benefits: discounts, education, resources, advocacy, and access. These still matter. But the 2026 membership environment is making one thing clear: benefits alone are no longer enough to drive growth or even ensure stability.

Early insights from MGI’s forthcoming 2026 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report show that fewer associations are reporting year-over-year growth, while more are experiencing declines. This isn’t a temporary dip, it’s a structural shift that’s forcing organizations to rethink how they define and communicate value.

The Real Issue: Value Clarity

One of the…

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By Jana Darling, MGI President

Every few years, someone declares direct mail dead.

And yet, every year, we continue to see it produce results. That really shouldn’t come as a surprise considering direct mail open rates are often cited in the 80–90% range, compared to roughly 20–30% for email.

In a marketing environment dominated by digital channels, automation, and AI-driven engagement, direct mail continues to stand out because it breaks through the noise. Not because it replaces digital marketing, but because it strengthens it.

At MGI, we’ve seen this firsthand across membership recruitment, renewals, reinstatement, and engagement campaigns. And recently, the results have been especially hard…

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By Serenity Greenfield, Managing Director

Associations tend to collect a lot of data about their membership, but boards don’t need to see every chart, trendline, or dashboard. They need to hear a clear story about what your numbers mean, why they matter right now, and what decisions are ahead of them. The goal of your board reports shouldn’t be to impress the board with volume, but to help them govern with confidence.

What boards actually need to hear

Boards usually want answers to four questions:

1. Are we growing?
2. Where are we losing members?
3. What is driving the change?
4. And what should we do about it?

Those questions become easier to answer when metrics are grouped into a short narrative instead of…

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By AJ Jankord, Business Development Representative

By the time you reach Q2, you’ve likely moved past goal-setting mode and into execution. Campaigns are running, renewal cycles are underway, and early acquisition efforts have had time to produce results.

This makes Q2 an important checkpoint. You now have enough data to spot meaningful trends, but still enough time to adjust course before the year gets away from you. Rather than analyze everything, we recommend focusing on three metrics that act as early indicators of performance: year-over-year acquisition pacing, changes in renewal velocity, and email engagement.

1. Year-Over-Year Acquisition Pacing

When reviewing acquisition performance, it’…

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By Noah Poissant, Account Director

Artificial intelligence is everywhere! But for most associations, and so many MGI clients, the question isn’t just about efficiencies or the latest cool thing AI can do. It’s how AI can support you and your organization in efforts to move the needle on membership growth, engagement, and retention.

We believe AI should support the work of humans, making teams more effective without replacing the strategy, creativity, and judgment that only people can bring. So, here are some practical ways associations can use AI today, without chasing trends or overhauling their tech.

Smarter Personalization Using Data You Already Have
Most associations already collect…

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