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MPS' Davin Hattaway speaks at a nonprofit workshop in June 2018. Associations and the Pricing Dilemma – MPS Offers Sustainable Solutions
“ ‘Associations often underestimate members’ comfort level with price changes,’ says Davin E. Hattaway, CAE, account manager for association consulting at M Powered Strategies.” from Associations Now magazine, Nov/Dec 2018
In our fast-changing and fast-paced world, not to mention a growing freelance economy, associations play a vital role in providing standards and educational resources, along with services and a sense of community, to their members. But sustainability in a nonprofit space can be tricky.
Setting viable prices for dues and products is key. It can also be a delicate and angst-ridden process, especially if prices haven’t been keeping pace with actual costs. There are a range of tactics associations use – tiered memberships; providing different products to different levels of members; offering a range of products to nonmembers at a higher price. Above all, associations must be responsive to their members’ needs. Finding the right price balance is not easy. And it definitely should not be a matter of mere whim or guesswork.
MPS consultants tackle the problem with in-depth price sensitivity analysis: integrating market research data and portfolio analytics; conducting surveys and studying the price points and offerings of similar associations. With that information, we recommend prices for non-dues revenue that enable the organization to maximize outreach and fund new programs.
MPS understands the unique challenges associations face in realizing their vision, and we offer a range of services – from executive facilitation to organizational design and change implementation. Our mission is to serve those who serve others.
For more information about MPS’ nonprofit and associations services, contact: