Membership Bodies & Professional Associations
We appreciate the challenges of conducting research for membership bodies and professional associations, where the target audience is of paramount importance, often being our client’s raison d’être. Our research is particularly sensitive to the needs of those being approached – not being overly intrusive (and so possibly damaging the member/body relationship), whilst still ensuring that members have ample opportunity to air their views.
We understand that many membership bodies and professional associations represent a wide church of individuals from different backgrounds and organisations, and so our research is tailored to the specific needs of each individual organisation and its membership profile.
Many of our clients use research as a basis for lobbying Government or other authoritative bodies on behalf of members; we guarantee that our research is both robust and representative, ensuring that results can withstand scrutiny once in the public domain.
Our clients include:
- British Chambers of Commerce [BCC]
- Chartered Institute of Management Accountants [CIMA]
- Confederation of British Industries [CBI]
- Engineering Employers’ Federation [EEF]
- Institute of Directors [IoD]
- National Council for Voluntary Organisations [NCVO]
- Royal Institute of British Architects [RIBA]
- The Law Society
Research extends to regulatory bodies and representative organisations such as the European Copper Institute, Rail Safety and Standards Board and the London Development Agency - where broader stakeholder studies approaching all interested parties (including Members, Government, Staff, Media, NGOs, the public, etc.) are commonly undertaken.
We have a specialist team, dedicated to working with membership bodies and professional associations, which means that we can combine the high level of customer service and fast, personal standards of a smaller, niche agency with the support, resource and capabilities of a top 4 global agency.
We do not have a standard ‘black-box’ research approach; rather we work in partnership with our clients, providing research solutions that are tailored to meet their individual challenges.
We are expert in all research approaches and types, quantitative or qualitative, and are happy to provide consultation, fieldwork and data, or a full service incorporating questionnaire design, statistical analysis and insightful reporting – whatever best meets your needs.
The focus of research undertaken for membership bodies and professional associations is wide-ranging, with our portfolio comprising work in the following areas:
- Brand awareness and opinion research
- Communications and brand tests
- Competitor assessment and analysis
- Exploration into members’ needs and wants from their representational body/association – both in terms of the focus/strategy of the body and the products/services it offers
- Exploration into the potential overlap and conflict that can exist between the respective ‘regulation’ and ‘representation’ roles adopted by some bodies/associations
- Investigation into the drivers for joining a membership body/ professional association
- Membership satisfaction measures
- New product/service development and concept testing
- Opinion research to help define future strategy and/or provide supporting evidence for lobbying/communications activities
- Regular tracking studies to measure business confidence and performance