In this episode of The Association Evidence Project, host Lowell Aplebaum, EdD, FASAE, CAE, CPF, welcomes Jana Darling, president of Marketing General, and Dr. Adina Wasserman, MGI’s director of research, to unpack findings from the 2026 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report. Now in its 18th year, the report reveals a challenging membership landscape, with fewer associations reporting growth and declining confidence in their value propositions. The conversation explores the economic, political, generational, and competitive forces affecting membership and, more importantly, what growing associations are doing differently. Darling and Wasserman discuss the importance of year-round member acquisition, stronger onboarding and engagement, listening to member feedback, and creating meaningful connections with younger generations. They also examine how personalization and AI are reshaping membership strategies, from content creation and member communications to improved staff productivity and stronger renewal rates.
Read the report: 2026 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report
The Association Evidence Project is produced by Association Briefings.
