Introduction In 2014, HighRoad Solution and Demand Metric teamed to study the state of association marketing. That study established a valuable set of benchmarks about association marketing effectiveness, relevance, capabilities, tactics, skills and metrics. The 2014 study identified several areas of improvement, including adopting a more strategic orientation, embracing content, less fragmented ownership of marketing functions, acquiring more current skills, and becoming better at using metrics to manage the marketing function. Another key area of investigation in the 2014 report was leadership: where the senior marketer sits in the organization, if that senior marketer is talking to the board and what the implications of that visibility are. This 2015 benchmark study on association marketing revisits the same issues and now provides some comparison data to show what progress, if any, has been made. This report shares the most recent state of association marketing, and while some of the data has changed, the goal of the report remains constant: to provide associations with a set of marketing benchmarks they can use to compare and improve their performance. Table of Contents - Introduction - Executive Summary - The Status of Association Marketing - Association Marketing Capabilities & Tactics - Strategy, Execution & Measurement - Digital Marketing Portfolio - Tasks & Skills - Metrics & Analytics - Budget & Resources - Analyst Bottom Line - Acknowledgements
 - About HighRoad Solution - About Demand Metric - Appendix - Survey Background

1. © 2015 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Benchmark Report
Association Marketing:
Sponsored By:

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
3
4
6
9
17
19
Introduction
Executive Summary
The State of Association Marketing
Assoc. Marketing Capabilities & Tactics
Strategy, Execution & Measurement
Digital Marketing Portfolio
32
35
36
Analyst Bottom Line
About HighRoad Solution
About Demand Metric
24
27
Metrics & Analytics
Budget & Resources
34 Acknowledgements
21 Tasks & Skills 37 Appendix – Survey Background

3. INTRODUCTION
In 2014, HighRoad Solution and Demand Metric teamed to study the state of association marketing. That study established a
valuable set of benchmarks about association marketing effectiveness, relevance, capabilities, tactics, skills and metrics.
The 2014 study identified several areas of improvement, including adopting a more strategic orientation, embracing content, less
fragmented ownership of marketing functions, acquiring more current skills, and becoming better at using metrics to manage the
marketing function. Another key area of investigation in the 2014 report was leadership: where the senior marketer sits
in the organization, if that senior marketer is talking to the board and what the implications of that visibility are.
This 2015 benchmark study on association marketing revisits the same issues and now provides some comparison data to show
what progress, if any, has been made. This report shares the most recent state of association marketing, and while some of the
data has changed, the goal of the report remains constant: to provide associations with a set of marketing benchmarks
they can use to compare and improve their performance.

4. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This study’s participants were from membership, trade, company and non-profit associations. They represent a variety of roles
and departments within their associations, the largest group (33%) being marketers. The membership size of associations
participating in this study ranged from less than 100 to more than 50,000.
The analysis of this study’s data provides these key findings about the current state of association marketing:
 73% of survey respondents rate their overall association marketing as somewhat or very effective.
 The most prevalent marketing capability in associations surveyed is marketing communications, provided by 70% of
marketing functions to their associations.
 Only 25% of study participants report that their members perceive their marketing communications as always relevant
and professional.
 The marketing capability that saw the biggest year-to-year increase was membership retention, offered by 47% of
association marketing departments in 2014 to 62% in 2015.
 Event marketing was identified by 78% of respondents as the most effective marketing tactic.
 Associations are embracing marketing analytics more closely, with the percentage reporting no usage of analytics
dropping from 13% in 2014 to 9% in 2015.

5. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
 The budget line item most frequently found in association marketing budgets is for print, found in 46% of association
budgets. Print, however, ranks 8th in terms of effectiveness.
 More staff and more funding rank 1st and 2nd on resources perceived to most help improve marketing effectiveness.
However, neither staffing nor funding correlated to greater marketing effectiveness in the analysis of the study’s data.
 The activity that survey respondents identified as consuming the most time was internal meetings.
This report details the results and insights from the analysis of the study data. For more detail on the survey participants, please
refer to the Appendix.

6. ABOUT HIGHROAD SOLUTION
HighRoad Solution created their business out of the desire to always do the right thing and to work with good people. HighRoad
Solution was created to provide quality services and communication software products to the not-for-profit market so that they
could go out and do the right thing for good people.
HighRoad Solution is very proud of their commitment to excellence and their track record of supporting hundreds of companies
who share the same values. HighRoad Solution invites you to get to know them and experience a unique level of care and quality.
To learn more, visit www.highroadsolution.com.

7. ABOUT DEMAND METRIC
Demand Metric is a marketing research and advisory firm serving a membership community of over 50,000 marketing
professionals and consultants in 75 countries.
Offering consulting methodologies, advisory services, and 500+ premium marketing tools and templates, Demand Metric
resources and expertise help the marketing community plan more efficiently and effectively, answer the difficult questions about
their work with authority and conviction and complete marketing projects more quickly and with greater confidence, boosting the
respect of the marketing team and making it easier to justify resources the team needs to succeed.
To learn more about Demand Metric, please visit: www.demandmetric.com.