Engagement is defined by the ongoing interaction between a member or customer and an organization in exchange for meaningful value. It is the emotional connection between a member or customer and your association. Highly engaged members or customers buy more, promote more, and demonstrate more loyalty.

The purpose of the Index is to understand the status of the relationship between associations and their communities and to give participating associations the opportunity to identify drivers of engagement and learn from best practices.  The Index measures associations’ performance, benefits and preference as seen through the eyes of members and customers.

Participation in this Index benchmark survey is free of charge for participating associations

Each participating association will receive its individual a Engagement Index Fact Sheet. This one-page summary includes the engagement score, position in the overall Index, and an overview of principal KPIs. In addition, each association will have access to the full Association Engagement Index findings and Engagement Series of publications and events.

A detailed report may be requested and will be subject to an individual contract between insidery (MCI’s research partner) and the association. This report will include an executive summary, association-specific insights and analysis of key drivers of engagement for €1,900.

The Index will be published every two years, the next one in 2024, allowing participating organizations to monitor their Index score and level of engagement.

Each association is required to distribute the Index benchmark survey to its members, customers or contacts. 

• For Professional Societies/Individual Member Organizations we request invitations to members and customers
• For Trade Associations we request distribution to all named contacts within a member company.

Each association is responsible for sending the invitation to its members and customers, with two reminder communications to ensure optimal response.

• Professional Societies/Individual Member Organizations may view the survey questions HERE
• Trade Associations may view the survey questions HERE

The first invitation should be sent once participating associations have received their survey link from insidery and no later than the first week of October.  All invitations and reminders must be sent during the month of October.  The survey will close on 31 October.

MCI has commissioned insidery as independent market research agency (member of BVM – Professional Association of German Market and Social Researchers) to conduct the survey.

insidery managed all previous editions of the Index.  Responses to the survey will be held confidential by insidery.

Professional Societies/Individual Member Organizations should send the survey invitation to:

• All member types and categories.
• GDPR compliant customers (prospect members, or those who purchase your products, participate in meetings/events etc. without becoming a member). Exclude industry partners and sponsors.

Trade Associations should send the survey to:

• ALL individual contact names associated with each member company.

You will receive a link to the survey for distribution to your members/customers. This will be personalized with the name/acronym of your association. The language of the survey is English. Since the survey is a benchmark study and Index further customization such as organizational branding or individual questions is not possible.

Insidery promises to hold confidential all data input received from the members and customers. Survey response is voluntary and completely anonymous. All data is saved on data servers located in the EU – GDPR conformity ensured.

Insidery will monitor responses and let you know the response rate.