Signature January/February 2015 - 43

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NETWORKING AND EDUCATION TOP MEMBER
BENEFITS IN ANNUAL AM&P SURVEY
Although the survey is still in
the field, early results indicate
a solid performance in most
areas and clear improvement
needed in a few.
BY JOHN T. ADAMS III

AM&P members like to network with
fellow professionals at educational events.
That's a conclusion one could draw
from preliminary results of the annual
member survey, which was still in the field
as this issue of Signature went to press.
Respondents rank networking with
peers as the top member benefit, followed
by AM&P's Lunch & Learn seminars,
Signature magazine, our annual meeting,
Sidebar weekly e-newsletter, the EXCEL
Awards program, and our listserv.
Another question asks members how
AM&P has helped in their jobs. One
respondent, apparently an association
publishing veteran, wrote, "Early in my
career, the conferences were professional development opportunities that have
helped. As I have gotten older and gained
experience, Signature and networking
have become the best benefits for me."
Another veteran echoed the theme:
"In my earlier career, I was an active participant and board member. My engagement with AM&P helped me build my
professional profile, improve my skills,
and develop a network of colleagues and
contacts that serves me to this day."
And one respondent said AM&P membership hasn't helped job-wise at all. We
appreciate the feedback, and we'll continue trying to improve the membership
experience in 2016.
Signature magazine is getting high
marks in the survey. So far, 80 percent
agree that the publication covers topics
important to association media and publishing; 70 percent find it useful in their
work; and 80 percent agree the writing

MEMBER BENEFITS AND SERVICES RANKED FROM MOST
IMPORTANT (10) TO LEAST IMPORTANT (1)
Network
with peers
Lunch & Learn
seminars
Signature
magazine
Annual
Meeting
Sidebar
e-newsletter
EXCEL Awards
program
Communicating via
AM&P's listserve
0

is clear and easy to understand.
On the other extreme, AM&P's website,
www.associationmediaandpublishing.org, is
drawing deserved criticism. We hear you.
We're working on it and plan to have a
remodeled site during 2016.
Almost all of the respondents (98
percent) access digital content on a desktop
or laptop computer. About two-thirds also
use a smartphone and three out of five use
a tablet, but for nearly 85 percent a laptop
or desktop is the primary device.
Who has responded to the survey?
More than three-quarters work for associations with gross annual revenue of
more than $5 million, one-fifth of them
more than $50 million.
There aren't enough participants
yet to get a handle on exactly what our
members do for a living, but responses
cluster around editorial or content roles
(45 percent) and chief publishing positions (17 percent).
Two-thirds of the respondents are
women, and about two-thirds are over
40 years old. Almost everyone who responded has a bachelor's (60 percent) or
graduate degree (38 percent).

The write-in comments reveal several
areas where members have requests or
complaints. A number of respondents
would like to see more in-depth programming in specific publishing disciplines;
some want more seminars outside the
Washington, D.C., area; and one or two
think we are focusing too much on the
interests of department heads and not
enough on editorial staff.
But overall, the results so far are generally favorable.
Here's my favorite comment (and we
didn't make this one up): "I hope AM&P
exists forever. It's the perfect conglomeration of learning, networking, thought
leadership, resources, and community. All
who make association publishing their
life's work should be members."
That's great to hear. n
John T. Adams III is
executive director of
Association Media &
Publishing.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 16

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http://www.associationmediaandpublishing.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signature January/February 2015