Cleaning Day: The Crucial Role of Clean Data for Association Growth

Many associations manage their data through traditional CRMs like Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, or Association Management Software (AMS) tools. This accumulation of data necessitates data-cleansing projects. Those managing data in spreadsheets might face challenges due to variations in data forms across the organization, so transitioning to a CRM or AMS is recommended to establish a single source of truth.

Clean data is crucial due to its role as a holistic view of an association’s operations, aiding strategy formulation. In Association Advisor’s 2023 annual issue, they suggest some ways various departments benefit from data cleanliness:

Executive Leadership: Accurate data aids in strategic decision-making. Insights from sales data can indicate organizational health. Membership trends and event attendance influence market perception. Inaccurate data hampers decision-making.

Marketing: Clean data enables targeted member engagement, recruitment, and sales efforts for non-dues revenue generation. Inaccurate fields hinder reaching the right audience at the right time.

Sales Teams: Accurate data is pivotal in identifying sales opportunities, efficient follow-ups, and revenue generation. A clear sales funnel facilitates strategic sales efforts.

Membership: Clean data regarding member status, benefits, and engagement aids in renewals, campaigns, and non-dues revenue.

So where should you start? Cleaning your database involves several steps:

Inactive Data Removal: Use cleaning tools to filter out old or inactive contacts based on email addresses.

Mark Inactive Contacts: Label inactive contacts and former employees.

Group Classification: Group contacts by attributes (e.g., event attendance) for targeted engagement.

Accurate Data Fields: Populate fields with accurate data for intended purposes only. Utilize external sources for up-to-date information.

Create Flags: Use flags to categorize contacts for audience targeting.

Individualized Contact Info: Customize contact information based on activity and engagement.

Standard Process: Develop a standardized process for data updating and cleaning.

Associations, especially with limited staff, benefit from efficient data management. Clean data supports informed decisions, targeted engagement, and increased revenue. A clean database is crucial for an association’s success regardless of its purpose.