Modern association leaders’ day-to-day tasks include emailing members about upcoming renewal dates, planning exciting events, and creating valuable engagement opportunities for members to enjoy. And with the rise of AI and hyper-personalization, you’ll need to ensure each communication appeals to the recipient’s personal interests and goals.
Juggling so many different tasks isn’t easy—that’s where association management software comes in. This guide will walk you through the following topics to prepare your team to find the right technology for your association:
- The Basics: 6 AMS System FAQs
- Consider a Salesforce-Native Association Management Solution
- Top 5 AMS System Providers
Ready to invest in an AMS that fosters a strong membership community and provides them with unforgettable programming and events? Let’s get started.
The Basics: 6 AMS System FAQs
1. What is an AMS system?
Association management is the process of overseeing and executing an association’s daily operations to provide members with valuable services and learning opportunities. An AMS system, also called association management software (AMS), is specialized software designed to help associations manage their operations and daily tasks effectively.
2. AMS vs CRM: What’s the difference?
While sometimes used interchangeably, AMS and CRM systems serve two distinct purposes. Here are the key differences:
- AMS: Your AMS will play a broader role in your organization’s day-to-day tasks, managing and facilitating aspects like recruitment and retention strategies, member engagement, online member communities, event management, marketing, and more.
- CRM: This system stores data about your members and their interactions with your association. CRMs logically organize member data so it’s accessible and useful to staff. From here, you can leverage information like demographic data, preferences, and past interactions to create personalized communications that deepen relationships.
While a comprehensive CRM is critical to your association’s success, it’s not specialized enough to manage your association’s entire operations. Think of your CRM as a smaller but important piece of your association management toolkit.
3. Can associations use both an AMS and a CRM?
Yes! To leverage the power of both solutions, opt for a solution like Fonteva. Fonteva’s AMS is built on Salesforce, one of the top CRMs in the world.
By combining these tools, you’ll unlock access to specialized capabilities designed specifically for associations and keep your member data secure and organized. And because Fonteva is built on Salesforce, you’ll also benefit from the platform’s ongoing innovations, customizability, and an extensive list of apps and integrations.
4. How can an AMS system improve staff and member experiences?
Benefits for your staff
Your staff works hard to provide content, educational materials, conferences, events, and ongoing opportunities for your members. The best systems not only streamline these tasks but enhance their value, providing your association with:
- Efficient and secure data flows. When your staff and team plan your next engagement strategy, an AMS solution will make it easier to transfer and view data from multiple databases. For example, to get a full view of your members, you might need to pull data from your event management tool as well as your membership management tool. Reliable integration capabilities are essential to make this possible. For an even better option, invest in a platform solution.
- Increased security. Consolidating your association’s information in your AMS database is more secure than having it live in an Excel spreadsheet or physical forms. Additionally, association database management is easy for your staff when information is housed in a cloud-based online software solution.
- Increased recruitment and retention. With an AMS optimizing your communications and ensuring you offer the best member experience, your association can not only acquire new prospects but also better retain current members. Plus, automatic dues payments and pre-scheduled dues reminders can also prevent members from lapsing.
- Decisions backed by data. With all the data collected from emails, events, and other online engagements, you can make more informed decisions about your association’s future. For instance, use data to help you figure out which marketing outreach strategy has the highest chance of success by observing past ones. Or, pick the next online webinar topic by looking through feedback from your other learning opportunities.
Benefits for your members
Your AMS system or membership platform isn’t just there to increase efficiency for behind-the-scenes operations—it should also enhance member experiences.
The more intuitive and engaging your technology is, the more likely it is that your members will continue to contribute to your community. With an upgraded AMS system, your members will have:
- Consistent and improved experiences. With an AMS, your association can create eye-catching websites with individual pages and forms that are simple yet effective, all completely branded to your association.
- Access to a wide variety of relevant resources. Your association members are there to connect with others and learn from the experiences your association curates. Make sure members have the resources they need. The right association management software can create a members-only portal to host exclusive white papers, informational guides, and educational courses.
- Community-building opportunities. In addition to advancing in their careers and participating in valuable learning opportunities, individuals join your association to be part of a community. Your association software can promote this with online discussion boards, engaging event ideas, and much more.
5. What are some of the top AMS system features to look for?
The features you’ll want in your association management solution will differ depending on your association’s unique needs. If you often host online webinars, for example, an AMS with a learning management system (LMS) integration is a no-brainer, whereas another association might not find this necessary.
While every association has different priorities, no matter what, your AMS should have these essential features:
- Membership management. One of your most important tasks is managing members. This goes beyond simply tracking enrollments and renewals. You also need to make the most of valuable member data. Gathering and storing accurate member information can impact almost all aspects of association management, so having a solution catered to this priority is essential.
- Member portal. Not only can your association management software provide the tools you need to oversee member information, but the best ones should also offer a member portal. This should include a navigable directory where members can learn more about other members in the association, helping them get familiar with one another.
- Event management. Along with managing members, you must provide them with exciting opportunities and valuable engagement experiences through association events. The right software solution makes it easy for attendees to register and participate in events, whether the event is a large conference or a small presentation. You should be able to register members, offer automatic discounts, and implement tiered registrations.
- Financial management. Processing event registrations, membership registrations, and dues payments requires a financial management and payment tool. Make sure your system’s payment processor is secure and integrated with your other tools. Also, check that it can facilitate automated recurring payments to make dues payments easier.
- Communication management. For both member and event management, you’ll need a capable communication tool, specifically one with automation features. Automated communication keeps your members in the loop and saves your team time that you’d normally spend on drafting and sending each message. This way, you can focus on your content rather than when and how you’ll deliver the message.
- Reporting tools. An AMS is the perfect tool for compiling data, so make sure yours comes with robust reporting features. Your solution should offer both customizable and pre-built reports to help you learn from past data. The best reports present data in a visually intuitive format, making it easy for anyone to understand and take action.
6. What are some key association management software trends?
Current AMS trends aim to make the technology as flexible, scalable, and innovative as possible. By seeking out software that follows these trends, you’ll identify a solution that grows with your association rather than holding it back.
Some of the top trends in the AMS space include:
CRM-Based Systems
Now more than ever, providers understand that associations thrive with a robust suite of tools in a single centralized system. Not only do CRM-based systems bring the benefits of both technologies to your association, but they ensure all of your data is consolidated, clean, and up-to-date. This ensures you never miss opportunities to recruit prospective members, retain members, enhance member experiences, and more.
Cloud-Based Technology
These systems store data online rather than on a local server. This allows vendors to release frequent software updates easily, bringing users the most current version. Additionally, retaining data security, monitoring software performance, and performing other key maintenance tasks are the vendor’s responsibility, not yours.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI has quickly become integral to almost every industry, including association management. Associations use AI to predict member behavior, provide better experiences via tools like chatbots, curate content, and manage member feedback.
Personalization
Studies have found that associations that use personalization in email communications are significantly more likely to see an increase in their renewal rates. AMS vendors are focused on providing data analysis tools, automation, and AI-powered tools that make personalization achievable on a large scale.
Data Security and Compliance Features
The best association management solutions prioritize stringent security measures and comply with relevant data security laws. For example, a provider might encrypt member data, offer role-based access, require multi-factor authentication, and hold a relevant data security certification. Cloud-based systems will also routinely back up your records to ensure you don’t lose any data.
The most cutting-edge AMS providers will also prioritize continuous innovation and regular upgrades. This shows that the vendor is dedicated to bringing associations the best version of the tool and keeping up with the ever-changing tech landscape.
Consider a Salesforce-Native Association Management Solution
As of 2024, Salesforce serves more than 150,000 organizations, and this figure is expected to double by 2026. Notable members of the Salesforce customer list include Walmart, Macy’s, and L’Oreal.
The reason so many large, successful companies trust Salesforce is that its platform is expansive, flexible, and capable of securely handling large amounts of data. Additionally, Salesforce is a cloud-based, software as a service (SaaS) provider, meaning that it offers all of its users regular updates and improvements. This is a significant advantage over legacy software.
If your association already uses the world’s top CRM or is considering making the switch to Salesforce, you’ll need to invest in a Salesforce-native AMS. This means that the solution was built inside of Salesforce using the Lightning Platform, and it will work seamlessly with the Salesforce ecosystem without any integrations.
However, not all Salesforce-native solutions are created equal. For example, some are limited in the data models they will support. A data model refers to the way your data is stored in Salesforce and is made up of Objects, Fields, and Records. When it comes to association management technology, you’ll need to be familiar with the:
- Person Accounts Model: These accounts store information about individual members in a single record by combining information from the Account and Contacts fields. This model does have significant drawbacks compared to the Accounts and Contacts model such as taking up more storage space, making reporting cumbersome, and offering limited flexibility. This graphic highlights the challenges of using this data model.
- Accounts and Contacts Model: This data model stores information about Accounts (i.e., information about members, prospects, and even competitors) and Contacts (i.e., individuals related to accounts like employees, other members, etc.). Contacts can be linked to Accounts based on their relationships with the accounts. This model is best for giving your association a 360-degree view of member data and access to granular details about them.
Ideally, your association should choose a provider that supports both of these data models to best meet your needs. Switching to Person Accounts can be right for some organizations, but the decision is irreversible and shouldn’t be made lightly. Fonteva’s association management platform can do just that, and our qualified team of experts is here to help you decide which data model to choose.
Top 5 AMS System Providers
Because there are so many association management tools available, it can be hard to know which one your organization should choose. Here are some recommendations to help you get started!
| Best for… | Standout Features | Pricing | |
| Fonteva | Large associations that use Salesforce. | Fonteva supports both the Person Accounts and Accounts and Contacts data models for ultimate flexibility. | Reach out to Fonteva for a custom quote. |
| Protech | Mid-sized associations that use Microsoft Dynamics 365. | Protech seamlessly connects with the powerful tools in the Microsoft ecosystem, leveraging data analysis tech like Business Intelligence (BI). | Reach out to Protech for a custom quote. |
| MemberClicks | Associations looking for a simple, easy-to-use interface. | Website builder tools that provide members with smooth online experiences. | Starts at $4,500/year. |
| MemberLeap | Associations that need a solution with flexible pricing and plans. | A mobile app that allows members to engage with your association on the go. | Starts at $80/month, up to enterprise pricing. |
| NoviAMS | Associations that rely on QuickBooks, with an emphasis on trade associations. | A simple integration with Intuit’s QuickBooks solution to streamline finances. | Pricing depends on annual revenue. |
Fonteva: All-in-One AMS System
Packed with more power, flexibility, and capabilities than a typical AMS system, Fonteva Membership is a dedicated, all-in-one association software platform built on the power of Salesforce. Fonteva supports and nurtures both new and existing member engagement, empowering your members and staff to reach their full potential.
Fonteva is built for associations looking to streamline processes and make the day-to-day tasks of management more effective. As a true-cloud software solution, Fonteva gives users the benefit of accessing updated data in real time, no matter where they are. With over a decade of experience partnering with associations, Fonteva knows what you need to succeed. Fonteva’s tools are flexible and built to grow with your association.
And, as a Salesforce-native association management platform, Fonteva has access to every app on the Salesforce AppsExchange, letting you pick and choose which capabilities to add as your association expands.
Why This Association Management Solution Stands Out
Fonteva’s association management platform has functionalities to streamline and automate managerial tasks. In particular, Fonteva users can:
- Connect members to valuable opportunities with direct access to a member directory, event calendar, self-serve event registration, and continuing education classes.
- Plan and host events (both in-person and virtual), making it easy for members to sign up and engage with others in meaningful ways.
- Automate membership dues with its integrated payment processor. Fonteva can also apply discounts for certain members if they’re eligible when registering for an event or purchasing something from your e-commerce store.
- Easily create reports using compiled data to unlock key insights about how your association is currently performing and note areas for improvements. Fonteva offers both pre-built templates and customized reports that you can use.
- Access any of the apps on the Salesforce AppExchange and integrate with existing Salesforce tools with ease.
- Leverage Fonteva Payments, a best-in-class payments platform that provides processing and a secure payments gateway. The platform delivers a single source of truth about member payments, and its wide range of features can accept online ACH payments, digital wallet, and multicurrency transactions, as well as update credit card information, and much more.
Protech
Backed by the world-class Microsoft Dynamics 365 system, Protech’s association management platform has an incredible capacity for customization. With Protech, your association can skip the growing pains of setting up a new software system and start personalizing its suite of tools to your specific needs.
Why This Association Management Solution Stands Out
Protech’s association management platform boasts a variety of features, such as:
- Seamless connectivity with Microsoft AppSource tools, as well as Microsoft Office and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business applications.
- Streamlined member and donor management features, including customizable constituent profiles, mobile outreach, and personalized communications.
- Intuitive event management tools, from simplified registration procedures to management for exhibitor booths and transactions.
- A secure, flexible payment solution. Protech has harnessed the full potential of our robust association software platform, integrating seamlessly with Protech Payments by Stripe. This platform delivers a single source of truth for member payments, and its wide range of features can accept ACH payments and digital wallet, eradicate hidden fees, and handle multicurrency transactions while delivering unparalleled transparency into your transaction lifecycle.
MemberClicks
MemberClicks is an AMS that serves associations, chambers, and universities. With MemberClicks, you can simplify the way your association engages with members while providing them with a platform of integrated tools to take their experiences to the next level.
Why This Association Management Solution Stands Out
MemberClicks offers capabilities such as:
- Integrated LMS to provide members with exciting opportunities.
- Dues management tool to make payment and reporting easy.
- Association website building tools to stay connected with members online.
MemberLeap
MemberLeap offers affordable, easy-to-use software that helps any association streamline its basic member-based administrative duties. Because of its flexible build, associations of various sizes can leverage MemberLeap’s platform.
Why This Association Management Solution Stands Out
Check out these top features from MemberLeap:
- Member database so that you can manage members, cross-reference data points, and search for key metrics.
- A mobile app that allows members to access various MemberLeap tools.
- Email tools that can support drip campaigns, send out newsletters, and more.
Novi AMS
Novi AMS is an AMS solution that is designed by and for association professionals. Specifically, they tend to cater to trade associations, aiming to help their members develop professionally and make valuable connections with each other. Additionally, Novi makes it easy for your association to keep track of important accounting information through its integration with QuickBooks.
Why This Association Management Solution Stands Out
Here are some of the top features of Novi:
- Integration with QuickBooks, making it easy to track invoices, online payments, and other financial data.
- Web-building tools that help trade association professionals create an engaging website without the necessary coding experience.
- Flexible member types, allowing associations to organize members by whether they’re company-based, individual, or hybrid.
Additional Resources
From recruitment to retention, your association management system is the most efficient tool in your association’s toolbox. Engaging your members in a strong member community starts with the best software available! When it comes time to start comparing various association management software solutions, prioritize the features discussed above.
For more information about association and membership management software, check out these additional resources:
- Our Top 20 Association Management Software (AMS) Picks. Want to explore some association management FAQs and peruse more top providers? Read on!
- Salesforce for Association: A Comprehensive Guide. Check out this guide to learn more about how you can use Salesforce to supercharge your association management processes.
- How to Choose a CRM for Associations + 9 Top Providers. Curious about the differences between a CRM and an AMS? Learn more (and get some top recommendations) in this blog
