What attracts members to STLE?
Edward P. Salek, CAE, Executive Director | TLT Headquarters Report February 2019
New research breaks down the 3Cs of engagement.
STLE membership establishes instant credibility and confers the seal of authority on you and your company.
© Can Stock Photo / prometeus
In the world of association management, there’s a maxim about membership recruiting and retention: an engaged member is a happy member.
A new survey of association members conducted by the publisher John Wiley & Sons confirms that rule of thumb and reveals the formula for attracting and keeping individuals involved in an organization like STLE. Call it the 3Cs of engagement: community, content and career.
The fourth annual Wiley Member Survey, which questioned society members from all parts of the world, explores what motivates an individual to join an organization in the first place and what keeps them engaged as members.
“Our survey has reinforced the findings of previous years that members are attracted to societies for three primary benefits—community, content and career—and that societies continue to provide all three of those services extremely well,” according to the report.
Respondents saw the top three motivations for joining a society as attending society conferences and events, taking an active part in the community and keeping up to date with industry news and information.
STLE follows this same 3C formula for membership engagement, starting with a strong effort to engage the tribology and lubricants community in a variety of ways. No. 1 on the list of events is the annual meeting and exhibition, the lubricant industry’s most respected venue for technical information, professional development and international networking opportunities. Some 1,600 professionals from around the world are expected to attend the next meeting, May 19-23, at the Omni Nashville Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee (U.S).
While the Nashville meeting is STLE’s largest event of this year, there are many other ways to participate in the tribology and lubricants community. Consider getting involved through an STLE local section, regional education courses or as a volunteer for a technical or administrative committee at both the national and local levels. Almost all national committee meetings are held by teleconference, limiting travel expense and time away from the job.
Content, the second engagement point, continues to be one of STLE’s strengths. TLT magazine rates as STLE’s most visible and valuable service, based on its track record of providing technical education and trends information to an audience of approximately 15,000 lubricant professionals through print and digital editions each month.
In mid-2019 STLE will launch a more vibrant online learning management system. The objective is to provide a better user experience when accessing education programs in the form of self-directed online courses and live or recorded Webinars.
Finally, STLE membership and certification programs are widely recognized as a way to enhance your career. STLE membership confers the seal of authority on your organization and affiliates you with the leading community of lubrication experts. STLE certification takes it to another level and provides immediate credibility to professionals in this highly technical field.
TLT readers who are not STLE members are welcome to join the society and benefit from these invaluable resources. Cost for a one-year membership is $160 (U.S.). Complete the application online at
www.stle.org. We look forward to welcoming you into the STLE community!
You can reach Certified Association Executive Ed Salek at esalek@stle.org.