Research
Many of our projects begin with a research element. Some typical research projects include:
- Qualitative and quantitative research amongst current, lapsed, and prospective members
- Graduate recruitment research amongst students, lecturers, tutors, faculty heads, careers advisors, and employers
- Stakeholder research amongst MPs, media etc.
Some of our less typical research projects have included:
- Testing the likely take up of a proposed new qualification
- International membership benchmarking
- Testing likely take up of on-line CPD
- Canvassing views of trade union representatives
- Gauging the success of practice-based commissioning
- Evaluating the effectiveness of publications and getting feedback on potential development ideas
- Scoping out a proposed new training delivery platform with employers
"We use the team at Ashridge Communications across a range of different types of project. From helping us develop a competitive proposition for a membership category to understanding how our union representatives' training could best be developed; from stakeholder research to understanding what our external audiences think about the RCN to helping us think through how we may improve the wellness of our staff and our members - they are a valuable partner to have working alongside us."
Carolyn Munton, Head of Marketing and Business Development, Royal College of Nursing.
"Ashridge Communications carried out a range of research projects for us over a two year period. This involved focus groups, telephone and postal research. Their work was cost effective and pragmatic. Their findings and recommendations helped inform our strategy and were used to build Member-focussed thinking into all ABTA departments."
Victoria Poland, Senior Manager, Member Communications, ABTA
"I found Ashridge Communications' approach to our member research project professional and responsive."
Hugh Williams, Chief Executive, International Marine Contractors Association
Value based research
Ashridge has recently developed a research approach for membership organisations based on exclusive access to the 'Value Model' originated by Cristian Holmes, Director of Marketing, Communications and Membership at the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
The model is based on an extensive research audit conducted by Cristian including reviewing member research from 24 professional bodies, rigorous testing within his own membership research at BACP, and drawing on eighteen years of working with leading bodies.
The model was developed partly from posing challenging questions:
- Why are we in the business of measuring? How do satisfaction and value-for-money contribute?
- What is value for members, and how might we improve it?
- What might the components of value look like?
- How might 'adding value' improve retention, recruitment and advocacy?
"Can we put our hands on our hearts and say we are contemporary and relevant to our membership; we understand what they do in their working lives and we provide all the professional support they need?"
Cristian Holmes, to his own organisation
Our value based research model may provide a set of new metrics on which to measure your organisation performance such as:
- Value for money
- Public status
- Individual status
- Shared values
- Relevancy lag
The research will also have components which will enable you to measure your performance against the average performance of similar membership bodies.
For further information please contact us for an exploratory meeting.