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NZSAE Professional Development Membership by Design SymposiumA one-day deep dive into designing sustainable, New Zealand–centric membership programmes that attract, welcome and keep people. Registration Options
Member – Full Day
$129.00
Non-Member – Full Day
$229.00
Additional Person
$85.00
Additional person registration applies to someone within the same association. NETWORKING by DESIGN 9:30 – 10:00 am DESIGN 10:00 – 11:00 Designing, Not DriftingThis opening session sets the foundation for the day by shifting the focus from activity to intentional design. While many associations are busy delivering events, communications, and services, fewer have taken the time to step back and deliberately design the full membership experience. This session brings clarity to what you are actually building — helping you understand your current reality, define what success should look like, and introduce a simple lifecycle lens that connects attracting, onboarding, retaining, and belonging. It’s a practical reset that ensures everything that follows throughout the day is grounded in purpose, not just process. Speaker: Brett Jeffery, CAE, NZSAE RETAIN by Design 11:00 – 11:35 Why Members Choose To RenewRetention is intentional, not accidental. This session examines why disengagement happens, which members renew consistently, and how associations can deliberately strengthen the factors that drive long-term commitment. Speaker: Elaine Linnell – General Manager, NZEA Putting into Practice11:35 – 12:00 Strengthening the Reasons Members Stay (facilitated) LUNCH 12:00 – 12:45 | ATTRACT by Design 12:45 – 1:20 The Membership Priorities We Don’t Make Time For.We all know the work that would strengthen our membership—clearer value, better onboarding, stronger engagement—but it’s often the first thing pushed aside. Not because it doesn’t matter, but because it isn’t urgent. This session focuses on those overlooked priorities and brings them back into view, helping you shift from reacting to day-to-day demands to deliberately designing a stronger membership experience. Speaker: Sarah Toase, CEO , Cranes Association of NZ Putting into Practice 1:20 – 1:45 Crafting Your Message (facilitated) ONBOARD by Design 1:45 – 2:20 The First 30 Days That MatterFirst impressions shape long-term engagement. This session focuses on designing onboarding intentionally — identifying early value signals, balancing human and automated touchpoints, and ensuring the first 30 days create momentum rather than uncertainty. Speaker: Kayne Franich – Property Council Putting into Practice 2:20 – 2:45 Designing the First 30 Days (facilitated) BELONG by Design 2:45 – 3:20 Moving From Members To Avocates & ChampionsBelonging goes beyond attendance and transactions. This session explores belonging as a combination of connection, contribution and recognition — and where associations can start, regardless of size or resource. Speaker: Donna Vincent, NZ Training and Development Association Putting into Practice3:20 – 3:45 Moments That Create Belonging (facilitated) WRAP UP COMMITMENT 3:45 Membership Advantage We close the day by bringing the full membership lifecycle back together—connecting the key themes of attracting, onboarding, retaining, and belonging. This final session is about stepping back, making sense of the discussions, and turning insight into action, ensuring delegates leave with clear priorities, renewed confidence, and a practical perspective on what to focus on next. Speaker: Brett Jeffery, CAE – NZSAE |
Designing membership that attracts, retains and builds belonging
The Membership by Design Symposium is a one-day, practical forum for association and membership professionals who want to take a more intentional approach to the member experience.
Built around the full membership lifecycle — Attract, Onboard, Retain and Belong — the day provides a clear, applied framework you can use back at work, regardless of your organisation’s size or maturity.
Rather than generic marketing theory, this Symposium focuses on the real challenges associations face every day: finding the right members, creating a strong first experience, sustaining value over time, and building genuine engagement and belonging.
Each lifecycle stage is explored through:
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short, focused insights grounded in association practice
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facilitated peer exchange with others facing similar challenges
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practical tools, templates and takeaways you can apply immediately
You’ll work alongside peers from across the sector, sharing what works (and what doesn’t), and leave with fresh thinking, tested ideas, and four tangible tools to strengthen your membership approach.
You’ll leave with:
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a clear, end-to-end view of the membership lifecycle
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practical tools for attraction, onboarding, retention and belonging
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insights drawn from New Zealand associations and real-world experience
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renewed confidence in where to focus your time and effort
This is a NZSAE signature membership event — practical, sector-relevant, and designed to save you months of trial and error by getting intentional about membership design.
New Zealand Society of Association Executives Inc (NZSAE) Te Hapori o nga Kaiwhakahaere Hononga o Aotearoa | Quick Links |
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