One of Opinion Dynamics Corporations’ core strengths lies in working with associations across a wide range of industries. ODC assists associations in building and strengthening memberships, understanding the issues of importance to each organization, and providing critical information to assist associations in promoting the interests of the industries they represent. ODC’s work for associations includes: benefit and service evaluations; membership studies; prospective member or lapsed member surveys; conference evaluations; membership needs assessments; public policy studies; and communications studies.

Most of the research conducted for associations fit into one of two categories:
1) Interviewing current and/or lapsed association members. Experience has shown the Internet to be an ideal medium for surveying association members. Several association clients have been surveying their members via the Internet on an annual or bi-annual basis for five or more years, at a significant savings over the cost of a telephone survey. Clients often find regular Internet surveys of members to be an efficient method for tracking satisfaction, evaluating product lines, and identifying potential issues or problems among members before they become big issues or problems.

2) Interviewing populations outside the association, such as the general public, on issues of importance to the association. This research often provides associations with the information necessary to promote the industry and further member goals. The information itself becomes a member benefit for many associations. This research can be conducted using a range of methods, including telephone surveys, Internet surveys, focus groups, in-depth interviews, and in-person intercepts.

Another efficient and effective research tool used regularly by many of our association clients are focus groups at conferences or conventions. Association clients have found that the times when their members are gathered for an event is an ideal time to conduct a focus group and probe in-depth about members’ views on a range of subjects. Clients have found that these focus groups serve dual purposes—not only do they provide a detailed understanding of the range of opinions held by members, but the members often express gratitude at being invited to the focus groups. Almost every time a focus group is held among an association’s members, members truly appreciate being asked to share their thoughts regarding issues facing their association.

ODC has longstanding relationships with many associations. These longstanding relationships allow ODC executives to maintain a high level of knowledge about clients' specific situations, enabling research projects to be conducted on a much shorter timeline that would be possible otherwise. As the learning and understanding of an association grows, so does the ability to provide the research and consulting to help the association meet its goals.

Contact: Chris Anderson - canderson@opiniondynamics.com