What to Look for, What to Avoid, and How to Future-Proof Your Tech Investment
As the owner of a web development company that supports associations and nonprofit membership organizations, I’m often brought into conversations right after a tech crisis: “Our current system can’t do what we need,” or “We’re stuck with a platform we’ve outgrown.”
These conversations almost always trace back to one thing: the wrong membership management software (MMS) was chosen—or the right one wasn’t implemented properly.
Selecting the right MMS is one of the most critical decisions your organization can make. It affects everything from how members join and renew, to how your team tracks engagement, to how easily you can launch new benefits or events. And yet, many associations still choose platforms based on price or brand name alone—without asking the hard questions about fit, scalability, and flexibility.
Here’s how we guide our clients through the selection process and help them make a tech decision that supports their growth, not stifles it.
1. Know Your Current Pain Points and Future Goals
Before you look at software demos or feature lists, you need to get clear on what’s not working today—and what you hope to do tomorrow.
We typically conduct a discovery session that covers:
- What manual processes are eating up staff time?
- Where are members getting frustrated or dropping off?
- What features do you need now (e.g., auto-renewals, event registration)?
- What do you want to be able to do in the next 2–3 years (e.g., certification, app integration, analytics)?
This clarity keeps you focused when sales reps pitch flashy features that may not serve your core needs.
We’ve seen too many organizations overpay for complexity—or under-invest in systems they outgrow within 18 months.
2. Understand the Ecosystem: All-in-One vs. Best-in-Class
There’s a fundamental choice every organization has to make:
Do you want an all-in-one solution, or a modular system of best-in-class tools that work together?
All-in-one platforms like MemberClicks, Wild Apricot, or GrowthZone offer simplicity, with member management, events, and emails in one place. But they may limit your flexibility.
Best-in-class approaches combine powerful tools (like Salesforce or HubSpot for CRM, WordPress for web, Mailchimp for email, and Eventbrite for events) using integrations and APIs.
As developers, we help you weigh:
- Budget vs. scalability
- Ease of use vs. customization
- Short-term convenience vs. long-term control
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer—but there is a right fit for your organization, based on your team’s capacity and your members’ expectations.
3. Evaluate Integration and Automation Capabilities
Whether you go all-in-one or modular, integration matters. Your MMS should play nicely with your website, email platform, accounting software, learning management system (LMS), and more.
We evaluate each platform’s:
- API flexibility and documentation
- Available plug-ins and pre-built integrations
- Data portability (Can you export/import cleanly?)
- Support for automation triggers and custom workflows
If your software can’t connect to the rest of your ecosystem, your staff ends up doing double data entry—and your members experience inconsistencies.
A connected system means a smoother experience, better reporting, and fewer headaches.
4. Prioritize Member Experience, Not Just Admin Features
Many MMS platforms are built for staff convenience, not member delight. But from our perspective, your software is an extension of your brand experience.
That’s why we evaluate how each system handles:
- Mobile-friendly member dashboards
- Streamlined join and renew processes
- Personalized content recommendations
- Self-service profile and billing updates
- Ease of event signup and resource access
We test everything from the member’s point of view—because if your software makes it hard for members to engage, no back-end features will save it.
5. Don’t Forget Training, Support, and Cost of Ownership
Finally, a great MMS is only as good as your ability to use it. We help clients vet platforms not just for features, but for:
- Quality of onboarding and training resources
- Responsiveness of customer support
- Frequency of updates and innovation
- Transparency in pricing (including hidden fees or required add-ons)
Sometimes a slightly less flashy tool wins out because it’s easier for your team to master—and that means faster ROI.
Also, don’t forget to factor in long-term costs, including:
- Staff hours for setup and maintenance
- Consultant fees (if needed)
- Third-party plugin or integration costs
- Customization and support down the road
A well-chosen platform pays off over time. A poorly matched one becomes a sunk cost.
Final Thoughts: Choose for Fit, Then Build for Growth
Choosing a membership management system is a strategic decision—not just an IT one. The right platform can streamline operations, improve engagement, and help your organization scale. The wrong one will hold you back at every step.
As a web development company, our job is to guide clients to software that fits their structure, empowers their staff, and supports member relationships at scale.
If you're shopping for a new MMS or struggling with your current one, we’d be happy to help evaluate your needs, recommend platforms, or even manage the migration.
Need support selecting or implementing the right membership software for your nonprofit or association? Let’s talk.