Persuading vs. Rationalizing Benefits: The Psychology of Membership Value

The common approach to demonstrating membership value often involves calculating the economic worth of each benefit to justify the membership fee. For instance, quantifying the value of advocacy, benefits programs, or helpline services to present a compelling ROI.

The pitch might sound like: "Membership is worth $5,700 and it only costs $300 a year. You'd be crazy not to join up!"

However, this approach has significant flaws:

1. Subjective Value: Individuals value benefits differently. What one person deems essential, another may disregard, leading them to discount the perceived worth of membership.
2. Irrationality of Decisions: People are not purely rational beings. Even if they believe the calculations, emotional drivers often override logical reasoning when making decisions.

Human decisions are frequently driven by emotions like desire, pain, or fear, rather than logic. Research, including a 2008 experiment using brain scanning technology, suggests that decisions are often made unconsciously up to seven seconds before conscious awareness.

Should Economic Value Be Listed?

Yes, but with a critical distinction. Economic value serves as a rationalizing benefit – a justification for a decision already influenced by emotion – rather than a persuading benefit that drives the initial action.

• Persuading Benefits: Tap into wants and fears, driving behavior.
• Rationalizing Benefits: Provide a logical post-hoc justification for a decision, helping to mitigate regret over potential bad choices. This is supported by research on negativity bias, where people feel the sting of bad decisions more acutely than the pleasure of good ones.

How to Apply This:

• Lead with Persuading Benefits: Highlight benefits that evoke emotion and desire (e.g., "Book Yourself Solid With APSA's Business Mastermind").
• Follow with Rationalizing Benefits: If possible, add the quantifiable economic value later to aid justification (e.g., "Membership Makes Sense! Therapists Get Access to More Than $2,100 Worth Of Representation, Discounts, and Benefits.").

People are motivated by the former and justify their choices with the latter.

Exceptions:

In rare cases, extraordinary economic propositions that are highly believable and closely tied to personal desires can act as persuading benefits (e.g., lottery numbers).

Key Takeaway:

Always appeal to emotions first – "speak to the stomach before you speak to the mind."

About the Author:

John Hooley, President, Steward. John is a graduate of 10,000 Small Businesses, a certified Customer Acquisition Specialist, and a Zend Certified Engineer. He focuses on connecting digital strategy to association goals. Outside of work, he enjoys travel, climbing, diving, and sailing. He also volunteers with Rotary and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Topics Covered:

• Engagement
• Recruitment
• Management
• Data
• Conferences

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