Background

1. Background • To better understand how PRSA delivers value to members and to determine avenues for growth, PRSA in conjunction with Ketchum Global Research and Analytics conducted the third installment of its Membership Study, also completed in 2008 and 2011. • In addition to observing the current state of the PRSA landscape, the study analyzes key trends from 2008 to presentand evaluates differences among age groups (Millennials, Gen X and Boomers) and membership status (member, lapsed member, never member).

2. Key Questions Addressed • How have key membership metrics changed from 2008 and 2011? • How does the population segment in terms of engagement with PRSA? • What drives membership recommendation and renewal, and which brand attributes contribute most to bothamong both general member population and key segments • What services signify the best the opportunities for growth and which can be dropped? What are barriers among lapsed and non-members? • What is the role of the APR? • How, if at all, do Millennials differ?

3. What is the Role of the APR? • Awareness of the APR is very high, more so among members than non-members (98% of members vs. 84% of non-members are familiar). APR represents or is indicative of a high level of accomplishment rather than a relevant, necessary, valuable career advancement tool. PRSA members are much more likely than lapsed and non-members to view the APR as an accomplishment in PR, and also to believe it is relevant/valuable. • The APR is not a notable barrier to member involvement in PRSA, it is also not seen as a key component of Board membership. Less than half (44%) deem it very important to Board member and a similar proportion (46%) feel it should be a requirement. Indicating the relevance of APR in leading the industry may be waning. These percentages drop more so among Millennial members as well as lapsed and non-members.

4. Members view PRSA’s online resources as more valuable now than in 2011, with webinars greatly increasing in perceived value (webinars became free to members in 2011, largely accounting for this significant jump). • Preferred-pricing for professional development programs/events continues to increase in value among members. • Industry news publications (i.e. Issues and Trends, Tactics, The Strategist) have remained stagnant or decreased in value. • Opportunities for Growth: Trending Data Reveal Members Increasingly Want Professional Development & Knowledge Resources via Local Chapters and Online Resources Q18. Please indicate how valuable the following services and products offered by PRSA are to you or please indicate if you are not aware of the service or product. (Top 3 Box) n=1417

5. Non-members see far less value in the product/services most important to members. • Non-members view PRSA’s Jobcenter, Code of Ethics and website as the organization’s most valuable resources – actively promoting these areas could further drive purchase among non-members. • Local Chapter offerings, such as professional development programs and networking events, also appeal to non-members. • Opportunities for Growth: Non-Members look for Local and Online Job Resources, Code of Ethics Q18. Please indicate how valuable the following services and products offered by PRSA are to you or please indicate if you are not aware of the service or product. (Top 3 Box) Members n=1417, Non-Members n=192

6. Non-members are less likely to view PRSA’s conferences as valuable (perhaps due to less exposure to the conferences), as well as various PRSA blogs. • The business case for Public Relation and PRSA Committees also hold less weight among non-members. • Opportunities for Growth: Non-Members Place Less Value on Conferences and Blogs Q18. Please indicate how valuable the following services and products offered by PRSA are to you or please indicate if you are not aware of the service or product. (Top 3 Box) Members n=1417, Non-Members n=192

7. Summary: Role of the APR • Awareness of the APR is high – 96% among all respondents (98% among members, 94% among lapsed and 84% among non-members). • APR is seen as a sign of personal accomplishment but not one that is necessary to professional success and advancement and as such, should be positioned this way. • The APR does not appear to be a barrier to members becoming more involved in PRSA. Less than half (44%) see it as “Very important” to serving on the board and a equal proportion (46%) think it should be a Board requirement. The most important quality for serving on the Board is prior leadership experience in PRSA, such as serving as a Chapter or Section chair. • How familiar are respondents with the APR, and what is its perceived value? • What is the APR’s impact on furthering involvement in PRSA? • What should be required of members serving on PRSA’s Board of Directors?

8. Familiarity with the APR • The majority of members, lapsed and non-members each knows at least somewhat about the APR. • The largest portion of members report have high familiarity with the APR; the largest portion of lapsed and non-members know somewhat of the accreditation. • Not surprising, those who have never been PRSA members are least likely to have heard of the APR. Q23. How familiar are you with the PRSA accreditation program, commonly called APR? Members n=1417, Lapsed n=174, Non-Members n=193

9. APR Viewed as an Accomplishment, but Lacks Real-World Value/Relevance • Members most view APR a sense of accomplishment; but less believe the certification is relevant/valuable to them. • Offering APR is found to be a significant driver of satisfaction among current members. • Lapsed and non-members are significantly less likely to think APR is relevant to them/how PR is practiced and view it as outdated, indicating a need to grow relevance and importance of APR beyond members. Q23. How familiar are you with the PRSA accreditation program, commonly called APR? N=1784 Q24. Which of the following describe what you think of the APR certification? Members n=1392, Lapsed Members n=163, Non-Members n=163

10. APR Not Viewed as a Barrier for Furthering Involvement in PRSA • While the large majority do not view APR as a barrier to involvement with PRSA, uncertainty exists among lapsed and non-members; one-fourth of lapsed and over one-third of non-members reported “I don’t know.” • The majority of each group finds APR at least somewhat important for serving on the Board – continue to initiate growth of the APR accreditation and its value/relevance to professionals. Q26. Is APR certification a barrier to you becoming more involved in PRSA? Members n=1392, Lapsed n=163, Non-Members n=163 Q25. Presently, APR certification is required to serve on the PRSA National Board of Directors. How important do you think this is? Members N=1392, Lapsed N=163, Non-Members N=163

11. Previous PRSA Leadership Most Critical Requirement of Board Membership • Leadership experience within PRSA is viewed as more important than having APR certification for board member requirement. • Leadership within a(n) company/external organization appears to be less important to board membership than experience within PRSA. 64% 46% 42% 28% 18% 16% Q27. Which of the following should be requirements of those PRSA board members who are not from academia? Members n=1392

12. Summary: Differences Among Millennials • Millennials hold membership organizations to a set of ideals – expecting intangible elements like integrity, responsiveness, helpfulness and support, more so than older generations. • Millennialsare less likely to place importance on a professional certification program, and potentially as a result, are less likely than older groups to say PRSA performs well in this area. • Millennialsfind PRSA networking events extremely valuable – using PRSA as an avenue for meeting potential employers, people in their region, in their work category, etc. • While Millennials, like older employees, express interest in educational programs on emerging practices within PR, they are more likely to look for more “traditional” guidance from PRSA, such as in pitching media, event coordination, etc. • Overall, Millennials engage with far fewer PRSA products/services than older generations. • Millennialsare much less likely to say APR is relevant or valuable to them. • Which attributes of PRSA drive membership satisfaction and brand reputation among Millennials? • How does PRSA perform on the attributes most likely to drive satisfaction and brand reputation among Millennials? • Which professional development areas and products/services appeal most to Millennials? • What is the awareness among and perceived value of the APR among Millennials?

13. The most notable difference between Millennials and Gen X/Boomer respondents relates to PRSA offering a profession certification program. • Millennialsare less likely to place importance on a professional certification program, and also less likely to say PRSA performs well in this area, suggesting a lack of overall Millennial engagement with the APR. • Millennials Place Less Importance on Professional Certification Program Professional Certification Program Importance Millennials: 57% Gen X: 64% Boomers: 69% Performance Millennials: 78% Gen X: 87% Boomers: 85% *Significant predictors of satisfaction in order of contribution Q14. How important are the following values and attributes in a communications membership organization that you would want to join? (Top 3 Box) n=593 Q15. Please rate PRSA on the following items (Top 3 Box) n=593

14. Overall, Millennials engage far less often than older groups with PRSA’s various offerings, revealing a need to boost perceived value of various products/services to raise participation among younger groups. • Millennialsvalue products/services that are easily accessible and have the ability to directly impact their career, such as online resources and local events to more intangible items like the APR and Code of Ethics. • Millennials Expect PRSA to Function as a Career Stepping Stone Q18. Please indicate how valuable the following services and products offered by PRSA are to you or please indicate if you are not aware of the service or product. (Top 3 Box) Millennials n=593, Gen X n=631, Boomers n=544

15. MillennialsLess Likely to Value APR • Millennialsplace value on the APR but do not necessarily see how it relates to them on a professional level – they view APR a sense of accomplishment, but are less likely to find it relevant/valuable to them. • Millennialsare most likely to think APR is for older professionals, indicating a need to raise the relevancy and value of real-world, modern application for the accreditation. Q24. Which of the following describe what you think of the APR certification? Millennials n=593, Gen X n=631, Boomers n=544 Q25. Presently, APR certification is required to serve on the PRSA National Board of Directors. How important do you think this is? Millennials n=593, Gen X n=631, Boomers n=544 Q26. Is APR certification a barrier to you becoming more involved in PRSA? Millennials n=593, Gen X n=631, Boomers n=544