What membership organisations can learn from Netflix?

From DVDs to data powerhouse: a Netflix case study

In the early 2000s, Netflix had a DVD rental company competing with the likes of Blockbuster. Today it’s a global entertainment giant with more than 300 million subscribers worldwide.

It’s transformation didn’t just happen because of an impressive content library. The real shift came when Netflix harnessed the power of data, technology and personalisation.

And there is a lesson here for associations and membership organisatons. You don’t need to be Netflix to apply the same successful and strategic principles.

The challenge Netflix faced

Imagine having millions of members logging in each day, every single one with completely different preferences. How do you make sure every single person find something they love and keeps coming back?

For Netflix, the answer was to deeply understand their audience. They started analysing:

1. What people watch (and where they stop watching)
2. How quickly they consume content
3. What similar users are enjoying

From this, they created one of the most powerful recommendation engines in the world. Every click, every show watched (or binged), every unfinished series helped them refine what to show next.

The result is a more personalised experiences, higher engagement and stronger retention.

The parallel for membership organisations

Membership associations face the same challenge at their core: a diverse audience with different needs, goals and behaviours.

However, too often, members are offered the same events, the same newsletter, the same content, regardless of what the members care about. The outcome is predictable, disengagement, frustration and eventually churn.

This is where Netflix playbook becomes valuable. With the right tools and strategy, membership organisations can use data to:

1. Understand how members interact with services and content
2. Spot risks before members leave
3. Deliver communications and opportunities that feel genuinely relevant

1. Personalised member journey

Think of Netflix’s “because you watched X, you might enjoy Y.”

Membership organisations can mirror this by guiding members to their next best step. That might be:

• Recommending a training programme aligned with their role
• Suggesting a networking group based on location
• Offering a volunteer opportunity in their area of interest

When members feel that an organisation “gets” or “hears” them, they’re far more likely to stay engaged.

2. Predicting retention risks for membership organisations

Data can do far more than personalise, it can help predict when members are drifting away.

For example, signs you may want to look out for include:

• Fewer event registrations
• Less activity in the member portal
• Lower email engagement

By tracking these patterns, associations can flag at risk members early enough to intervene. You may want to think about a personal outreach, tailored offers or offer support. This proactive approach can make the difference between a lost member and a loyal one.

3. Smarter content recommendations

Instead of sending the same newsletter to everyone, imagine if your content was tailored to each member’s behaviour and preferences.

• A healthcare professional gets sector-specific insights
• A student member received details on training and networking
• A long-term member gets opportunities to mentor others

This isn’t about creating more content but about ensuring the right content reaches the right person at the right time.

A real-world example: BAAT and smarter membership experiences 

When we worked with the British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT), they faced a familiar membership challenge. Their old website and CRM made everyday tasks frustrating for members and created administrative bottlenecks for staff.

By migrating BAAT from Trillium CRM to CiviCRM integrated with WordPress, we:

• Created a joined-up Memberzone, where members can manage their profile, track CPD progress, book events and network with peers
• Automated renewals. payments and communications, freeing up the internal team to focus on supporting members
• Redesigned user journeys to simplify access to therapy services for the public through features like ‘Find an art therapist’

The result? A personalised, smooth experience for members, more efficient internal workflows, and a scalable platform that can grow with BAAT’s mission.

Just like Netflix uses data to keep viewers engaged, BAAT can now use its structured membership data to personalise interactions, predict engagement, and ensure members get the value they need.

Brightminded’s perspective

At BrightMinded, we’ve worked with dozens of membership organisations. From local charities to global associations. One recurring theme stands out: quantity doesn’t equal engagement.

Many teams feel pressure to produce more newsletters, more events, more resources. What actually drives value is relevance.