Survey Says: Vendor Relationships Are Strong but There’s Opportunity to Elevate

Supplier and vendor relationships remain one of the strongest levers associations have to enhance member value and generate non-dues revenue. But sustaining that strength requires strategy. 

Over the past two years, more than 350 association professionals have contributed to the Supplier Engagement Survey, conducted by Insight Guide and Barry Pilson, CAE, offering a broad view into how vendor relationships are evolving. The findings suggest supplier partnerships remain strong—but expectations on both sides are rising. 

Across both years, the message is consistent: suppliers are viewed as critical to association success. In 2025, 70 percent of respondents said suppliers are "very" or "extremely" important to their organization’s mission and operations, and more than 80 percent reported being satisfied or very satisfied with current supplier engagement. 

Please select this link to read the complete article from Associations Now.