The Royal Horticultural Society: understanding membership
Case study overview
For a decade, trueology has partnered with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to help them understand, anticipate, and respond to the evolving needs of their members. What began as a programme of retention analysis has grown into a long-term insight partnership supporting teams across the organisation—from finance to marketing—as they navigate change and growth.
Retention & rejoiner analysis
Our work with RHS started with a simple but powerful goal: understand what drives member loyalty. Through detailed retention analysis, we monitor membership numbers and identify patterns beyond headline figures. Regular waves of analysis provide valuable year-on-year and month-on-month comparisons, revealing early signs of change and helping the team respond proactively.
Understanding why members return after leaving has been equally revealing. Rejoiner analysis highlights what prompts lapsed members to come back—whether it’s a new initiative, a life change, or renewed enthusiasm for gardening. These insights guide how RHS engages past members, turning data into dialogue and building stronger, more personal connections.
Financial & performance modelling
Working with the finance team, we’ve developed robust financial models accessible via dashboards, tracking seasonal, individual, and commercial performance. This gives RHS confidence to plan strategically, balancing membership health with long-term sustainability and growth.
Quantitative & qualitative insight
Beyond retention and finance, our research includes quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, exploring:
Member hopes and perceptions of value
Experiences in garden centres, cafes, and on-site shops
Evolving expectations from both long-term and new audiences
Insights from these studies help RHS ensure its membership offer remains relevant, inspiring, and aligned with organisational purpose.
Special projects & strategic support
Our partnership extends to complex projects, such as the Wisley roadworks government claim, where we provided evidence through quantitative, qualitative, and analytics insights to support decisions and communications.
Outcome
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