Helpful Ways For An Association To Use The Community To Support Their Members During A Crisis

Club websites are thriving more than ever since most people are encouraged to isolate themselves with the current pandemic.  As a result, this has created a desire for more engagement in many communities due to an increase in online traffic.  The number of online discussions has grown exponentially.

Associations are realizing that they can use the community to provide an opportunity for connecting and educating individual members.  This is forcing club websites in many industries to reconsider their approach to members.

 

If your association has yet to embrace this change, you should know that several communities are opening their doors to a wider audience.  Associations that were once quite strict about what was required for a membership are now welcoming outsiders.

The reason for such a shift in regulations is to embrace potential members who need support but don’t have an online community to lean on.  Associations that have taken this step have noticed an increase in the total number of registrations and logins.

 

Along with allowing potential members to participate in forum discussions, many associations have also allowed members to deviate from the usual subject matter of their communities.  Whereas attempts to introduce topics outside the range of the forum would have attracted penalties in the past, associations have decided to allow members to discuss matters that directly affect them during this time of crisis.  The goal is to support people in any area that burdens them right now rather than discuss topics that don’t help serve their needs.

 

Associations that normally hold regular conferences and meetings have refused to reschedule their events.  Instead, they use technology to their advantage and hold virtual webinars and workshops.  Through this, members maintain a sense of normalcy as they engage with one another.
Contrary to what some people believe, clubs and associations don’t have to deteriorate during a time of crisis.  If anything, they should grow since they provide members with support to help them overcome a time of great uncertainty.