How To Increase The Retention Of New Members

Acquiring new members is what associations thrive on as it can truly be an exciting time.  However, statistics indicate that new members make up over 70 percent of the deterioration of the membership.  Sadly, for many club websites, the number of new members who don’t renew their membership is so high that acquisition campaigns seem ineffective.  If your association is struggling to retain new members, try the following strategies.

 

When someone becomes a member, send them a welcome email and thank them for joining the association.  Afterwards, follow that up with messages that contain valuable information like the benefits of being a part of your association.  You could also give them a phone call to add a more personal touch.

Also, use the member’s first name when referring to them as it’s one of the most effective personalization tactics.  At first, try prompting them to take simple actions like completing their profile or resetting the password.  Then, move on to bigger CTA’s like asking them to post questions in the online community.

 

Some of your members might be from a different country.  In order to help them find your association useful, organize or partner with various events in areas where you have a substantial following.  Ensure members get an invitation and give them some incentive for getting new members to join.

 

These days, club websites use cookies and other mechanisms to track the online activity of members legally.  Actions that members take on these websites such as registering for events and visiting blog posts help in understanding what appeals to them.  Then, use that data to personalize your services and offers in the future.

When it comes to increasing the retention of new members, reach out to them regularly through a phone call or email at least every three months.  This helps you understand how they feel and you can ask them what changes would improve their experience so they feel compelled to stay.