Category - Membership

A considerable challenge for many associations is gaining and retaining the interest of community members.  However, membership management software can help ensure consistent engagement year in and year out by tracking what is most effective at getting results.  Here are the key steps to ensure an association maintains community engagement every year.

 

One way to build up to annual conferences is to start hosting smaller events throughout the year.  These will encourage involvement, provide essential feedback, and boost the importance of membership before conferences begin.  Try to involve members in the planning of smaller events so they experience what it feels like to participate and them for other activities later on.

 

A great way to keep your community interested is to create an ongoing narrative that they find captivating so you retain their attention.  Most members are more likely to become invested in your association and its values when they see a steady stream of activity on a regular basis.

 

An association should also have an easily accessible website where community members can find all the latest.  This includes information about local events and opportunities related to their interests, as well as details on upcoming conferences, volunteer opportunities, or special offers.

 

According to the association industry, the average member is 58 years old, with more than half of them being women.  Brand awareness is one of the most important aspects with regard to maintaining community engagement as indicated in membership management software.  The more diligent you target an audience at all stages, the more likely your association will be to maintain a positive relationship with members in the future.

 

As association’s annual marketing plan is a crucial part to how the association will perform going forward.  Planning for the future, having a vision, and ensuring the work is done consistently year-round are all key steps in planning for success!

Online community data is an incredible tool for associations looking to improve their business.  Online communities offer insight into what people think about a company and how they view the brand online.  On membership websites, knowing that information allows leaders to make informed decisions with marketing and advertising campaigns.

 

More specifically, which campaigns might by most effective in driving revenue at different stages of a buying cycle?  The followings ways will explain how to use online community data to benefit your association.

 

The key to creating effective marketing campaigns is to make sure they produce measurable results.  Many traditional marketing tactics have fallen short over the years as companies have failed to use data from online communities to guide their efforts.

For example, ad campaigns that target a more select group of people may produce far different results than a campaign that targets everyone.  By doing this, leaders can determine where to focus their most effective efforts which leads to greater profits for the association.

 

In order to be successful long-term, associations usually need to develop popular services that lead to opportunities for other sources of income.  For instance, if an association finds that a need exists for members to have access to better health care benefits, they might develop a health insurance program.  When online community data is used in strategic decision-making processes, associations may capitalize on new ideas as they continue adapting to current trends.

 

Associations should conduct extensive surveys from time to time to better understand and engage with their online community.  Once they have the data, they can use it to create targeted marketing campaigns that capture the attention of a particular group of members.  Doing this shows confidence in the online community and helps different members feel like they are valued.

 

Associations often run into obstacles when budgeting for future projects.  Case in point, if an association doesn’t know what kind of return it will receive from a new service, it may choose not to invest in it.  By leveraging online community data, associations can put together more detailed budgets for each project.

They can also use data from membership websites to predict how many people will use the service and how much revenue it will generate over time.  To take full advantage of that, associations should focus on developing strategies that allow them to maximize impact based on feedback from their members.

When it comes to managing an association, club websites most likely rely on an open tracking pixel to determine whether the audience has chosen to open or ignore the content at the center of your email marketing campaign.  Therefore, like most marketers, you might be wondering why your email marketing campaign has failed to attain the traction and engagement you expected.

Resist the urge to blame yourself or someone in your association.  Many email marketing campaigns fail, not because they are flawed but because they have fallen prey to external factors that marketers failed to foresee.

 

The Dilemma Of Consent
Tools such as open tracking pixels have become the subject of numerous legal debates citing that corporations have to respect the privacy of their consumers.  Rumors about emails that can spy on individuals have become so widespread that some governments have enacted laws.  They require associations to seek the consent of their audience before they email content that features tools that can collect information about them without their knowledge.

 

The Challenge Of Size Limitations
Various email providers have mechanisms in place that clip messages which exceed a specific size or length.  As a result, certain mail providers in question may inadvertently prevent the recipient from downloading the tracking pixel in an effort to meet size requirements.  This is a development that will keep the recipient from making an appearance in the marketer’s open metrics.  Some have resolved this issue by placing the tracking pixel at the top.

 

The Threat Of Spam
Cybercriminals have become significantly worse during these times, using the pandemic to swindle and defraud those who never expected it.  Since spam appliances have started applying heavier scrutiny to incoming emails, some of their activities tend to mimic human interaction.

Their presence my trick your system into believing more people are opening emails when that is far from the truth.  Such an inflated picture of the engagement rate is dangerous as it may encourage marketers to dedicate more resources to campaigns for club websites.

Many clubs have a website to provide information about their organization and promote upcoming events or activities. While these club websites may be effective in communicating basic information, they do not always offer the most engaging experience for current members and potential members alike.

It is possible to create an interactive website that goes beyond providing basic information. Here are five features your club's website should include in order to engage current members and attract new ones:

1. Events Calendar

Include a prominent events calendar on your club website. By regularly updating the events calendar, members will know what is going on at their club and when. If your site is maintained by a club administrator, this means less work for you! Make sure to include specific event information such as location, time, cost, and ticketing information, if any. It may also be helpful to include instructional information, such as whether or not an event will require reservations.

2. Interactive Discussion Board

Many online communities have forums dedicated to the discussion of topics pertinent to your club's topic of interest. These forums can provide members with a space for discussing ideas and generating new ones. Club discussions are necessary in order to capture members' interest and inspire action.

3. Photo & Video Galleries

Providing multimedia access to members is an essential part of any modern website. Photographs are a great way to document the history of your club over time, while a video can be used in much the same way as a forum for generating idea sharing and inspiration. Members will use the galleries to share pictures and videos of themselves or their pets, as well as to find inspiration for future activities.

4. Member Directory

A member directory is necessary if you want people to know who your members are and how they can contact them. This feature also lets potential new members search out club members whose interests match their own, so more members can meet each other. Include simple contact information, such as name, email address, and location of residence.

5. Personal Profile Pages

Personal profile pages are a great way for members to build their online presence. They can use the website as another means of promoting themselves, even if they are not looking to become professional or famous. They may use it to share information about themselves, promote upcoming events, or advertise services they offer. Personal profile pages also create a space where members can connect with each other on a more personal level.

6. Social Media Integration

These days, it is necessary for websites to be accessible via social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. This makes it easier for people to connect with the website and each other. For instance, if a member comments on an article about their club posted by another member on Facebook, all of their friends will see that comment.

Conclusion

Not only do these features help to develop member engagement through increased interaction, but they also serve as useful tools for membership recruitment. A website that offers the five features listed above is sure to foster a sense of community and encourage active participation by current and new members alike.

While membership management software is vital to the success of an association, it won’t effectively serve the purpose for which it was intended unless you welcome new members to your organization.  Some people think that these strategies are only relevant when trying to retain a member.  Actually, they are crucial to the process of getting a member to join and you are expected to deploy them in your welcome campaign.

 

Administrators are typically saddled with so many responsibilities that they ignore welcome campaigns for new members in favor of prioritizing what they perceive to be more important undertakings.  However, welcome campaigns are immensely important because they affect the rate of member retention.  They are engagement tolls that show members an association’s dedication to their cause, and their absence erodes loyalty.

 

As was already noted, these are tools of engagement that reveal an organization’s interest in new members.  Not only do they create a strong first impression that encourages loyalty among new members but the automation keeps members engaged without consuming the time and resources of your staff.

The process of keeping them onboard is often a complex task that can be simplified by using membership management software.  It can generate personalized emails that will guide new members along their journey with your association in the weeks and months to come.

 

An automated email campaign should start with a welcome email that introduces members to an organization.  Afterwards, another email could be sent that educates these new members about your association, its goals, and offerings.  Wait another week and send an email that unveils the perks of membership while also requesting feedback.

Your final email should include content that encourages new members to get involved.  One way to initiate this is by providing links to popular community threads that compel them to participate in your association’s discussions.  Even though these emails are automated, the ultimate goal is to personalize them by making sure your core themes and viewpoints are clearly communicated to new members!

Membership renewal strategies can be vital towards determining whether an organization’s financial health soars or collapses.  2020 has been a year where the competition for a consumer’s time, attention, and resources have never been stronger.  Not only are a few organizations struggling to attract new members but they keep failing to maintain their current memberships.  The reasons why most members refuse to renew their memberships are not especially surprising.

 

Many members never renew their membership since membership websites fail to keep them engaged.  Some organizations haven’t even bothered to design tactical plans to increase engagement.  While others have basic schemes that are more interested in flooding members with generic content rather than designing material that caters to the distinct demands of members.

 

Obviously, 2020 has decimated the global economy to such an extent that some people can no longer afford to be a member of membership websites.  This is the most difficult challenge to overcome because no amount of engagement can resolve a consumer’s economic woes.  The only option is to make membership of your association a priority by generating opportunities that add value to your online community.

 

A lot of members abandon associations when they feel that their investment has failed to produce the kind of value they had in mind.  That absence of a significant return on investment can quickly dissuade them from renewing their membership with your organization.  Miscommunication is often at the center of this issue as many associations either forget to find out what members want or fail to educate them on the perks of a membership.

 

Some administrators like to assign reasons to members who never renew their membership when they simply forgot to remind them.  This happens frequently, usually in organizations that don’t have strategies in place to keep their members up-to-date about the status of their membership.  You should always give your members a reason to choose your association and they will remain loyal despite any obstacles.

Many community managers are expected to grow their understanding of the numerous fields that pertain to their role within an organization.  Yet, they ignore analytics, the one tool which is vital towards the successful execution of their work.

Even though analytics aren’t that easy for some individuals that struggle with numbers, managers should try their best to utilize this tool.  Otherwise, their club websites are at a higher risk of falling short on the objectives they were designed to achieve.

 

The field of analytics is not only predictive as it enables managers to identify the potential weaknesses and strengths of their strategies.  It also highlights the steps you can take to increase engagement on club websites, an accomplishment that will ultimately grow a community.  A thorough understanding of data and analytics enables administrators to take proactive step to create and execute action plans, not to mention proving a return on investment.

 

The two most important components of community analytics are engagement and business metrics.  While engagement metrics are concerned with the activities of the community, business metrics are intended to provide an analysis of the impact the community has had on the goals of the organization.  In order to measure engagement and business metrics, you must craft key performance indicators that determine whether your community activities are driving or hindering the goals of the association.

 

Although business metrics are quite important, an effort to understand and utilize analytics must start with the community engagement metrics since they affect most aspects of the organization.  These metrics are supposed to be measured regularly to monitor if the community has made progress or not.  Aside from that, it would also be wise to only measure the right metrics.  Managers should know which variables can be used to determine the value of a community’s activities in relation to the organizational goals.

Nearly all membership managers know there’s a limit to what membership management software can do for the association.  For instance, it can boost your email subscription base but it shouldn’t be trusted to increase engagement among your subscribers.  This is a factor that has been known to determine the failure or success of a marketing campaign.  But, increasing engagement is a more complicated task than most people realize, one that requires ingenuity, flexibility, and consistency.

 

While helpful tips that are designed to increase the engagement of your subscribers are all over the internet, many of them fail to emphasize the significance of enhancing the quality of your subscriber email list.  The best promotional campaigns are unlikely to provide a desirable return on investment when they are geared towards an audience that has little to no interest in your offerings.  As a result, most organizations are encouraged to reduce their subscriber base by identifying and eliminating inactive subscribers.

 

After identifying and eliminating subscribers who are no longer active, start crafting a re-engagement strategy that consists of automated campaigns.  Make sure these appeal to members that are active but still not fully engaged in your organization.  Even though these campaigns are automated, they should be personalized enough that they appeal to the specific tastes and preferences of individual subscribers.

 

When it comes to personalizing content, it takes more than simply referring to subscribers by their first names and mentioning the products or services that interest them.  It requires a unique voice that represents a distinct personality and you need to find your own to successfully convey your message to uninterested subscribers.
Instead of telling subscribers your expectations, make every effort possible to show them what you have accomplished with the support they have given.  Membership management software can grow your email subscriber list but it’s crucial to prioritize active subscribers and to generate personalized content that improves engagement among members!

Most people join associations to make connections with their peers and potential mentors, and an organization can only experience exceptional growth by crafting engagement opportunities that make these connections possible.  Engagement is a key component as it builds loyalty by creating a sense of attachment that draws consumers back to clubs.

However, it doesn’t occur by default like some have members want to believe.  Effective engagement must be deliberately engineered and deployed in accordance with a carefully designed strategy.

 

Poor engagement is the downfall of many organizations, a weakness that destroys the value of an association and is highly capable of reducing the rate at which you recruit and retain members.  Whereas greater levels of engagement can enhance membership growth, retention, and satisfaction; the reverse will curtail an organization’s ability to remain relevant despite the advancement of membership websites.

 

Since many people join associations in order to make more connections, the easiest way to boost membership value is to give your members the resources they need to pursue the connections that attracted them to your organization in the first place.  Membership websites make this possible by providing an online space through which members are able to connect.

The right approach is to deploy tools that can track these engagements, amassing data surrounding the activities of users and using it to create a targeted communication system.  The system will deliver a personalized experience tailored towards providing relevant content to the right people at the best time.
In other words, every attempt to augment membership value by magnifying engagement should start with a clear strategy that has outlined the methods.  Organizations usually use those methods to devise relevant and personalized communication that encourages their members to keep coming back.  A strategy that finds ways to connect more often not only resolves challenges facing the organization but it also improves member acquisition and retention.

Many debates regarding the importance of club websites tend to become intense as people aren’t sure whether communities are a luxury or a necessity.  Several companies treat them as an indulgence that doesn’t necessarily do a whole lot.  Although, quite a few associations have argued that club websites are a critical tool since they enhance the customer experience and improve performance when deployed properly.

 

Customer retention is at the forefront of most marketing campaigns.  While promotional experts understand the mechanics required to attract interest from the public, they have yet to master the tools needed to retain that interest.  The market is saturated with so much competition that it has become all but impossible to control the public’s attention.

This is why clubs and communities are so important.  They engage customers, causing them to like posts and publish comments.  In doing so, customers are compelled to maintain a consistent presence on the platform which helps the organization boost their customer retention rates.

 

There are a variety of methods that may be used to enhance a customer’s experience.  Communities play a unique role in this regard as they don’t stop by simply providing a platform for distinct voices to share ideas.  They are places that can provide answers to every question and give guidance on the products and services offered by the company.  In most cases, communities have become a great resource for gaining knowledge.

 

A community is also a powerful branding tool that organizations have started to integrate into their marketing and SEO tactics.  A strategically designed community can turn a company’s platform into an authoritative source of information, crafting a reputation that will raise brand awareness while boosting leads.
Even though communities have been in use for a long time, they have just started to attract the attention they deserve.  Each year, more companies make it a priority to have their own as they have finally grown to appreciate the wide-ranging benefits a community brings to the table.