The world is becoming an increasingly complex place. Businesses must meet “modern consumer” needs or risk falling behind. But, “What does the modern consumer want?”
The simple answer is memorable experiences.
To create a memorable member experience, membership organisations and associations must go beyond the face value of membership to provide a unique member journey.
And how can you achieve this?
Innovative member engagement strategies—the simple solution?
Clearly, the “old ways” will not work anymore as older generations pass the torch to younger ones. Younger members expect an engaging, value-driven online experience.
The needs of these modern customers—Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z—should guide communication and decision-making. The entire organisation must have an innovative and proactive member engagement culture to appeal to modern consumers.
Fortunately, more associations are addressing this issue. As of 2022, increasing member engagement was the sector’s top goal for the fourth year running.
However, despite its importance, only 35% of medium/large membership organisations and 29% of the entire sector have a member engagement strategy. Without strategy and proactive planning, member growth and expansion will suffer.
We’ve got eight member engagement strategies to light a fire in your members’ bellies and leave them hungry for more.
1. Personalised Member Journeys
This involves personalising member experiences, interactions, and communications. You make members feel valued and understood by considering their needs and preferences.
Tips:
- Segment Members: Group members by demographics, interests, and engagement.
- Data Collection: Collect member data from surveys, website analytics, and events.
- Personas: Create detailed personas for each member segment to understand their motivations and preferences.
- Automation: Use an Association Management System (AMS) to automate personalisation, drive engagement, and manage member data efficiently.
2. Effective Member Communication
Effective communication strategies keep members informed and motivated to engage with your organisation.
Tips:
- Multi-Channel Approach: Use multiple communication channels (email, social media, newsletters, and online forums).
- Member Portals: Add member portals to your website so members can access resources, discuss with other members, and get community news.
- Feedback: Create feedback channels for members to share concerns, ideas, and suggestions. Use the data to personalise your content and offerings.
3. Interactive Online Platforms
Online forums and communities provide an outlet for members to connect, share ideas, and collaborate.
Tips:
- Member Profiles: Allow members to create detailed profiles. This builds community and connects members with similar interests or backgrounds.
- Social Media Integration: Let members share platform content on their social pages to reach more people.
- Live Webinars and Events: Live webinars, workshops, and events allow members to interact with experts and peers. Create chat and Q&A sessions for interactive engagement.
4. Gamification
Gamification encourages member participation with game-like elements. It makes mundane tasks exciting and memorable.
Tips:
- Motivation through Competition: Reward engaged members with badges or points on a leaderboard.
- Progress Tracking: Introduce participation leaderboards and milestones for members to track their development.
- Social Interaction: Create social media challenges, prize draws, and other contests to encourage interaction and community building.
5. Referral Programmes
This engagement strategy involves encouraging existing members to recommend your organisation to others.
Tips:
- Double-sided Rewards: Reward referrers and new members with discounts, exclusive access, or cash-back offers.
- Tracking and Reporting: Use a tracking system to monitor referrals and the progress of your programme.
- Promotion: Promote the referral programme through email, social media, and your website.
6. Membership Reward Programmes
These programmes are designed to encourage engagement and repeat business by rewarding loyal customers.
Tips:
- Upselling Opportunities: Use triggered and personalised rewards to incentivise upsells to higher tier memberships
- Relevant & Engaging Rewards: Offer your own exclusive rewards and leverage 3rd party / partner incentives provided by your member reward programme supplier
- Exclusive Benefits: Give loyal members exclusive benefits like premium content, early event registration, discounts, or personalised services.
- Referral Engagement: Integrate referrals into your loyalty programme so members can earn exciting rewards or membership upgrades for referring others.
7. Member Feedback and Surveys
Member feedback is still an effective way to address pain points. It improves the member experience and includes them in decision-making.
Tips:
- Maintain Relevance: Make your survey questions clear, brief, and relevant.
- Segmentation: Tailor surveys to different member segments to gather specific insights.
- Feedback Loops: Always close the feedback loop by discussing how you are improving things.
- Regular Surveys: Conduct regular surveys to monitor how members feel.
8. Advocacy and Social Impact Initiatives
This approach leverages people’s passion for positive change. Younger generations (Gen Z and Millenials) consider this to be a priority for organisations.
Tips:
- Targeted Campaigns: Address issues that support your organisation’s mission and members’ interests.
- Advocacy Training: Offer resources and training to equip members with the skills needed for effective advocacy.
- Mobilise Grassroots Support: Encourage members to connect with local communities and policymakers for grassroots impact.
Engaged Members = Growth
Offering personalised and memorable experiences boosts member engagement. As the world evolves, so too should your strategies to meet the needs of the modern consumer. This guarantees growth and engagement for your organisation in 2024 and beyond.
Download our complete guide here to unlock your membership association’s full potential.
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