Expectations have never been higher and customer-centricity has never been more important than today, particularly when considering the rapid advancements in technology and the throes of a global pandemic.
For membership organisations, this means a constant struggle to keep up with members’ needs inside the digital space and continuously showcase the value of retaining a membership with them.
In this blog, we want to shed light on five highly significant things you should do in order to appeal to members more, boosting their engagement and retention.
Before moving on, we would also like to advise membership organisations to read the MemberWise Digital Excellence Report, as it contains an abundance of valuable and helpful information for those looking to improve their digital strategy.
1. Streamline communication with members
There is nothing more significant to membership success than understanding your members and building a strong relationship with them. Effective communication is a fundamental part of that.
You can streamline communication by implementing a chatbot or live chat on your website. This is a proven way to increase loyalty, which directly plays into two of the central goals of any membership organisation – member engagement and retention.
Moreover, members will be more engaged if your website is rich with interactive content, such as surveys, interactive videos, e-books, etc. This shows members that you are putting effort into making your site valuable for them and that you view them as individuals and not an undifferentiated mass.
It is also useful to employ social listening – monitoring your social media channels to view member feedback and discussions about your organisation. That way you can complement your member insights and identify enhancement opportunities.
2. Online courses and events
It’s no secret that online education has seen an immense rise in popularity in recent years – the pandemic only accelerated the process. So, find out which industry topics your existing and prospective members are likely to be interested in and organise online courses, webinars and events revolving around them.
By enriching your online content this way, you’re establishing authority in your field, showing dedication, building trust and connecting better with your audience. It’s an excellent way to show the value of your membership and improve the chances of member engagement, retention, and even acquisition.
3. Adapt consistently
Many organisations and businesses make the mistake of viewing digital transformation as a strategy you map out and then follow without wavering.
However, digital transformation is actually a continuous effort that requires consistent re-evaluation and adjustment. Members’ needs and expectations are ever-evolving, and there is absolutely no doubt that technology will continue to advance steadily in the future.
So, it’s only natural that digital transformation cannot be predictable and linear, and that and keeping up with changes is an integral part of it. By adapting consistently to your existing and potential members, you are making sure satisfaction is at a high level and increasing member retention.
4. Remarkable UX
User experience (UX) is one of the key elements of any successful business’s website, but it goes without saying that it’s especially significant for user-centric organisations like memberships.
Some of the best practices for a fantastic user experience that’ll boost engagement and retention are:
Easy navigation
Facilitating the navigation through your website is pretty much a formula for success, especially if your members are predominantly of an older age group and lack tech-savviness. Jumbled websites can cause frustration and be too time-consuming, which will ultimately disappoint your members, perhaps even causing them to question their membership with you.
Neat site and enticing visuals
The fact that 94% of first impressions about a website come from its appearance testifies to the importance of visual appeal. Your website should be neat, without distracting pop-ups or space-consuming ads.
It’s recommended to use high-quality visuals, preferably authentic photos with people in them and other types of visuals created specifically for your audience. This contributes to the sense of reliability around your organisation and has been proven to enhance audience engagement.
Fast loading speed
This one really speaks for itself. Slow loading speed is one of the most common reasons users leave a website, so in addition to visual appeal and easy navigation, you should always make sure your members have a fast, functional site to rely on.
5. Insight into members
Improving member satisfaction online is only possible if you know exactly how they feel and what they’re looking for. This means tracking website analytics and making sure your Customer Relationship Management software or Association Management System is properly integrated.
Google Analytics is one of the most commonly used website analytics tools, and for good reason. It allows you to go into great detail and see all the relevant data about website performance, traffic and usage, which helps you understand how members are experiencing the site and what improvement opportunities there are.
As for CRM/AMS implementation, it’s crucial to do it meticulously. Some steps you should never omit are:
- running a software demo to see whether the system will match your organisation’s needs (including all stakeholders);
- pre-configuring the software of choice to see if any issues need to be eliminated and if it’ll run smoothly;
- checking with a specialised digital agency whether data migration can be done properly and whether the CRM system/AMS is compatible with your other software.
Summary
By focusing on getting to know your members and developing along with their needs and expectations, you are able to reach the top priority goals of any membership organisation – engagement and retention. That’s why digital transformation is such a vital part of membership success.
For over a decade, award-winning digital agency GRM Digital has been providing digital transformation services to NFPs and membership organisations, helping them towards a stable online presence and steady growth. Please feel free to call GRM Digital at +44 (0) 203 397 4155 or e-mail [email protected].
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