With the lush greenness of summer upon us, now is the perfect time to check out how your membership is growing …and to weed out any problems. Just the right time to ensure your membership continues to bloom.
Running a successful membership organisation relies heavily on attracting and retaining passionate members. Now, more than ever, it can be challenging to capture the attention and engagement of potential members.
To ensure your association thrives, it’s essential to understand the pitfalls to avoid when attracting new members. With that in mind, here are the top five common mistakes to steer clear of when seeking to attract – and retain – members.
1. Neglecting to Clearly Define Your Value Proposition
Your organisation’s value proposition is crucial in compelling individuals to join and support your cause. Failing to clearly communicate the unique benefits and advantages of membership can result in potential members overlooking your organization. Take the time to identify the core value you provide. This might be networking opportunities, access to resources, advocacy efforts, or educational programmes. Highlight the benefits to the member prominently in your marketing materials, website and outreach campaigns to demonstrate the value that members gain by joining.
Action: A quick check to see if you’re doing this effectively is to take a look at your website homepage or join leaflet. Do your sentences start with the word ‘we’ or do they start with the word ‘you’? If it’s the former, you need to shift the tone of voice to be more member focussed. What do they get from your organisation? How will joining improve their life?
2. Not Targeting the Right Audience
Casting too wide a net in hopes of attracting any and all potential members is a common mistake made by some membership organisations. It’s an unfortunate fact that there are few organisations out there with the potential to genuinely appeal to everyone. It is important to define your target audience and tailor your messaging accordingly. Scrutinise any current member data to identify your key demographic. By knowing what appeals to your existing members, it enables you to create targeted marketing campaigns, engaging with the right channels, and focussing your resources effectively on attracting individuals who are genuinely interested in your association’s mission.
Action: If you have little or no member data then consider using a data research company to delve into your current membership’s interests and motivations for joining, asking them to segment your members into 3-5 defined profiles. If budget doesn’t allow for a professional data partner, then carry out some member surveys via email to gather the information you need.
3. Overlooking the Power of Personal Connections
While digital marketing and social media are essential tools for reaching a broader audience, they should not overshadow the importance of personal connections. Give your current members the tools to become ambassadors for your organisation. Look at your member-get-member programme and ensure you have the right incentives for current members to encourage friends, family, and colleagues to join too. Building relationships and networking with potential members face-to-face can be incredibly impactful. Holding events that are open to the public as well as members is a great way to engage with a wider audience.
Action: Ensure you have a member-get-member programme that really works. Used correctly, it is the most powerful recruitment tool you possess. Look at affiliate marketing opportunities – can you reach out by partnering with another relevant organisation to offer a membership ‘bundle’? Perhaps you just need to have a presence at external events that attract your target demographic?
4. Failing to Provide Meaningful Engagement Opportunities
Members typically join organisations to feel connected, engaged, and involved in initiatives that align with their interests. A common mistake is not providing enough meaningful opportunities for members to participate and contribute.
Avoid being solely focused on membership fees and instead create avenues for members to actively engage. Offer volunteering opportunities, committee involvement, or even leadership roles within your organisation. By empowering members to play an active role in shaping the organisation, you foster a sense of ownership and commitment, making them more likely to recruit new members and become advocates.
Action: Ensure your marketing material gives real members a voice and makes them the heroes of your organisation. Talk to real members and use direct quotes in your marketing material. Reach out to members and ask for their opinion and be prepared to accommodate their feedback. When offering volunteering roles be sure to focus on the benefit to the member, not just the benefit to your organisation.
5. Ignoring the Power of Storytelling
Storytelling is a powerful tool for conveying your organisation’s impact and creating an emotional connection with potential members. Unfortunately, many membership organisations fail to effectively communicate their story. Share real-life success stories, testimonials and case studies that demonstrate the positive impact your organisation has made. Use various mediums such as blog posts, videos, or social media content that fully engage your audience and illustrate the transformative work your organisation accomplishes. By showcasing the human element and the difference your organisation makes, you can inspire individuals to become passionate advocates and members.
Action: Be proud of your achievements and be sure to thank your members for their contributions. Make heroes of those who are especially active and celebrate their successes. Is there a way to highlight those who contribute the most to your success? Do you have Gold Members, who perhaps deserve lifetime membership or are awarded some level of status publicly? Maybe you could have an annual prize-giving for those who contribute the most throughout the year?
Remember, attracting members requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. By avoiding the common mistakes outlined above, you can position your organisation for success in attracting passionate members who support your cause and contribute to your growth. Clearly communicate your value proposition, target the right audience, foster personal connections, provide meaningful engagement opportunities, and leverage the power of storytelling. With these strategies in place, you will thrive and make a significant impact in the community you serve.
Mulberry Creative is a creative design and marketing agency for membership organisations designing recruitment and acquisition campaigns and membership materials.
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