When it comes to your membership website, it’s essential that whoever you choose to work with to support it is aligned with driving new member acquisitions and aiding you in reaching your goals.
But how do you find the perfect agency fit for your organisation and team?
You’re Not Alone
When your website is letting you down, it can leave you feeling deflated. You’re falling short of your targets and missing out on new membership acquisitions. No matter how good your business development or marketing is, a website which isn’t performing will always lead to missed opportunities.
You may not have been told this recently but, you don’t need to struggle with the website you’re stuck with and rebuilding your website isn’t the only option either.
There’s help out there
Website support agencies exist to help your team get the most from your membership website (and ultimately bring in new acquisitions and create loyalty to existing ones).
Support should cover many aspects of what makes up a website. From design elements to unique functionality and integrated services. Beyond the experience you expect for your visitors, support should also maintain and improve the usability of your underlying content management system platform being used.
Before you begin the search
Having an idea of your team’s needs before enquiring will help compare the different approaches agencies will have.
- Do you have busy periods where your website isn’t running smoothly?
- Sensitive member data: do you need reassurance that the website is secure at all times?
- No internal resources to maintain the new website you’ve just had built?
The next step to this is not only being sure of what you’re looking for right now but also longer term. You want to know if the agency you choose can help you achieve your end goal. A plan of what you’re looking for over the next 12 months is something agencies might ask of you, so make sure you’ve got an idea of what this looks like too.
Asking the right questions
Making sure it’s the right fit for your organisation requires research and careful consideration. It’s a long-term investment and you’re stuck with the decision you made – good or bad.
After putting together your own plan of action, you need to contact the agencies and tell them what you’re looking for.
Do you ask for recommendations on Linkedin? Do a quick Google? You may find suitable organisations in the Memberwise Recognised Supplier Directory. When you’ve got a list of potentials, how do you decide who to talk to?
- You want to find a reliable supplier who understands your business objectives
- You need to establish if they’re an agency that supports your technology – e.g. your CMS platform
- You need to get a feel for their workflow and if it fits with how your team works
The questions you should be asking
We’ve created a simple worksheet to ask the right questions for you to make an informed decision on the agency that’s right for you.
In addition to asking direct questions, we suggest getting to know the agency away from a formal meeting. Things you may want to try include:
- Ringing up the support line to see how they respond.
- Check social media channels.
- Ask for reviews from your peers/network.
- Ask for a current client to contact as a reference.
Good luck with the search!
If you prefer to simplify your process and see how support should be done, contact our experienced team to discuss your support needs.
Download our simple worksheet now and get your plan in motion.
Ixis help a wide array of membership and third sector organisations improve member & visitor engagement through optimised, secure and integrated platforms, using open source technologies, such as Drupal.
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