As you develop your association’s content for the upcoming year, think about each stage of the membership journey. Consider each phase as a separate vertical in your content strategy. Think about ways you can serve a prospective member – whether they’re just beginning their journey to membership or celebrating their one year mark with your group. Create a general persona for each stage of the membership cycle and strategize content development around that.
Stage 1: Prospective Member Awareness
The first stage of a members journey is awareness. They’re just starting the research process and are looking for information. The best way to serve a prospect in this part of the journey is by answering common questions and sparking curiosity.
- Answer Questions
Think about the types of questions a prospect will have at this point in their journey. What specific keywords are they searching on? Interview your current members and get their input. What were they looking for before they joined?
- Spark Curiosity
Remember, a prospect doesn’t want to read a long explanation of what you do. Instead, focus this initial content on a glimpse into association culture, showcase a fun event you held or the interesting perks a member get.
Stage 2: Prospective Member Consideration
After some initial research, a prospect has narrowed down their search. Now, they need resources on benefits and pricing. How can you draw them in and make your association stand out?
- Use Emotion
One way to differentiate yourself from the competition is through story telling. We all know that best business proposals start with a compelling story rather than dry statistics. Share a compelling member story and ways you made an impact on the community. See how Association’s North uses their monthly publication to showcase important members and their great work.
Image Source: Associations North
- Don’t Be Pushy
Try not to be salesy here. Just because a prospect shows interest, that does not mean they’re ready to commit. If you push too much, you may leave a bad taste in their mouth and end up losing them all together. Be genuine and resourceful.
Stage 3: Member Purchase
Hooray! We’re now at that pivotal purchase stage. A prospect has done their research, asked you questions, reviewed your benefits and is ready to move forward. While this may seem like the easiest stage, don’t let your excitement distract you from providing a new member with everything they need.
- Onboarding Packet
Welcome a new member with a specially curated onboarding packet. This should include everything they need to know to access the member portal, join a committee, access important documents and register for an event.
- Member Mentor
If you’ve got the bandwidth, ask longtime members to link up with the newbies. Ask them to share their own experiences as a new member and answer any questions.
Coming up with good content can be really challenging without a plan. Use the membership cycle to help you come up with topics and ways to effectively share them.
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