3 Creative Ways To Improve the Member Experience

Association Marketing, Growing Your Membership
improve member experience

Reevaluating the member experience is always time well spent. After all, they’re the reason you do what you do, right? Set your association up for success by analyzing member engagement and member happiness on a regular basis. Their interactions (or lack thereof) with your group are a good indicator of how your well your efforts are playing out. To get started, compile analytics from 2017 including event attendance, member renewal data, online engagement, and more. Organize your data into charts and graphs so you can clearly see where you succeeded and where you failed.

As you map out this information, consider the member’s journey through each phase of the year. How do they sign up for that event or renew their membership? How does that experience determine their longevity?

The member journey

As you plan and execute activities for your group or gear up for renewal season, it’s easy to get caught up in the process and lose sight of what’s most important – the member experience. Before you dive into the production phase, take a step back. Take a step into your member’s shoes and see exactly what they see for the first time. Is every step of the process informative, easy, and painless? Remove any friction as it arises and add extra delight when possible.

By taking this extra step, you’re not only removing potential hiccups but also ensuring member happiness.

Bring tech into your strategy – but do your research first

If you’re reading this blog, it’s likely you’re already using an AMS, which means you’ve got a technology strategy in place – that’s great! However, as technology grows and everything becomes more digital, it’s not enough to just have an AMS system for members. You need more. Before you go out and buy the fanciest gadgets with all the bells and whistles, do your research. What do your members need? Would they benefit from a highly customized membership directory? Or a savvy membership app for their smartphone?

If you’re not sure, create a member survey. Ask them what’s a priority and why they need it. Once you’ve established what’s needed, build a team and determine your plan. Discuss items like…

  • Budget
  • Requirements
  • Vendors
  • Timeline

Is your group still searching for an AMS? Check out our free ebook on selecting the right software

Always Personalize

Personalization – we talk about this one a lot. The more you can personalize a member’s experience, the better. Whether that’s adding their first name to your email newsletter, recommending a job based on their past searches, or suggesting classes because of their educational background, any way you can add a personal touch, the more likely they are to stay engaged.

Member engagement doesn’t have to be challenging. It just takes a little bit of creativity, analysis, and testing. If you’re stuck, think about the member’s journey and how they experience your offerings. Use that as inspiration to improve.

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