As an association administrative, you may feel overwhelmed at your lengthy to-do list. You’re responsible for so much every day – events, finances, reporting, member management and more. It’s easy to let other priorities, like developing a solid marketing strategy, slip to the bottom of your list.
Limited time and resources will always be a barrier to success for associations; instead of giving into these roadblocks though, we thought it best to compile some of our best marketing strategies that are achievable within your budget and time.
1. Stay Informed
Spend some time researching your prospective members. What are they looking for in an association? What do they expect from you? Where do they hang out on the web? By asking these questions and understanding your audience, you’ll be better equipped to produce relevant content in the appropriate space.
It also may be beneficial to talk with current members and ask what they find most valuable about your association. If it seems appropriate, ask for a review to display on your site or offer some sort of referral program.
2. Stay Organized
When you are managing multiple marketing campaigns and running an association, staying organized is key. ArcStone, AMO’s sister company, uses “calendars, group collaboration tools, social media scheduling apps and other to-do management apps” to ensure all projects are running smoothly and on time. These applications are usually pretty affordable and can really enhance your efforts.
See some of our teams favorites below:
Trello, create collaborative to-do lists with your team
Buffer, schedule social media posts
Coschedule, shows the best times to post on social media
Want to learn more about affordable marketing applications? Check out this post from ArcStone
3. Stay Relevant
We know staying on top of the tech trends is important but when you’re consumed with your association’s to-dos, that task can fall to the wayside. However, to continue to grow your association and increase revenue, it’s important you’re aware of what’s going on in the industry and how that affects your strategy.
We like to set aside time once a week to check in on insightful blogs or follow an influencer in the industry to stay informed. This way, you stay up to date and may run across an idea that could work well for you association.
4. Be Creative
Make sure your web content is thoughtful and relevant to your members. What worked two months ago may not work anymore. A good marketing strategy is constantly evolving – going through a trial and error process until you find a strategy that shows positive results.
Look to other associations / organizations similar to yours for inspiration. See what’s working for them and what isn’t and use that knowledge in your own strategies.
See how AMO can save you time, money and simplify your life