A Website Shouldn’t Be Your Member Engagement Strategy

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There’s a difference between your website being useful and being used.

And when it comes to acting as a member engagement platform, wow does it leave a lot to be desired.

Across all of your association’s assets, your website is likely one of your most valuable. In fact, it’s probably hard to imagine existing without one. And while websites are amazing, this often leads us to expect too much from them – especially when it comes to member engagement.

News posts, directories, ancient forum tools, file storage, the list goes on and on. We cram all sorts of features into our site thinking it’ll bring more people to it and keep them coming back. But in reality, all of this leaves us with a complex and unmanageable website that does more to deter use than encourage it.

Why a website is not enough for member engagement

Today’s association members expect more than just a website.

 

Don’t get the wrong impression, your website, and everything you’ve invested in it, is likely money well spent. Your site is the digital face of your organization, and it’s the first thing most people will see and use to learn about you.

But your relationship with your members doesn’t end there. You know that.

You need a website to start the relationship, but you need to bring more to the table to keep it going, that’s where member engagement comes in, and where websites struggle.

Why investing in member engagement is worth it

Smart member engagement means a better ROI for you, your members, and your sponsors.

 

One of the most common reasons associations double down on their websites for engagement is due to budget. Developing and maintaining a website is costly, and so it only makes sense to work with what you’ve got before investing in another solution for member engagement.

It may sound like the financially prudent choice, but you’re actually leaving a ton of money on the table for your association with this approach. Here’s why:

  • Member engagement is the most important ingredient when it comes to members building a strong connection to your association and renewing – Keeping those renewal numbers up is key to your association’s long-term health. The more connected a member is, the more likely they’ll plan on investing their budget towards remaining a member with you.
  • Done right, it fosters an active community that people will pay just to be a part of – An active community is a valuable resource for your members. A place to find quick answers, collaborate with peers, and build their personal brand gives members an even greater ROI on their membership dues and makes membership with your association a must for anyone in the industry.
  • It creates a centralized community that is extremely attractive to sponsors – Just as events can be a great way to attract sponsors and grow non-dues revenue, an active and engaged member community provides the perfect place to promote products and services and generate new business for your sponsors year-round.

So, what’s wrong with my association’s website?

Before your next website redesign, consider this.

 

Again, nothing is wrong with your website (probably), but if you’re serious about member engagement, it’s not going to help you enjoy the growth and revenue benefits listed above. Let’s look at why.

  1. Websites are about one-way communication – They don’t offer your members an opportunity to connect and express themselves.
  2. Websites are static – Not much changes day to day. There’s not a lot to come back for.
  3. Websites put all of the engagement work on YOUR plate – Members can’t reach out to each other and collaborate easily via a website. This puts you in the middle when it comes to networking.
  4. Websites are a one-size-fits-all experience – Members can’t tailor what they see on it to their needs. This means there’s a lot of noise they’ll just tune out or be turned off by.
  5. Websites don’t offer members a ROI for their time and engagement – They rarely offer profiles, there’s no way to build connections with other members, and you can’t build your brand on someone else’s site.
  6. Speaking of that, a lot of this applies to social platforms as well – Facebook pages and LinkedIn groups put your association and its members at the mercy of someone else. You don’t control the experience which means you can’t respond to member needs effectively and a million other things are vying for their attention on the platform. This makes engagement that much harder.

Give your members more than just a website

Consider your member’s needs before you commit to your new digital strategy.

 

So, what can you do if you want to get serious about member engagement? Here are three great next steps.

  1. Identify your engagement goals – Sure, you want to drive member engagement, but why? Are you looking to make it easier for members to collaborate with others in the industry on your terms? Want to make daily engagement with your association a priority for your members? Whatever member engagement looks like to you, it’s important to clarify what that is because the tools and tactics you’ll employ may be good for getting certain results than others.
  2. Understand how much time and budget you can afford to invest – No matter how important member engagement is, time and budget will always be a factor. Limited budget but a little more time? Perhaps dipping your toes into social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn might be a good start. Able to spare a little extra and want to preserve your time? A dedicated platform like Tradewing can take on a lot of the work that comes with growing your member engagement while keeping you in control.
  3. Check in with your members – Probably the most important step, your members know best about what their needs are and where you can help them. It’s important to frame this in a way that doesn’t focus them on what they think your association can do for them, but what would make them more successful. By understanding their deeper needs, you can more easily understand that benefits and tools worth adopting.

 

Few things can provide a better dollar-for-dollar ROI for your association than investing in member engagement. If you want to ensure that your association is able to keep its place at the center of your industry, now is when you should be growing your digital toolbox beyond just having a website. There has never been a better time.

Is Your Association Ready for the Next Generation of Members?

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Here’s a scary thought. At some point in the future, 100% of your association’s current members will have turned over.

This is guaranteed.

But you face this reality every day. As time goes by, your members will grow older, they will change jobs, and retire. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to prevent this, but there are things you can do to prepare for it.

Your Next Generation of Members: Millennials and Generation Z

The good thing about generations is that there’s always a new one on the way. In fact, you probably have several generations participating in your association today.

While you should value all of your members, it’s your Millennial and Generation Z (Gen-Z) members that you should be paying attention to when it comes to building your organization’s roadmap.

A new generation of members presents opportunities but also challenges.

 

Like any good steward for your association, you know that not all member generations are created equal, and in order to resonate with this new generation of members, you’ll need to update your recruitment and retention playbook. Here are some things to consider.

Millennial and Generation Z Membership Care-Abouts

Virtual Experience – Millennials and Gen-Z have grown up in the greatest time in history for digital user experiences. Hassle-free online resources are table stakes for them –  providing anything less and you risk looking outdated. Potential members may wonder how you can help them get ahead if you’re so far behind.

This extends to every part of your membership funnel. From first time website visitors trying to learn about you, all the way down to how veteran members pay their dues. Like it or not, you’re participating in the attention economy, and if your members find it too difficult to work with you, they’ll find something else to do with their time.

Collaboration – This is a double-edged sword. Millennials and Gen-Z value collaboration and the opportunity to be a part of something larger than themselves. This aligns well with the purpose of many associations, but beware. That desire to get involved requires the ability to get involved. Members won’t stick around if they join up only to find that it’s an uphill battle to get a seat at the table.

Consider the opportunities you extend to your members to collaborate today and how inclusive they are. Roundtables may sound approachable, but maybe they’re dominated by senior members. Mailing lists may be easy to get started with, but they can get out of hand if members’ email habits aren’t on similar levels. For many, modern member platforms are a great solution here.

For Millennials and Gen-Z, having an equal voice is critical.

 

Costs – Money will always be an issue, but for Millennial’s and Gen-Z, who are on average poorer than previous generations, you’ll need to find new ways to give them more for their membership investment.

This is not to say you need to simply lower membership dues, cost is just one factor. This is really a conversation about value, and how you communicate your value to potential members. The truth is, you’re going to meet increasing resistance when it comes to getting people to sign up and renew unless you can help them justify the spend. To succeed here, offering more ways to engage with your association and experience its benefits will be critical.

How to Win Over Millennials and Generation Z

If you’re starting to realize how underprepared your association is for the next generation, you’re not alone. While most people have some idea already of how to address the needs above, there’s no silver bullet. The only way forward is to consider all reasonable courses of actions and take the path the best aligns with your association and its goals.

Here are some ideas to consider:

  1. Evaluate Your Membership Tiers and Benefits – Dues can be the first major roadblock to membership. In today’s business environment, free trials and subscriptions abound, and your next generation of members may expect an easier way to ease into your association. Giving potential members a way to try before they buy can help you get a foot in the door with them and showcase the benefits of membership.
  2. Adopt a Hybrid Event Model – You don’t have to give up on in-person events, but you should make virtual attendance a part of your conference strategy. This is also a great way to ensure event success in our post-COVID world. Hybrid events allow all of your members to participate from anywhere and avoid unnecessary travel costs.
  3. Embrace Modern Collaboration Tools – If you’re still working off mailing lists or forum software, now is a great time to upgrade to more interactive tools. Dedicated Facebook and LinkedIn groups are a quick and easy way to test the waters, but keep in mind that it’s harder to keep your members engaged when you don’t own the platform. Member engagement platforms, like Tradewing, allow for an easy transition that lets you retain ownership of your members.

Capabilities like mobile-friendly ways for members to connect are expected now.

 

Hopefully, these ideas have inspired you to start thinking a bit more about your plans for the future. This next generation of members presents a ton of exciting opportunities for growth and impact for the associations that embrace them.

With a little preparation, you’ll be able to keep your association at the center of your industry, and not become a relic of a bygone era.