Your Members Are Mobile - Are You?

The following post is based on a webinar that Results Direct sponsored recently to the association community.  My takeaways are below.

Delivering the right mobile experience.

 

Gen Z is a mobile social & video first generation.  Go where they are to engage.  Their top three platforms, stated by Insider Intelligence, include Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram.  The other platforms include Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Reddit.

 

Why mobile?  5 hours a day people are on their mobile devices.  You need to access your members through that device.

 

Your competition is Siri, RSS feeds, etc.  Think about that!

 

What types of mobile apps are there:

 

Native app – uses the device to convert information and are very interactive.

 

Web app – responsive websites converted to a mobile app.  Scale to fit.  Design doesn’t change.

 

Hybrid app – combination of both the native and web app.

 

Action Plan:  Focusing Your Goals

 

• Connecting members more closely with your organization
• Providing personal and relevant experiences
• Providing timely information
• Connecting members with one another
• Optimizing event experiences
• Providing actionable tools
• Enabling direct communication with your members
• Generating revenue/reducing costs

 

What does success look like?

 

• Attracting new members
• Engaging members more regularly
• Retaining more members
• Providing new value
• Saving costs on printed materials
• Operating more sustainably/green
• Selling more products
• Attracting new sponsors/exhibitors

 

Leverage your existing systems.  Don't go out an create a new wheel. For a resource on going mobile go HERE.

Generative AI for Associations – How to use ChatGPT

Sidecar recently sponsored a webinar based on the title of this post.

The following comments are my notes. This is going to get interesting when the mainstream starts playing with ChatGPT on a regular basis.

What is AI – things that computers didn’t do, traditionally it requires humans to do.  Machine learning.
 
Generative AI – creates content, conversations, think from auto pilot to co-pilot.  It can be a partner for you.
 
9 ways to use ChatGPT
 
Translate – expanding your reach.  Language translation made easy and very accessible.  It’s a way to share your content in multiple languages.  This may not relate to all but it will be for many.
 
Summarize – just ask!  Describe what you want (topics, length, etc.) and AI will give you text based on your request.  This is a great way for you to create copy for events or publications.  Obviously, you’ll want to tweak as needed (customize).  Try it, you will be fascinated by what you get.  Some will say you’ll get 85% of what you wanted from ChatGPT.
 
Transform – accessibility.  Create text from audio, a transcript of a webinar.  Or audio from text.
 
Understand – using ChatGPT to break down large blocks of content (a conversation) to a meaningful short and concise document.  It’s a summary!
 
Interact – making your content conversational for your audience.  Think a blog you create and your members can interact with that content.  A chat bot can be put on your website where they can interact with you and get information in real time.
 
Market – think about email automation and creating individual marketing pieces for your audience based on their profile with your organization.  Your newsletter could be specific to what your members want based on how they have interacted with you in the past.
 
Brainstorm – use this technology to create ideas on new things your members might want.  You could ask for some ideas based on a recent survey you have conducted.  This goes back to the ask.  Describe what you want and
 
Create – let ChatGPT create drafts for messages you want to send to your members.  Think about membership messages for your next campaign.
 
Refine – use ChatGPT to create some flair for your content (images).  These images can be helpful in telling your story moving forward.
 
Yes, this is a mind-blowing new technology that we need to stay on top of it.  Even if you don’t use it right away, be mindful of what is going on in this sector.
 
Think about how you can use this new technology to add value for your members.  Embrace it!  It’s been said that your members are going to demand it from you.
 
For more information on ChatGPT from Sidecar go HERE.

Onboarding New Members

The following post is based on a recent webinar I attended sponsored by NXUnite.

The session focused on sharing ideas for your new member onboarding process, based on seven questions they asked.

There are lots of great ideas listed below that you could implement into your onboarding process, in addition to what you're already doing.

1.  How have onboarding best practices changed over the past 5 years?
 

• More individual interactions.

• Elevating engagement – get feedback and be more intentional on finding out why the member joined.

• The process has been digitalized – hybrid, accommodate to meet your members where they are.

• Members have a voice in the organization and let them know that.

• Use the platforms your members are on to connect.

 
2.  What advice do you have for building an onboarding strategy?
 

• Membership and marketing departments should be part of the conversation on the new member experience.

• Be consistent with your messaging.

• Think about the user experience – make it easy for them to interact with you.  Again, make it easy!

• What are your value propositions?  Deliver that message with your communications plan.

• Don’t overload with too many messages/emails.  Maybe a 5 for 5 strategy?  5 emails with 5 messages in 5 weeks or months.

• Be consistent with your messaging from all parts of the organization.

• Don’t make assumptions, use data to find out what your members want and need.

 
3.  What to do when you want to update your strategy?
 

• Ask your colleagues what they are doing, you don’t have to have all the answers.

• Have you thought about having an onboarding committee?

• Ask your most active members how they became active.

• Think about the first experience your member has with your organization.

• One size does not fit all.

• Are you doing quarterly webinars for onboarding your new members?  Have some of your most active members be your speakers.

 
4.  What onboarding mistakes are people making?
 

• Not having a formal onboarding process.

• Not asking for feedback from your onboarding process.

• Don’t just talk to them but have a two-way conversation to engage your new members.

• Overloading your new members with too much information too fast.  And, not doing enough.  You need to find the right balance.

• Not having your board, staff and members make calls.

 
5.  What small changes can you do to make a big change in your onboarding process?
 

• Create an email series campaign that officially welcomes your new members.

• Ask the new members questions that you can use later for engagement.

• Describe the onboarding process to your new members and then deliver on that promise.

• Acknowledgements, let them know you appreciate them.

 
6.  People are busy, how to onboard successfully without taking up too much of their time?
 

• Make your onboarding process self-service.  Use different platforms that they can access with your messaging.

• Are you texting with your new members as a welcoming touch point?

• Be creative!

 
7.  What is the future of onboarding?
 

• Automation of the onboarding process and AI.

• Using online communities to engage with your new members.

• Make sure you are continuing to invest in resources to make the onboarding process productive – think retention!

 
Final thought - don’t be afraid to review your onboarding process.  There is no need to blow up your current processes, but you can add or delete new ideas and track how your new members are responding, on a regular basis, to get better results.
 
For more resources on onboarding go HERE.

Strategies for Driving Member & Event Engagement

The following are my notes that I thought were worth sharing from a great session on the title of this blog post I attended presented by Results Direct and their team.

First, they started out with suggesting you need to create an engagement strategy.

Understanding the needs of your members and meet them where they are is a great place to start.

Here are their 10 strategies:

Engagement Strategy 1

Multi-channel communications – email has been the main way your members have gotten information from you.  Now it’s time to think of multi platforms (think social media) where you can connect with your members or prospective members.  A large number are engaging on mobile.

Engagement Strategy 2

Personalization – get to know your members and communicate with them directly where they are (think the different generations) and how they want to receive your organizations information.  

Engagement Strategy 3

Year-round networking and community – staying connected is key in keeping your members engaged and will help your retention.  Mobile communications is a great way to keep them engaged.  Create forums where they communicate with each other (think listservs).

Engagement Strategy 4

The medium is the message – meet the member where they are.  Manage your message and how you are distributing that information.

Engagement Strategy 5

Deliver content in the format members want – is it written, video, audio?  Do you use different digital formats to reach your members and prospects?

Engagement Strategy 6

Create experiences – shared experiences with your members.  Your role is to facilitate this process.  When in person, this is where you need to take full advantage of creating an experience your members will tell their peers (think memories).

Engagement Strategy 7

Incentivize engagement – reward behavior you want your members to do on a regular basis.  You have to decide what reward you want to give out (free meeting registration, gift card, etc).

Engagement Strategy 8

Engage members before, during and after events – think about continuing to push relevant content to your members through a mobile channel.  That is the easiest way to stay connected to your member throughout the year.  Have you thought about creating an app for your meeting

Engagement Strategy 9

Capture moments of time – use technology to get you content to your members.  People’s attention spans has shrunk.  So, think about less is more in your communications.  Another way to think of it, how can your members consume your information on the go!

Engagement Strategy 10

Create an integrated engagement strategy – create a dashboard on where you are creating your content and events and make sure they are integrated.  Decide what is successful for you. Some people may call it the member journey and you’re creating the road map for them to engage.

They ended with the comment that the goal of all these strategies is to engage your members which translates into higher retention numbers.

For more information from Results Direct go HERE.

Membership Marketing Plans

What is the goal of your membership marketing plan?

As we all know, our organizations provide benefits and services to our members, such as networking, advocacy, education, and promotion.

Your goal with your membership marketing plan should be to increase your membership base and retention rate by implementing effective marketing strategies that address the needs and interests of your target audience.

Our target audience consists of small and medium-sized businesses in various industries and sectors, as well as professionals and entrepreneurs who seek to grow their businesses and careers.

Your primary products are your membership packages, which offer different levels of benefits and access to the Chamber’s resources and events.

As you’re creating your annual marketing plan, are you focusing on the market trends and opportunities in your community?  You may want to consider the following in serving your members and prospective members:

• The demand for business support and guidance in the post-pandemic economy.

• The increased use of digital and social media platforms for business communication and promotion.

• The need for local and regional collaboration and advocacy among businesses and stakeholders.

• The desire for personal and professional development and learning opportunities.

In addition, does your membership marketing plan include the following objectives:

• To increase the awareness and visibility of the Chamber and its benefits among potential and existing members, using various marketing venues, such as the Chamber’s website, social media, community events, and print advertising.

• To create and deliver value-added content and programs that showcase the Chamber’s expertise and thought leadership, such as webinars, podcasts, newsletters, blogs, and workshops.

• To engage and nurture relationships with potential and existing members, using personalized and segmented communication and outreach, such as email marketing, surveys, testimonials, and referrals.

• To incentivize and reward membership acquisition and retention, using discounts, promotions, loyalty programs, and recognition awards.

And make sure to measure your membership marketing plan goals:

• To increase the membership base by X percent in the next year, resulting in an additional revenue stream of $X.

• To increase the membership retention rate by X% in the next year, resulting in a reduced attrition rate of X%.

• To increase member satisfaction and value rate by X%.

Your membership marketing plan should be a comprehensive and strategic approach to achieving your membership goals and enhancing your reputation (think Your Brand – for two previous blog post on branding go HERE and HERE) and value proposition in the market.

Your plan should also be aligned with your mission, vision, and values, and reflects your commitment to serving your members and the community.
 
For a great resource on membership marketing visit Marketing General HERE

Renewals and Lapsed Campaigns

I recently attended a webinar on the title of this blog.  The following are my notes from what I found as helpful tips.

Early engagement is a key component in your retention efforts.  Start right after they join.  Here are a couple of ideas mentioned.

• Start a conversation with your initial onboarding communication.
• Enroll them in the members only part of your website.
• Conduct quarterly conference calls with the president with these new members.
• Have a special event for new members/first timers at your annual meeting.

They went on to discuss different ways to engage your members in the renewal process by sending a series of three emails.

• 60 days prior to due date – do you plan on renewing?
• 30 days prior to due date – what have you found most valuable?
• 20 after due date – did you know you're pass due?

Obviously, each of these emails will allow them to renew.

When it came to lapsed members, they suggested:

• A quick three question survey on why they lapsed.
• Conduct a “we miss you” campaign six months after they’ve lapsed.
• Use telemarketing for those lapsed members over a year and bring them back by credit card.
• If appropriate, use your board members to make lapsed members calls.  They know the value of membership.  They’re your best ambassadors.
• All your membership renewal communications should come from the President and CEO.

As a final comment, it’s always good to review your renewal and lapsed member campaigns to make sure you’re taking full advantage of best practices.

Good luck!

Staying Relevant in a World of Decreasing Attention Span

I attended a webinar based on the title of this post and took the following notes that I wanted to share on this blog.

Bill Sheehan with Multiview started out with asking the question “what is your pain point with member engagement” and how do you define member engagement.
 
The new bottle neck is the attention with our members.  Or put a different way, we live in an “Attention Economy.”
 
After reading multiple sources, on average, people speak at a rate of 150 words per minute, while our brains can process up to 1,000 words per minute.  Now you know why our attention can be diverted.
 
How do you get through the clutter?  Here are his tips:
 
Be a trusted source of information.  Think like a media company and focus on 4 main commonalities – your audience, distribution channels, content, and advertising platforms.
 
Audience – where do your members spend their time?  Collect as many data points as you can on your members.
 
Distribution channels – social (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.), your website, blogs, videos, influencers, podcasts, newsletters, annual meetings, etc.
 
Content – what is your expertise?  Focus on what your members want and need.  And don’t forget the quality and consistency of your content.  Stay in your lane (i.e., your mission).
 
Advertising – working with your members on sponsorships to promote their business and generate revenue for your chamber.  What platforms are you using to get your message out to your members and community while generating non-dues revenue?
 
Develop a strategy to maintain the attention of your members.  Get all entities within your chamber rowing in the same direction with your program of work and your communication vehicles.  At the end of the day, it’s about communications.  Are you communicating in a direct and consistent way?
 
You need to be agile and know that you can’t be all things to all people – one size does not fit all.  Remember, there are five different generations out there in today’s workforce and they can consume information through different channels.
 
My final comment, stay on message and grab your member or prospective member’s attention!
 
For a great book on effective communications titled Smart Brevity go HERE.