The day before Thanksgiving is always a busy one—for example, I still need to grocery shop and clean the house—and it’s easy to lose sight of the reason we’re all getting together in the first place. No matter where the year has taken you, there’s always something to be thankful for. And this is just as true at work in your association as it is at home.
Even with a hectic afternoon ahead, be sure to carve out some time to thank those around you who have helped in so many ways. Here are 3 ways your membership software can help you express your attitude for gratitude.
(But don’t worry, you don’t have to fit this in between prepping tomorrow’s coffeecake and running to the store. Showing appreciation can and should happen all year round.)
1. Measure member engagement to recognize your rockstars
Of course you’re thankful for all your members, but there are some who step up and represent the ideal. Maybe they sit on multiple committees or frequently contribute to your blog. Maybe they attend several meetings a year while eagerly recruiting on your behalf. There are those you know by name but there may still be others who are actively advocating for your association who have managed to stay out of the limelight.
You can use your membership software to find your rockstar members and easily send them notes of thanks, acknowledge them on social media, or reward them at the next conference. (For example, at our last users conference, we gave a pair of our signature red shoes to the person who’s most active on our community site.) The thanks you share will go a long way toward those who’ve worked so hard for you in the past and might just inspire the next generation of future super members.
If you need help starting the process of measuring member engagement, check out the Scoring Member Engagement eBook.
2. Use data analytics to spot successful campaigns
Just as you measure member engagement to find your power members, you need to be measuring your own campaigns to see which ones are working. When you integrate your membership software with marketing automation, those measurements can be found even easier.
Take some time to look at what’s worked—what campaigns have lead to the highest conference attendance, the most individual donations, the highest renewal rates. Acknowlege your own success and thank the team members who have helped achieve it. Your work family will appreciate your thankfulness just as much (and sometimes even more) than those relatives sitting across the table from you tomorrow.
3. Show appreciation by offering members special deals
One way to include all your members in the gratitude party is to offer them special deals and incentives through your online store. You can offer member discounts on books or merchandise, or run a campaign where members get to bring a guest to your next conference special event. One association even implemented membership upselling to their store, so non-member shoppers could learn about the incentives before they finished their purchase.
However you decide to thank your members and staff, know that your appreciation will speak volumes.
