Member engagement should always be at the forefront of all member-based organizations’ minds. However, it can be stressful always having to find compelling ways to do just that. And if it’s something that you and your association marketing staff are struggling with, then don’t feel down about it, because it’s a challenge that everyone faces!
There are some really great sites out there that understand how to stay engaged with their audience and incite action to keep them coming back for more—and you probably already know about them! Buzzfeed, LifeHack, and Playbuzz are 3 of my favorite go-to sights to explore and it’s safe to say that I visit at least 2 out of these 3 on a daily basis. That might seem a little obsessive, I suppose.
Aside from the hilarious, random, and incredibly relatable content, I think those sites do an excellent job with member engagement and always keep me wanting to consume more. You might be thinking, “That’s a lot of pressure always having to be “funny” or “witty” to keep my membership interested in our organization.” You don’t have to be replicate Buzzfeed or Playbuzz’s tone. The reality is that it probably doesn’t make sense for every industry, but how do you know if you don’t give it a try? If you look past their playful and quirky content, you’ll notice that there are some easy underlying tactics that these sites use to drive member engagement.
Are you looking for even more ways to bring in new members and delight your current ones?
Check out the complete list in our latest ebook,
“50 Ways to Boost Your Association Membership.”
You’re going to want to bookmark these 5 easy ideas to boost member engagement at your organization!
1. Send out a survey to members to understand them better and collect data.
This can be done through email, social media, or both. Having members answer simple surveys is a great way to help you understand their needs and challenges better, so that you can figure out ways to better serve them.
2. Send out an online quiz.
Using a tool like Playbuzz to make a quiz that is funny, challenging, interesting, or nostalgic is a fun way to keep members engaged with your association.
3. Share industry trends or hacks.
Don’t just share information about your association, share industry information that your members will appreciate. Members will see your association as the go-to place for information about your industry.
4. Send a regular email newsletter.
Include any or all of #1-2, plus anything that’s new at your association. This is a great place to celebrate new members, as well as to celebrate current members and their recruitment efforts. Try putting yourself in your members’ shoes and asking what you’d like to see in an email newsletter that would be beneficial and interesting to you.
5. Have a blog with useful information, tips, and insights about your industry and things your members care about.
This might seem a little meta. And it’s something you’re probably already aware of, or you might even have one. Let me ask you this. Are you blogging on a regular basis? If not, is it just once a month or maybe every couple of weeks? Maintaining a blog is one of the easiest, but most powerful ways to keep members engaged and to acquire new ones. Try creating separate topics that address recruiting, onboarding, and retaining members.
So why not give one (or all) of these ideas a try and see what happens at your organization? And, who knows, you could end up discovering a new member base by simply trying something different. Experimenting is the best way to gauge whether something will resonate with your membership.
Are you looking for even more ways to bring in new members and delight your current ones?
Are you looking for even more ways to bring in new members and delight your current ones? Learn more about the 50 ways you boost your association membership today.
