It is imperative to test member engagement strategies (24 For 2024) |
Whether you run an online membership or a non-profit, you know that member engagement is vital to any successful community. In this piece we'll discuss 24 efficient ways to engage members for every organisation.
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1. Make sure you are greeted correctly
For any group or organization, the first few touch points are the most crucial.
It's human nature. Psychologically speaking, we're trained to evaluate different social groups in order to know whether we are truly part of them. If we are part of these groups. We are secure.
This is why crafting amazing welcome messages should be high on your agenda. The research shows that 74% users expect a welcome email when they sign up to a service, and when people join a membership community, they usually search for a "Welcome" or "Start Here" section first. ConvertKit has also reported that a welcome sequence for new subscribers or welcome sequence for members is among their most popular.
Here are some ways to do this:
- Be as personal as possible. Research shows that people want personalization from brands. If you're only a little membership, this could even be an individual welcome email. If you expand, you'll probably need to make use of automatizations. Make them as personalized as you can. What's the good news? A 2016 study found that community members naturally have the impression that their community is tailored to their needs!
- Set up automated emails. If it's not part of your welcome sequence sending out automated messages in the first few days of membership will get people oriented.
- Utilize your software. If you're using a member platform, then you'll need built-in tools to give members an guidelines. For example, we've built welcome checklists into every Mighty Network to help members to get their feet wet.
2. Link them to other members
While conducting our initial research about communities, we noticed that data revealed the most important thing is for members to remain.
They need to make friends with.
It's a truism in community building that individuals attend for the advantages but remain for friendship.
If you're trying to establish a group with staying power to connect with people:
- Help members create profiles and introduction posts.
- Host virtual events in which individuals can meet one another.
- Build out smaller groups, informal hangouts, and unstructured engagement to allow for serendipity.
- And make personal announcements whenever possible!
3. Host new member welcome events
If the membership of your organization is large enough, then your new members onboarding plan should contain special events designed for members who are new. The strategy can be a combination of the boxes on both 1 and 2 above. This will create a logical pathway for members who are new to the club to join and become friends.
You are welcome to discuss your vision and values, and be clear on how members of the new generation can be involved. But don't just talk at them. Let them chat with each other.
4. Send out a newsletter
The newsletter may be the earliest instrument available to membership organizations, but they still work. They're also experiencing a Renaissance right now.
People still check email. It's one of the easiest ways to communicate with your clients.
Make a monthly newsletter to inform members of events in your business and offers value. The frequency could be biweekly or even monthly. So long as you maintain a regular contact with the members via email.
5. Make email sequences
It is essential to send out newsletters. Most companies, however, send their newsletters weekly at the most. It can be a lot of work to create regular, fresh newsletters-especially if you're waiting for different writers or editors to feed in.
When you create email sequences you can get into the inboxes of people on a regular time.
Utilize a service like Convertkit to automate email sequences. As an example, it might look as follows:
- Day 1. Welcome and what to expect; Invitation to a community
- Day 2. Invite to introduce your self on a platform for community
- Day 3. Tips for getting the most value out of the time you spend with your friends
- Day 4. An effective tool to unlock revenue
- Day 5. Replay of webinar
The sequences may be as long as you want. You can also use software for email to triggers to help to keep your sequences current.
The easiest way to accomplish this is to "Tag" subscribers who visit a particular link or fill in a certain form.
As an example, you could be able to create a series of emails for those members that are about to start an enterprise. You might have another set aside for companies that are struggling.
Making sure that sequences are properly set up allows you to deliver relevant content to people with different needs-without spamming people with irrelevant content that does nothing to help the user. It makes a big difference in the way you personalize your content.
6. Round-ups
There is so much valuable material available. There's nothing that says you have to write everything your members engage with.
A great method to offer value for members is to round up information from all over the internet.
This changes your role from creator to curator.
As an instance, you can collect:
- Job postings
- "How to" articles
- Interviews
- Thought leadership
7. Build a membership community
Our preferred ways to boost membership engagement is with the creation of a community website.
The creation of a committed membership community involves distributing your content to people who are in need of it. You can stop yelling through the social media and instead focus on contacting your customers.
We see membership communities prosper with discussion forums, virtual events, live streaming chat, messaging and chat, as well as forums.
If you have your Membership Design(tm) correct, your membership community could flourish, and you may even let your growth go on autopilot.
8. Community app
It is possible to take your community to the next level by launching a specific community app under your brand .
This gives you the ability to build a community and your company's brand on the App Store and Google Play store.
Since most people spend their phone on the go, a dedicated app means that they can take part in community conversations, take part in events and participate in learning opportunities and meet other members-from the convenience of their smartphones.
However, they will also receive branded alerts to ensure they stay connected. It's an exciting way to increase members' engagement.
9. Study your analytics
A few awesome things about the membership platform or app is that you get the membership information you won't find elsewhere.
You can see who is present and what they are spending their time on, as well as how active they are.
Having community data right at your fingertips is incredibly powerful.
10. Offer exclusive content
We've talked before about email content. However, there are plenty of different ways you can make content your partner in membership engagement.
The most straightforward thing to do is to provide people with content that which they cannot find elsewhere. It may seem as a lot of work but it could not be. Take a look at what your users want and need and how they can benefit from your content. your members.
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As an example, say you run a community for social entrepreneurs. An expert webinar in funding social enterprises could be extremely valuable and they may need help finding otherwise.
Remember, the more you niche you are, the more relevant and valuable your content becomes to your customers.
Example:
- Accessing funding (broad)
- Accessing grants for nonprofits (better)
- Community grants are available for non-profits based in Michigan (best)
For a membership comprised of Michigan non-profits, this might be a great idea! It's an example of how niching makes your content superior.
Sometimes, the most valuable content can be found in thinking about your niche. Be focused on what your market needs, and don't try to outdo the standard influential people.
11. Create less mindless content
A single of the largest dangers that membership organizations fall into is producing content solely for the sake of content.
People want to see content and content, don't they? The members need to have a plethora of stuff to read isn't it?
Wrong.
Problem is that the treadmill of content can turn into an absolute nightmare for both the members and you. For you, it's possible that you might feel pressured to create content, which can make your life difficult.
And, even more importantly, if members receive a constant stream of sub-par content, they may not open your emails, or even logging into your member community.
Have a Big Purpose and be clear about what you are offering your Ideal member. Better to not spend your time on mindless content and put your focus on generating several pieces of valuable information.
12. Community volunteer programs
For community-based membership programs, the creation of volunteer opportunities could draw members in, and increase the visibility of your business. This could include things that are directly related to your organization.
Or, it could be matters that are connected to the welfare of the community you serve. Things like:
- Bottle drives or food
- Community cleanup programs
- Volunteering to support an event in the community or a festival
It's your job to determine what will resonate with your users.
A suggestion is to make an annual volunteer occasion. It is easier to create events year after year when everyone knows there's an event scheduled.
13. Create volunteer roles
There's something about the most successful online membership communities which might be surprising to you. The hosts don't necessarily take on all the responsibility. In fact, members love to be invited to contribute-not only in terms of content but with leadership roles.
We have communities where people who are willing to volunteer for:
- Lead a mastermind group
- Host an event
- Moderate content
- Lead discussions
- Offer online classes & lunch and learns
And so much more!
Your members aren't just paying customers to be served endless products. They are part of the organization. That's the beauty of the membership-based organization.
and sometimes, it's about contributing.
14. Hold a regular meeting
An excellent conference can be a breath of fresh air. Members look forward to them, mark them off on their calendars prioritizing them. Whether the conference is located in Italy or Idaho, an excuse to explore and gain knowledge at the same time could be a fantastic benefit.
When you are creating a live or hybrid conference-let's be honest-takes lots of time. It can be a major payoff. Also, developing something that happens year after year can cause an accumulation of benefits as people look forward to it and put it on their calendars.
15. Networking events
Events that are specifically designed for networking can be very unpredictable. There are those who hate them, and some love them-probably depending on their personality type. extrovert.
But if it works for your company, hosting an online or live networking event could be a low-lift way to bring people together and add the value. Networks create opportunities for new partnerships, while also being the focal point of a great network can certainly help to keep people engaged.
16. Member surveys
How can you find out what your members want than to ask them? It's a simple thing that will yield powerful results.
To get the most valuable information of member survey results, make them anonymous and avoid the questions that be clear who is answering. Keep it totally generic and you'll learn more.
17. Member recognition
Honor and thank your employees. There's nothing that gets people attached to an organisation more than having their work highlighted. The organization could hold awards. You could also consider regular member spotlights.
Here are some cool ways to get member recognition:
- Spotlights on members
- Introduces new members
- Interviews with members
- Game boards and leaderboards
- "Member of the Month" programs
18. Social media engagement
Social media, in general, shouldn't be the primary point for a member engagement strategy. It's too unpredictable-you don't have control over what your customers see. If you decide to include social media in your membership engagement strategy, you need to learn how to create contents that are actually accessible to the members of your organization.
Here are a few ideas:
- Promoting a post on social media through email or an online group.
- Webinars that are valuable or LinkedIn live event that is in line with your membership theme
- Showcasing your members as well as their achievements on your social media channels
19. Mentorship programs
In line with providing members with a significant benefit A mentorship program could be a game-changer. If it is structured in a way that existing members assist new or less experienced members, it could really improve participation. Perhaps it's a mentoring programme that people contribute to.
75 75% of executive have reported that mentorship has been vital in the development of their careers, and if your organization is helping them get it-you're filling an important need.
20. Learning opportunities online
It's been a topic that has been discussed for a while for a while, but the opportunity to learn can be one of the greatest benefits of being an association or community. And you can offer either an asynchronous or synchronous learning experience (AKA live or pre-recorded).
Each comes with its own benefits, and the best online learning system can let users do both.
- Asynchronous learning is available on-demand that can accommodate the members' schedules. Students can join in when they're ready.
- Synchronous learning is live teaching, and comes with all the energy and engagement that it brings.
The best membership platforms will allow you to do both. You can also host a live event and then keep a replay available to members.
21. Member discounts
Member discounts are a proven way to engage your customers. In essence, it is providing perks to members of your organization. There are many companies out there offering discounts on travel insurance, trip cancellations, or shopping.
There is a need to determine whether offering these kinds of benefits is beneficial for your company however, they can certainly improve retention of customers and increase loyalty.
22. Town halls
Live or virtual town halls can be another method of engagement for members that can be used by almost any community. The concept is pretty simple. The idea is to allow members to gather without a formal structure to share thoughts and feedback.
If you've created an environment that allows members to express themselves and speak their opinions, this could work really well.
23. Webinars
Training and learning in various points of this list A webinar could be an element of that. Live or recorded, a webinar should be well-organized and gives a ton of value to your members.
24. Private groups
Many of the top membership organizations make use of smaller groups within an overall membership. Call them what you want: chapters, subgroups, or small groups, but splitting groups in the larger group can be in the best way to create connections.
It's not easy to make friends in a huge group. It can be scary even. Everyone has experienced the sensation of walking into a room in which you're not a part of anyone (and everybody else seems to know each other ).
Smaller groups could increase the connections between members and create a network of close friends within the larger group. These could be groups divided by interest, demographic geographic location or else.
Conclusion
We hope these membership engagement methods will get you motivated to help your members serve better. Also, if you're in the market for an awesome membership platform that brings together community, virtual events, chat & messages, profiles of members, and a full payment system, it's built-in using Mighty!
is built into it to encourage member interaction. it, with the features that help users find connections and find choices for nearly any kind of content you want to create. It's G2's top-rated community management system.