How To Increase Member Engagement and Leave a Lasting Impression

You have board members to speak with, meetings to attend and events to hold. Being a leader can feel like juggling two dozen balls at once. Member engagement might fall by the wayside, even when you know you need to take action.

Weak engagement with their association was the top reason members didn’t renew their membership, per association management software company GrowthZone.

We’ll make the task easier so you can foster strong engagement — our team has the know-how. We’ve put together member engagement ideas that you can do both right now and over time. But first, we’ll look at member engagement itself and why it’s so essential (as if you don’t already know).

What Is Member Engagement, and Why Is It Important?

Member engagement means forging meaningful connections between your association and its members. The goal is to increase participation, member satisfaction and lasting member retention.

The key lies in finding what resonates with your members as human beings, adding value to their membership. Two tools — big data and member surveys — give you priceless insights. Those insights help inform your member engagement plan.

You see undeniable benefits when you engage members:

• Greater member retention
• Higher revenue
• More passionate advocacy
• More prestigious reputation
• Smarter decision-making
• Stronger sense of community

Each one of those benefits packs a punch for your association as a whole. Now, let’s look at how to secure them with member engagement strategies that make a difference.

[Related: Strategic Planning for Associations: If You Don’t Plan, You Will Fail]

8 Member Engagement Strategies for Short- and Long-Term Results

Here’s how to increase member engagement in practical ways. We’ve made sure to include strategies that you can start now, as well as some you can work toward. 

And if you ever feel like you’re in over your head, your association management company (AMC) is happy to step in and partner with you.

1. Curate Your Leadership Personality

This one starts with you. After all, you’re the face of your association for all members. Envision how you appear to them, and hone in on your strengths. 

This doesn’t mean putting on a mask — it’s sprucing up the parts of your personality that you know members appreciate. Your members tend to value concrete qualities, regardless of their background:

• Strong leadership, with clear communication and strategic thinking
• A member-centric focus, with empathy and inclusivity
• Effective governance, with transparency, accountability and ethical standards

In balancing these three qualities, you round out a leadership persona that engages members every time you act.

2. Personalize Your Member Interactions

It’s always a win to focus on your members’ interests. Personalization is powerful, like making it a point to remember people’s names.

You can personalize your approach to engage members in an array of ways:

• Use big data to refine communication for different member demographics.
• Recognize and reward achievements for both individual members and teams (more on that later).
• Connect members with fellow members who share their goals.

This is a starter list. What works best for your association depends on who your members are! Your aim is to find out, then tailor how you communicate to enhance member engagement.

[Related: Board Recruitment Plan: How To Build an Effective Board of Directors] 

3. Stay in Touch With Your Members

Ongoing communication is a core member engagement strategy. You may say hi every now and then, but taking time and effort to keep it up is absolutely worthwhile. 

Personalization also comes into play here. You leave a mark in members’ minds with options like email newsletters, social media posts and even phone calls. Besides the standard “here’s what’s happening at our association” message, try branching out into topics like these:

• Member spotlights
• Industry trends
• Membership benefits, like affinity programs
• Event recaps 
• Resource lists

Members are innately more connected to your association when they’re in the loop. That connection goes a long way in raising morale as well as engagement.

4. Hold Events That Give Members Value

Your events, conferences and trade shows are great non-dues revenue-raising opportunities — and they’re fantastic association member engagement strategies, too. Think about what you can add to any event that interests members and enriches their lives.

Surveys and big data are lifesavers when it comes to zeroing in on what members want. Valuable events engage members in many areas:

• Create networking possibilities, with in-person connections and a relationship-building environment.
• Offer professional and personal development options, such as workshops and seminars.
• Foster community, with one-on-one camaraderie and a tighter connection to your association.
• Increase association visibility, with appealing activities that attract new members while engaging your current ones.

A well-planned and executed event has a dynamic impact on member engagement!

[Related: Trade Show Management Tips for Seamless Events] 

5. Open Up Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer opportunities create valuable member engagement paths. Members find satisfaction in knowing they’re helping while advancing your (and their) mission. 

When doing so, identify needs where volunteers can make an impact, and offer roles that accommodate various skill sets. Make expectations clear, and offer training and support. Recognize and reward volunteers to seal the deal.

Your efforts won’t go unnoticed. Here’s how volunteering advances member engagement:

• Fosters a sense of belonging
• Empowers members
• Develops consensus-building and teamwork skills
• Builds professional networks
• Strengthens your association’s reputation 

Volunteering can also attract new members to your association when your cause is just. Word of mouth is powerful.

6. Recognize and Reward Your Members

Everyone likes knowing others appreciate their work, so giving credit is a wise member engagement strategy. With that in mind, note when members really shine and contribute. Then, let them know! 

You might opt for public recognition, such as social media highlights or annual award ceremonies. Or you might prefer to be private, like personal emails or gifts. Either way, your leadership shows empathy and accountability, while your members have validation (and they’ll spread the word).

Member recognition is integral to member engagement:

• Raises morale
• Encourages other members to participate
• Enhances loyalty (and thus member retention)

However small or large, your efforts nurture a positive, motivational association environment. 

[Related: Meeting Planning: 9 Tips for Success]

7. Offer Professional and Personal Development Opportunities

It’s smart to provide your members with concrete inroads to better their lives, professionally and personally. Member benefits are always perks, but often members join to enhance their skills. 

You encourage members to participate whether you offer webinars, accreditation and certification programs or mentorships. And you naturally increase member engagement when you encourage member participation.

Development opportunities do more than educate, keeping existing members engaged while bolstering your entire association:

• Advance members’ careers.
• Prompt continuous learning and growth.
• Demonstrate your association’s commitment to its members.
• Offer value that strengthens your membership number.

You also raise your chances of gaining new members with industry-leading development options. Again, word gets around — and your association stands out.

8. Go Online and Get Social

Don’t hesitate to expand your member engagement scope with social media. Facebook alone — the most-used social media platform on the planet — offers countless ways to reach new and existing members.

After establishing your professional association social media profile, create content that appeals to your members. It doesn’t have to be only announcements and ads: 

• Post pictures of your events.
• Offer words of wisdom and advice.
• Share member stories.
• Shoot short videos to reach younger members.

You build an online community by being a leader in the virtual world. Plus, check what your most engaged members discuss, then work that information into your member engagement strategy.

[Related: How To Approach Project Management for Trade Associations and Professional Societies]

Member Engagement Ideas: Tips and Takeaways

Here’s a quick recap:

• Remember that self-reflection, leadership and personalization are key to success.
• Hold events that bring your members genuine value.
• Let members know when they advance your mission.
• Enrich members’ lives to not only boost member engagement but also elevate your association’s reputation.
• Use member engagement strategies to seriously benefit member retention.
• Think outside the box and take advantage of digital channels — they’re never off the table.

And if you ever need a hand with implementing member engagement ideas, your AMC is at the ready. They handle tasks big and small, while you focus on the nuts and bolts that only leaders can.

[Related: How To Measure Your Association Management Company]

Increase Member Engagement (and Save Time) With CM Services

As an experienced AMC, CM Services is happy to help you engage members. From pinpointing your members’ interests to getting started on social media, we’re ready to go.

We’re a full-service AMC that supports you in all facets of member engagement:

• Member services
• Executive leadership services
• Marketing and event services
• Publication and communication services

Contact us anytime — we’re glad to get your members engaged and take the burden off your back. 

Check out our work and our client partners to see what we can do for your association.

Featured image via Freepik