Acquiring members is easy compared to getting them to engage with you. It’s all too common that you spark interest enough only to secure their membership. Every other interaction after that is a downhill path unless you can pinpoint what you’re doing wrong and how to fix it.
There’s as much variety of strategies as there are membership organizations. What works for others might not work for the demographics you cater to. The good news is that each kind of business thrives from the same principles. It’s by focusing on those first that you make the practical improvements you need to keep your engagement up.
Enhance Your Touchpoints
Your website is your most essential touchpoint. Improving it is not only a matter of creating an appealing aesthetic. Your website needs a continual upgrade to ensure that your members enjoy a seamless experience.
You achieve this by providing a roadmap to each member so that they know what’s in store for them next. This applies to new and old members. Sometimes, marketing efforts focus too much on the acquisition that the thrill of the experience fades after they sign up.
Look into membership marketing services to help you sustain interest in all your activities. The more personalized and interactive the content is for each member, the better your engagement will be. The same goes for your other touchpoints, like social media and newsletters. It’s through enhancing your current mode of contact with members that they feel better connected to you.
Value Person-to-person Contact
Digital contact doesn’t compare to the value that meeting in person brings. Holding regular events create an improved sense of community and makes them care more about your digital activities afterward. This is because they’re now able to put faces to the names they see in your customer support team and member forums.
Their experience during these events will impact the kind of engagement they’ll have with you and with other members. Make sure that you plan with care and establish clear goals for each gathering. It could be to introduce new features that’ll change their user experience. Maybe you want to emphasize their significance to your success through annual dinners.
Events are also excellent opportunities to recognize participative members and their contributions. There’s nothing like an award and few added perks to encourage engagement.
Strengthen Your Two-way Communication
Touchpoints and events are a means for you to communicate with members. Many forget, though, that it’s also the members’ opportunity to communicate with you. So are community forums, chat rooms, and social media platforms. It won’t take long for members to lose interest when they don’t feel that you put a premium on their feedback.
Most of the initial engagement they’ll have with you is when they report any challenges. When you give them many ways to voice their observations, you address the vital issue of convenience. Your quick response, on the other hand, deals with forming a good impression.
Members who are satisfied with the level of support they receive are more likely to engage with you again. This point also highlights the importance of monitoring forums where members interact. Setting guidelines and moderating content helps you maintain an ambiance that encourages members to speak up.
Building your member engagement takes time and consistency. Set practical goals to chart your progress and form realistic expectations. There’s never a quick road to establish trust and commitment. Only persistence in effort and innovation will take you there.
