In the digital age, seemingly minor membership organization mistakes can hinder progress and erode member trust.
Membership organizations play a crucial role in bringing together people who share common interests, values, and goals. To thrive in today’s ever-changing landscape, however, they need to focus on adapting and avoiding some everyday pitfalls that can ultimately spell disaster.
In this article, we will explore five common membership organization mistakes and offer useful strategies to avoid them.
Mistake #1: An Outdated Approach
Organizations that aren’t open to new ideas and ways of doing things won’t be able to compete effectively in the marketplace. That’s true for businesses of all types and sizes, but especially for associations with defined missions that are operating in a rapidly changing world. Developing a modern mindset for your association means that to stay the course and achieve its mission, you must keep evolving. This approach is rooted in your organization’s culture, so think about the following:
- Does our leadership support a philosophy of innovation and change throughout every layer of the organization?
- Are we making data-driven decisions based on real-time analytics?
- Are we investing in cloud technology to improve the membership experience?
By fostering a culture of innovation and embracing new technologies, your organization can remain adaptable and competitive.
Mistake #2: Lack of Measurement
If you have a comprehensive member engagement strategy in place, you’re on the right track. You also need an effective way to measure its success and shortcomings. A dynamic, automated methodology takes into account every member contact along their journey to reveal strengths and weaknesses. Consider insights like:
- Can we readily evaluate and measure member engagement?
- Are we gathering member touchpoint data from several sources and systems?
- Is the necessary data all in one place so reporting is easily accessible?
Accurate, data-driven measurement is the basis for effective decision-making that drives greater member engagement.
Mistake #3: Failure to Personalize Experiences
Your organization touches the lives of many people. Everyone with whom you interact—members, patrons, volunteers, vendors, and others—wants to feel a personal connection from the start. With a robust Engagement Management System (EMS) like iMIS in place, you have the ability to deliver relevant experiences to all of your constituents. Start by assessing how well you are able to cater to your members and supporters:
- Can you direct members and potential members to register for events, conferences, or workshops based on their interests and past behavior?
- Are you able to deliver content formatted for various preferences, whether on a smartphone, tablet, or laptop?
- Do your members have an exclusive portal that fosters engagement with your organization and their peers?
Whether it’s to make a purchase, register for a course, or simply check out your website, your organization should be able to recognize and cater to constituent preferences.
Mistake #4: An Outmoded Web Presence
Nothing reflects as poorly on an association as an outdated website. As your face to the world, it represents your organization to everyone who visits. People visit many websites in a single day so they know what looks old and dated. But it goes beyond just the appearance. Capabilities need to be considered, too. If it’s been a while since you evaluated your members’ experience with your web presence, it’s time to take a fresh, candid look. Think about the web experiences you currently provide, such as:
- Are you creating tailored experiences for website visitors?
- Do you have a simple and engaging member onboarding process?
- Have you mapped your members’ online journey with your organization?
It’s hard to be perceived as relevant and leading-edge if your website is antiquated. A dynamic web experience is key to boosting member retention and attracting newcomers.
Mistake #5: Neglecting Member Feedback
Listening to your members is vital for understanding their needs and making improvements. Failing to gather and act on member feedback is a common mistake. To avoid this, ask yourself:
- Are we actively seeking member feedback through surveys and other channels?
- Do we have a structured process for collecting and analyzing feedback?
- Are we responsive to member concerns and suggestions?
By valuing member input and making adjustments based on their feedback, it shows that their voices are heard and that you are committed to their satisfaction.
Membership organizations have a unique role in society, bringing like-minded people together to pursue common goals and support important missions. To be successful in an ever-changing world, avoiding detrimental pitfalls is essential. By addressing the common membership organization mistakes outlined above, your association will be on the path to success.
Are you ready to tackle your organization’s pitfalls and challenges? Don’t go it alone! For more than 20 years, IBC has been helping associations, nonprofits, and unions overcome obstacles with state-of-the-art strategies and innovative iMIS software solutions. Please contact our experts to learn more.
About IBC: At IBC, we have a deep understanding of the critical business needs and processes specific to associations, non-profits, and unions. We ‘get’ your culture, your goals, and what drives you, too. Focused exclusively on and dedicated to delivering the most effective AMS, LMS, and Cloud Financial Software for our clients, we’re well-versed in identifying and applying the integration techniques that will save you time and money. Since 2001, our cutting-edge products, unparalleled responsiveness, and award-winning services have helped organizations like yours increase their operational and financial performance by leveraging best practices and proven solutions. For more information about IBC, please visit the website at www.ibconcepts.com or call 443.603.0215
