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The MemberClicks Blog

Even for your most extroverted members, networking can be intimidating. And sometimes, it can be so intimidating that your members avoid it altogether.

But if networking is one of your association’s biggest value propositions, that clearly presents a problem. How can you make networking a little less intimidating for your members so they’ll be more likely to register for and attend events? Here are a few tips:

We live in a highly advanced, highly personalized world. Voice assistants, same-day delivery, and on-demand content are becoming the norm. And while that’s great for us as consumers, it can be a challenge for those in the business of customer service (your association or chamber included).

Your members are expecting instant service. They’re comparing your organization to companies like Amazon and eBay. And while none of us can directly compete with retail giants like that, there are several things you can do to meet - and even exceed - rising member expectations in 2019:

Responsible for managing and planning the technology you know and love, the MemberClicks Product team is made up of curious, tenacious, caring Clickers. Their task is to understand your challenges on deep level, create a blueprint for our engineering team, and thoroughly test the solutions they come up with before releasing to you! Know that every time you use one of our products, you’re logging into something this team has put their heart and soul into. (Heck, they ARE our heart and soul!)

Everyone, meet the Product team!

An inherent benefit to joining any association is the amount of industry knowledge that comes along with membership. This knowledge comes in a few different forms: A network of peers (aka, other members), connections made throughout the industry, and the resources that YOU provide!

Depending on how long your association has been around (or the nature of the industry), it’s probably safe to say those resources are plentiful - and incredibly valuable! But it’s not always easy to get members to take advantage of this particular benefit. Here are some tips for doing just that:

Renewal season is in FULL FORCE. But even though you knew it was coming, that doesn’t exactly make it easier. How can you bump up the chances that your members will actually renew?

Well there’s no guaranteed approach, but there are several best practices. Take a look!

Bad habits. We all have them, and for the most part, we all struggle to break them.

But the first step in breaking a habit is to identify what it is. Here are three bad habits that we think all association pros need to ditch ASAP:

Online social communities have been around for a while now. But it’s no secret they’re often underutilized. Many people think, “We have a Facebook page. Why would we need an online social community too?”

Well, there are several reasons, but perhaps one of the biggest (right now, at least) is this: A few weeks ago, Associations Now published an article about 2019 technology trends that associations should watch. And do you know what trend #2 was? 2019 is going to be a good year for private communities.

When’s the last time you made an organization-wide effort to clean up your database? We understand - just thinking about it sounds daunting!

But, taking time once a year to ensure that your data is accurate (as much as possible, anyway) and clear out any unnecessary information allows you to use your database as intended! Whether you’re using MemberClicks or WebLink, we have a few suggestions for cleaning up your data, internally and externally:

In her thought-provoking book “The End of Membership as We Know It,” Sarah Sladek has some pretty eye-opening statistics to share, including:

“From now until 2030, every eight seconds someone will turn 65. This shift in human capital – the largest shift in our country’s history – poses the greatest threat to associations.”

She goes on to say that most member-based organizations remain entirely governed and supported by the baby boomer generation, and few are developing strategies to protect themselves from the “massive exodus” of board members, committee chairs, and dedicated volunteers.

This, paired with the fact that “entire generations that have never known life without technology are now entering the workforce,” are good reason for organizations of all sizes to take note.

Membership certainly isn’t dead, but it’s time to change your thinking and your business model in order to continue to thrive! A few thoughts on how:

If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s lack of time. There just never seems to be enough hours in the day! And your members likely feel that too, which can sometimes put a strain on overall member engagement. (Engaging with your organization takes time.)

Enter micro-learning opportunities. These are basically the same online learning opps you’re likely offering now, but in a shortened, more easily-digestible format. And they’re incredibly appealing because they’re valuable, but also easy on the calendar - and who doesn’t want that?!

Not sure what micro-learning opportunities actually look like? Here are three to consider offering at your organization in 2019: