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Membership Management

3 Ways to Successfully Convey Your Association’s Value Proposition

MemberClicks Avatar MemberClicks September 13, 2016
Table of Contents
2 min read

You probably know your association’s mission, but do you know your association’s value proposition? And if so, does it resonate with people?

Your value proposition is the reason people pay dues, but in order for it to be effective, it needs to be compelling. So how do you successfully convey your association’s value proposition? Here are three tips:

1. Focus on the benefits rather than the features

When “selling” your association – as with selling anything – it’s easy to want to focus on the features. But features aren’t necessarily what get people to buy – it’s the benefits. That said, when communicating your association’s value proposition, always focus on the member benefits.  

For example, rather than saying “We offer in-person and online training sessions,” say something like “We provide ongoing training – both in-person and online – to help you keep your skills sharp.” See the difference? Emphasize what they’ll get out of your specific offerings.

2. Target the right audience

Once you have your member benefits down, it’s important that you communicate those to the right audience, or in this case, your member personas. Remember, member personas are semi-fictional representations of your ideal members based on market research and real data about your existing members.

If you can communicate your value proposition to the right audience – in the right manner and through the right platform – they’ll be more likely to join your organization. (Tips on how to create member personas here.)

3. Incorporate passion

Last but not least, if you really want to convey a compelling value proposition, it’s important to incorporate passion. Now this may seem a little weird, but it’s really what’s going to set your organization apart.

What do we mean by ‘incorporate passion?’ We mean telling your story – your mission – with excitement and vigor. What gets you excited about going to work everyday? About helping out at your association? Convey that to your prospects. Passion is inspiring, and more so, compelling.

At the end of the day, your association’s value proposition is designed to recruit new members. But we all know member recruitment involves a little bit more than that.

Need help getting those acquisition rates up? Check out our free guide, Best Practices for Online Member Acquisition, below!

 

Free Member Retention Guide

Ready to retain members and keep them coming back forever and ever? This guide will teach you everything you need to know about member retention. We cover all the basics, like the first steps to member retention and how to map out your member journey. From there, we dive a bit deeper into retention tips.

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