The 2024 Membership Performance Benchmark Report shows that 53% of the surveyed member-based organizations have witnessed either no change in their member retention rate or a decline. This highlights a critical challenge in front of member organizations and associations: maintaining and improving member loyalty, especially among new members. If an organization’s membership base is “leaking”, a huge portion of the recruitment efforts is going down the drain. This means that the organization is experiencing a phenomenon called the Revolving Door Effect. While the organization recruits new members, a similar number of members are not renewing, and thus the countdown of members stays pretty much stagnated.
With all the challenges that member-based organizations are still dealing with after the COVID-19 pandemic, member loyalty has become even more crucial for the sustained success of organizations. Loyal members not only secure a steady revenue stream for the association but can also act as ambassadors, promoting the organization and its values within their networks. Not to mention that keeping the current members is way easier and cheaper than replacing them with new ones.
Based on our experience working with associations to improve their customer retention and loyalty, we suggest to follow a multi-step approach comprised of five essential actions:
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- Defining the membership journey
- Emphasizing membership values at touchpoints
- Investing in data accuracy, security, and privacy
- Utilizing a digital strategy that supports positive member experience
- Real-time assessment of member satisfaction
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Here is a more detailed review, explaining each of the above steps:
1. Boosting Member Loyalty by Defining the Membership Journey Accurately
Defining an accurate and complete membership journey is the foundation of member retention. During the process, the stages and the experience a prospective member goes through should be identified and documented in detail, from the initial point of contact, such as reaching out on social media or emailing to ask for more information, to membership renewal or departure.
The member journey is particularly different from the regular customer journey, as members are more than just customers or users of associations. Creating a complete membership journey map, including touchpoints, member sentiments, pain points, actions, and insights, helps visualize the entire experience and allows organizations to find opportunities to enhance it, ultimately leading to higher member loyalty.
There are different types of member journey maps that can be useful:
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- Current member journey map: current state of interactions with members
- Future member journey map: what it should look like
- Day in the life of a member journey map: an average schedule for member personas
- Service blueprints: what the association staff need to do at certain touchpoints
- Circular: This describes the cycle of attracting new members and getting them to the first year’s membership and then the year-on-year process of delivering enough value that they rejoin the next year and the years after.
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2. Enhancing Member Loyalty by Emphasizing Membership Values
Offering member benefits is no longer enough. Members are not always aware of all the member benefits available to them. They need to be constantly reminded of the benefits and value they receive from being part of the organization. Each touchpoint should be an opportunity to remind members why they joined and why they should stay.
Associations need to articulate these benefits in a creative way that resonates with members and demonstrate how becoming and staying a member can meet specific needs, solve problems, or enhance personal or professional development. Highlighting success stories, sharing testimonials, and regularly updating members on new initiatives and achievements can help.
Of course, if your organization has not sharpened its value proposition, this should be a prerequisite process to stay relevant for members.
3. Ensuring Data Accuracy, Security, and Privacy
Members need to feel confident that their personal information is handled with care and protected against security breaches. Implementing robust data security measures and regularly auditing data for accuracy can prevent issues that might erode members’ trust.
In addition to data security and privacy, transparent communication of how members’ data is used and protected can further reassure members that their data is in good hands. The more the members trust that their data is secure, the more likely they are to remain loyal to the organization.
4. Utilizing a Digital Strategy that Supports Positive Experience
In today’s digital age, a comprehensive and well-executed digital strategy is essential for enhancing member loyalty and engagement. This strategy should include a user-friendly website, engaging social media presence, and effective email communication. Offering digital tools and platforms that facilitate easy access to resources, events, and networking opportunities can significantly improve member satisfaction.
A successful digital strategy for a membership organization should cover the full marketing funnel:
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- Acquisition (content, SEO, social media, email nurturing, etc,)
- Conversion (UI, UX, landing pages, etc.)
- Retention (automation, email communication, etc.)
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5. Real-Time Assessment of Member Satisfaction to Check Member Loyalty
Organizations must continuously monitor and assess member satisfaction to identify areas for improvement and address issues as they arise. Small associations may hear complaints directly, but gauging member contentment across multiple touchpoints can be challenging for larger organizations. However, measuring satisfaction is just part of the challenge. The other part lies in turning Insights into action and making improvements in a reasonable time.
Implementing real-time feedback mechanisms, such as surveys and polls, allows organizations to measure member sentiment and respond proactively. Conducting member satisfaction surveys, like Net Promoter Score (NPS), is not a one-time endeavour but rather an ongoing dialogue between the association and its members.
Boosting Member Loyalty: Final Words
Fostering member loyalty requires a strategic approach that encompasses understanding the membership journey, emphasizing value, ensuring data security, building a robust digital strategy, and continuously assessing member satisfaction. By implementing a comprehensive plan, member-based organizations and associations can improve their member retention rates and build a loyal, engaged community. Loyalty is not just an end goal; it’s an ongoing process.
Evaluate your current strategies, identify areas for improvement, and implement these steps to ensure your members remain loyal and committed for years to come.
