Resources for Community Success

Milwaukee & Madison, WI – January 4, 2023 – Forj, a purpose-built experience platform for communities of practice, announced its completion of a Series A funding round...

As 2022 comes to a close, we're approaching nearly three years of disruption to the way we live and work. The events of the last several years have changed everything, and many of us still don't feel like we have a firm grasp on the "new normal."

As association leaders reflect on their priorities, many are making a shift in their strategies for the coming year. In an era where member needs are rapidly changing, and it’s becoming harder and harder for associations to keep pace, member retention is critical. 

Retention has always been an important component of an association’s membership strategy—the organization can’t grow if existing members outnumber those joining. Despite this, many associations have traditionally dedicated more energy to attracting members than keeping them. 

Association leaders can no longer take for granted that once a member joins, they’ll stay. In an increasingly customer-centric environment, you must keep pace with the experiential expectations of the modern member. And that means working hard to forge meaningful connections beyond the day they join.

The factors that drive retention are varied, and it’s sometimes difficult to determine which matter most. These five methods to boost member retention will point you to key areas that make the most difference. 

This fall, Forj convened a group of association leaders for an exclusive Think Tank on the intersection of community and member experience. These thought leaders came to the table to discuss their proven approach to member engagement and their ongoing community-building strategies.

The "customer first" mentality has long been at the heart of many organizations' strategies. But as consumers' habits, behaviors, and expectations evolve, it's become clear that the old ways of thinking about customer service have made many of those strategies obsolete.

Members are seeking places to connect with their peers and doing so on platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn. But those public platforms aren’t necessarily fit for asking questions, having respectful dialog, and engaging in social learning. Your professional associations is uniquely equipped to build community that fosters safer and more meaningful connections.  

“If you can drive people to your community, that’s where the magic happens,” said Terri. “Most of our members are looking to learn from each other, so we’ve built a community where social learning is at the core.”

Challenge the status quo, recognize the importance of leadership buy-in, and infuse an MX mindset into your association’s DNA.

As an association leader, you likely understand how member experience (MX) impacts everything that keeps you up at night, from member acquisition, retention, and engagement to effective partnerships and revenue growth.

HR thought leader Josh Bersin shares how associations can keep up with changing trends in content consumption and format preferences, enabling new and innovative learning experiences.

When now-legendary TED Talks first made their way online in 2006, presentations varied in length, with some exceeding 20 minutes. Today, more than 15 years later, talks are strictly limited to 18 minutes, and TED officials often advise presenters to speak for just 3, 5, or 9 minutes.

Forj convened an exclusive Member Experience Think Tank at the ASAE Marketing, Membership & Communications Conference. During the roundtable session, leaders came together to explore:

• Current MX trends driven by evolving member expectations
• How MX influences their marketing, communications, and membership strategies
• The barriers they commonly encounter when it comes to evolving MX
• Innovative ideas that have helped them drive an MX mindset association-wide

Leverage innovation, create everyday value, and use advanced analytics to drive action.

In 2020, 15 percent of professionals said their organization had a dedicated community department, according to Community Leaders magazine. By 2021, that figure jumped to 22 percent, with 35 percent of respondents reporting that their organization had at least one full-time position dedicated to community operations.