Resources for Community Success

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.

Associations must employ a year-round approach across digital channels to sustainably serve sponsors, members, and themselves.

If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it’s that “don’t put all your eggs into one basket” is not just a saying — but solid advice.

A better member experience starts with personalization—one area in which artificial intelligence shines.

Just a few years ago, artificial intelligence (AI) seemed cold and distant, reserved for Silicon Valley tech startups, if not sci-fi thrillers. But that’s no longer the case. AI is very much here and now, applicable across industries and in everyday circumstances.

Flex your imagination and design your community around the value of human connection.

Since medieval times, communities have banded together to enhance mutual strengths and slay their respective dragons. In the European Middle Ages, towns developed around trade routes and castles, and townspeople formed communes—or defense alliances—to protect their people, liberties, and commodities.

Use the web strategically, provide members with options, and never underestimate the importance of engaged leadership.

Once the crowned jewel of member engagement, the in-person event lost some of its luster over the past few years as lockdowns shuttered conference doors.

Associations can drive sustainable success by connecting with members through hands, head, and heart.