How to enhance member value through personalization and customization
New and existing members do not want to feel like they’re just another number for an association they joined. To engage members of all backgrounds, personalized messaging is a necessity. Personalization is a meaningful way to add value for a member. In fact, it increases ROI by up to 300% in some organizations. Personalization works by respecting the fact that everyone has different preferences.
With how association membership management technology has advanced, it is easier than ever to personalize and customize the member experience. Here is how to enhance member value through personalization and customization.
1. Capture the data you need to personalize messaging
You need to be able to personalize, customize, and capture membership data. This extends beyond the member’s name. It includes their demographics, location, spending power, devices, needs and values, preferences, and interests. Use this as a starting point to customize according to what’s most effective.
2. Be adaptable to what’s valuable for the member
The association has authority, but the members have the ultimate say in how personalized their experience is. You may discover behaviours, needs, and preferences that don’t align with the association’s policy. Yet, to survive and succeed as a group, you must adapt, change, and alter your actions. Be adaptable to member needs for a more personalized experience.
3. Set up members with an online portal and install analytics
Have an online portal accessible to members where they can edit their profile, self-serve with certain features, and talk to other members. You can learn more about your members and track their behaviour by using online accounts. If there is a public forum, you can also monitor conversations for engagement, interests, and issues to improve.
4. Encourage members to interact and humanize your association
Support more member-to-member communication. This can be done through an online portal, assigning teams, group activities, and team-building exercises. Build relationships between members, which naturally deliver a high-value personalized experience to the member. In this context, an association must provide a platform or arena where these relationships can be found and grown.
5. Create surveys to collect feedback from members
As we mentioned, personalization is not simply using someone’s name at the beginning of an email. It’s about learning your target audience’s mindsets. Surveys can help you accomplish this.
Feedback through surveys can be used to customize benefits packages, alter association policies, and optimize various elements to make the member experience more valuable. If you want to add value, ask your members how. They will share their insights with you.
6. Use software to segment your members into groups
After you input your members’ data, you can easily segment them into groups using member software. Each group receives its personalization according to the parameters given. You can segment your memberships by several data points: age, gender, median income, how engaged they are, prior events attended, and more.
7. Members-only, premium content and benefits
After you have the data to personalize, it becomes easier to segment and plug members into different engagement campaigns. Try adding member-only perks regularly. They can be blog posts and resources, limited-time access to online guides or courses, or a coupon code for something discounted at a relevant brand store. Provide personalized offers, benefits, and perks to your members rather than blanketing them out to everyone.
8. Initiate email updates for your members and personalize them
As you’re collecting this data, email updates are the most natural way to use it. Customize messages to give your members selective attention based on their interests and needs. Deliver personalized messages with the recipient’s name in the subject line and the body. Ideally, ensure you aren’t sending irrelevant emails or messages and irritating members with them.
9. Provide relevant content according to different personas
Your association may have a course, resources, or general content that appeals to some members but not all. This is common. Instead of simply providing everyone with the same access to your library without prompts, consider releasing content a little at a time.
Market the content towards relevant personas or member needs. Suppose you have everything published at once or accessible without additional directives. In that case, it can seem overwhelming to some members who don’t have the time to digest all the information.
10. More tips for personalization and customization to add member value
There are endless ways to personalize and customize a member’s experience, enhancing its value to your organization. For instance, provide a chatbot on your website to make it easier to navigate and find what a member is looking for. Also, be responsive to members’ emails and messages. Ensure they receive relevant guidance and recommendations.
Send messages through a member’s preferred method of communication, which could be text, email, social media, or phone. Celebrate milestones for a member, such as when they have renewed or been for multiple years. Send timely messages during critical events, holidays, and moments in the world or a member’s life.