By Jalene Bowersmith, Account Manager
These ideas are inspired by the session “Making an Impact with Your Membership Materials: What Works, What Doesn’t” at the ASAE Annual Meeting on August 10, 2014, presented by Denise Gavilan, Walter Kim, Theresa Kramer-Burgess and Cecilia Cortes-Earle.
Our members are bombarded by information every day from articles, TV and social media. Many people see more than 350 marketing messages per day. How do you make sure that your membership communications resonate with members and don’t get lost in the clutter?
Here are 9 quick tips to help your next message to members make an impact.
- Keep it small and impactful. Choose the top points – no more than three.
- Make it about the reader. Focus less on your association and more on the reader – their results, concerns and solutions.
- Focus on benefits – not features. Need a refresher about the difference between features and benefits? Read this.
- Always answer the question for the reader, “What do members value the organization for?”
- Vary your methods of delivery, but always keep the message consistent and authentic across all channels.
- Adapt your message to the target audience. A member who is new to the association may need different information than a seasoned member. Make sure you know who your target is and how to best reach them.
- Collect and use your testimonials. For great tips on the best ways to use your testimonials check out this post.
- Read the copy out loud to see if it flows. If it’s awkward to read aloud it will be awkward for your readers, too.
- Every message needs a clear call to action. Always ask: 1) What do I want the reader to do? (Register by a specific date, contact their legislator, “Like” the Facebook page, etc.), and 2) How do I want them to do it? (click a link, contact a staff member, register in person, etc.)
Want to know more about association management? Contact us info@imiae.com to find out more about what IMI Association Executives can do for your organization.