4 Ways to Better Engage Members
Members play a major role in the operation of a nonprofit. Without their members, many nonprofits would take a big step backward. That said, improving the quality of a membership program by increasing member engagement can cause a great leap forward for nonprofits. Membership plays a critical role in supporting a nonprofit financially and with volunteers. With so many supporters committing to your organization, it is essential to maximize the potential of your members and their impact. In this blog, we cover nonprofit strategies to increase member engagement. Increasing engagement will also increase the retention of members. If you don’t have a strategy in mind for engagement, check out these four ways to advance your nonprofit through membership engagement.
1. Make onboarding easy
The onboarding process is the first experience a member has as a member. Getting this process right makes all the difference. Getting it wrong can immediately make a member second guess their commitment. One of the most common challenges is finding a balance between levels of engagement. It is essential to provide members with the opportunity to be engaged from day one, but overwhelming them with tasks, events, opportunities, etc all at once will turn them away. Finding this balance in the initial onboarding and in the following six months is essential to laying a foundation of sustained commitment and engagement. Other important features of a proper welcome include:
(a) A warm and positive welcome that makes members excited to be part of the program.
(b) Information on the goals, mission, and values of the nonprofit so the member is appropriately educated on what they are there to do and can represent your organization well.
(c) A small event that brings members together to immediately make new members feel welcomed and build personal relationships with other members.
2. Provide Training and Mentorship
Your members are there because they feel driven to invest their time and money in support of your nonprofit. Help them support you in the best way by investing in them. Help your members grow personally and professionally. This growth creates a base of high-quality members prepared to take on challenges with your staff. Fostering education and training will also increase the engagement of your members and broaden their ability to engage. Their personal engagement will grow as they are active, motivated, inspired, and more confident through education/training. Their ability to engage grows as you invest in their ability, and they can take on larger projects such as seminars/webinars, workshops, education of others, and Q&A.
This education can also happen in the form of a mentorship program. Many members join for the social aspect of nonprofit work. These mentoring relationships create engagement and build bonds between members. A mentorship program quickly shares experienced insights with new members, advances the value of the membership program, and boosts the sense of community. Your members will appreciate the support found in training/membership and be motivated to use their skills to support your organization in turn.
3. Build a sense of community/relationships
Don’t forget about who you are trying to engage. These are your supporters who sought out membership. They believe in your cause to the extent that they wished to join a community of similarly motivated individuals. Facilitate the development of that community. Connect members through multiple strategies that fit your organization. Bring members together at small events, virtual meetings, through social media, and always provide quality communication. Communication lays the groundwork for a sense of community. Don’t leave your members in the dark. Always keep them in the know. Using a newsletter for having a membership portal with news and updates are great ways to keep members informed. Additionally, communicate with members personally ever so often. Reach out to check in and thank them for their support. A sense of community will create a better-engaged membership program.
4. Allow Your Members to Join the Story
Many nonprofits, especially cultural attractions, are telling a story. Allowing members to join in the storytelling process is a crucial way to engage them. These museums are often telling the story of a community or group of people. Your members will often have a relationship with that community. Allow them to join in that story and contribute their own voice. If your organization does not have a story like many museums do, you can still tell a story. Tell their stories. Here are a few ideas for stories on members:
Profiles on your local and remote members
Their projects within the organization
Successful projects/initiatives driven my members
Lessons learned
New ideas
Stories of courage and dedication
These stories will not only inspire new memberships but also serve as a guide for less active members, often inspiring them to increase their engagement. Additionally, it recognizes and rewards the hard work of the members that are engaged and contributed to the story. Present the opportunity and members will work to add to the story and inspire others.
A well-run membership program is a powerful tool for nonprofit organizations. Not only does a membership program lay a financial foundation, but it connects dedicated individuals with your nonprofit in a closer and more committed way. Your organization must utilize the opportunity to maximize member engagement and potential with these strategies. These strategies have the flexibility to adapt to your specific organization. The training materials can differ to better fit your member groups, and as we noted, the story can be used in different ways to highlight the role members play in the history told by the museum or the work done by a nonprofit. These strategies are surefire ways to boost your organization’s membership engagement that will advance your nonprofit and its mission. Make sure to give them a try.
Need help developing your nonprofit’s strategy? We have developed all types of strategies and plans for nonprofits in 20+ countries, and we pass our experience-based insights on to our clients every single day. Let us help you advance your nonprofit today.
