Many associations struggle to retain new members past the first year. They might not see the value of the membership or feel disconnected from their peers. These issues can lead to disengaged members who choose not to renew.
The best way to combat this and boost retention is to connect members with your resources and community immediately. This means establishing a set cadence of member touchpoints that educate and engage them from day one.
In this guide, we’ll cover a basic timeline for establishing these touchpoints before diving deeper into how to craft effective onboarding communications.
The Member Onboarding Timeline at a Glance
Your exact onboarding timeline will vary depending on your association’s unique goals and offerings, but you can use this general structure as a starting point:
- Week 1: Send automated receipts or confirmations as soon as they complete registration, and follow up with welcome communications and account credentials. This is a crucial time to introduce members to everything your association has to offer.
- Month 1: In the following two to four weeks, focus on highlighting the value you offer by delivering “quick wins” and showcasing exclusive resources. Send out a welcome kit and invite them to engage across your digital channels (e.g., social media or online communities).
- Months 1-3: During their first quarter with your association, follow up with the member regularly to build a personal connection. For example, have a designated staff member or volunteer reach out to them to answer questions or invite them to join specific involvement opportunities.
- Ongoing follow-up: Continue checking in periodically throughout the member’s first year. Additionally, share routine communications like your newsletter, event digests, meeting summaries, etc.
If you’re starting from scratch or overhauling your onboarding process, this can feel overwhelming. Consider getting a professional involved to ensure you are engaging and educating members from the start. As Kellen’s guide to association management companies (AMCs) highlights, working with an AMC connects you with a team of membership management experts who can optimize your marketing, social media content, and more to drive engagement and retention.
Read Some Success Stories ⇢
The Essential Member Onboarding Touchpoints
1) Welcome Emails
Think of this initial touchpoint as a digital handshake. It sets the tone for your relationship with the member, helping them get acquainted with who you are and what you can do to support them. While a single email can work here, many associations create a drip sequence containing multiple emails to avoid overwhelming members.
For example, here is what one of these sequences might look like:
- Email 1 (Day 1, immediately following completed registration): Enthusiastically welcomes the member, assures them that they’ve made the right choice, and shares login information and instructions.
- Email 2 (Day 3): Explains how members can complete their profiles and provides links to resources like the membership directory, prompting them to complete their profile.
- Email 3 (Day 7): Encourages members to engage with the staff and members that make up the association by linking to relevant community spaces like its member engagement platform or social media groups.
No matter how you structure these communications, they should include the same pieces of information. First, validate their decision, and back up the statement by highlighting key offerings or accolades. Next, cover the “housekeeping” information they need in order to engage. Finally, share an in-depth welcome kit that explains your offerings and recommends content or upcoming events to attend.
2) Membership Portal
Share any membership portal credentials and login instructions with new members as soon as possible. This is crucial as it provides access to all of the exclusive resources and experiences that make your membership valuable, allowing members to take advantage of their benefits right away.
For instance, an association for medical professionals that offers free or discounted access to medical journals would likely post this benefit to the member portal. To prompt new members to log in and explore these benefits, consider creating a list of key tasks they should complete, such as:
- Uploading a professional headshot
- Completing their member bio and adding details about their career, professional skills, experience, etc.
- Managing their communication preferences and other settings
- Checking out the membership directory and sending a connection request
- Reading or downloading an exclusive resource
Consider setting up a progress bar or formatting these tasks as an interactive checklist to help members visualize their progress. Additionally, Fíonta highlights that you can further enhance their experience by prioritizing digital accessibility. Ensure navigation is clear and intuitive, use image alt text and video captions, optimize color contrast between the text and background, and ensure forms are accessible.
3) Newsletters & Routine Communications
Members should be looped into any routine communications you share, such as monthly email newsletters, meeting summaries, event invitations, job board highlights, etc. While these are likely mass communications you send to your entire membership base, you can help them get familiar with the format by creating a special edition of the newsletter designed for new members.
This curated newsletter should include elements like:
- Recent, timely resources that touch on relevant industry topics (e.g., professional or government associations might share insights on the impacts of recent legislation).
- Links to your most popular publications, including reports, whitepapers, webinars, or educational courses from the last year.
- A link to a community thread about a hot topic in your industry, encouraging them to engage with other members.
- A “quick win” benefit reminder highlighting an easy-to-use, high-value perk, such as a members-only discount code.
- A summary of upcoming events within the next quarter, helping them plan ahead.
Additionally, try incorporating personal check-ins into these routine communications for the member’s first year with your association. Reach out via their preferred communication channels and offer to answer questions or address points of feedback. As you get to know the member and their interests, try providing personalized tips and recommendations that can help them reach their goals.
Communications that Drive Member Connections & Success
As you develop and refine your onboarding communications, work to exceed members’ expectations and help them find, access, and take advantage of all you have to offer. Highlight the benefits that are most valuable to your new and existing members, whether that’s networking opportunities, continuing education courses, or major annual events. This will spark deeper relationships and show members how to activate your offerings to develop their careers from day one.
