Associations are a critical part of the advancement and progress of the world overall. Serving as a thought leader for your trade, idea, or concept, your association should seek to provide information and connections to as large a network of people as possible. But how do you do it? How do you spread the word about your association?
Discovering Your Association
Your association is a valuable resource for its members – improving their skillset, giving them support, serving as a hub for connection and growth. As such, it’s important that the right people are able to find it.
For your association to grow, you need to be known – and the internet is the place to be when it comes to discovery.
The first step in doing so is to establish a website that’s user-friendly, fast, easy to navigate and attractive. There are many services available that help people develop their own website, no matter your level of tech expertise. Even if you’ve never SEEN a website, services like Squarespace, WordPress, and Wix empower you to create a powerful website with comparative ease.
On top of having a website, it’s important that your organization has a robust social media presence as well. Social media is an effective method for promoting your association and sharing content with members and potential members.
Platforms like Linkedin and Twitter can be effective communication channels for all types of associations. If you deem it appropriate for your particular niche, you can also utilize social media platforms such as Instagram, Reddit, and Facebook – maybe even TikTok.
Using your website in combination with social media is a self-sustaining promotion powerhouse that’s guaranteed to get your name out there.
Your website should promote your social media platforms to ensure your members aren’t missing out on any of your content. In turn, your social media bios – and occasionally, posts – should promote your website, where potential members who stumble upon your social media accounts can get more information about your association and what it stands for.
Email Marketing for Your Association
Email marketing is the next step after establishing your website and social media presence. This time-tested marketing method has only grown more popular in the past year.
To make an effective email marketing campaign, you must first understand the recipients. What demographics make up your members? What will they be looking for from your communications?
Using an email service provider like rasa.io can help you to create a distinguished newsletter to keep your members engaged.
Newsletters are the most effective form of email marketing, because they maintain a constant flow of information and communication to your audience so that they remain engaged with your association.
Here are some tips to ensure that your email newsletter is a success:
Scheduling
Make sure that you have a consistent email-sending schedule. It’s best to stick to sending one or two emails per week, on the same days each week. The best days to send are usually Tuesday and Thursday, but you should feel free to test out different days to find your audience’s preference.
Giving your members a one-day gap between sends is beneficial, as overloading their inbox can send the wrong message about association.
Additionally, keep in mind the time that you schedule your email sends. Most people read their emails at 10:00AM, 4:00PM, and one last time at 6:00PM before logging off for the night. Again, experimentation and analysis is the best way to find your ideal time.
In summary, the best email sending schedule is typically Tuesday and Thursday, between the hours of 10:00AM and 6:00PM.
Content
You need to provide quality content to keep your members interested in what they’re reading. Make sure you send them content that they will actually read, while also calling them to engage with your association.
The best type of content to share benefits your audience and provides them with real value. If you know your members well, you will know the kind of information they will be looking for.
Additionally, you should use this platform to give some members of your association and audience the spotlight when they do something inspirational. There’s a ton of content potential when you turn the spotlight to your members and let them run with it. This can be something small, like a photo contest, or something bigger like a “Member Of The Month”.
Visuals
Don’t just send your subscribers a plain wall of text twice per week. Make your content stand out in the sea of emails your subscribers receive every day.
ESPs like rasa.io provide you with tools to create highly customized and engaging newsletters that will make you stand out in their inbox.
Use imagery in your newsletters, and make a unique template that amplifies your brand. Your goal is to leave an impression in the mind of whoever opens your email.
How to Drive Membership for Your Association
With a great website, solid social media presence, and engaging weekly newsletter, you are on the right path for growing your membership.
However, you can only accomplish this by having all three of those factors working in unison. It’s one thing to have a nice website, but you need to give your prospects a reason to visit your website and stay there – reading your content and engaging with your association in an easy-to-use and navigable manner.
You have to do more than just create social media accounts, you need to make quality posts to drive engagement. It’s great to have an email newsletter, but it needs to be truly valuable for your members.
To drive membership for your association, content is everything. The website, social media, and newsletters are vehicles through which you deliver content to your audience.
Make content that shows what your association stands for, and how joining it can improve the lives of your members.
As long as you use the tools described above and make the right content, your association has the best chance to find it’s sweetspot, gain traction, and provide valuable information and connections to more members than ever.