Back in the day, being part of a membership organisation was a "crucial aspect" of a professional's career. After all, membership organisations opened up opportunities for networking and professional development that simply weren't matched by other sources.
However, the benefits of joining a membership organisation are now under fire - after all, aren't we all connected through social media by now?
The answer is no, and many of the problem's membership organisations face stem from not giving enough back to the individuals that make them what they are.
Here are the top ways you can make members feel really undervalued:
Create fantastic offers for new members, but give F.A to the existing ones
Who are the loyal members anyway? You already have their business. so why offer any kind of favour?
Only talk to members when you need something
Talking takes time. And effort. And money! A penny saved is a penny earned...
Adopt an "upward only rent review" model to subscription fees
In the words of Yazz "The only way is up!".
Disregard the online experience
If a member has a problem, they can always call the automated switchboard. Better still, if the switchboard journey is complicated enough - you may even be able to eliminate a problem without actually picking up the phone.
Take a "one size fits all" attitude to communication
Can't determine the different demographics of your audience? Just mail everyone the same thing.
Tie members into unnecessary contracts
Worried people might want to leave the party early? Force them to pay regardless!
Ignore all feedback from members
A lot of them will probably be individual opinions, and you know what they say about opinions...
Offer zero perks to members
They've paid their money, they're on the mailing list; that's good enough!
Make no attempt at personalisation
As Jebus once said "We are all of the same cloth".
Create no sense of community for the members
"It's better to be unhappy alone than be happy with someone"
- Marilyn Monroe
As you can see, many of these problems stem from an "all take and no give" attitude from membership organisations.
If you want to change that and give members something of real value, take some time to review how you communicate with your members. What are you providing them with that's worth their time and money? How could you improve the service and keep your members happy?
Once you identify the pain points, the rest is easy.
