Member engagement is one of the three components of the membership retention process in the association membership life cycle. In fact, it is considered the most vital of the two other components: renewal and reinstatement. Most association experts say member engagement “solves everything” in an association’s ever-challenging quest for recruitment and retention.
I recently had the chance to collaborate in delivering a training program for association executives with PCAAE CEO and Founder Octavio “Bobby” Peralta. I was inspired to write this column to share my own experience on member engagement based on my work as knowledge management and sustainability officer of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP).
The training program I am referring to above is the Association Management Course (AMC), which is one of the six modules of PCAAE’s Certified Professional Association Executive (CPAE) Program. AMC covers topics on association management basics, such as the importance and types of associations, purpose, mission and vision, governance and volunteer management, association vis-a-vis corporate management, membership aspects, attributes of remarkable associations and why associations fail.
What struck me among the topics covered was Peralta’s presentation on membership engagement, which mentioned that successful engagement programs set the stage for successful renewals by helping members become benefit users. In short, if members are engaged with their associations through tools and activities that they receive and participate in, they are most likely to renew as members. This reminded me of the engagement tools and activities that we have developed over the years for ADFIAP members:
- ADFIAP Networking, Education and Exchange (Anex) is our association’s community portal and online campus that provides a single point of access to e-learning resources and community activities. As a community portal, Anex serves as a platform for chief executives to exchange information, solutions and ideas and work-related experiences. As an online campus, members attending our seminars can interact virtually with the speaker-presenter and download course materials at any given time.
- Delegate-meets-Delegate Platform. This online meeting request facility and eventual face-to-face meet up enhances members networking experience during our meetings and conferences.
Events Mobile App—This helps members attending our meetings to view the various educational sessions and speakers even before the start of the event. Participants can also connect with other attendees through an integrated social feed where everyone can “Like”, comment, and share direct messages.
- Event Microsites. We have various web sites providing useful and timely information of our events, as well as allows members to register online, browse and download the program agendas and find other details related to the events, including official hotel, conference venue, country host and social activities. These microsites also capture members’ attention and ultimately drive up registrations.
I would be pleased to receive feedback and inputs on what your association has developed and implemented as a member-engagement strategy.
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The column contributor, Enrique “Boyet” Florencio, is concurrently the knowledge management and sustainability officer of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) and secretary to the board of trustees of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE). PCAAE runs the Certified Professional Association Executive (CPAE) program for management and staff and the Association Governance Program (AGP) for board members. Email: inquiries@adfiap.org