4 Communication Strategies Your Association Should Follow

Associations and other membership organizations thrive on high-quality information and networking among professionals, meaning effective communication is a must. Whether boosting your online presence, designing handwritten cards, or branching out into a new channel, implementing proven strategies turns your communications from messages to masterpieces.

In this guide, we’ll explore key communication strategies your association should follow to effectively engage its members.

1. Prioritize Member-Centric Content

To provide real value and maintain member engagement, your association must offer content that directly addresses members’ needs, challenges, and interests. Content that resonates with members not only supports their professional growth but strengthens their connection to your organization.

Your learning management system (LMS) is the key to delivering relevant content, as its platform provides the tools you need to learn members’ preferences and offer resources accordingly. Using your LMS’s functionalities, you can highlight these opportunities to members to incentivize their participation.

As Blue Sky eLearn explains, there are four critical features that an effective LMS should offer. These features prioritize member-centric content in the following ways:

• Certification and credentialing tools: Some members need certifications, like a healthcare professional earning credits toward their continuing medical education (CME) requirements. Others want certificates to demonstrate their skill mastery and expertise. Either way, promoting these opportunities reinforces the benefits of membership.
• Reporting and analytics: Understand how members interact with your content to identify areas of improvement and emerging needs. This way, your content remains relevant and impactful, maximizing the value your association offers.
• Virtual meetings and conferences: Keeping members top-of-mind doesn’t stop at creating engaging content—it extends to accessibility. Virtual event capabilities allow members worldwide to access workshops, conferences, and discussions. As a result, you’ll cultivate a strong and diverse community.
• Association management system (AMS) integrations: Insights from member data drive personalized learning experiences. By syncing critical details from your AMS, you’ll gain a holistic view of member engagement, including their learning progress and preferences.

Keep in mind that effective communication is a two-way street. Instead of only speaking to members, try speaking with them by collecting their feedback and taking their suggestions into account. Surveys, feedback loops, and other methods of hearing from members can inform your strategies to provide better content.

2. Leverage Multiple Channels

39% of people say they’re very likely to respond to an advertising promotion when they see it across multiple channels. To reach your audience and deepen their engagement, adopt a cross-channel approach that leverages various platforms.

Fortunately, your technology can inform tailored communication strategies that resonate with audience members. Simplify segmentation by leveraging predictive analytics, which uses first-party data, AI, and machine learning to understand your audience based on their former actions.

These segments should guide every aspect of a cross-channel communication approach, including:

• The message you convey
• The timing of your messages
• Which channel you use to deliver your message
• Who you target

Additionally, remember to make the most of each channel by relying on the platform’s unique strengths. For example, 56% of donors say that Facebook is the social media channel with the largest impact on their decision to give. Knowing this, Facebook may be a viable option for some associations looking to increase non-dues revenue through donations.

3. Build a Strong Online Community

Generating interest in your offerings is one thing—developing a strong and loyal community among members is another. Strengthening the bond between members positions your organization as an interactive and inclusive space that continually adds value for its members.

Encourage members to interact with each other by fostering a culture of open communication. Here are some tips for facilitating a strong community:

• Create a space for discussion. Fostering a dedicated community space enables members to connect with each other and start meaningful conversations. Establish discussion threads to focus on topics of interest and encourage members to engage in constructive conversation.
• Encourage peer-led content. Allow members to lead discussions and submit member-generated content to foster a sense of investment in your community. This peer-led approach also highlights diverse perspectives, allowing for more collaboration among members.
• Host online events. Offer diverse events that cater to members’ interests. Take a healthcare-oriented association, for example, where members likely seek networking opportunities with other health professionals. With an LMS for healthcare associations, this organization can deliver those resources via webinars, virtual Q&As, and other events.

Although it’s important for members to engage with each other, your association should also contribute to the community-building process. Moderate discussion threads and highlight member contributions to recognize the most active people in your community. Celebrate members’ achievements to encourage continued participation.

4. Embrace Transparency and Responsiveness

Open communication demonstrates respect for members’ involvement. Transparency is the key to maintaining member trust, especially when addressing changes or updates that affect the organization as a whole.

Embrace transparency using the following methods:

• Provide clarity: Help members understand your rationale when implementing policy adjustments, new initiatives, or any other change. Explain the purpose of the shift and any anticipated benefits to demonstrate that you have members’ best interests in mind.
• Update members proactively: Keep members informed with regular updates concerning progress on a specific project, recent board decisions, or major strategic changes. Proactive communication helps members feel involved and confident in the association’s trustworthiness.
• Create a feedback loop: Invite members to share their questions, suggestions, or general thoughts. Show that you value their input by answering questions promptly and implementing suggestions when applicable.

Ultimately, transparent communication drives trust. By communicating openly with members, you’ll demonstrate your organization’s commitment to integrity. As a result, members are more likely to be engaged after being treated as respected and valued individuals in your community.

With so many voices vying for your members’ attention, effective communication is the backbone of your association’s success. Implementing strong communication strategies enhances the overall member experience, delivering more value and satisfaction to your organization’s community. In the end, this is the key to strengthening your impact and fulfilling your mission.

Dr. Kristen Wall, MA, EdD, Director of Learning & Development

Dr. Kristen Wall, MA, EdD is the Director of Learning and Development at Blue Sky eLearn. Holding a master’s and doctorate in Adult Learning, Kristen specializes in bringing effective assessment strategies and qualitative research to enrich the learning programs of Blue Sky eLearn clients.

Starting as a junior high teacher, Kristen’s journey led her to higher education, where she empowered countless online adult learners for over 15 years. Her passion for faculty development flourished, providing engaging learning opportunities for over 800 adjunct faculty members teaching 2,600 courses annually.

In 2018, Kristen embraced a new adventure as a consultant, and destiny led her to Blue Sky eLearn, where she now thrives as the Director of Learning and Development. She’s worked with associations in a diverse group of industries, from medicine and healthcare to insurance and state government.

Beyond her professional pursuits, she finds joy in hiking, travel, and detective novels.