Welcome to our deep dive into the world of membership acquisition strategies. In today's rapidly evolving landscape, mastering member acquisition involves securing sustainable growth and enhancing your organisation's influence and credibility.
Attention is currency which is harder than ever to pocket without losing loose change. You're likely grappling with this very issue in your organisation. How do you cut through the noise and acquire the right members for long-term success?
That's exactly what we're tackling in this blog. We'll explore game-changing strategies that go beyond simple recruitment tactics. These are battle-tested approaches that will help you:
- Build trust
- Optimise your online presence
- Create a value proposition that resonates with your target audience.
My aim is to give you a toolkit that boosts your member acquisition and enhances member retention and engagement. These strategies are designed to work in tandem, creating a holistic approach that addresses every stage of the member journey. So, whether you're looking to refine your email marketing campaigns, overhaul your members registration process, or create more targeted marketing initiatives, you're in the right place.
Let's dive in and explore how these strategies can propel your success in the ever-competitive world of member acquisition.
Contents:
Key Takeaways
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Creating detailed personas help you understand your "Ideal Member"
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Align your organisation's Big Purpose with members' needs
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Craft a compelling value proposition that resonates with your target audience
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Implement targeted email marketing campaigns with personalisation and segmentation
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Develop a strong online presence through SEO and social media engagement
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Create member referral programmes to leverage trust and word-of-mouth marketing
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Form strategic partnerships to expand reach and enhance credibility
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Offer tiered membership options to cater to diverse needs and budgets
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Establish thought leadership through content marketing
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Use data-driven decision making to optimise acquisition strategies
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Continuously evaluate and improve your acquisition efforts
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Focus on both member acquisition and retention for sustainable growth
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Ensure your value proposition evolves with changing member needs and industry trends
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Use social media to showcase expertise and engage directly with members
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Implement cost-effective strategies like SEO to attract qualified leads
Why are Acquisition Strategies Important?
Acquisition strategies can make or break an organisation. You’re not just padding your membership base. The aim is to also craft a sustainable future. Every new member you bring on board adds fuel to your growth engine. They're not just a number in your database; they're a potential brand ambassador, a source of fresh ideas, and yes, a steady stream of revenue.
Increased Referrals
But remember, it's not just about getting them through the door. It's about creating an experience that turns them into loyal, long-term advocates. Think of it this way:
- You implement a hyper-targeted email campaign.
- You see a 30% uptick in new sign-ups within the first quarter.
The ripple effect here would be new members inviting their peers via a referral programme. Acquisition at very little cost. Your existing members are your secret weapon. Happy members naturally attract potential members. It's like having a whole host of marketers working for you 24/7.
Promotes online presence
Now, let's talk about your online presence. In today's digital landscape, if you're not visible, you might as well be invisible. A solid SEO strategy is essential as is an effective social media plan. Together, these work to boost the online presence of your organisation, and build buzzing communities around it.
Understanding Your Target Audience
Targeting everyone will eventually end up reaching no one. Organisations thrive on the concept of the "Ideal Member". It's not just about demographics. It's about getting into the nitty-gritty of who your members really are. What are their aspirations? Their pain points?
Develop member personas with complete backstories, motivations, and challenges. Your target audience will transform from a faceless mass to “Sarah”, the ambitious startup founder. Or “Tom”, the impassioned environment protector.
Your Big Idea
Understanding your audience is just as much about you too. What's your organisation's Big Purpose? As an organisation, your big idea should be central to what you do. I bet you can define your mission. But can you align it with your members' needs? Not their interests or their goals. Their needs. That’s where your value proposition becomes crystal clear, and member engagement skyrockets.
I'm not saying this is easy. It takes work. You've got to dive into market research. But trust me, it's worth it. We've seen organisations transform their member acquisition and retention rates by simply understanding who they're talking to. What they need in order to achieve their aim.
The reason why they paid for a membership into your organisation is your big purpose. Your Big Idea is how you acquire and retain new members and encourage them to refer others to your organisation. Let’s look at some strategies to help you find your Big Idea.
Strategy 1: Targeted Marketing Campaigns
Email marketing is one the most effective acquisition channels. Oberlo, sharing a stat from Emarsys, claims that 81% of SMBs rely on email as their main acquisition tool. Regardless of your organisation’s size, delivering targeted market campaigns via email is a great way to acquire new members.
Cost-effective
Several options are available for delivering a targeted marketing campaign. More often than not, businesses use a combination of these. They vary from Pay-per-click (PPC), affiliate marketing, content marketing, and many more marketing strategies. Email campaigns are a great acquisition channel to start with because of their cost-effectiveness.
Personalised email campaigns are much more economical to maintain compared to PPC and yield significantly more ROI. In addition, there’s no print or delivery costs as seen in direct mail campaigns.
Personalisation
Personalisation enhances the effectiveness of targeted marketing campaigns. PPC certainly has the ability to target potential leads by tracking browser behaviour. However, ads are rarely personalised to users. Plus, the increasing prevalence of ad-blockers hinders the ability of PPC to reach target audiences.
Email marketing circumvents these barriers, hand in hand with personalisation. Your membership organisation can send a personalised email to potential members and instantly drive engagement and communication that stands out.
Of course, all you need is a lead generation tool. For example a landing page to capture email addresses. You’ll need a channel to direct prospective members to the landing page.
Segmentation
You will need to segment your target audience based on various criteria. Segmented lists boost click-through-rates (CTRs) by 50%. So it's well worth doing. Consider what type of content interests them? Does the email messaging resonate with them? What are their goals if they choose to become a member of the organisation? What aspects of your organisation are they passionate about?
With these reference points you’ll be in a position to send them content tailored specifically to them.
Strategy 2: Compelling Value Proposition
Your value proposition is the heartbeat of your organisation. In my years at Propello, I've seen value propositions that are sometimes misguided and others that are sector-defining. The difference? They answered the "why" behind the organisation.
Remember our ambitious startup founder, Sarah? She's not just looking for a list of benefits. She's searching for an organisation that gets her, challenges her, and propels her forward. That's where your value proposition comes in.
Say you’re a professional association struggling with member acquisition. A laundry list of "exclusive resources" and "networking opportunities" as a value proposition would be a big yawn. Dig deep into the "why". Why were these exclusive resources and networking opportunities created? Who were they created for? Why should your members sign up to them?
Suddenly, the value proposition is transformed. In this instance, it’s not what members get; it's about who they become.
Combine your targeted marketing with your value proposition
Your value proposition should be woven into every fibre of your targeted marketing. But here's where many organisations stumble - they focus on features, not benefits. Big mistake. Your potential members don't care about your quarterly magazine. They care about staying ahead in a rapidly changing industry.
So, how do you craft a value proposition that resonates? Start with your unique selling points, but frame them in terms of member needs. Instead of "We offer professional development workshops", try "We empower you to lead industry disruptions". Using language this way will impact your acquisition rates.
Communicate the benefits
Now, let's talk about communicating benefits. I've seen too many organisations play it safe, using generic language that could apply to anyone. Your value proposition should make your ideal member feel like you're reading their mind. Use their language, address their specific pain points.
Here's a pro tip: use persuasive, emotive language. But don't go overboard. Your call to action should be simple and clear. For example, switching a CTA from "Join Now" to "Start Your Innovation Journey" increases sign-up rates.
Remember, in today's digital landscape, your value proposition isn't just living on your 'About Us' page. It should permeate your entire online presence. From your social media engagement to your email marketing campaigns, every touchpoint should express your unique value.
Allow your value proposition to evolve
And here's something many forget - your value proposition evolves. As your members' needs change, as your industry shifts, your value proposition should adapt. It's not set in stone; it's a living, breathing entity that grows with your organisation.
Crafting a compelling value proposition isn't just about attracting new members. It's about creating a magnetic force that not only draws people in but keeps them engaged for the long haul. When done right, it turns member acquisition into member loyalty, and transforms your organisation from a nice-to-have into a can't-live-without.
So, take a hard look at your value proposition. Does it clearly explain why new members should join? Does it highlight what makes your organisation unique? If not, try some of my suggestions discussed in this strategy. Because in the world of membership organisations, a compelling value proposition is the difference between thriving and merely surviving.
Strategy 3: Member Referral Programmes
With the downward trend in member acquisition and renewals, membership organisations need a solution to restore growth. I know from firsthand experience that solution is referral programmes. Most customers trust recommendations from friends and family and are four times more likely to buy something.
Trust and credibility are central to a healthy acquisition rate. If your organisation has strong member retention and your members are satisfied, trust is already established. A referral programme uses the trust, positive feelings, excitement, and loyalty of your current members to attract new ones.
If anything, this proves the important relationship between member retention and acquisition. With happy customers already in tow, you've got brand advocates ready to recommend your organisation! Always offer incentives for members who refer others to your organisation. Discounts on membership fees or recognition in your member directories are great incentives to include in your rewards system.
Strategy 4: Online Presence and SEO
A strong online presence is vital for acquisition of new members in today’s digital age. Search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques as well as an optimised website ensures potential new members find your organisation online. A good SEO strategy will help your organisation appear at the top of search engine results. This happens when people search for information related to what you do.
Improved visibility casts the net wider online. Combining SEO with compelling value propositions and targeted marketing, positions your membership organisation as a well-established authority in its niche.
SEO is one of the better acquisition channels for cost-effectiveness. It will allow your membership organisation to tap into a steady stream of highly qualified and interested leads.
The golden ratio for SEO is 5:1. This means that for every pound you spend, you get five back with the right strategies. Therefore, ensure that you regularly update your website content and apply SEO best practices.
Strategy 5: Social Media Engagement
Social media allows you to connect with current and potential members in a friendly and personal manner. This is crucial for developing strong customer relationships.
Social media platforms give membership organisations an opportunity to share valuable and informative content that showcases:
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The organisation’s expertise.
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Milestones they’ve reached.
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The latest developments in their industry, niche or social issues that they care about.
In addition to this, social media allows you to directly engage with your members and leads. You can answer their questions, celebrate their achievements, and engage with them on a personal level.
Strategy 6: Collaborations and Partnerships
Your organisation could also increase subscription sales using collaborations or partnerships. Other organisations or B2C and B2B businesses from various sectors are all great options as potential partners.
Working together and forming partnerships can help you attract new members by creating a unique selling point. Especially when your offers are a unique combination of your services and a partner's product or service.
Teaming up with complementary entities also means your organisation accesses their audiences; potentially new members who didn’t know your organisation prior to the partnership. Your organisation's reach expands and credibility increases just by association with certain partners, tapping into brand equity.
Strategy 7: Membership Tiers and Incentives
One of the largest inhibitors of growth for membership associations or organisations is the participation cost barrier. Perhaps more so for professional associations, as their members need to pay more to access benefits and rewards in membership programmes.
Membership levels and rewards are important for attracting new members. They consider the diverse situations and needs of individuals. And we now know why meeting or exceeding the needs of your members is important for acquisition. It’s fundamental to the Big Idea, the draw that persuades members to sign up.
Tiers and memberships come into play because they even the playing field. For example, someone more advanced in their career might be able to afford memberships. Whereas someone just starting, keen to develop their career and network, may struggle to meet the costs.
Different tiers cater to the various needs and budgets of all your members - ensuring that your organisation is inclusive and actively promotes its mission in a fair way. Now of course, you want to keep it fair for the people who pay higher tiers too.
In this instance, I’d recommend something like a mentorship programme. Members on higher tiers could mentor or advise members on lower tiers. In return, the higher-tiered member gets extra incentives. It’s just an idea. But there’s a lot you could do depending on your circumstance and organisation type.
Strategy 8: Content Marketing and Thought Leadership
Potential members closely align their personal values or interests with the mission of your membership organisation. Therefore, to get them onboard, you need to demonstrate that your association is the best at what it does.
Content marketing allows you to advertise your expertise in the space. In other words, establishing yourself as a thought leader in your field. Content marketing involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant content, such as:
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Articles
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Blogs
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White papers
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Webinars
Providing valuable insights and information to your target audience attracts potential members who seek knowledge and professional growth. Thought leadership builds trust ( crucial acquisition ingredients!) and positions your organisation as a credible source within your industry. Keep in mind that implementing the aforementioned SEO strategy will help spread your expertise far and wide.
Ultimately, this positions your organisation as a credible source within your industry. Keep in mind that implementing this strategy alongside a comprehensive SEO plan will help spread the word of your expertise far and wide.
Strategy 9: Data-Driven Decision Making
Data analysis is a crucial part of member acquisition. To make informed decisions and improve your strategies, you need to gather, analyse and act upon datasets. A software solution designed to help you manage your members, can help you collect and leverage collected data. Enabling you to fine-tune improvements.
Membership organisations face challenges with legacy tech. The result of which has led to a downward trend in acquisition of new members and retention. By collecting data about acquisition initiatives and your existing membership base, you’ll learn more about your target audience and demographics.
Measuring the success of acquisition strategies reveals what resonated with new leads. This allows for more accurate and effective optimisation of acquisition strategies that will help you overcome your most pressing challenges.
Strategy 10: Continuous Evaluation and Optimisation
The last of our ten acquisition strategies; continuous evaluation and optimisation. Long term success of implemented acquisition strategies rely on continual support, evaluation and optimisation. The challenges membership organisation face, such as:
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Failing to attract younger demographics.
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Enhancing value and experiences for members.
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Engage and retain existing members.
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Data protection.
All require dynamic, evergreen solutions that continue to evolve as your industry changes. Acquisition strategies require consistent assessment of key performance indicators (KPIs).
Are you seeing an increase in membership numbers? Are you retaining your members effectively? Do you have a strong online presence?
Does feedback indicate that newcomers to the organisation perceive a personalised experience? Is your communication up to scratch?
Regularly review your data, gather feedback from members, and make improvements accordingly to keep track of your strategies.
Grow Your Membership Organisation Today
Membership acquisition strategies are the lifeblood of your membership organisations. Adopting even one of these ten strategies will set you on the road for future success in attracting new members. To grow your customer base, target potential customers, make attractive offers, and encourage current members to refer others. This will increase your conversion rate and bottom line.
To reach your target audience, it is important to have a strong online presence. You can achieve this through active social media involvement and interesting partnerships. Encourage user generated content and promote it on your socials.
Additionally, positioning your membership organisation as a thought leader can also help in reaching your target audience. Regularly contacting potential leads and sharing case studies shows that your organisation is active and knowledgeable. Data-driven decision making ensures your acquisition efforts are always effective and continuous evaluation and optimisation are essential for enduring success.
Drive growth, strengthen your community and ensure long-term sustainability with Propello today.
FAQs
What is a membership acquisition strategy?
A membership acquisition strategy is a planned approach to attract and enrol new members into an organisation. It involves targeted marketing campaigns, compelling value propositions, and engagement techniques designed to appeal to potential members.
How can I improve my organisation's online presence to attract new members?
To improve your online presence and attract new members, focus on SEO strategies to boost search engine rankings. Develop a content marketing plan that showcases your expertise through blogs, articles, and webinars. Engage actively on social media platforms to connect with potential members.
What role does personalisation play in member acquisition?
Personalisation plays a crucial role in member acquisition by tailoring communications and offerings to individual preferences. Personalised email marketing, customised content recommendations, and individualised member benefits can significantly increase conversion rates for potential members.
How can I develop an effective member referral programme?
To develop an effective member referral programme, offer incentives that appeal to both referrers and new members. This could include discounts on membership fees or exclusive benefits. Make the referral process simple and easy to understand. Celebrate successful referrals to encourage ongoing participation.
What are the benefits of implementing membership tiers?
Implementing membership tiers allows organisations to cater to diverse needs and budgets. It provides flexibility for members to choose the level of engagement and benefits that suit them best. Tiers can incentivise upgrades, increasing revenue. They also create a sense of exclusivity for higher-tier members.
How can content marketing contribute to member acquisition?
Content marketing contributes to member acquisition by establishing your organisation as a thought leader in your field. Create valuable, relevant content that addresses your target audience's needs and interests. This builds trust and credibility, attracting potential members seeking knowledge and professional growth.
What role does data analysis play in improving member acquisition strategies?
Data analysis is crucial for improving member acquisition strategies. It helps identify trends, measure the success of different initiatives, and understand member behaviour. Use analytics to track key performance indicators (KPIs) like conversion rates and engagement levels.
How can social media engagement boost member acquisition?
Social media engagement can boost member acquisition by increasing brand visibility and fostering community. Share valuable content, interact with followers, and showcase your organisation's culture and achievements. Use targeted ads to reach potential members. Encourage user-generated content to build trust.
What are some cost-effective member acquisition strategies for small organisations?
Cost-effective member acquisition strategies for small organisations include leveraging email marketing, optimising SEO, and encouraging member referrals. Focus on content marketing to establish thought leadership without significant investment. Use social media platforms for organic reach and engagement.
How often should I evaluate and update my member acquisition strategies?
Evaluate and update your member acquisition strategies regularly, ideally on a quarterly basis. However, monitor key metrics monthly to identify any immediate issues. Conduct a more comprehensive annual review to align strategies with long-term goals. Stay flexible and adjust tactics based on member feedback.
Author Bio, Written By:
Mark Camp | CEO & Founder at PropelloCloud.com | LinkedIn
Mark is the Founder and CEO of Propello Cloud, an innovative SaaS platform for loyalty and customer engagement. With over 20 years of marketing experience, he is passionate about helping brands boost retention and acquisition with scalable loyalty solutions.
Mark is an expert in loyalty and engagement strategy, having worked with major enterprise clients across industries to drive growth through rewards programmes. He leads Propello Cloud's mission to deliver versatile platforms that help organisations attract, engage and retain customers.
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