Member Engagement

What Are Association Tools? Association tools help automate the day-to-day operations of membership-based organizations. These productivity tools are part of association management software (AMS) and help streamline database management, financial administration, event planning, member communications, and more. The primary goal of best-in-class AMS is to help business, trade, and professional associations and chambers of commerce grow revenue, productivity, and member value. Association Management Tools for Revenue Generation Patience is a virtue – except when it comes to increasing revenue. Today’s […]

Earlier this year, GrowthZone surveyed 332 associations and other member-based organizations across the U.S. and Canada for insight into the challenges and concerns of today’s association professionals. The results show several interesting trends impacting today’s associations, here are some key findings: Member growth and engagement are primary concerns for most associations, followed by issues related to time management and revenue generation. Lack of engagement is a key reason for members not renewing, along with factors like time constraints, perceived value, […]

GrowthZone surveyed 470 chamber of commerce professionals across the U.S. and Canada at the beginning of 2024. The results show several interesting trends impacting today’s chambers, highlighted below are some key findings: Despite engagement challenges, a majority of Chambers experienced a net increase in membership in 2023. Lack of engagement and time constraints are cited as primary reasons for members not renewing their memberships. Offering automatic credit card renewal could help mitigate these issues and improve retention rates. While many […]

Association Management Software (AMS) offers associations, as well as other member-based organizations, the tools to run their day-to-day operations and provide services to their members. The most popular association management software and membership management software (MMS) saves associations time and money by improving their membership management and increasing efficiency in addition to growing and retaining membership, engaging members and streamlining tedious tasks. A powerful AMS offers the following features: Association Contact Management Easily view and manage your individuals and organizations, including […]

Simple things to keep in mind can make all the difference in whether a blog post gains traction. Utilizing these three concepts as part of a larger strategy will help increase your association’s followers. When blogging: Be Helpful, Instructional, Compelling, Interesting, and Entertaining Find the answers to the questions your audience is asking Develop an angle by taking a boring topic and asking yourself the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, and why) Use facts, numbers, and data Address the […]

Part 2 of the 5-Part Series: Why Member Engagement No Longer Means Face-to-Face We blogged about digital engagement and why face-to-face events aren’t the only way to drive member engagement. In this article, we’d like to introduce the concept of content marketing. Get our Member Engagement Resource Guide. Retain happy, fulfilled members and overcome the member engagement challenge. Tactic #2: Content Marketing Content marketing is simply the creation and proliferation of informative content online. If you think about the audience […]

Part 1 of the 5-Part Series: Why Member Engagement No Longer Means Face-to-Face Many associations are struggling with member engagement. There are several reasons for this. For starters, it seems like everyone is pressed for time. From running the kids to sporting events to working longer hours, time is at a premium. Secondly, younger members are often less interested in participating in on-site events. These “digital natives” are more inclined to take part in online groups, chats, and forums. Thirdly, […]

Jumpstart your blog with step one of simple association blogging techniques. Admit it, you’re a scanner. We all are. There’s a lot of content out there, and if a blog post doesn’t quickly grab your attention in about 10 seconds, you move on to the next one. Here’s the deal. Quality blog posts drive web traffic. Increased web traffic improves your search engine ranking, creating more awareness about your association. Improving your blog’s readability doesn’t have to be an overwhelming […]

Marketing Automation is a premium module available in the GrowthZone platform that will help you increase engagement, recruit members, and save time. If these benefits alone don’t convince you, read on to learn why you will want to implement these features if you haven’t already. In general, marketing automation can be extremely helpful for associations in several ways: Efficient communication Marketing automation tools enable associations to efficiently communicate with their members and stakeholders via email, social media, and other channels. […]

Our recent industry survey revealed a number of trends impacting the association industry. One of the top growth challenges mentioned is attracting young professionals. Regardless of size, budget, or mission, associations continue to struggle with ideas to engage 20-somethings. While there is not a singular answer to the challenge, even the simplest of ideas are worth trying, right? We put on our thinking caps and came up with a list of fun activities to incorporate into events geared toward your […]

So, you’re in charge of planning and running association meetings. Congratulations! That’s like being the captain of a boat, but instead of navigating the high seas, you’re navigating a sea of opinions and agendas. We don’t envy you, but maybe these tips can ensure a fruitful and pleasant experience for all who attend: 1.     Set a clear purpose and agenda. Before planning any meeting, it is important to define the purpose and agenda of the meeting. What topics will be […]

At the end of 2022, 474 chambers of commerce professionals across the U.S. and Canada were surveyed by GrowthZone about their membership and engagement experiences. 85% of those surveyed said overall member engagement was better or about the same since 12/31/2021. If you agree, that’s wonderful. If you’re struggling to get members to engage, it might be worth looking for resources to help so you can report improvement next year. The Shift to Digital Engagement The pandemic caused us to […]