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Member retention is vital to your association’s success. It creates a loyal membership base and supports your overall membership marketing efforts. According to Momentive Software’s Small Staff Association Benchmark Report, 83% of small associations report improving member retention as a top priority.
No matter your staff size, there are best practices and strategies you can follow to improve member retention year-round. Read on to begin learning the top tips to boost member retention at your association.
What is member retention strategy?
A member retention strategy is a planned approach that small associations can use to keep their members engaged, satisfied, and committed for the long term. Member retention strategies should focus on building strong personal connections, delivering clear value, and fostering a sense of belonging.
But improving membership retention is about more than just focusing on the 90 days leading up to member renewal dates. That’s because your members’ entire experience with your organization influences their decisions to renew – or not!
4 top member retention strategies
Ready to improve member retention at your association? Here are four simple yet effective member retention strategies that will bring success throughout the entire membership journey:
1. Make a great first impression
During the first months of membership, it’s crucial to set the stage for your relationship with new members. The first impression your association makes needs to be positive.
Here’s how to boost member retention throughout the first three months of the membership journey:
How to enhance member retention in the first 30 days
Thank your members:
- Send a personal email, hand-written note, or take a moment to call, thanking each new member for joining your organization
- Send a new member welcome gift. This could include a logo. item from your organization, or maybe a book or a professionally printed copy of a key resource that your organization provides members.
- List new members in your email newsletter under a “Welcome, new members!” heading to make them feel even more appreciated.
- Post a weekly announcement in your online community welcoming new members.
Make members feel at home by letting them know how your organization works by sending a digital welcome packet that includes the following: :
- A reminder of the benefits they receive as a member of your association.
- Important dates, like your annual conference or meeting, and details about those events.
- A list of the types of communications they can expect to receive from you and how often they’ll receive the communications.
- A list of online resources, such as a calendar of events, your career center, and your online member community, plus any instructions about how to log in and how to set up user profiles.
- An introduction via your online community to a volunteer member ambassador, or “buddy,” to help them get to know the organization and feel more welcome.
- Information about who to contact at your organization or where to go online if they have questions or would like to give feedback about their member experience.
How to enhance member retention in the first 30 to 60 days
During this time, you’ll want to get your new members plugged in and engaged with your organization. Here’s how you can get started doing so:
Invite members to join in. Get new members involved by asking them to connect with your organization and other members. For example, invite them to a group for new members in your online community. Be sure to ask someone on your staff and a highly involved member to join the group to prompt discussions and answer questions.
Get personal. Personalize the member experience by presenting your members with content that is specific to their needs and interests.
For example, offer recommendations, such as job postings based on members’ certifications or continuing education course completions. Or suggest discussion groups they might consider joining on your online community.
Use your events. Use your events to make new members feel welcome, appreciated, and part of the organization. Here’s how:
- Provide a place for new members to connect before and after the event. For example, set up a new member discussion group in your online community.
- Ask highly involved members to reach out to new members directly to welcome them and offer to answer any questions they might have.
- Offer a networking event where new members can quickly connect with each other and existing members.
How to enhance member retention in the first 60 to 90 days
Seek member feedback. During this time, you’ll still be engaging with new members. It’s a crucial period to ask for member feedback. Follow these steps to gain vital member insights and make meaningful changes:
- Begin by asking about the member experience so far.
- Discover what your members have found most useful and what could improve their experience.
- Leverage any member feedback to adjust future member activities and be sure to inform your members of any changes you’ve made based on their input.
2. Keep members engaged
Once your members are happily onboarded, it’s vital to keep them engaged. To increase member engagement, there are two key areas to address: member engagement channels and member benefits.
Make sure you’re optimizing engagement channels, including email communications, text messages, and your online member community to keep members informed and connected.
You can also work to give members more of the benefits they want. According to the latest Momentive Software research, the top benefits members prioritize include the following:
- Providing industry-specific information
- Professional standards or a code of ethics
- Information about the latest news, regulations, trends, and issues affecting your profession or industry
- Certifications or credentials
- Training opportunities
Prioritizing these member benefits at your association can help you offer more member value. For example, try engaging your members by providing a variety of learning opportunities throughout the year, accommodating their schedules, learning preferences, training and certification needs.
3. Recognize member achievements and contributions
Making your members feel valued and appreciated is crucial for building loyalty and improving member retention rates. One of the most effective ways to make your members feel valued is by recognizing their accomplishments and contributions. Celebrating member successes not only strengthens your relationship with the individual but also encourages engagement from other members who witness the recognition.
When your members achieve something notable, such as receiving an award in your industry, being featured in an industry publication, or making an outstanding contribution of time or money to your association, consider these impactful ways to highlight their accomplishments:
Feature members in your newsletter
Dedicate a special section in your newsletter to spotlight member achievements. Sharing member success stories with your wider audience helps boost their credibility while demonstrating that your association values its members. Including a short interview or quote from the member can make the feature even more meaningful.
Leverage social media shout-outs
Publicly recognizing achievements on social platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, or X provides positive exposure for your member while showcasing the supportive nature of your association. Tag your member in the post and encourage others to join the celebration by liking, commenting, or sharing the announcement.
Create a “shout-out corner” in your online community:
Establish a dedicated space within your online member platform or forum where members can celebrate one another’s milestones. This could include professional achievements, personal wins, or contributions to the association. By encouraging peer-to-peer engagement, you foster a stronger sense of community.
Celebrate achievements at events
Recognize outstanding members during association meetings, webinars, or annual conferences. Whether through a formal award presentation or a simple mention during your opening remarks, public recognition in front of peers is incredibly impactful. Consider awarding certificates, plaques, or small gifts to make the moment memorable.
Send personalized notes of appreciation
A handwritten thank-you card, personalized email, or even a phone call can create a lasting impression. Personal messages convey genuine gratitude and show members that their contributions are noticed and valued.
Spotlight members on your website
Dedicate a “Member Spotlight” section on your association’s website to showcase noteworthy achievements. Including a professional photo, biography, and description of the accomplishment offers members added exposure while strengthening their connection to your association.
Encourage peer nominations:
Establish a system where members can nominate their peers for recognition. This approach not only highlights achievements that leadership may not be aware of but also encourages members to celebrate one another’s contributions.
4. Address lapsed members with care
It’s not fun to think about, but no matter how great your member retention strategies are, some members will leave each year. Understanding why members lapse is critically important in ensuring others don’t follow them out the door. It might even give you insights into how to bring back those lapsed members.
Understand why members leave
Send lapsed members a thoughtful survey to ask why they left, what they valued most about their membership, and what might entice them to return in the future. Keeping the survey brief yet meaningful encourages responses. Consider adding an optional comments section for additional insights. Regularly reviewing this feedback can help you spot trends and address key issues to prevent future lapses.
When reviewing feedback, look for common themes such as dissatisfaction with benefits, lack of engagement opportunities, or financial concerns. Once identified, take proactive steps to address these issues. For example, if members cite a lack of value, you might consider enhancing educational offerings, networking opportunities, or member discounts. If financial strain is a recurring theme, introducing flexible payment plans or discounted membership tiers could encourage renewals.
Prevent lapses with automatic renewal
One effective way to reduce membership lapses is to offer an automatic renewal option. By setting up recurring billing with the member’s credit card, you can eliminate membership interruptions caused by forgetfulness. Be sure to clearly communicate this option during the renewal process and provide members with reminders and an easy way to update their payment information to ensure continued membership without stress.
In addition to automatic renewal, consider implementing proactive reminders before expiration. Sending reminder emails 60 and 30 days before renewal can prompt members to renew early, reducing last-minute confusion. Providing a clear breakdown of membership benefits in these reminders reinforces the value of staying connected to your association.
Implement a re-engagement campaign
For those members who have lapsed (or are about to) consider leveraging a structured campaign to re-engage and re-capture membership.
Expiration day email
Remind members their membership is about to expire and highlight the benefits of renewing.
30-day follow-up email
Reach out to members 30 days after their membership has expired. This email should offer a friendly reminder, highlight key benefits they may be missing, and provide a simple way to renew.
Final membership closure email
Notify members when their membership is officially ending but leave the door open for them to rejoin. Include a warm message letting them know they are welcome back at any time and offer incentives like waived re-enrollment fees or special discounts to encourage their return.
For high-value or long-standing members, a personal outreach — such as a phone call or handwritten note — can leave a strong impression and demonstrate genuine care for their involvement.
