Creating valuable content for your members

Why create content?

Creating content will help you attract, retain and re-engage with your members.

We know it can be challenging to know how to get started, where to share your content and what to include.

That’s why we’re sharing ideas on how to create content for every stage of the membership lifecycle.

Read on for helpful tips and advice on how to get started.

Know who you’re talking to before creating content

Your club or organisation is most likely open to anyone who wants to join, but don’t let this influence your approach to communicating with members. A ‘one size fits all’ approach isn’t always best.

Let’s look at age as an example. If your members tend to be under the age of 30, you’ll need to adapt your content to appeal to this generation. Here’s a few ways you could tailor your content to your younger members:

• Create focused messages and use social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
• Stuck on ideas? Curate content from other sources until you have a good grasp of what works and what grabs your members’ interest
• Target your campaigns: make sure your younger audience can see them and engage with them on their terms
• eBooks, podcasts and engaging blog posts are ideal lead magnets; make them accessible in exchange for email addresses. That way, you can create tailored newsletter content for your younger audience

With the LoveAdmin.com online membership software, you can group prospects and email them simultaneously. This feature means you easily create targeted emails and ensures they are delivered to the right audience.

One thing to remember

If you want to make it easy for your new-found audience to sign up with your organisation, make sure it’s easy to do.

Grab them while they are in the mood and make it quick and easy for them to join with an online registration form that connects to your membership database.

Content for new members

Welcoming your newest members might seem obvious, yet it is something many organisations overlook.

It’s an excellent opportunity to create content designed to make them feel good about their membership. Think of it as orientating new members to your organisation, and the beginning of building a lasting relationship

Here are some content ideas:

Exclusive member-only offers

Advertise member-only offers on your website, social channels and even offline marketing materials. You could, for example, offer a discount for the first year

Market via social media

Use social media to reach out to your members’ networks and others who view your pages/channels. Advertise member-only offers as above

Welcome pack

A welcome pack is a great way to introduce new members to your organisation, tell them about member-only benefits and provide them with information applicable to their membership

If printed welcome packs are not an option, you could attach a PDF version to your welcome email after someone signs up. LoveAdmin.com offers this feature and even gives you the opportunity of sending different welcome emails and packs to each of your membership categories.

Having a welcome process shows that you care about your new members beyond simply receiving their membership fees. Whether it includes an email, call and/or welcome pack, it is all about creating a welcoming community within your organisation.

Regular content for your members

Done right, newsletters are an inexpensive avenue to build relationships with your existing members.

With so many newsletters landing in the junk mail folder, it’s important you make sure your members look forward to receiving yours.

Here are our top five tips on how to build a successful newsletter:

• Focus on quality over quantity. Readers tend to be time-poor, so they scan text rather than read every word
• Make your content relevant and useful. How can the content you’re providing benefit members? Put yourself in their shoes – what would you want to see?
• Use a logical, enticing layout. Start by highlighting your featured content first. Examples are an update from the CEO, changes to your services that impact members, or the latest must-know industry news
• Include interactive elements. Polls and surveys are an easy way to engage with your members. You could also add an ‘Ask Us’ section where you answer members’ questions
• Build a community. Ask for contributions to blogs or success stories to help members feel included and share experiences within the community

Your members should know when to expect a newsletter from you. Be regular and timely, whether that’s weekly, monthly or quarterly.

Lastly, don’t forget to measure the success of your newsletter. Are members opening them? And if so, are they clicking on links? Do you get responses?

Pay attention to crafting perfect member newsletters, and you’ll find your members are more satisfied, engaged, and willing to renew their membership year after year.

Content for lost members

Just because members leave your club or organisation doesn’t mean it’s goodbye forever.

Once you’ve collected feedback on why your past members chose to cancel their membership, it’s time to take action. You can learn more about how to re-engage lost members in our article, How to re-engage lost members.

Sort your responses according to the pain points, and consider how to entice your audience to come back.

Here are some content ideas of what you could offer:

• For inactive members, a tailored plan or access to useful tools could increase motivation levels
• For people who simply don’t feel like your organisation is for them, insights into your newest offers like classes, workshops and benefits may make them willing to give their membership another go

Once you’ve decided how to address the feedback, you need to consider the best way to contact your past members. When you do, bear in mind the following:

• Personalisation is key. Your lost members will respond better to communication that is personalised to them. With LoveAdmin, you can easily create targeted email campaigns
• The sooner you act, the better your chances. There’s a strong likelihood you can reverse leavers into joiners, particularly if you take swift action. Make sure you send an email to members as soon as they cancel, expressing your sadness and asking if you could do anything for them to reconsider leaving
• Pick up the phone. In some cases, an email may not be enough. If a member is dissatisfied with your service, a call may be the most effective way to show genuine interest and give them a personal offer to re-join

Remember: your past members are valuable to your organisation, and giving them attention and content tailored to them is beneficial to everyone.

Key takeaways

Creating content for your members is crucial for engagement, satisfaction and even retention.

It may seem overwhelming, but by grouping your content and marketing efforts into each stage of the membership lifecycle, you’ll be able to identify opportunities and establish your content processes.

Here’s what you should consider:

• Attract new members from younger generations by using social media platforms to share your content
• Use lead magnets like eBooks or podcasts to get email addresses
• Build relationships with new members as soon as they join. You can offer exclusive member-only deals or send welcome packs
• Create regular content for members. Newsletters are effective and can feature interactive content, such as polls or ‘Ask Us’ sections
• Reach out to previous members and offer tailored solutions for them to re-join your organisation
• Measure your impact and re-adjust your approach if necessary

Whether a newsletter or a social media post, content is a great way to promote your organisation.

The key to great content is to provide useful content that is genuinely beneficial to your members and prospects.

If you’d like to learn more about creating content for your organisation, get in touch with us at marketing@loveadmin.com.