The power of websites to drive membership engagement and growth
Food & Fibre Gippsland engaged Online is Easy to create a membership management website that manages annual membership notification and automatic renewal payments online. The website also showcases a feature rich member directory, events calendar, and job board that adds additional value to the organisation's membership base. The directory is indexed in Google Search so also adds promotional exposure for member businesses.
Over the past few years, I’ve learned a lot about how member-based organisations work - often fairly inefficient due to a number of factors.
Being the optimist I am, I think most of those factors can be overcome by introducing workflows and technology that makes sense. Most of that can now be integrated directly into a smart, secure website and member interface.
Anthony speaking to a small business audience about growing a business online.
In this article, I will explore the many benefits of having a custom membership website, drawing insights from real case studies and describing some of the features that enhance engagement, streamline communication, and drive membership growth and profitability. Will it blow your mind that organising your members can be so easy … I hope so!
Why we are ditching spreadsheets to go online.
These days a well-crafted online presence has become more than just a necessity for businesses and organisations like yours. Websites are a vital tool for driving engagement, fostering communication, and propelling growth.
For membership-based organisations, the impact of a custom membership website goes beyond aesthetics; creating an interactive and personalised hub that elevates the member experience and makes it easy for them to stay engaged.
It also means ditching the old spreadsheets that require internal upkeep and allowing members to control their own information - a win-win for everyone.
Member personalisation is key.
A custom membership website serves as a bridge that connects members to your organisation's mission, values, and activities.
Through tailored features, you can create a unique digital space that resonates with your members on a personal level.
Personalisation is central to making each member feel ‘seen’, so offering the ability to update and manage their own information, manage subscriptions, access exclusive content and collaborate with others will contribute to your members feeling a sense of belonging and investment in your organisation and membership.
Making member communication easy.
Communication lies at the heart of any successful organisation, and a custom membership website that is mobile-friendly excels in streamlining these interactions.
Through integrated email marketing tools and newsletters, you can keep members informed about upcoming events, new initiatives, and important updates.
Real-time notifications ensure that members stay engaged and never miss out on opportunities that align with their interests.
The solution needs to be responsive on any device and must be mobile compliant. “Significantly more searches are carried out on the mobile phone (64%)” - Sistrix 2021
Attraction and retention of members.
Driving your membership and organisational growth requires not only retaining current members but also attracting new ones. A custom membership website provides a powerful platform for showcasing the value proposition of your organisation.
With engaging content, interactive event calendars, and testimonials from satisfied members, prospective members gain insights into what your organisation can offer.
The convenience of online registration and payment options further simplifies the onboarding process which removes potential barriers to entry for a member while automatic renewals cuts down on administrative tasks for the mangement committee (who are often volunteers).
Customised experiences for better connection.
Your organisation has its own brand, personality, vision and values and your website needs to reflect that. Online is Easy creates beautiful tailored websites that integrate seamlessly with a powerful membership management tool used by more than 10,000 membership organisations.
Please book a free consultation to find out more.
If your organisation is struggling to connect with prospective members, to engage and retain existing members or is battling to organise a dozen different platforms, we can help you!
A custom website is not just an online brochure, it’s a strategic marketing and member relationship management tool that will transform the way you interact with all your members - past, present and future.
Photo: Lauren Murphy Photography
Anthony Mayer is the founder and director of Online is Easy, established in 2014.
He's a digital strategy consultant, a business coach, a web developer/designer, an entrepreneur and an educator.
Anthony is enthusiastic about his business and his community as an energetic extrovert. With a fascination for anything technical, Anthony brings existing and emerging technologies together with best practice, budget capacity and human capability.
He mixes it all up with a dash of leadership, entrepreneurship, good humour and lots and lots of hands-on business experience.
Online is Easy are listed in the MembershipWorks directory of developers experienced in integrating MembershipWorks in websites.