The association space has become well-versed in using apps for events. They aren’t a foreign concept to most organizations. What is foreign to many however is utilizing an app beyond events and on a year-round basis. Associations are seeing a new wave of early adopters of fully comprehensive mobile strategies.
There are associations that claim their event app is their year-round app, solely because it showcases events taking place throughout the year. While these apps are a good first step, they do not support engagement in between the times one event ends and the next begins. That’s a lot of missed opportunities to create interactions among members and keep the membership value going.
Between events, members need easy access to industry content and resources, a way to digitally collaborate and exchange ideas with fellow members, a convenient form of communicating among one another, and quickly delivered announcements. These are the year-round features that help to minimize passive membership which ultimately leads to membership churn. They instead keep members continually active and engaged.
The best mobile strategy will house all association membership benefits in one place. Event features should live right alongside year-round features. Members should never have to download multiple apps for one organization. Mobile year-round features can actually serve to greatly enhance events. The deletion rate for an event-only app is 99% within 30 days of an event (AppAnnie.com). If event navigation lived in a year-round platform, conversations and event-related content can thrive before, during and well after, without being quickly tossed out and forgotten about.
The time in between events is just as important and should not be ignored. When ignored, interest and connection to the organization suffers. If an association is going to invest in mobile technology, it’s wise to invest in a solution that provides ongoing value. An effective year-round app presents members with an opportunity each day to have a beneficial interaction with an association they themselves are investing in.
