Because member inboxes are full, your emails often go unread. Communicating via email isn’t yielding the same results it used to. But you can still reach members in a non-obtrusive way via their phones.
Why a Mobile App Is Better Than Email for Improving Communications with Members
Phones are always nearby, which is why a membership app is most handy when members want to:
- Scan the latest news
- Search for a resource to help them on the job
- Look up a fellow member
- Find out what’s coming up at your association
Here are nine other reasons a mobile app is the best option for communicating with members.
#1: Avoid getting lost in your member’s overflowing inbox
Email overload is the affliction of our decade. Truth be told, your association is part of the problem if your members are receiving too many emails from too many departments.
Members get a break from their chaotic inbox when they open your mobile app—a dedicated channel for association communications, information, connections, and resources. Your app is a clean, organized tool that’s always handy and always ready for them when they need something.
#2: Enjoy more attention and higher open rates than email
Emails get buried and overlooked. Meanwhile, app notifications have a much higher attention and open rate than emails.
When members opt in to receiving push notifications, they’re more receptive to opening and acting upon your content. They’re unlikely to ignore notifications when they can select the kind they want to receive.
A member’s attention is especially important if you want them to act quickly.
- Contact their legislator
- Register for an event or book a hotel room before the deadline
- Sign up for an upcoming microvolunteering activity
Our client associations are sometimes nervous about push notifications. But they soon see that members never complain about notifications. Everyone’s used to them—as long as you ask for their opt-in and you send relevant messages.
In Clowder, you can target notifications by different user types, such as members or attendees, and by different member segments and roles. An AMS/CRM integration with Clowder allows for all kinds of targeting possibilities.
#3: Personalize your member’s content experience
A membership app delivers tailored content based on a member’s attributes. You can also let members select tags so they see specific topics in their updates. This feature is especially important if you’re not personalizing content on your website or using sophisticated email and marketing automation tools.
#4: Provide a one-stop hub for information and resources
Your membership app is a library of news, articles, podcasts, and videos. It also serves as an online learning hub offering members access to webinars, courses, conferences, and other virtual events.
Members also see your membership app as an online community stored in their pocket where they can get answers, advice, and ideas. A membership app is like having a community of experts on call!
CREW, a global membership organization for women in commercial real estate, uses their Clowder app to engage chapter members. Clowder’s federated module offers CREW’s chapters access to a single app but each has their own gated experience. On the app, CREW chapter members:
- Connect with each other in the online community or directory
- Learn about and register for upcoming events
- Read the latest chapter news
- Browse job posts and career/business resources
A membership app becomes the place to take care of association or chapter business whenever members have a spare moment. They can renew their membership, sign up for a committee, or update their member profile—it’s all doable from the palm of their hand.
#5: Engage more senses
The more senses you engage, the more “sticky” content is—members remember and retain it longer. Emails are not the best channel for embedding sense-stimulating media. A membership app can easily host video and audio formats, and even live streaming.
#6: Improve two-way communications between your association and members
With an app, you have options for communicating.
- Send a direct message to an individual member or group of members
- Push a notification to a group or all members
- Poll a group or all members
Messages of any kind on the phone feel more personal, even though you can automate them.
Collect feedback from a segment of members to learn about their:
- Opinions on an issue or industry development
- Membership, career, or business goals
- Education or career needs
Increase renewal rates by sending a message or notification about upcoming membership or certification deadlines. See all your communication possibilities by taking our Clowder quick tour.
#7: Connect members with each other
Most members join your association with the hopes of meeting peers, mentor types, or potential leads. Since they’re used to socializing via their phones, your app helps them accomplish these membership goals.
- Finding other members in the directory and/or buyer’s guide
- Connecting via individual and group messages
- Tapping into the collective wisdom—and sharing a bit of their own—in your online community
#8: Review app data to better understand members
A membership app is a member engagement channel that tracks how members interact with your association and with each other. You can see which members are using the app, what content they’re reading, and which messages they’re opening.
App data helps you understand individual member interests so you can refine your marketing and communication strategies, and further improve the member experience.
#9: Constantly remind members of the value you deliver
When your membership app earns a place on your members’ home screens, they see your logo throughout the day. That icon nudges them to open the app and see what’s new or check their notifications and messages. Your association becomes a habit—one they’re glad to have established.
But that’s not all! Our Mobile Engagement Guide describes additional ways to use a membership app to increase member retention and generate non-dues revenue for your association.
