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.
Phones are always nearby, which is why a membership app is most handy when members want to:
Here are nine other reasons a mobile app is the best option for communicating with members.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
With an app, you have options for communicating.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.