Members are the backbone of any association. Getting new members and retaining them heavily relies on an association’s ability to nurture those relationships by offering them a quality experience.

We already have discussed various ways to provide a stellar membership experience in our previous articles.

Here we'll take it a step further by exploring the power of technology, particularly an AMS, in improving the digital experience for members.

Key Takeaways

• An Association Management System (AMS) is a digital tool that enables associations to foster long-term relationships with members through automation, integration, and personalization. 
• AMS can create personalized experiences for members by leveraging behavioral data from member profiles, such as sending customized emails based on interests and demographics. This helps acquire new members and increase engagement.
• AMS increases an association's digital presence by consolidating manual efforts online, such as building member profiles, creating and promoting events, and arranging webinars.
• It also boosts member engagement and retention through features like private community apps, push notifications, and automated membership renewals.
• Glue Up is an all-in-one AI-powered AMS that reduces data silos by storing member data in a centralized repository and syncing real-time updates. This enables more intuitive and accurate tracking of member engagement.
• Building a digital ecosystem for associations is an ongoing process that should be agile and adaptable to future needs. 

What is an Association Management Software (AMS)?

For most organizations, an AMS is just a buzzword. However, only those associations that are using it are fully aware of its benefits.

Association Management System, at its core, is a digital tool that enables associations to foster long-term relationships with their members. It gives them the premium experience they deserve through three core technologies - automation, integration, and personalization.

A cloud-based AMS system is critical as it allows both organizations and members to access important information and accomplish tasks anywhere, anytime. With the right software, an organization can achieve:

• A single communication system that integrates email and member profiles.
• A membership sales funnel that identifies membership prospects, manages communications, and grows membership.
• A personalized dashboard for managing data and generating reports.
• Seamless online signups, membership dues renewals, and profile updates.
• An opportunity to scale up with additional integration.
• Successful event setup, registrations, and online payments.

As a result, an association that has an effective AMS grows faster, empowers their members, and accomplishes more in less time. Ultimately, this helps them cultivate a lasting relationship with their members through top-notch services and experience.

How Can Association Management Software Improve Digital Member Experience?

Creates a Personalized Digital Experience for Members

Personalization is the new brand differentiator. It refers to developing a customized experience for your members that caters to their unique and individual requirements.

An AMS creates a personalized experience for members by leveraging the behavioral data from your members' profiles.

A great example is sending customized emails to the member segments depending on their interest and demographics. This includes sharing the content based on their interests, showing them the local events, or sharing discount options at retail centers.

Based on the data regarding the visitors’ page views, you can also direct an AMS can also refer your prospects toward a relevant area of your resource section, which helps you acquire new members as well.

Case Study

Marketing Society of Kenya (MSK) improved their member experience using Glue Up’s AMS module. They used the campaign feature to personalize emails for their members which resulted in increased email-open rates and conversions. They also increased event engagement by sending out effective event invite campaigns from the software. Read more

Increases your Digital Presence

A feature-rich AMS increases your digital presence by consolidating and shifting all your manual efforts online. You can build your member’s online profiles, create and promote events on the website and arrange webinars using an all-in-one membership management platform.

Case Study

OBN-UK has increased its digital presence by integrating its website with Glue Up’s AMS. The events created on the CRM directly shows on the website calendar, attracting new audience without promotion.

It also saw a tremendous increase in the number of event attendees due to seamless event landing pages with smooth registrations and check-ins. Read more

Increases Member Engagement and Retention

Glue Up’s all-in-one AMS has some powerful features that work tremendously when it comes to increasing member engagement. The software offers a private community app that lets your members connect and foster long-lasting relationships. They can post content, chat 1-on-1 and share their virtual business cards.

Plus the app also has a push notification feature that sends renewal reminders to their members. Since a major reason for the member lapse is them forgetting to renew their memberships, a push notification increases their engagement rates.

Case Study

The Kenya Green Building Society (KGBS) increased its members’ loyalty through AMS. The team noticed that their poor member retention was due to members simply forgetting to renew their membership or our staff forgetting to send them their invoices.

Thus they reduced their membership churn rates by offering an option to renew membership automatically through Glue Up’s CMS. As soon as membership fees were paid, members received automated emails notifying them of their renewal. To remind members that their membership is up for renewal, they sent them automated push notifications on the app.

They also encouraged their members to download the My Glue app through which they can easily communicate using the 1on1 chat feature and exchange business cards.

Additionally, the team used Membership Scorecards (MES) to gain insights into member engagement. Read More

Streamlines Event Management

An Association Management Software (AMS) can significantly enhance event management, providing a seamless experience for organizers and attendees. Here's how an AMS can revolutionize your association's event planning and execution:

1. Simplified Registration Process: An AMS typically includes event registration features that allow members to easily sign up for events directly through the association's website or mobile app. This streamlined process reduces friction and can lead to increased event attendance.
2. Automated Communications: The software can send automated event reminders, confirmations, and follow-ups, ensuring that attendees have all the necessary information without requiring manual effort from your team.
3. Integrated Payment Processing: Most AMS platforms offer integrated payment processing for event tickets, making it easy for members to pay and for your association to track revenue.
4. Customizable Event Pages: Create professional-looking event pages with all the necessary details, including agendas, speaker bios, and venue information.
5. Attendance Tracking: Use the AMS to easily check in attendees at the event, track attendance, and generate reports post-event.
6. Virtual and Hybrid Event Support: Many modern AMS solutions offer features to support virtual or hybrid events, including integrated video conferencing and online networking tools.
7. Post-Event Surveys: Automatically send out post-event surveys to gather feedback and improve future events.

Case Study

Implementing Glue Up's AMS has yielded significant benefits for Cape Chamber. The platform has been easy to use for tracking attendees and events and has greatly simplified their reporting process. Digitalizing event management processes has optimized their operations and enhanced the member experience.

Reduces data silos and Increases Synchronization

Association Management Software with an integrated CRM connects and shares data on the admin dashboard back and forth. Consequently, all member data is stored in a centralized repository, preventing data silos and making it easy for your team to find the information they need.

Furthermore, an AMS logs and syncs real-time data as the members make changes. For example, when a member updates their profile information on the membership site, the CRM gets updated as well. This way, member engagement can be tracked and understood in a more intuitive and accurate manner.

Case Study

ABASA, being a large association with 9 chapters, faced a hard time managing and tracking its members’ data. Thus they implemented Glue Up’s AMS to update and consolidate their data from all the branches.

As a result, they were able to convert their contact list of about 5000 membership leads into paying members. In addition, they gained over 400 paying members by offering a unique value proposition.

They were also able to reconcile their data by integrating an accounting platformXero with the software. As a result, they could easily match the membership payments with the revenues earned, allowing them to perform audits without hassle. Read more

Supports Growth and Innovation

With the increase in your memberships and organizational growth, your processes and workflows change as well.

A professional AMS allows you to scale your association’s capabilities as your organization’s needs expand. By doing this, you can upgrade the capacity of your membership platform concurrently with your email list's growth.

Additionally, you don't have to limit yourself to one platform's features and can add new integrations as you need them.

Case Study

International Inbound Travel Association took the support of AMS to transition to self-management. They moved from NetForum to Glue Up, consolidating all their technology into a single software.

They migrated all their members’ data on the CRM and integrated their website with the platform, This enabled them to manage all their membership workflows seamlessly including registrations, finances, and events.

Thus with 200 companies under their belt, they were able to scale up their operations by going digital with AMS. Read more

How to Build a Digital Ecosystem for Associations?

Digital ecosystem development is not a one-day project. This is an ongoing process that changes as your association's needs change.

Thus, you should develop an agile digital ecosystem that matches your current objectives, but is flexible enough to serve your future needs as well.

Let’s take a look at some of the digital strategies that can help you reach your long-term goals:

Digital Strategies to Grow the Association’s Memberships

• Use the appropriate tools and KPIs for managing and processing your data.
• Inculcate a culture of innovation and experimentation among your board members, staff, and members.
• Invest in the right digitalization technology, whether it is upgrading your processes and systems, improving your applications, or revamping your entire digital system.
• Develop learning facilities for your organization. This includes developing effective training systems for both your staff and members.
• Learn from your competitors and industry leaders. Observing their product offerings, activities, and customers will help you understand what works best and what should be avoided.
• Conduct A/B testing for your newly launched features to see what members like the best. This will help you understand what they prefer to provide them with more relevant solutions.
• Keep making improvements in your workflows by collecting and implementing members’ feedback.

Building a digital ecosystem tailored for your association can be daunting, particularly if you have limited resources. Get a free demo now to learn how you can digitally transform your organization with an AMS and improve your member experience.

FAQs

1. How can AMS help associations increase member engagement through online communities?

An advanced Association Management Software (AMS) can help you create and manage online communities for your members.

These communities provide a platform for your members to connect, share knowledge, and collaborate on topics relevant to their industry or profession.

Thus, you can offer them a dedicated space for interaction and foster a sense of belonging among them.

Features such as discussion forums, resource sharing, and member directories within the AMS can further enhance the value of these communities and keep your members engaged with your association.

2. What are some best practices for implementing an AMS to ensure a smooth transition and high adoption rates among members and staff?

When implementing an AMS, you must develop a comprehensive plan that includes staff training, member communication, and a phased rollout.
 

• Begin by identifying key stakeholders and involving them in the planning process to ensure buy-in and address any concerns.
• Provide thorough training for your staff members to help them understand the system's features and how to effectively use them in their daily tasks.
• Communicate the benefits of the AMS to your members and provide resources, such as user guides and webinars, to help them navigate the new platform.
• Consider implementing the AMS in phases, starting with core features and gradually introducing more advanced functionality.

And finally after all these steps, continuously gather feedback from your staff and members to identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments.

3. How can associations leverage data and insights from their AMS to make data-driven decisions and improve member services?

Your AMS can provide you with valuable data and insights into your members' behavior, preferences, and engagement levels.

By analyzing this data, you can make informed decisions to improve your member services and tailor your offerings to meet the evolving needs of your members. For example, you can use data on event attendance and feedback to identify popular topics and formats, allowing you to create more engaging and relevant events in the future.

Member engagement data can help you identify at-risk members and proactively reach out to them with targeted support and resources. Additionally, analyzing member demographic and career data can help you develop new products, services, and content that align with the needs and interests of your member base.
 

4. How can associations measure the ROI of their AMS investment and continuously optimize the platform to deliver maximum value to members?

Measuring the ROI of your AMS investment is essential for justifying the cost and ensuring that the platform delivers maximum value to your members.

Start by defining clear metrics and KPIs that align with your association's goals, such as member engagement, retention rates, event attendance, and revenue growth.

Regularly track and analyze these metrics to assess the impact of the AMS on your association's performance. Conduct surveys and gather feedback from your members and staff to understand how the AMS has improved their experience and identify areas for improvement.

Use this feedback to continuously optimize the platform, such as by adding new features, streamlining processes, or enhancing the user interface.

Share success stories and tangible results with stakeholders to demonstrate the value of your AMS investment and secure ongoing support for the platform.