Member Involvement in Your Association

This level of connection – rooted in understanding member needs and meaningful interaction – is essential for the vitality and future of your organization. The good news? As an association, you can take control of engagement yourself. In this article, we explore these levels and show with a practical example why investing in engagement makes all the difference.

Involvement: More Than Just Presence

In its most basic form, involvement is the fact that someone is a member of your association. They are registered, pay dues, and perhaps occasionally use a general service. This is necessary for the association's existence, but it's a passive form of involvement. Members are 'present', but the bond is often superficial.

The Power of Deeper Involvement: What is Engagement Truly?

True power for an association comes from deeper involvement, or what is often called engagement. This goes much further than just factual presence. It requires a structured approach and is focused on truly understanding the member and how that person relates to the association. Engagement revolves around:

• Insight into Members: Understanding what drives members, what their needs are, what challenges they face, and what they find valuable.
• Meaningful Interaction: Creating contact moments and experiences that align with those needs and add value to the membership.
• A Sense of Belonging: Building an emotional bond and a feeling of belonging.

Engagement is therefore not so much something that stands 'opposite' to involvement, but rather involvement at a more qualitative, enriching level. It is the involvement that arises from a strong relationship, based on mutual understanding and added value.

A Practical Example: The Trade Union and Member Engagement

Let's look at an example to illustrate this.

Imagine a trade union with many members like Koen, an electrician who has been a member for years. Koen diligently pays his dues but is otherwise not very active within the union. However, the union notices that the number of members within Koen's professional group is declining. They know that many of these members struggle with irregular working hours and their impact.

The trade union possesses data about its members. By analyzing this data, they discover that a significant portion of the electricians (for example, 68% of the 700 members in this group) experience problems with these irregular hours. Instead of sending a generic member letter, the union decides to approach this specific group directly.

They organize an online meeting specifically for electricians to discuss their experiences and needs regarding irregular hours. They offer concrete tools in the form of training and information to help individual workers negotiate better terms with their employers. Additionally, they facilitate an online community where these members can share knowledge and experiences.

What happens? Members like Koen feel seen and heard. The trade union offers concrete solutions to their specific problems. The membership suddenly gains much more value. This is no longer simple involvement, but deep engagement. Members feel a stronger connection to the trade union because the union directly addresses their current needs. This not only stops member churn in this group but can even lead to a passive member like Koen transforming into a true ambassador for the union within his professional group.

Measuring and Deepening: How Data and Technology Help

The example of the trade union illustrates how essential it is to look beyond basic membership data. Modern associations often have a wealth of information about their members, from interactions on the website and social media to participation in specific activities.

By smartly organizing and analyzing this data, you gain insight into the level of involvement of individual members and specific groups. You can recognize patterns in behaviour and needs. Digital technologies and member administration systems play a crucial role in making the collection and structuring of this information possible. This is how you, as an association, take control of engagement yourself. This enables you to:

• Assess the depth of involvement per member (for example, by developing an 'engagement score').
• Approach members in a targeted manner with relevant information and offers.
• Anticipate changing needs and desires.

Towards Co-creation

By focusing on deeper involvement and better understanding your members, your association automatically moves towards more co-creation. You are no longer an organization that 'offers' services to members, but a platform where members and board members work together towards the association's goals. The insights you gain from engagement enable you to develop programs, services, and communication together with and for your members, thereby further increasing relevance and involvement.

From Disengaged Member to Ambassador

For the future of associations, it is crucial to look beyond just the number of members. It's about the quality and depth of involvement. By investing in understanding and actively stimulating engagement – that deep-rooted connection based on value, emotion, and active contribution – you build a resilient, relevant, and thriving community where members develop from passive members to involved ambassadors. Take control of engagement by using the insights you have about your members in a targeted way to reach and involve them at a level that resonates. That is the key to sustainable success.

Would you like to know more about how you can practically get started with increasing engagement within your association? Read more in our knowledge base for practical tips and in-depth insights.