Segment members to succeed
Segmentation is a key part of an effective member journey.
Good use of segmented data allows marketing and membership teams to create relevant offers, events and benefits that hold member’s attention for longer and create long-term loyalty.
While data management and CRM systems can support and enhance segmentation work, they are tools, not solutions, and the ground work needs to be done to ensure their effectiveness.
Basic segmentation does not present real value
Member segmentation is NOT engagement scoring. Tailoring messaging based on size, demographics, clicks or number of log-ins to a member portal often fails to engage members in a real way. While, using member’s names or birthday messages may be gimmicky, does it present any real value?
Few member professionals that we meet, feel that they are able to offer a good level of segmented messaging or membership experience, indicating that many membership bodies are struggling to create tailored experiences for members. In particular, many tell us they struggle trying profile key market segments or understand specific member needs in order to demonstrate value and improve recruitment and retention.
A CRM or data driven marketing strategy is only as effective as the research and process data that is captured and entered. Basic website personas with their singular purpose of web journey guidance are unsuitable for the wider marketing effort or for member journey mapping across touchpoints.
Having a comprehensive understanding of member segments and personas based on behaviours, motivations, barriers and drivers, all need to be in place before real segmentation or insight can come into effect. Whether you are developing a member recruitment, engagement or marketing strategy, implementing CRM or digital transformation, real persona segmentation based on behaviour should be the starting point.
Talk about what really matters
With increasing noise and information, associations must talk about what really matters to each segment of members in order to keep their attention. Behavioural segmentation can achieve this, with limited resource, if the right research findings are in place.
The effects are not just simply increased engagement on KPI’s such as email open rates and recruitment campaign conversions; it can advance member relationships to a point where an associations perceived performance in delivering its core purpose improves.
We have seen increased interest in segmentation, an uptake in our research projects to help associations find and refine its member segments, both in terms of improving member recruitment and retention strategies but also for optimising for CRM / digital transformation.
Are you looking for strategic membership support?
Membership Matters is UK’s leading research consultancy for membership associations. We work exclusively in the membership sector because we are passionate about it. Our experts have experience of dealing with strategic, marketing or operational challenges, we work with hundreds of membership associations in this sector locally and internationally.
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