As we head into a New Year, it’s important for associations to review its current email marketing strategies and see where it has excelled and where improvement may be needed. By reviewing the current strategy, associations can ensure its email marketing efforts are effective and impactful, current to member’s needs and trends, and aligned with the association’s communications goals.  

Here are some effective email marketing strategies for associations for the New Year:  

  1. Define Goals – understand the ‘why’ behind the email marketing strategy and the desired result (i.e, inform, build community, etc.). This will also help to determine the types of emails including a traditional eblast, newsletter, notice to members regarding disruptions in services or office closures, promotional offer to members from an exclusive partner, or educational material to serve as a resource. Check out my former colleague’s Strauss article on best practices for mastering email marketing. 
  2. Targeted Communications – associations evolve and so do its member’s needs and preferences. It’s vital to stay on top of membership demographics, interests and engagement history to ensure targeted and effective communications. Equally important are the lists used for email marketing and the maintenance of them to ensure they are up to date and reflect the current membership.  
  3. Create Compelling Content – build a content calendar outlining the email schedule including content, timing and targeted lists. Focus on how the content is beneficial and of interest to the members including resources, industry news and trends, innovations within the industry and exclusive opportunities. When using email marketing to inform members about events be sure to use a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA) such as “Register Now”, “Learn More”, or “Get Involved.” Also ensure the email subject line is attention-grabbing and doesn’t get lost in the myriad of other emails going to members. Learn from a recent Strauss article on how to avoid cookie-cutter style email marketing.  
  4. Optimize Email Design – keep the look of the emails uniform and within the brand guidelines. Include key information so everything is at a click for members including URLs, registration information to an event, social media handles. Also, ensure all emails are easy-to-read and translate well on multiple devices (i.e., mobile, PCs). 
  5. Timing is Everything! – consistent and regular emails to members is always a good thing to keep them informed, engaged and to generate a sense of community. Analyze when members are most likely to open emails and schedule accordingly.  
  6. Measure and Elevate – all software marketing tools like Constant Contact or Campaign Monitor enable associations to monitor open rates, click-through rates and conversions. Be sure to stay on top of these measurements to fully understand the preferences of your members and to gauge if there’s an increase or drop in engagement. It’s also ideal to monitor for bounce backs to help maintain lists. 

By aligning email marketing with the association’s broader goals and member needs, a well-thought-out strategy ensures maximum impact and ongoing growth.