The 2024 Membership Performance Benchmark Report by iMIS revealed that a top association goal is retaining current members. Keeping member retention top of mind is smart — it's almost always cheaper to keep existing members than to bring in new ones.

But member retention isn't just about your bottom line. A strong member retention strategy will help you build a lasting community that drives your bar association's mission.

Modern technology offers innovative tools and strategies to enhance member experiences and satisfaction, ultimately contributing to higher retention rates. Let's explore how your bar association can maintain a lively membership base.

6 Strategies to Boost Member Retention at Your Bar Association

1. Get the Scoop with Member Data

Before you build your retention strategy, you need to understand your members. And it's not enough to think you understand your members.

To truly understand your members, your bar association needs to create a Single Source of Truth (SSoT). A Single Source of Truth brings all interactions with your members together in one database:

• Joins
• Renewals
• Purchases
• Event registrations
• Publications
• Professional education
• And more

Use this valuable data to refine and customize the member experience, ensuring you're consistently creating value for your members. See #3 in this article for specific ideas for delivering personalized content.

Go from data silos to a Single Source of Truth. Learn more with our guide, "It's Not You, It's Your Data Silos"

2. Create a Member Journey Map

The ideal mapping process should outline exactly how you'll interact with your members.

Start by defining what you want to accomplish and decide how you will measure success. It doesn't have to be complicated. Set attainable, measurable goals your team can work toward, like increasing first-year member retention rates by 10%.

Example of member journey touchpoints:

Stage 1: Validate

This stage is during days 1-14 of membership. Your retention strategy starts now.

• Send a welcome email
• Ask for contact preferences (and follow them!)

Stage 2: Demonstrate

During days 14-90 of membership, your goal is to demonstrate the value of membership at your bar association.

• Email the best features of membership benefits
• Send a series of videos introducing your products and services
• Alert them to mentoring opportunities

Stage 3: Celebrate

Stage 3 takes off during months 3-9 of membership. Your goal here is to gauge how members feel about your organization and identify any at-risk members early.

• Make a personalized offer
• Flash survey to check in with them
• Encourage them to network and volunteer

Stage 4: Renewal

The final stage in the member journey is during months 9-12 of membership. Your goal here is to gauge how members feel about your organization and identify any at-risk members early.

• Personalized renewal offer
• Personal phone call(s) to follow up for non-renewal

3. Personalize the Experience

89% of marketers see a positive ROI when using personalization in their campaigns (Source: 2020 Adobe Personalization Survey).

Engaging members with relevant content, opportunities, and updates encourages a deeper connection with the association. Today's members expect a personalized experience.

When your website and member engagement system are in sync (see #1), your online platform reflects each member’s history. This allows you to serve up content that aligns with their interests and actions. You'll proactively meet members' needs, offering resources even before they reach out.

Examples:

• Offer a conference discount based on their purchase of a training course
• Prompt members to update their profile if they haven't logged in for a while
• Remind members of an event registration deadline
• Alert members to important industry news
• Show forum posts on topics they care about

3. Make It Easy to Renew

One of the top reasons members don't renew? They forgot.

Starting three months out from their renewal date, send personalized renewal offers.

• Remind them of the benefits they've enjoyed
• Tease upcoming events
• Promote upcoming resources that they cannot miss

Implement a straightforward, user-friendly online renewal process that reduces barriers to renewal. Use your bar association software to implement recurring memberships, auto-pay, and an automated onboarding processes.

4. Automating Engagement to Keep Members Connected

Consistent engagement is key to member retention. Automation ensures that your bar association members receive timely reminders for events, membership renewals, and updates on ongoing initiatives. This helps members feel connected and valued by the association, fostering a sense of belonging.

Automation will also free up staff time and allow your team to deliver even more value to members.

5. Creating a Community Through Digital Platforms

The digital space offers myriad opportunities for creating vibrant online communities. When members can easily connect, share, and collaborate, you strengthen their sense of community and belonging. This is critical for retention.

If you're regularly asking members for feedback, ask which platforms they're on and where they'll engage with you.

• Social Media: Connect your bar association software and social media for a seamless experience. When a member signs in with a social media account, your system should automatically make and link a new account. This way, members use one login for fast access and easy sharing on social media.
• Mobile Apps: Like many bar associations, you may offer a mobile app for annual conferences and other events. But don't miss out on the benefits of a year-round mobile app. Here, members can foster connections, engage on their own time, and receive time-sensitive information. Put members in control by them to customize push notifications for the different types of news and alerts.

Tip: Use a mobile app as a new source of revenue with banner ads and sponsored content.

6. Help Members Grow Their Career

Professional development is a significant value proposition for members of bar associations. Your organization should deliver value that they can't find anywhere else.

• Offer members-only resources. Review the resources available to non-members to see if there are opportunities to make them member-exclusive.
• Provide vital industry news and insights. But consider keeping this behind a firewall on your site that only members can access.
• Create members-only continuing education courses. Or modify your non-member course fee structure to give a better deal to members.
• Establish members-only forums to share information with peers. Even better: use your member personas to tap into specific interests.
• Introduce an “Ask an Expert” section to your portal where seasoned volunteer members offer advice to newbies. This gives ambitious members more exposure and provides a valuable service.

The Bottom Line

Boosting member retention is crucial for your bar association's success. Start by establishing a Single Source of Truth with your bar association software. From there, you can create a personalized experience that makes your organization invaluable. That unwavering value is key to keeping your members engaged and loyal.