Associations are now realizing that their membership is no longer made up of the “joiner” generation. It’s increasingly more difficult to keep membership flat, much less growing. Those ahead of the curve realize that they must demonstrate the value of membership through as many tangible benefits as possible, including having an insurance program. The key to making it a “sticky” member benefit is promoting it properly.

Back in the day, associations could just link to the insurance program off of a benefits page, maybe send out a direct mail piece or two, and call it a day. Unfortunately, that strategy has limited reach, assumes members already know what they are looking for, and that they are ready to buy. The key to today’s successful programs is an omnichannel approach that leans heavily on educating members. This not only brings visibility to the insurance program, but provides an additional benefit of positioning the association as a resource for items beyond the core mission.

Here are some steps to help promote your program more effectively:

1. Consider sending emails to support direct marketing efforts. Consumers are bombarded with so many messages these days that it’s necessary to meet them multiple times in multiple channels to get their attention.
2. Meet regularly with your broker to discuss opportunities for promotion. Many of these opportunities don’t cost the association a dime, yet provide valuable visibility to get the word out.
3. If you have a last minute opening for content, call your broker and ask what they can provide. They likely have educational articles, blogs, videos and other content at the ready.
4. Ask if your broker is willing to set up a content portal for you that will enable your association to self-serve pre-approved content at any given moment.

Particularly as members now want to be educated and not marketing to, it’s necessary to shift the mindset of both the broker and association to finding opportunities to do so. When executed properly, members don’t see the messaging as helpful and welcome content.