Think about the last time you booked a holiday. You researched, paid, maybe downloaded the itinerary, went on your trip, and then… it was done. A nice experience, yes, but short-lived. That’s how it works in most commercial settings – the customer experience begins and ends quickly, often in a single transaction.
Now, let’s compare that to your association. When someone becomes a member, it’s not a fleeting purchase. It’s the start of a relationship that often lasts years, sometimes even decades. A student joins fresh out of university, moves through different stages of their career, may pause for family commitments, and eventually retires. Throughout every one of those stages, your association remains present: in their inbox, at their events, and in their professional development opportunities.
And that’s what makes member experience so unique and so important.
Member Experience: More Than Just Customer Service
Here’s where we often get stuck. We confuse member experience with customer service. But they’re not the same thing.
Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Customer service is one interaction – a question answered, a problem solved, a moment of support. Member experience, on the other hand, is the sum of every single touchpoint over the entire span of membership.
It’s how easy it is to register for an event.
It’s whether your emails land with relevance or get ignored.
It’s how welcome someone feels walking into a networking function.
It’s the vibe of your online community. Are people helpful and inclusive, or cliquey and quiet?
Some of these moments feel great, others not so much. Over time, they add up into a perception: “This association really understands my needs and goals” … or “I’m not sure this is for me anymore.”
The Challenge Associations Face Today
The reality is, member loyalty isn’t what it used to be. Even associations with decades of reputation behind them are facing challenges:
- Renewal rates are slipping
- Engagement is dropping
- Subscribers are tuning out from yet another email or newsletter
Why? Because the competition has changed. Commercial organisations (think LinkedIn, Eventbrite, or even a private training provider) have stepped into the space once held exclusively by associations. They’re hosting slick events, curating engaging content, and building vibrant communities.
On top of that, member expectations are shifting. Younger professionals are digital-first, mobile-native, and used to seamless, personalised experiences from the likes of Netflix, Spotify, and Uber. When they interact with your association, whether it’s signing up for a webinar, renewing their membership, or browsing your website, they’re unconsciously comparing it to those platforms.
It’s not just about ROI (return on investment) anymore. It’s about ROT (return on time). Every member is silently asking: “Is this worth my attention? Is this moving me forward? Is this the best use of my limited and valuable time?”
Designing an Experience That Lasts
This is where member experience becomes not just important but essential. Your association isn’t selling a one-off product; you’re building a long-term relationship. That means you need to think beyond logistics and start designing an experience that adapts, evolves, and continues to feel relevant throughout each stage of your members’ journey.
Another challenge is that member experience isn’t only shaped by your membership team. It’s also influenced by your events team, your education and professional development team, your volunteers, and even the caterers at your annual conference. Every interaction contributes to the bigger picture.
At the heart of it all, member experience is about belonging. Associations are more than services, they’re communities where members want to feel seen and valued.
Brené Brown captures this perfectly: “True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.”
So, what does a strong member experience look like? It’s effortless. It’s personalised. It feels consistent across channels and touchpoints. Most importantly, it shows your members that their time is valued and their needs are understood.
Where Do You Start?
If all of this sounds a bit daunting, here’s some good news: you don’t need a massive team or an expensive tech stack to improve your member experience. You just need to start small.
- Focus on one member persona at a time.
- Create one simple, but thoughtful, welcome series for new members.
- Add one useful lead magnet that answers a real potential member question.
Then build from there. Member experience isn’t a one-off project, it’s an ongoing journey. Every small improvement you make strengthens the perception your members have of your association.
Because when members feel understood, they engage.
When they engage, they stay.
And when they stay, they help your association grow, not just in numbers, but in impact.
Ready to Go Deeper? Join The Member Experience Lab
This article is just the beginning. If you’re ready to explore practical strategies, proven frameworks, and hands-on tools to design experiences that keep your members engaged and loyal, we’d love to have you in The Member Experience Lab.
It’s a space where association professionals like you can learn, experiment, and develop strategies that fit your unique organisation. Over the course, you’ll gain clarity on what member experience really means, and walk away with a plan you can implement right away.
Because your members don’t just want services, they want an experience that matters.
MemberBoat is a digital marketing agency dedicated to helping professional associations, industry bodies and other membership organisations embrace emerging digital marketing tools, create a more commercial mindset and simplify their journey to digital transformation.
