Associations – Page 2

How to Write a Successful Call to Action for Your Association

October 29, 2020 By Patrick L. Burns Leave a Comment

When it comes to getting members to engage with your content, whether your blog, e-mail newsletter, event sign-up, or donations, your call to action (CTA) goes a long way. According to Associations Now, getting members to engage starts with compelling them to act. It also helps with member recruitment when trying to get people to become members with your association. The call to action is a powerful tool for you to utilize and there are several tips that can help you build ones that are effective and successful in your mission.

What is a Call to Action?

Your call to action is your chance to persuade your current and potential members to do what you want them to do. Think of it as your “Buy Now” statement. You will include this on everything from blogs, to social media posts, to newsletters. As an association, you should also include CTAs on your website copy to recruit new members or get renewals. A well-crafted call to action will have majority of the people who view your content engaging with and completing the tasks you want them to.

Short and Simple, Yet Informative

A good call to action is short, simple, and to the point. You want to make sure that you give enough information to inform the reader and guide them towards the desired action. You want to make sure the benefits are clear, for example:

“Sign up for our newsletter to receive all the latest association news, useful resources, and event invitations.”

Be sure to include easy to follow instructions to complete the action such as a link, a phone number, email address or a form to fill out. This will make it quick and easy for people to complete the action and increase the likelihood they will go through the necessary steps required.

Use Action Verbs

Wording is everything when it comes to the success rate of your call to action. Action verbs go a long way towards leading people to converting. Phrases such as “Sign up,” “Visit us at,” and “Learn more” can prompt people to take the actions you would like them to. Also, using words that show enthusiasm or spark emotion in your members and potential members will help drive action. You should always be willing to be creative with wording and try different methods to find CTA’s that work for your association. The only way to truly know what works is to test your ideas and see which ones are the most successful.

Frequency is Key

Make sure you are consistent with your CTA. This means including it on anything that your members and potential members will be viewing. Social media posts, newsletters, blog posts, and web copy are a few ideal places to include your CTA. The more your message is put in front of your audience, the better the chances are that your members will take action. Feel free to try different tactics and approaches to find what works best for your goals. Keep track of your results with each campaign so you can decide what is successful and what might not be. Every piece you put out should have a form of a CTA present.

Having successful calls to action for your association involves knowing your members and potential members and being able to craft a message that will drive them to act. Whether it’s signing up for the association’s email newsletter, registering to attend the annual conference, or becoming a new member; each call to action should be creative, specific, and intentional. The more you can provoke emotion or enthusiasm, the more likely your audience will be to take the desired action. Every campaign is unique, so try different tactics to find the ones that works best for your association and start getting results, now.

For more help with your association’s needs sign up for our newsletter, follow us on social media, or contact us here.

How to Utilize ZOOM to Engage Your Association Members During COVID-19

May 13, 2020 By Patrick L. Burns Leave a Comment

With the current COVID-19 pandemic, many are working from home and annual conferences and monthly and quarterly meetings have been postponed or cancelled. For associations, these meetings and conferences are a major part of what they offer members. This has prompted many to embrace their creativity and take these opportunities online as virtual experiences for their members. One of the challenges, however, is how to arrange a virtual meeting that offers your members the same value as they would get from an in-person event or conference. There are many ways your association can utilize virtual events to deliver value to your members. Below are some ideas for utilizing the Zoom virtual meeting platform for use for everything from group meetings, to continued education presentations, and even annual conferences.

About Zoom

Zoom has grown in popularity and usage due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. This is because it is a platform that allows people to conduct virtual meetings and allows businesses and associations to continue operating. Zoom allows for up to 100 people to be present in a single meeting and with a paid subscription, unlimited meeting length (free version allows up to 40-minute meetings.) Audio and video capabilities, screen share, text chat function, and break-off rooms allow for many different uses of the platform. With a shift to virtual meetings on Zoom, there are some things to be aware of; and we will discuss those as well.

Zoom Meetings

The most popular use of Zoom for associations, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, is Zoom group meetings. Zoom allows you to host meetings and invite people to them. These meetings allow for audio and video sharing as well as screen sharing. This is a great way to keep your members informed of policy or membership news or host an informative guest speaker or panel. It is also very useful to hold important meetings with your board members to keep things running as smoothly as possible. Being able to set a password and invite specific people to meetings allows for privacy. You can set a schedule and send out reminders via email of upcoming meetings to ensure meetings are timely and successful.

Webinars and Continued Education

Zoom is also very useful for webinars and continued education opportunities. If your association usually offers courses, classes, or other learning opportunities, these can be done virtually so your members can still take full advantage. Set up much like a Zoom group meeting, you can have a presenter use share screen to show a presentation or have a lecture. The option to allow one person to be on video if desired and mute all attendees, helps prevent distractions and allows a more effective learning experience. Zoom also has the capability to stream live to YouTube and Facebook, so you can reach even more people if you would like to. This way any certifications or credits can still be achieved by your members without any roadblocks to accessibility. Zoom also allows for recording of sessions, so that it may be available later on to members at times convenient to them.

Networking Opportunities

For some associations, a big part of what they offer are networking opportunities. Whether through annual conferences or monthly meetings, networking is a big part of what many associations do. With Zoom, you can allow members to come together; and using the breakaway feature, they can break off into smaller one-on-one meetings and then return to the main group later. Members can also utilize the private chat options to send text chat to other members and exchange information that way. If you have multiple committees within your association, you can set up separate meetings, so people can network with those most beneficial to them.

Zoom Etiquette and Other Tips

When it comes to Zoom meetings, it is very important to conduct yourself like you would during face-to face meetings. There are a few things to consider that will allow you to conduct yourself in a professional manner, and have a successful experience with virtual meetings and networking.

Be aware that your camera and audio are connected until you fully exit the Zoom application. Avoid doing or saying anything you wouldn’t want everyone to see or hear while the Zoom application is running, even if you are not actively in a meeting or think you are muted. Also, dress appropriately, if you would normally dress business or business casual, dress that way on Zoom meetings as well. You may be joining in from home, but you should still carry yourself professionally.

Use discretion when using Zoom backgrounds. These are backgrounds you can download to have displayed behind you during a meeting. Don’t use a flashy or inappropriate background that will cause distraction in a meeting. If you choose to use a background, pick a professional image such as an office backdrop. Also, test out the background before using it in a meeting in case there are any incompatibilities or technical issues.

As we continue to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important members know you are there for them. You must reach out as much as you can. Offering virtual opportunities is a great way to show value and keep your members informed of association activities. With the uncertainty caused by COVID-19, associations must get creative to keep things running and work hard to show value. Zoom group meetings, webinars, and networking events are great ways to offer members quality opportunities while we get through these difficult times.

For more information, or help with your association’s content marketing strategy, visit www.arc3communications.com or contact Patrick Burns at pburns@arc3communications.com or 678-348-6024.

How to Show Your Members More Value During the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis Now

April 6, 2020 By Patrick L. Burns Leave a Comment

COVID-19 has caused associations across the country to cancel annual conferences and other important member activities to protect the well-being of their members and themselves. With uncertainty as to when large gatherings will be allowed to take place again,There are many ways an association can show their worth and maintain relationships with members and sponsors alike. Below we have listed some ideas that will help you show your value in these challenging times to your members and potential future members.

1. Virtual Meetings and Webinars

Many people have taken to the popular video meeting app, ZOOM, as a way to conduct business meetings and keep things running as smoothly as possible. ZOOM allows multiple people to join in a video conference together where they can choose to share video and audio as they meet with others. There are share screen options so sponsors and members can give presentations they have prepared to up to 100 participants at a given time. This tool can be utilized in a number of ways for your association such as hosting member webinars, association meetings, courses, and other events. This is not the only digital conference tool available, and there are many available if you have specific needs to be met. ZOOM is free to use for 40-minute group meetings or an unlimited one to one meeting. There are premium paid options that allow for longer meet times and more participants. Virtual meetings, webinars, and courses are a great option to keep members engaged and feeling valued.

2. Keep Communications Open

Whether or not you have had to cancel events or not, it is very wise to keep communication with your members and sponsors open during this time. Providing them with updates, news, and plans show them that you are considering them and their well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. A weekly email update is a great way to keep in touch and let your association members and sponsors know if and when things change and what the association’s plan is if they do have to cancel or reschedule an event. If an event is canceled, many members and sponsors may want their money back, or they may be looking for other ways you can get them what they’d hoped to get out of the canceled event. This is where hosting a virtual meet and greet could come into play or scheduling a presentation by your sponsors to the group they had hoped to target at your event. There are many options you can offer before giving an automatic refund that could be more beneficial to your sponsors and members and really show them that you are working your way through the challenge to bring them value. They will respect your dedication and it will strengthen the relationships you have.

3. Be Empathetic and Provide Resources

Many of your members and sponsors are part of companies that are dealing with their own challenges that have arisen due to COVID-19. Some businesses and companies are having a harder time than others in navigating their way through this crisis, so empathy and useful resources are always welcome. Reach out and let your members and sponsors know you are there for them and send along any resources that might be helpful. There is no shortage of useful information for businesses and companies who are working their way through these uncharted waters; sending them this helpful information can go a long way in showing that you appreciate them and are supporting them. Make sure to word your messages in an empathetic and hopeful way to help alleviate stress and let your members and sponsors know we are all in this together.

Help and Hope

As an association, your members and sponsors are what make your association run. They trust you and look to you in times like this for support and guidance. Doing all you can to show your value will not only keep your members happy but will help strengthen those relationships and cause these members to want to stay with you through thick and thin. It is important in these trying times that we all step up and show our value and help one another through. COVID-19 is unlike anything we have faced in recent times and it is taking a lot of hard work and effort to get through. The more we help each other, the easier overcoming this major challenge will be.

For more help with your association’s needs sign up for our newsletter, follow us on social media or contact us here.

Content Marketing and Website Development Case Study: Georgia’s Coalition of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (CAPRN)

January 25, 2014 By Patrick L. Burns Leave a Comment

Georgia’s Coalition of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (CAPRN), formed in 2010, unites 20 advanced practice registered nursing organizations across the state of Georgia to improve the healthcare of all Georgians through collaboration, advocacy and legislative initiatives. CAPRN represents over 8,000 advanced practice registered nurses in Georgia, including nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists.

The leadership at CAPRN decided in order to better serve their members and also to help grow awareness and increase new membership, that they wanted to redesign their website and develop a content marketing and social media strategy. The leadership wanted a website that was easy to navigate, mobile friendly, and had a modern, professional look. For their content strategy, CAPRN wanted to solidify their place as the leader in promoting quality healthcare, educating about the advanced practice registered nursing profession in the state, and advocating for the profession at the State Capitol.

Arc 3 Communications worked with CAPRN to develop a plan for their new website that would meet all of their goals. From this plan, a new, modernized website was built that represented the mission of CAPRN, and brought value to members and potential members alike. This new website was mobile first, provided easy-to-find valuable resources, and allowed for donations to the association, and easy new member registration.

In addition, Arc 3 did a thorough content audit of their current social media presence and content efforts. From this audit, Arc 3 was able to identify key messages, audiences, and objectives that would help in forming a successful content marketing strategy for CAPRN. The Arc 3 team then held a content and social media training session with the group, providing a new content marketing plan and providing strategies and insights on how to grow the group’s digital presence and in turn increase traffic to the website and ultimately grow their membership.

Since the creation of the new website and the development of a content marketing plan, CAPRN has experienced substantial growth in unique visitors to their website. They have also grown their social media following by over 100%. The new website has given the association distinction and a strong online presence, leading to increased awareness and new members.

Does your association need a new look for your website or a content and social media marketing plan? Contact us here.