Don’t let the “UX” in the title intimidate you. It’s not something out of this world. It’s actually an acronym for “user experience.” So what does UX got to do with associations?
I was reading one of my favorite e-newsletters and there was a topic on “green UX.” I understood instantly what “green” was but I wondered what UX meant? So I Googled.
User experience (UX) refers to a person’s emotions and attitudes about using a particular product, system or service. It includes the practical, experiential, affective, meaningful and valuable aspects of human-computer interaction and product ownership. Extending this definition further, the Nielsen Norman Group says: “User experience encompasses all aspects of the end-user’s interaction with the company, its services, and its products.” Aha! I thought UX certainly could also apply to associations.
Associations provide services and products to their members. In many cases, it is an association’s products and services that attract members to join and remain engaged with the association. Therefore, a great UX should be part and parcel of an association’s marketing strategy and operational mandate.
Here are a few ways for members and potential members to have a delightful UX in your association:
Sign-up process—In its e-book, 50 Ways to Boost Association Membership, Aptify says to keep this process simple at every turn by limiting application form fields to only what’s completely necessary, by providing clear instructions with no room for interpretation, by using personalization in your e-mails and software, and by offering resources and tutorials to educate how to use the membership.
Mobile access—It’s becoming critical for associations to incorporate mobile more fully into their e-commerce and marketing strategies. In addition to addressing mobile-friendly factors like navigation and appearance, make sure mobile sites offer streamlined mechanisms for volunteer recruitment and donations, minimizing the number of clicks to conversion.
Meetings and events—Event planning has now transformed into designing experience. “Events are in desperate need of becoming experiences that will allow audiences to savor the moment while looking ahead to something that will inspire, connect, or surprise them,” says Don Neal of 360 Live Media, at ASAE’s 2016 Springtime Expo.
Content—Most associations generate large amounts of content to support their members’ work and interests. In fact, so much of the association value proposition is connected to content, e.g., publications, education, standards, news from the field, etc. To ensure that content is relevant, timely, meaningful and well-coordinated across the organization, a comprehensive content strategy is vital.
Social media—In the same Aptify e-book, staying active in social media isn’t just for recruiting new members; it’s also a great way to keep your current members engaged. Don’t just post your own events and news on social media. Use it as a tool to interact with and promote your members. Liking, commenting or replying to comments on relevant posts is a great way to stay engaged with your members, and to keep a pulse on what they’re up to.
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The column contributor, Octavio “Bobby” Peralta, is concurrently the secretary-general of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (Adfiap) and the CEO and founder of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE). PCAAE is holding a mini-conference on public relations, branding and communications on June 6, 2018, at the Philippine International Convention
Center (PICC).
The event is supported by Adfiap, the Tourism Promotions Board and the PICC.
E-mail inquiries@adfiap.org.