Multichannel Marketing Tips for Your Membership Program

Engaging and retaining more members is always top of mind for a membership organization, and now you have to navigate an ever-evolving landscape of diverse outreach tools and methods. This tip sheet distills the best multichannel marketing strategies to keep your members coming back for more. The main idea? Ensure every marketing touchpoint—whether on-site, online, or in mailboxes—makes engagement easy and reinforces the unique joys and advantages of membership in your organization.

1. Remove friction from the joining process.

Ensure the “Become a Member” box is visible (and clickable) from every page on your website so visitors never have to search for it. Also, remove as many barriers to entry as possible by streamlining your sign-up form to require only the most essential information. Where possible, simplify your membership tiers and offerings to reduce decision fatigue.

• Pro tip: Make sure your software system accepts a wide range of payment options, including Groupon, gift certificates, Apple Pay, PayPal, Venmo, and all traditional methods. Members frustrated by limited options don’t renew.

2. Target digital ads to your ideal member.

Use pay-per-click advertising to reach people searching for specific terms (“best art museum for families”) or locations (“arboretum near me”), then make sure your messaging gives them a compelling reason to join.

• Pro tip: Search engine optimization (SEO) tools can help you determine the value of keywords and the phrases your ideal member is likely to query.

3. Optimize your website for AI search.

You want prospective members to find your website. Make sure your pages are optimized for the keywords people use when searching for the experiences you offer. This means using SEO fundamentals and strategies to improve the odds that AI-powered search engines such as ChatGPT will drive traffic to your site.

• Pro tip: For AI search, adopt a question-first strategy, such as, “Where can I volunteer at a garden?” or “Does the battlefield host members-only events?”

4. Make the most of your data and technology.

Your CRM is collecting, storing, and analyzing member and prospect information and interactions with your organization. Use this data to understand which engagements are translating to boosts in membership. Then, personalize your emails with special offers and invitations for both new and renewing members.

• Pro tip: Use generative AI to write email subject lines customized for each segment, such as a pitch to lapsed members, mentioning next weekend’s family picnic (when discounted memberships will be on offer).

5. Share more compelling video content.

According to a Cisco global report, videos account for 82% of consumer internet traffic. Make your video captivating enough to grab a potential member’s attention. How about time-lapse footage of the crew installing an exhibit, with an offer of early access to members;, or teasing a members-only livestream of zookeepers feeding the lions? Gritty, beautiful, or unexpected video can be a powerful storytelling tool.

• Pro tip: Remember to include social sharing buttons and encourage members to share clips of themselves enjoying the perks of membership.

6. Treat members like influencers.

Boost FOMO (and honor your most loyal supporters) by promoting members-only online communities, featuring members in your storytelling, or arranging photo ops for those who join, such as an Instagram-worthy tree giveaway or concert for members.

• Pro tip: Return the favor to social media ambassadors who amplify your message and your mission. Heart, share, and comment on their content, too. Especially if they’re wearing merch from your gift shop.

7. Create clear calls-to-action.

Design your multichannel outreach to serve every stage of membership. A social media post might have a CTA that links to a blog post about the top perks of membership. That might lead to a “Join Now” form which might point to a member survey. Those results might have a CTA leading to an invitation to ladder up to midlevel giving, then to a private event, and eventually to an in-person chat about leadership opportunities.

• Pro tip: Always give prospective members and renewals somewhere to go next. That journey should be a mix of digital and in-real-life experiences. Note that, although membership is the goal, most of your touchpoints should not be asks.

8. Invest in an all-in-one system.

Many organizations struggle with uniting their internal teams around a singular data source, and that can trigger overlapping or conflicting communication to supporters. If visitor services, membership, programming, and development all use different software, you could be missing out on opportunities. Or, you could run the risk of annoying existing members, for example, by inviting them to events they’ve already booked. An all-in-one system with real-time data from patron records helps you track ticket buyers and event attendees so you can convert them more easily into members.

• Pro tip: See how a cohesive system could help you book more reservations: Longue Vue House and Gardens boosted online ticket sales 61% with Blackbaud Altru.

9. Adopt digital tools that gently affirm the member experience.

Membership marketing should have a quiet side, a series of low-stress, supportive touchpoints. For instance, digital memberships save the hassle of renewing a physical card if it’s lost or expired. Do you offer a member portal for renewals and exclusive content? How about a QR code at check-in to make it easy for visitors to join your membership program on the spot?

• Pro tip: Automate text reminders for expiring memberships. Use messaging that suggests ease, not urgency, to keep members informed, not pressured.

10. Don’t shy away from direct mail.

Sending a flyer via postal service seems so much more complicated than knocking out an email. But direct mail has acquired a level of novelty and exclusivity, so consider the impression it could make for personalized invitations or thank-you notes.

• Pro tip: Response rates for direct mail are 5X email. Test the waters with an affordable, easy-to-produce postcard. Keep the message short: Join/renew today!

11. Celebrate membership in your environmental marketing.

In your lobby, display social media posts from members: Go digital or opt for wall posters or ceiling danglers. Wrap the welcome desk with “Join Now” graphics. Even the floor is prime promotional real estate: Feature the sign-up QR code on sidewalk graphics.

• Pro tip: Think high-traffic areas for your membership messaging—entrances, elevators, and café tables—so visitors naturally discover how easy it is to join.