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Onboarding Campaigns

Writer's picture: Amber WorthenAmber Worthen

Updated: Jan 21

Onboarding, Re-Engagement and Renewal campaigns are the most important campaigns associations do every year. The three campaigns should work together but have separation.


Onboarding Campaign Timeline

Onboarding, or welcome, campaigns are the most important of the 3. If a new member isn’t properly onboarded they are far less likely to find the value in the association. New members should be onboarded within the first 2-3 months after joining – max. We want to show members that their investment was worth it – fast.  


Association have a history of sending one onboarding email a month through the members who year cycle, but they rarely make sense. Members need to know about the community, top resources, learning center, conferences, etc. asap so they can get the value from them.  


Here’s the campaign we recommend:  

  • First 24 hours: letter from the CEO or President welcoming them to the association 

  • First 2 days later: Top 5 resources that a new member should know about. Also put in some language about logging into the account and whitelisting email addresses to ensure they receive emails. That should be at the bottom, the top 5 are most important.  

  • 1 week later: Highlight the top benefit in depth  

  • 1 week later: Highlight the second top benefit in depth 

  • 1 week later: Highlight the third top benefit in depth  


These benefits are unique to each association – they typically include: community, learning center, webinar series, partner savings, journals, peer-reviewed resource center, etc. 


Continue on as needed IF there is really valuable content to share. Many associations also like to space these emails out by 2 weeks, that’s okay as well.  

 

Content of the emails 

Often when we read these emails they are so business formal and boring. Start by talking out loud as if you were talking to a member about the important things they should know about your association – then turn them into emails. Consider even doing a listening tour of your own staff, what would they tell a new member about? 


Things to avoid:  

  • Don’t give them a giant to do list. 

  • Don’t ask them to pay you more money – show them what they just paid for. 

  • Don’t write a 2 page essay. 


Things to do:  

  • Remember that the member is the hero, the association is here to help them through their journey. 

  • Keep it simple and digestible. 

  • Hyperlink! They do not know your website, and don’t have time to attempt to find things, send them right to what they need to get to. 

  • Apply email design best practices to ensure they enjoy seeing your emails. 


Here’s a story to support my point 

I joined my first association as a member two years ago. Before I joined, I did my research. I looked at the website, talked to a current member and had a call with their Chapter Membership Chair – the organization sounded great, so I paid the fees.   


Then crickets.... I didn't hear anything.  


Until I got my first email about an event to attend. So I went, feeling very insecure and unsure, but wanted to get value for my membership. The event was good, made good connections. The process then repeated – crickets > email about an event > unsure but go > like the event.   


I've been to over 10 events, I've learned a lot, I've made good connections. But I'm still feeling unsure about the organization, what it stands for, why I should be part of it, where I fit in, and why I need a membership. I've wondered why not just have lunch with my newfound connections once a month?   


To this day, I randomly hear from my member friends about a cool resource that I have to go digging around the website to find them.  


I’m going to renew my membership for another year, but it’s only because of the connections I’ve made in my chapter. If any of those connections decide to leave, I will too, because I still struggle to see the value the association provides.  


Let's help our members feel valued, seen, and confident that they're navigating our associations well so they see the ROI quick.   

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